Simran Jaiswal
A subject of complexity and nuance, colour psychology in branding is typically splashy infographics rarely beyond the see & say levels. These leaves us unequipped to make smart choices about the colour spectrum to convey the right message with branding. But why is it waveringly shallow?
Could brand colour make a different to your business

Every colour has a meaning and a personality, and that’s why selecting the colour can make or break your business. The colour psychology relates to persuasion and most controversial aspect of branding. I believe it’s about the depth of analysis. A subject of complexity and nuance, colour psychology in branding is typically splashy infographics rarely beyond the see & say levels. These leaves us unequipped to make smart choices about the colour spectrum to convey the right message with branding. But why is it waveringly shallow? 

Colour Psychology 

How colours affect perceptions and behaviours depends on the colour psychology, in branding its impacts on consumers’ impressions of a brand whether they make a purchase or not considering a specific brand. It is also considered important when creating marketing assets, building a new business, or rebranding an existing one. 

Where the problem lies?

There have been myriad attempts to classify peoples reaction to different individual colours, but colour much depends on personal preferences, experiences / specific feelings, cultural differences. Consider the inaccuracy of making broad statements such as “green means calm.” The context is absent: Sometimes green is used to brand environmental issues, like Seventh Generation, but other times it meant to brand financial spaces, such as Mint. And while brown may be useful for a rugged appeal — see how it’s used by Saddleback Leather — when positioned in another context, brown can be used to create a warm, inviting feeling (Thanksgiving) or to stir your appetite (every chocolate commercial you’ve ever seen). But there’s still plenty to learn and the key is to look for practical ways to make decisions about colour. 

colour guide
Make practical decision about colour branding. 

Well, they’re no clearcut guidelines, the reality is that the answer to “What colours are right for my brand?” is always “It depends.” It’s the feeling, mood, and image that your brand or product creates that matters. Doing a little research into the psychology of colour can be helpful to make a right choice. 

The right colour is appropriate for your brand


What hinges between brands and colour relationship is the appropriateness of colour used. Does the colour fit what’s being sold? When it comes to picking the “right” colour the consumer reaction is far important than an individual colour itself. Ask yourself, “is colour appropriate for the product I’m selling?”

The right colour shows off your brand’s personality

Defining your brand personality helps customers make purchasing decisions, and it helps you target the right people. What’s your brand personality? Asking yourself these questions:

  • Gender: Is my brand traditionally masculine or feminine?
  • Tone: Is my brand playful or serious?
  • Value: Is my brand luxurious or affordable?
  • Time: Is my brand modern or classic?
  • Age: Is my brand youthful or mature?
  • Energy: Is my brand loud or subdued?
  • Your answers will give you an idea of your brand personality, and we’ll use that to see what colour works best for you.

The right colour appeals to your audience 

Gender is one of the most interesting examinations of colour psychology, which in turn can influence individual colour preferences.

favourite colour of men & women
Favourite colour
least favourite colour of men & women
Least favourite colour

Men prefer bold colours, while women prefer softer colours when it comes to shades, tints, hues. Men most likely to select shades of colours as their favourites (colours with black added), whereas women are more receptive to tints of colours (colours with white added). “Perceived appropriateness” shouldn’t be so rigid as to assume a brand or product can’t succeed because the colours don’t match surveyed tastes, which leads me directly into the next point … 

brand personality

The right colour differentiates your brand

It’s significant for new brands to pick colours that ensure differentiation from entrenched competitors. An item that, “Stands out like a sore thumb” is more likely to be thought of. The participants are able to recognise and recall an item far better — be it text or an image — when it blatantly sticks out from its surroundings. More sign-ups and more clicks are just single measurements — often misleading ones that marketers try to game simply because they can be so easily measured.

brand colour

The right colour has the right name

Descriptive names of colours matter as well, even though colours can be perceived in different ways “mocha” was found to be significantly more likeable than “brown,” consumers rated elaborately named paint colours as more pleasing to the eye than their simply named counterparts. It has also been shown that more unusual and unique colour names are preferable for everything from jelly beans to sweatshirts

Your own palette
There’s no cheat sheet for choosing your perfect colour. Total ripoff, I think I’ve raised more questions than answers. Even the topic is so full of ‘maybes’ doesn’t mean you critically stop to think about. Instead of simply copying big brands in your industry, be brave and creative.  When used properly, colours are a powerful branding weapon. Do you agree?