How to Choose a Logo Color: The Psychology of Color in Marketing

All around us, there are multiple colours. Even the primary colours have different shades. Through colours we identify things and relate with experiences. Therefore, it is unsurprising that colour has a major impact on human psychology and decisions. Brands study this color psychology for purchase journey definition and create their logo and packaging.  Colours play a huge role in attracting customers’ attention and creating an impression of a brand in the customer’s mind. More than 60 percent of people decide whether to trust a brand based on colour alone. The logo, the packaging, and the color scheme create the first impression of the brand in mind. Even before the person has used the product, the logo and packaging tell a story to him, and color is the narrator. A properly defined and used color scheme sets the brand apart. In a sea of stocked shelves in a supermarket, the distinction of color is what matters the most.

How Does Color Psychology Fit into Marketing Purposes?

People connect colour with perceptions and behaviour. However, the context of colour can differ from person to person based on their personal experiences. While green means calm in color theory, green can also stand for environmental activism and climate change for the present generation. For products and brands, the bottom line of defining the logo and the packaging is that the product matches the packaging. The colour theory has to match the product the packaging is selling. When it comes to logos, the logo colours should align with the brand values and personality. The color should be appropriate to what the inside is selling.

Brands that sell feminine products usually use pastel shades or pink shades to align with the feminine psyche and the social perception of the feminine. Brands can pick one core trait and choose a color that aligns with its marketing strategy, or they can choose two and go with the color combination for the logo and the theme. For example, nearly 40 percent of fortune 500 companies go for the colour blue in their logo. Blue is used in logos because it is a very strong colour that can represent calmness and responsibility. While lighter blues are seen as amicable, darker blues are seen as signs of reliability and strength. Companies want to project all these traits through logo design and product packaging. 

According to studies, blue is also the most popular colour for logo design. The traits that are associated with the blue color and its inoffensive nature are what make it so popular. It takes about 0.05 seconds for people to make an opinion of a brand. The impression is also perfect when the logo design and colour are perfect.

What Do The Colors Mean, and How to Use Them in Logos?

To choose the color for your logo and the product packaging, you need to know about the perception of colour people have in their minds. The most popular colours are-

Black– Black is a colour that stands for strength and elegance. It is a serious color tone that many luxury brands also use to show power and indulgence. If you want to establish a brand that talks about sophistication and intelligence, black is the right colour. Blacks are mostly used to design impactful monochrome logos with a clean look. Blacks, well balanced with neutrals or golds, can create a color story of elegance and luxury. However, the logo should look clean and decisive for maximum impact.

White– Another no-nonsense, neutral color that compliments other colours is white. White is used a lot of times in designing graphics and logos. The colour white stands for purity and freshness. A lot of cosmetic and beauty brands either use the colour in their logo or packaging. If it is not used in the logo, it is used in the background or highlights to reinforce the logo and packaging. Many hospitals and healthcare chains also use white and green in their logos to create a combination of purity and safety.

Grey- if black looks too daunting for you, choose the neutral grey shade for the logo design. Business firms use grey in their logos or background themes to reflect professionalism and stability. Shades of grey can be used to invoke credibility and are also used to represent technology. Construction, real estate, and science tech companies use grey and white to balance out logos and create an impression.

Green- Green has recently become a favourite among logo colours with the rise of themes such as sustainability, fertility, natural products and organic products. Different types of brands use green to represent a varied number of products. As more and more people are inclining towards health and safety, green is being used. Many brands that promise natural and organic products use the colour combination of green and white to deliver a sense of natural, fresh and pure products. As brands are turning eco-friendly and sustainable, they are also using colour combinations of green and earthy brown tones. On the other hand, since green is associated with new life and safety, it is also used by a lot of hospitals and pharmacy chains.

Red- Red might seem like a not-so-popular choice, but it is very popular for logo design. Red attracts attention, and invokes energy and excitement. Companies use different shades of red to evoke strong emotions in the mind of the customer. The feeling of urgency and the urge to take action is what red invokes, and this is used in logos to drive customers to make impulsive purchases and complete the final step of buying.

Conclusion

These are the common colours used in logo designs. Different colours mean different things, and brands piece together these colors and perceptions to build their brand image. The logo is a vital component of that brand image, therefore, its creation must be entrusted to a reliable service. The color, font and presentation of the logo are what make the first impression memorable. The more a customer interacts with the logo, the stronger the impression becomes.