When considering the logo that is to become yours for your business, it is vital that you understand the significance of the psychology of color in the design. It could be said that the logo’s color(s) are as important as the design itself. The trick is to match up what your business is about with the most suitable colour or colors so that the customers will walk your way. Colour can communicate mood, personality, dependability, emotion, and physicality to us.
Colour is so important in our lives that most people would be able to put together associations of color without even having to be told. Why? The reason for this is that children use colour to help them to understand the world around them and red is meant to be the first color that they pick up on. This is probably because the colour red is often used in something that could potentially be dangerous and as such they are recognising the color as dangerous and self-preservation makes them avoid it.
Let us examine some colours to better illustrate this color association and its potential impact on the color’s value in the logo design:
1. Green – this colour is that which is found in nature, particularly at the beginning of a new season when there is growth and renewal. You could therefore find this colour in cleaning products, giving the illusion of ‘fresh as new’. Whatever is to be cleaned is ‘regenerated’.
Variations on the color green can have slightly different connotations, for example, dark green would indicate reliability and many countries have used this color on their banknotes thus tying in the idea of growth, fertility and dependability. However, bright green gives an impression of vibrancy, freshness and as such is used for vitality drinks and energy supplements.
2. Red – is a very strong color, very vibrant, full of energy, often reflects blood and life force. It can be seen in fire and is the colour of passion. You will see the color red on ‘live’ wires. Falling back on the connotation of ‘blood’ you will see the colour red used in fast cars and energy drinks. With blood as life force you will often see restaurants decked out in red as the appetite is often increased with this color.
Pink is a lighter shade of red and is normally associated with all that is feminine. Businesses have often used the colour for feminine products and for skin products. It also gives the illusion of sweetness and will be used in sweet manufacture.
3. Blue – can be seen in nature, in the sky and the sea and water. The color blue is considered to be very cerebral, indicating a clear head, clear thinking, intelligence. Offices are often painted blue to encourage production of ideas. Dark blue can give the illusion of expensive, luxury items. This makes customers feel that the product is luxury, steady and dependable. For this reason, you will find many male grooming products are produced with this colour. Bright blue, though, will give a more free feeling and is often used by vacation companies to get across the illusion of freedom from everyday cares.
4. Yellow – is a vibrant and energetic colour, a very happy colour. The first thing that springs to mind with yellow is the sunshine, the provider of life and health, happiness and wellbeing. Children’s products are often produced in this colour. However, there is a downside to this colour in that it agitates the senses and can produce bad temper so must not be overdone. An example of this colour being used is the M for MacDonald’s.
The ‘colors’ black and white are not really colors but are also very symbolic in nature and can be used either on their own or alongside other colours. The colour black is very solid and dependable and is often the text color of choice though too much black can illustrate depression and low mood so needs to be applied carefully. White indicates purity, spirituality and cleanliness and will often be used in bath products or alternative therapies logos.
As you can see then, color must be chosen very carefully in order to get across the message for your business appropriately.
