Picking the Ideal Colours for Your Brand
Colour isn’t merely aesthetic. Colour speaks before words speak — setting tone, creating emotion, and stimulating subconscious connection. At Identity Creative, we help brands choose colour palettes that not only are visually stunning but also work tirelessly to support brand values and resonate with your audience.
The Psychology of Colour
We all make split-second colour judgments. Brands do this to their benefit, and so should you.
BLUE
Blue is reassuring and soothing. It‘s no coincidence that the NHS employs it — blue suggests professionalism and concern.
RED
Red commands attention. Consider Coca-Cola‘s dynamism or emergency signs — it conveys urgency and feeling.
GREEN
Green tends to mean nature, growth, or health — it‘s the colour of green awareness and wellness brands.
BLACK
Black is reminiscent of high-end-ness and authority. It‘s strong, timeless, and used by top brands.
YELLOW
Yellow is upbeat and attention–grabbing, but if over-used, it becomes straining on the eye or difficult to read.
When deciding colours, consider something beyond personal preference. Notice what your audience is already used to in regards to the colour in question. A technology or life science company using pink may be memorable — or confusing — depending on the execution. Whilst blue is synonymous with the industry, you still want your brand to stand out. Therefore pairing a blue with a unique accent colour that suits could help you stand out from the rest yet retain trust.
Brand Recognition and Consistency
A well-crafted palette becomes your identity. Think Cadbury‘s purple, EasyJet‘s orange, or McDonald‘s red and yellow — these colours represent the brand. Using them tirelessly across web, print, and social builds recognition in a moment.
At Identity Creative, we help you craft a palette that works for your message, market, and medium.
Designing for Everyone: Accessibility and Contrast
Excellent colour choices also think about accessibility — making your website and designs accessible to everybody, including visually impaired or colour blind individuals. That is where contrast comes in.
Text should be simply readable against the background, links should be readable and buttons should stand out. The trick is finding colour pairs with enough contrast.
Use resources like:
WebAIM Contrast Checker
Coolors Contrast Checker
These resources help you to test your colours against WCAG accessibility standards so that your designs are not only engaging, but also accessible.