When we talk about branding most people think of logos and signs. Those are a small part of the overall brand of the company. Your brand involves everything from the color of your logo to the colors of your vehicles, walls and even your invoices and forms.
In the Bible we see colors used frequently to communicate ideas. You may remember a story involving God’s promise after the flood. It was a promised made with the use of a rainbow. You may have even read something about a great King in robes of scarlet. Look how God uses imagery and colors when talking to us in Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Colors communicate ideas. Most cultures use similar colors to mean the same things. Green symbolizes growth. Blue symbolizes royalty. Yellow symbolizes brightness.
When we think of branding, we must think about how our colors represent our business. Here is a short list of the basic colors and what they mean (in general).
Colors and their meanings
- Yellow – optimism, happy, clarity, warmth, caution
- Orange – open, friendly, cheerful, confident, freedom
- Red – active, exciting, bold, youthful, urgent
- Purple – creative, imaginative, wise, wealth, luxury
- Blue – dependable, strong, trusting, ambition, calm
- Green – healthy, growth, peaceful, fresh
- Gray – calm, balanced, neutral, maturity
- Black – classic, refined, powerful, sophistication
- Brown – reliable, approachable, organic, earthy, safe
If you understand the psychology behind colors, you can use them to communicate your brand. You may use a red to highlight your current sale. You may use a green in the newsletter to show that your company is growing. Every color you choose to use in your communication speaks to the brain.
When was the last time you thought about the colors of your logo or the walls in your business? What colors do you use frequently in your business? Is it a color that you like or is it a color that communicates your brand?
You don’t necessarily need to do a complete brand overhaul, but being aware of what you are communicating is important. If you own a sports company and want to convey excitement, you probably shouldn’t use blue. If you are a financial company, you want to convey trust, so you may not want to use red in your logo.
Be wise about colors in your branding and you will communicate with your customers on a deeper level.
Exercise:
- Take this list of colors and compare it with your logo. What does your logo communicate with its colors?
- Look at your building and/or your webpage. What colors are repeated? What do they communicate what your business stands for?
Small adjustments to your color scheme can make a lot of difference to the way your company is perceived.
Small adjustments to your color scheme can make a lot of difference to the way your company is perceived. Share on X
