One of the most important aspects of building your brand’s visual identity is choosing your brand’s colour palette.
Think of some of the biggest brands in the world, and you’ll realise that so much of their brand memorability comes from their iconic colours: the red Coca-cola can, the Golden Arches, Starbucks’s green siren logo, the list goes on.
So if you’re having a hard time picking a colour palette to represent your brand, don’t worry – you’re just giving due thought to what is actually an important decision.
We hope this guide makes the process a little easier!
Table of Contents
Understanding Psychology in Choosing a Colour Palette
People generally have a tendency to associate colours with different emotions and ideas. You can use this knowledge to communicate your brand personality.
Red
Red is an energetic colour that grabs attention and makes a bold statement. Red can symbolise power and strength, as well as energy and passion for life. Red is also an appetising colour, which is why so many food brands and restaurants go for it.
Blue
Blue is a versatile colour that can easily go from confident and bold (think sports teams) to understated and calm (think the famous Tiffany Blue). Many companies use blue to convey reliability, safety, and peace. This makes blue a popular choice for healthcare companies.
Green
It should come as no surprise that when we see green, we think of nature. Green conveys freshness, health, and oneness with nature, so it’s no surprise so many food, wellness, and eco-friendly brands use lots of green in their colour palette.
Image source: insideretail.com.au
Yellow
Yellow is all about positive energy! This can be a warm, sunny yellow to evoke feelings of cheer and friendliness, or a daring neon yellow to convey excitement and nonconformity. Just like red, yellow stimulates the appetite.
Orange
Orange is another colour that can convey creativity and enthusiasm. It’s highly attention-grabbing, which is why it’s so often used in safety gear and barriers; that association is also why it’s a popular choice for brands that deal in construction or home repair, tools, and similar industries.
Brown/Tan
Similar to green, brown also conveys earthiness and a connection to nature. It can also be used to impart a sense of luxury, and the idea that the brand’s products use natural ingredients or materials.
Black
Black exudes a sense of mystery and quiet confidence, and can also be used to create a feeling of exclusivity and sophistication.
White
White is all about simplicity and purity, making it a great choice for minimalist brands.
Choosing shades for your colour palette
Knowing these traditional colour associations is a good starting point, but of course none of this is an exact science – and at the end of the day, you’re free to choose whichever colour you want, especially if it’s something that represents something meaningful to your brand.
So perhaps an equally important decision is how to choose the right shade, since different shades of a certain colour can give off vastly different impressions.
Bold vs Muted
The saturation of each colour can greatly affect how it’s perceived.
Bold colours are vivid, striking, and command attention, often used to create a dynamic and energetic atmosphere. This makes them ideal for brands aiming to convey confidence and innovation.
In contrast, muted colours have reduced saturation, creating a more subdued and calming effect. These tones are often associated with sophistication and subtlety, making them perfect for brands that want to evoke a sense of understated elegance or approachability.
Gold and Other Metallics
Gold and other metallics, like silver and bronze, convey a sense of luxury, prestige, and sophistication. These colours are often used to highlight exclusivity and high quality, making them popular choices for premium brands and luxury products. The reflective nature of metallics adds a touch of glamour and modernity, which can enhance the perceived value and desirability of a product or brand.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent colours are bright, vibrant hues that seem to glow with intensity, instantly capturing attention and evoking a sense of energy and excitement. These eye-catching shades are often used in design and fashion to convey modernity, boldness, and innovation
Picking the supporting colours for your brand palette
Once you’ve decided on a primary colour for your brand, you can go one step further and choose secondary colours or shades to support it. Creating this full palette helps establish a more recognisable visual identity, and make your branding more cohesive.
Monochrome
A monochrome palette will simply use varying shades of the same colour.
Accent colour
You can choose an entirely different colour to go with your primary colour. Accent colours are typically complementary or analogous on the colour wheel.
Complementary colours are across from each other on the colour wheel.
Analogous colours are three colours adjacent to each other on the colour wheel.
Tools for choosing your colour palette
Still feeling lost? Don’t worry, there are plenty of online tools that can make things easier.
Websites such as ColorSpace and Coolors will not only give you inspiration, but can actually generate entire colour palettes based on a colour you’ve selected.
Don’t forget: test your chosen colour palette!
Seeing the swatches of a nice-looking colour palette is one thing; actually seeing it in action for your brand is another. You might think you love a certain shade or colour combination, only to find that it doesn’t look quite right with your logo, the typography, or the overall style of your brand.
Before making a final decision about your colours, make sure to test them out first. Create mockups of your logo, website, social media posts, and even physical applications like uniforms and packaging.
Need pros to create your colour palette and brand style guide for you?
Having a brand style guide–which specifies the exact shades of your brand colours, logo usage guidelines, as well as typefaces–is really important for creating consistency in your marketing content. And consistency is a key ingredient in brand recognition!
But if building your brand visual identity is starting to feel a little overwhelming, our team is here to help.
Our team of creative professionals will be happy to study your products and services, as well as your mission and brand personality, and create a look and feel that communicates all of that clearly. We’ll take care of everything including your logo, colour palette, and typography, and deliver it all in a brand style guide that is easy to follow.
Want to get a quote or learn more about our services? Get in touch!
Meta: Your colour palette can say a lot about your brand. Here’s how to choose yours!
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