Isn’t color amazing? I am soaking in all the color that is going on in my yard right now as the new spring green grass pokes its way through the soil and the tulips bloom in vivid purple and orange. Our color-starved eyes have finally made it through another winter. Yay! One of the most fun parts of the branding process is when we get to show our clients color palettes for their brand. Color is really what brings a brand to life. Most of the time people gravitate towards their favorite colors. Which makes sense that they would do that, however, did you know that you can actually use color as a brand strategy? And a powerful one at that. Check this out. In a study called Impact of Color in Marketing, researchers found that “people make up their minds within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with either people or products. About 62-90 percent of the assessment is based on colors alone. So, prudent use of colors can contribute not only to differentiate products from competitors but also to influencing moods and feelings.”

Can you believe that? Color can supercharge your brand and your marketing strategies because color evokes emotion in people. You can use color to stir up an appetite or change someone’s mood, help them trust you or get them excited. Of course, we can’t always predict how a person will react to a given color because their emotion around it depends on their personal experiences, however, survey results tell us that the majority of people group color into the following emotional responses.

BLACK Serious, distinctive, formal, elegant, bold, powerful, sophisticated, expensive, protection, dramatic, classy, mysterious, intense, excited, fierce, evil, night, death

WHITE Purity, truthfulness, faith, pristine, contemporary, refined, airy, hope, simplicity, cleanliness, goodness, safety, fresh, easy

BROWN Approachable, earthy, outdoorsy, longevity, conservative, dogmatic, wholesome, delicious, rich, rustic, warm, natural, authentic

ORANGE Fun, cheerful, exuberant, spontaneous, optimistic, speed, searching, excited, courageous, friendly, success, confidence, sunshine, joy

YELLOW Bright, energetic, sunny, creativity, intellect, joy, happy, youthful, friendly, positive, surprise, energetic, cautious

GREEN Life, growth, money, freshness, fertility, healing, healthy, fertile, environmental, reliable, appetite, harmony, neutral, calm, involved, sensitive, tender

BLUE Authority, nautical, dignified, security, confidence, classic, stability, trust, happy, relaxed, cool, approachable, lively, joyful, peaceful, tranquil, royal, masculine, sincere, wisdom, intelligence, faith, heavenly

PURPLE Sophisticated, mysterious, spiritual, dramatic, wealth, royal, youth, creative, mischievous, mystical, deep thinking, nobility, luxury, ambition

RED Love, energy, power, strength, passion, heat, warning, war, danger, determination, desire, assertive, sexy, vitality, fear, speed

So, let’s say, for example, that you have a skincare product that reduces the appearance of aging and you want your customers to feel youthful, happy, healthy and energetic. You might decorate your home in earthy tones, but those colors may not be the best strategy for this brand. This brand needs to consider palettes with bright yellows and maybe some greens because those are the colors that will produce the youthful, happy, energetic, and healthy feelings in the customer.

Here is a chart from Help Scout showing how big brands are using color:

When considering color palettes, it’s important to think about what’s appropriate for the product, what colors the competition is using and the feelings that you want to evoke in the customer. Download our complete color chart here and check it against your brand. Are you using the most strategic colors?