When you think of iconic brands like Coca-Cola or Best Buy, what stands out most? It’s likely their colors—vibrant, memorable, and instantly recognizable. But have you ever wondered why color plays such a powerful role in branding?

Every color a brand chooses is part of a larger strategy designed to evoke specific emotions, shape perceptions, and create lasting associations with consumers. From the restaurants we choose to dine at to the products we pick up off the shelves, color influences our decisions on a subconscious level. But it’s not just about what looks good—it’s about what those colors communicate about your brand.

Every color chosen by a brand is intentional, and part of a bigger strategy to get our attention. All color choices, down to the color of a brand font, have more than just a visual or aesthetic appeal. Colors can trigger specific connotations and psychological associations within consumers. Here, the expertise of a marketing agency can make a real difference by strategically applying color psychology to help your brand stand out in a crowded market.

The Emotional Impact of Color

An effective color palette is one that evokes a series of feelings or emotions. After experiencing your brand colors for the first time, your audience begins to form connections and associations to the world around them. Color surrounds us on a daily basis, and has been historically known to provide an association with certain meanings and emotions. 

A popular example used by marketers is McDonald’s use of red and yellow to excite their hungry customers. As explored in a study by Penn State University, the color red evokes feelings of comfort and warmth—think of enjoying a hearty meal or receiving a warm hug from someone you trust. Yellow, on the other hand, is associated with excitement and energy, even stimulating appetite. Color has also contributed to the iconography of the McDonald’s brand—their bright yellow golden arches are immediately recognizable around the world.

Evoking Specific Feelings From a Color Palette

Choosing colors is about understanding the emotions you want to trigger in your audience. Colors have the power to evoke everything from trust to excitement to calm, and even nostalgia. A classic example is blue—it’s the go-to color for companies in industries like tech, finance, and healthcare. It’s associated with trust, dependability, and calm. On the other hand, yellow is often used by brands that want to appear cheerful, playful, and optimistic.

To explore the emotional appeals of color even further, take a look at the color wheel above. As you can see, one color may have several meanings, while conflicting with other colors simultaneously. For example, purple can represent royalty and power while also evoking modesty. Color associations can also change when combined with one another, which is important to consider throughout the design process. Take the color red for example. When paired with black, the colors can evoke passion and mystery. Meanwhile, red combined with blue can evoke confidence, spirit, and success. Choosing just one color for your brand is not recommended, so the emotions colors evoke when paired together should be considered while building or redesigning your brand.

Once you have identified the colors that represent your brand, you should also explore finding the right shades and color variations. A deeper blue is akin to security and trust as exemplified by our clients, Legacy Protection Lawyers and CoAction Security; while a teal color may evoke a beachy feeling of calm as seen with our branding for 82° West Distilling. Shades can also represent temporal meanings, in which an item relates to time as distinguished from space. One of the most powerful emotional triggers that color can evoke is nostalgia—a sense of longing for the past that stirs positive memories or associations. Nostalgic feelings are often tied to colors like soft pastel purples, peaches, and vintage-inspired shades of pink. These colors can remind consumers of a simpler, happier time. Conversely, a bright blue is associated with themes of the future. 

Another detail to consider when designing your brand, is whether your look should incorporate warm or cool toned colors. Are you a non-profit that provides a sense of community to your audience? Try using warmer colors to evoke a sense of protection and reassurance. In contrast, a software company that provides cutting-edge technology may implement cool tones that are usually associated with growth and innovation.

Choosing the right color usually boils down to determining what you want your audience to feel when they think of your brand. Our client Hyde Park Event Design wanted to incorporate a subdued color palette that would evoke a feeling of sophistication, as a luxury event management company. Whereas a colorful, bright palette can support a brand’s message of positivity, excitement, and cheerfulness, as our client Drink Katy’s wanted to convey with their products. Pinellas County Economic Development’s visual identity refresh encapsulates a warm, tropical feeling with rich yellow and orange as well as green and blue to represent palms and waves. Their color palette provides an energetic yet sophisticated mark to represent the vibrant, diverse county.

Building a Cohesive Brand Palette

The one or two main colors you choose to represent your brand serve as the foremost associations consumers make when they interact with your company. Once a primary color or two are determined, the next step is to identify complementary colors to build the rest of your brand palette. These secondary or tertiary colors can help further shape the visual identity. A bold red can be softened by a light gray to add balance and avoid a brand from feeling too stark. The amount of each color is important to think about as well. Is the purpose of a certain color or shade to boldly grab attention or to simply accentuate or complement other elements? 

For example, Apple uses a minimalist palette of white, silver, and black to convey simplicity, elegance, and innovation. The use of neutral colors highlights the sleek design of their products, focusing attention on the quality and functionality of their tech.

In contrast, Spotify uses green as its primary brand color to evoke feelings of freshness and vibrancy, symbolizing their connection to music and a youthful, modern energy. However, they also balance the green with black and white elements to keep the overall aesthetic clean and easy to navigate.

When building a color palette, work with your designer to make sure that incorporating additional colors doesn’t hinder or change the message you originally set out to deliver. You might think, the more colors and messages associated with my brand, the more emotion that it will evoke from my audience, right? Technically yes, however, you might end up overwhelming the audience with a variety of different color meanings. The key is to stick to one key color palette that compliments your brand identity and establishes a positive association amongst your audience. 

Making the Right Color Choices for Your Brand

Before selecting colors for your brand, you need to have a clear understanding of your business’s core values and mission. What emotions do you want to evoke in your audience? What story do you want your brand colors to tell? A marketing agency can help you answer these questions, guiding you through the process of selecting a color palette that not only appeals to your target audience but also strengthens your brand’s position in the market.

Color plays a crucial role in brand recognition and consumer loyalty, making it an essential part of your marketing strategy. A well-chosen color palette helps you build emotional connections with your audience, leaving a lasting impression and supporting your brand’s narrative.

Working with an expert to build your brand is the beginning of a strategic approach that speaks to your audience on a deeper, emotional level. Whether you’re rebranding or launching a new venture, our team can guide you through the process of selecting colors that represent your brand and resonate with your audience.

Contact us today for insights into your brand’s color psychology.