Did you know 93 percent of shoppers make purchase decisions based on color and visual appearance? To achieve both memorable and effective results, it's important to choose colors that authentically represent your brand and tell a unique story.
When determining your color palette for your logo, websites and all materials, choose a combination that is both visually appealing and logistically practical for the message you are relaying to your consumer. A consistent and recognizable representation of your brand will evoke emotion, illicit a memorable impression, and will work to increase your chances of both success and sustainability.
It is proven that color increases brand recognition by 80%. To ensure you are setting your brand up for maximum visibility, choose a primary brand color and build secondary colors around it. Be careful not to pick too many prominent colors as to not confuse people, and build ancillary colors that complement the main color.
Below are key guidelines to follow and questions to ask when you are choosing your brand palette.
DETERMINE YOUR BRAND STORY
Ask the questions - "What's your brand's message?" "What are its values?" "What sets you a part from the competition?" "Who is your target audience?"
The more you can stand out in the marketplace, the more successful you will be. Figuring out your narrative and what you aspire to be, and how you want to be perceived are important factors to finalize before you jump into dressing up your brand. Once you are able to answer those questions and really define your positioning, it's fun to get creative and pick from the color wheel to bring it to life.
CREATE EMOTION WITH COLORS
Colors create a mood, a state of mind. When choosing your dominant color, be sure to think of the tone it will be setting and how you want it to be interpreted by your consumer. Will it give off all the happy feels? Or will it be too dark for the current times? It's important to know where your consumer's head is at, and be able to make an educated guess as to how they will respond.
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONALITY?
Are you fun and free? Are you formal and informational? Are you vibrant and passionate? Are you cool as a cucumber? This is important to determine your vibe, because a color speaks 1,000 words. Without this information, you can misrepresent your brand color and the story you are trying to tell with it. For example, a brand that is "formal and informational" doesn't coincide with mint green and pink as much as it does a navy blue and grey.
KEEP YOUR CONSUMER AT THE HEART OF YOUR BRAND
Look through the lens of your consumer to ensure that you aren't leading them down a path they will find unattractive. Ensure that the color you choose as the primary color is one that isn't offensive or misleading to your consumer's beliefs or culture. This requires research to make sure that you truly know your audience and what they will respond to.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Put some resources into ensuring that you are properly picking the right color based on who your target demo is, what your competition looks like, and how you want to be perceived. For example, if you choose pastel colors for a brand that is suitable for both males and females, you may find half the group is less responsive. If your brand caters to both genders, pick a palette that will appeal to everyone so you don't worry about eliminating half your crowd.
See below for some of our favorite primary color picks and some surrounding colors and images that amplify and complement them.
Blues tend to invoke a sense of security and represent things that are dependable and trustworthy.
Lighter shades of green give off a sense of balance and peace. They feel refreshing and relaxing.
Darker shades of green feel powerful, successful and driven. They represent feelings of opportunity and growth.
The primary color of Red is bold, exciting, youthful and filled with vigor!
Need more advice on how to build your brand? Drop us a line at hello@edison360.com
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