Color is a powerful tool when it comes to your brand identity design. Colors can influence your reactions, thinking, and stimulate bodily hormones. It is so powerful that there is a discipline called Color Psychology that studies how different hues can evoke different human behaviors. To find the best color combination for your business, you don't need a color palette generator.

Reading this article you will learn about what emotions certain colors evoke and how to find the best colors for your business. Are you ready? Let's get to it!

Color Basics

You probably have heard of colors being warm or cool. But what does it mean in logo design? Warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow evoke energy and excitement, while cool colors such as blue, green, and violet evoke a much calmer feel. You knew it already? Awesome!

Let's dive in a little deeper!

Colors and the emotions they evoke:

Black color's meaning in logo design:

• Simplicity

• Sophistication

• Power

• Elegance

• Authority

Examples: Nike, Bentley, Chanel

Red color's meaning in logo design:

• Courage

• Power

• Strength

• Can stimulate appetite

Examples: Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, Target

Blue color's meaning in logo design:

• Calmness

• Peace

• Trust

• Safety

Examples: Ford, PayPal, Oral-B

Yellow color's meaning in logo design:

• Optimism

• Happiness

• Boosts mental activity

Examples: Snapchat, National Geographic, McDonald’s

Green color's meaning in logo design:

• Balance

• Sustainability

• Growth

• Ambition

Examples: Hello Fresh, Android, John Deere

Purple color's meaning in logo design:

• Royalty

• Luxury

• Spirituality

Examples: Milka, Syfy, Wonka

Orange color's meaning in logo design:

• Friendliness

• Creativity

• Joy

Examples: Nickelodeon, Amazon, Hooters

Pink color's meaning in logo design:

• Tranquility

• Femininity

• Sexuality

Examples: Barbie, Cosmopolitan, Johnson & Johnson

It makes so much more sense now why these brands are using certain colors. Right?

But we are not here to learn about other businesses. We are here to find the colors for YOUR business.

How can you find the best colors for your business?

Download your “Find the Best Colors for Your Business Matrix” by clicking the button below. Once you have downloaded your matrix, answer each of the following questions with as many adjectives as you can think of!

• What is your business culture like? (Culture)

• What feelings are you trying to evoke in people with your brand? (Feel)

• Who would you like to attract? (Customers)

• What is the tone of voice you use to communicate? (Voice)

• What impact does your product/service have on your customer's lives? (Impact)

Got it? Great! Now, select the 3 most important words for each! Use these words to research color palettes at Adobe Color.

Did you find it helpful? I would love to hear your thoughts on what other questions you have about building a brand identity. Leave your questions in the comments below, and I will make sure to create content around it!

This post was inspired by Anna Schiff’s “Color Theory: Branding and the Psychology of Color”, and Jacob Cass' "Color Psychology in Logo Design & Branding Explained", which I also highly recommend to read.