Tag: colour

Colour Theory in Brand Logo Designs

Colour. It is all around us. But how often do we really notice the psychological impact that colours have on our daily lives?

Here’s an interesting quiz: can you name the colours of Google’s logo in order? While you might not be able to remember the order, it’s easy to recall that the logo consists of green, red, yellow and blue. This distinctiveness of Google’s brand colours is what truly drives its success as a multinational technology company.

The Psychological Impact of Colours

There is a strong psychological component involved in creating a successful brand, and brand colours — as well as logos — is one of them. Research has shown that colours do have an effect on us, and can even convey messages if used right. Personal preference, experiences, and cultural upbringing are all factors that shape the way we think about specific colours.

When you understand how humans perceive colour, you’ll be better able to apply the colour theory for your brand logo. What colour palette should you use? How should you mix colours together? Should you opt for higher contrast, softer hues?

Colours play a very important part in solidifying a brand’s identity and personality. By using colours wisely, a brand can present itself to be more familiar and likeable to their consumers. In fact, one study has shown that strategic use of colours can actually influence consumers’ purchasing intent!

Another study discovered that people can make up their minds about a product or service within the first 90 seconds of their interaction with it. Up to a whopping 90% of this can be based just on colour alone. So, colours can indeed influence not only our moods but also our attitudes towards certain products.

How Brands Use Colour Theory to Strengthen Brand Identity

So now we know that colours can convey messages, let’s talk about colour theory. Since different colours evoke different emotions in us, we can use this to build our brand identity. Take a look at Google, for instance. How do Google’s colours work to strengthen its brand identity in our minds?

Knowing that colours steer us to perceive a brand in a certain manner, Google uses a multicoloured logo against a clean white canvas. The logo is largely made up of the three primary colours of paint and light. This subconsciously suggests to us the simplicity of the brand. And indeed, all of us find Google’s services particularly user-friendly and easy to navigate, don’t we?

Colours such as red evoke a sense of urgency, excitement, and passion. It also stimulates the body by raising blood pressure and heart rate. Many fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s, as well as Coca Cola, make use of this to entice people to patronise their business.

Meanwhile, the colour green makes us think of health and nature. This colour can be used by brands such as Starbucks to signify a strong connection to environmental friendliness and the earthy tones of their coffee beans.

How to Create a Logo Effectively

Before deciding on the colours for your brand, you need to consider your brand identity and what you want to convey. Want to express your brand’s reliability and professionalism? Blue is a good colour to represent just that. Hoping to express optimism and warmth? Call on a bright shade of yellow.

Of course, creating a distinct brand logo takes more work than just looking at the colour wheel and selecting complementary colours. Brands who want a professional design can consult a creative agency for a more in-depth analysis.

As a creative agency, MIU’s strength lies in understanding what your brand stands for and what it needs. By conducting comprehensive research on your brand and its market, we are able to come up with powerful designs in high resolution that suit your brand perfectly. Ready to have a custom logo for your brand? Don’t hesitate to consult us and get into the business of choosing your logo.