True Colors of Branding

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“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotion.” - Pablo Picasso

Colors have an effect on mood, emotion and behavior. For example, take a look at interior designers. In order to produce a perfect combination of furniture and decors, interior designers decide on the appropriate mix of dark and light hues. Companies in the field of business, meanwhile, play with colors and color combinations to make themselves familiar among consumers. They do this with their logos, their products and their advertisements. Each combination of colors and design then becomes the embodiment of a particular company – it becomes an identity.

Terry Powell uses business strategies that can help products or services sell. In this case, choosing a color is a strategy through which consumers can be drawn. Let us now take a deeper look at some of the popular color choices in the business world and the companies which bear them.

 

Red - represents strength, love, passion, boldness, and excitement. It stimulates one’s heart and mind. Thus it is an intense color.  

Companies that use it: Coca Cola, Xerox, ATI and Wendy’s. 

Blue - represents intelligence, trust, freedom, royalty, and progress.

Companies that use it: Facebook, Intel, and Skype.

Green – represents the environmental and the natural. It also conveys profit, money, and growth. 

Companies that use it: Starbucks and NVIDIA.

Yellow – represents cheerfulness, fun, friendliness, energy, and youth. 

Companies that use it: McDonalds, Yellow Pages, Yellow Cab, and Best Buy.

Orange - represents calmness and warmth. It is inviting, and is commonly used in retro themes.

Companies that use it: Blogger and Etsy.

Pink – represents playfulness, affection, and beauty.

Companies that use it: Sanrio (Hello Kitty) and Mattel, Inc. (Barbie)

Black - represents authority, power, and stability.

Companies that use it: Research in Motion (Blackberry), Microsoft, Adidas, GE, Zoo York, and Nike.

It is important to take note of the right color to represent your company. As stated above, each color evokes different emotions. Choose the appropriate color and your marketing strategy will likely succeed. Choose the wrong one and you might just waste a lot of time and effort.