Why you can remember McDonalds, Amazon and FedEx logo colors?

Color theory plays a crucial role in brand identity – it helps designers create visually appealing and effective designs that communicate with users on multiple levels. The use of color schemes, temperature and psychological impact are all key considerations in this process. And why you remember certain brand colors. And (hopefully) their products!

We can thank Sir Isaac Newton for the establishment of the color wheel. He categorized colors into primary, secondary, and tertiary groups, the foundation for creating harmonious color combinations.

Color hue, chroma, and lighting can be effectively utilized by designers to create visual effects. And skilled use of colors can significantly impact people’s perceptions, emotions and interactions with a product or brand.

Brands aren’t composed of one color. They use a select, complementary palette which should reflect a design’s goal, identity and psychological impact. Color temperature, involving the use of warm, neutral, and cool colors, adds another layer of meaning and mood to a design. It’s also noteworthy that cultural and geographical factors influence color associations, so designers need to consider these aspects when creating work for different audiences.

For example, I created a brochure for a client’s U.S. market. Because they wanted to use the same piece for their China market, I needed to adjust and use more of the brand’s color palette to reduce the use of white, which signifies death in China. In addition to culture and geography, designers consider accessibility, ensuring that a brand’s  colors accommodate individuals with color vision deficiencies (such as red-green color blindness) and provide a comfortable viewing experience for all.

Good designers can help with accessibility, but I always recommend anyone check to see if the colors of your own brand’s website have enough contrast to ensure everyone can easily read it. You can discover that by clicking here.

What do your brand’s colors say about your business?

See next month’s newsletter or give me a call for help on putting your brand’s best colorful foot forward!