Color plays a vital role in what we do here at Branch! We make color decisions every day when we're working on our clients' projects. But did you know that the decisions we make are about so much more than what "looks good" or what is "on trend"? While these things absolutely factor into the equation, it is also important to consider color psychology.
Color psychology is the study of how color affects our behaviors, decisions, moods, performance—and all aspects of our mental and emotional state. When you're delivering content to your audience of potential and current clients, the way the content makes them feel can be the difference between taking the next step, or looking the other way.
The meaning and influence of colors can vary amongst cultures, and the context in how the color is used and its surrounding colors can have an affect on their emotional impact as well. But in general, here are some popular colors and the emotions and feelings that most commonly relate to them:
White🤍
• purity
• innocence
• cleanliness
Black🎩
• authority
• elegance
• power
• strength
• evil
• intelligence
Gray 🦝
• neutral
• timeless
• practical
Red💃🏼
• love
• romance
• gentle
• warmth
• energy
• excitement
• intensity
Orange🍊
• happy
• energetic
• excitement
• enthusiasm
• warmth
• change
Yellow🙂
• happiness
• laughter
• cheery
• warmth
• optimism
• hunger
• intensity
Green🌵
• natural
• cool
• growth
• money
• health
• envy
Blue🥶
• calmness
• serenity
• cold
• wisdom
• loyalty
• truth
• focused
Purple👑
• royalty
• wealth
• sophistication
• wisdom
• exotic
• spiritual
Brown🐻
• reliability
• stability
• warmth
• comfort
• security
• natural
• organic
Pink💗
• romance
• love
• gentle
• calming
Do the colors in your logo, website, print materials, or social media graphics represent the feeling you are trying to give to your ideal client? Will they connect with your work through the colors of your designs? Take a look at the colors you've been using to see if you're on the right track. And as always, if you'd like a helping hand to guide you through color selection and more- we're here for you!
I was recently gifted a copy of The Secret Lives of Color, by Kassia St. Clair, which explores the social and cultural history of 75 different shades, dyes and hues of color. This has been a fascinating read - and may be worth a follow up post to recap the book. You can check it out here if you want to join me!
Interested in building a brand with colors rooted in strategy? Contact me today to book your free intro call.