Green with Envy, seeing Red, feeling blue, black sheep, gray area, white lie… you’ve probably heard these phrases before. Much of their effect comes from the feelings connected to the colors. Color is a powerful tool for conveying emotions and can be leveraged when creating a brand that resonates with people. How your customers perceive your product is very much influenced by the colors used in your brand identity. Here is a quick overview of several popular colors, their uses and the feelings they elicit.
Red – Red is the most powerful color and stands out better than any other. Red is used to convey Energy, Power, Passion, Danger, Caution.
Purple – Purple is an elegant color that can be used to represent Prestige, Mystery, Royalty, Spirituality.
Blue – Blue is one of the most popular colors to use since it is very useful in signifying Trust, Professionalism, Security, Calm.
Green – Green is a lively color that frequently represents Life, Health, Environment, Wealth, Prestige.
Yellow – Yellow is a warm color that is often used to look Cheerful, Creative, Warm, Fresh, Childish.
Orange – Orange is a vibrant color that can be used to elicit Warmth, Cheer, Fun, Vitality. It is closely related to and often used with Yellow.
Pink – Pink is a pleasant color that is used to convey Femininity, Friendship, Beauty, Compassion.
Black – Black is a serious color that represents Power, Elegance, Mystery, Timelessness.
Along with these colors, here are some related terms that are also important to know:
Hue – The color or shade as it is perceived by the human eye.
Saturation – How bright or dull a color looks.
Value – How light or dark a color appears.
Knowing the best ways to utilize different colors will allow you to create more powerful color combinations in your branding. Furthermore you can use colors creatively to resonate with your clients and customers in precise ways that will benefit your business. Keep these in mind next time you decide to refresh your brand or create a new marketing campaign. Colors are powerful!
