Throughout the 18+ years I spent managing marketing functions in large corporate America, there was always a part of it that (somewhat) humorously dubbed me and/or my department “The Branding (or Logo) Police.”

That’s because marketing and corporate communications is typically the place where branding a company is managed; it always includes guidelines to use the logo, as well as the colors, on pretty much any documentation that leaves the hands of the company.

Now, there were always naysayers who rolled their eyes and tried to break the rules. However, I usually took it upon myself to educate anyone involved as to why it was so important to a) use the right logo, and b) use the right colors.

Let’s back up for a minute and talk about branding. The concept is that the “brand” isn’t just a logo or color palette – it’s everything that touches the target market for a company. The goal for successful branding is simple: Every time a target customer for a particular product or service sees anything related to a particular product or service, the association creates the proper mental and emotional connections that prompt them to purchase and/or continue their relationship with that product/service.

In today’s world of marketing, the challenge is rising above the noise! Current statistics show that today, the typical American is exposed to somewhere in the vicinity of 2,000-3,000 marketing messages per day.

Pretty daunting when you think about it, isn’t it? That’s a LOT of noise! So, though it’s always been important, accurate and consistent branding is more important today than it’s ever been.

So, once you’ve done some market research and understand the mindset and expectations of your target market(s), the first thing you must consider is the color palette you use for your company’s logo and communications.

As a small business owner, I know it’s hard not to slip into the simple mindset of “Well, it’s my company, so I’m just going to pick my favorite colors!” Often, I can start working with a company and comfortably recommend changing processes, production, presentation, packaging, messaging, and everything down to the coffee maker in the reception area; however, when I approach the recommendation to change the colors used in the logo and company color palette, you’d think I asked to cut off the person arms!

The typical response, “Well, I really like the colors I’m using. I think I’m just going to stay with what I have.” I’ll debate that until I turn blue in the face; however, you’d be surprised at how emotional someone can get about their colors!

It’s a bad choice.

Although it’s not even a conscious thought, color is typically the first emotional response someone has to any brand. There are tons of studies out there that have proven the psychological effects of colors. In large corporate, that was one of the few fights I almost never had to make – in fact, though many people deemed my department the Branding Police (and some even less flattering terms), most people – especially in senior management – understood its importance! In fact, there are consultants regularly hired by large companies to strategically set up lobbies, receptions, and/or retail displays (or any other place a customer would visit and relate to the company) to create the desired emotional response by that customer. This even includes the colors on the wall, carpets, and furniture!

So, when you think about your target customer, think, “How do I want them to feel about my company, product, and/or service?” Then look at your logo and the colors you use – on your product label, business card, Website, brochures, presentations, handouts, and anything else that a prospective or existing client would see – and see if they match that expectation.

Here are some quick, topical guidelines:

• Cool (Calming, Life-Sustaining) colors: Blues, greens (including turquoises), and white, gray and silver neutrals. On one end, these colors can be soothing and nurturing; if too extreme, the can be too impersonal and antiseptic. They also represent nature, with blue representing water and the sky, and green representing plant life. Combinations of these colors can create a nice, soothing watercolor palette; to warm up a palette a little, you can use deep versions of the colors and/or add some red tones (making blue not quite purple, but warmer).Cooler colors appear smaller than warm colors, and even if there’s an equal amount of cool and warm on a page, the cool colors will recede and the warm ones will be dominant.

  Specific psychological associations:
  
  Blue: Cool, calming, helps sleep, helps time pass more quickly (too much can dampen spirits)
  Green: Same as Blue; denotes harmony and stability
  Turquoise: Same as Blue and Green; lighter shades create feminine appeal; darker shades (like teal) are sophisticated; some shades denotes a retro 50s-60s feel
  Gray: Neutral, balanced, doesn’t evoke strong emotion (too much can feel cloudy or moody)
  Silver: Cool like gray, but a little livelier and “more playful”; can impart wealth/riches
  White: Purity, cleanliness, innocence (too much can be blinding and cause headaches)

  Cultural associations (if any):
  
  Blue: In many cultures and religions, can represent peace, keeping bad spirits or evil away; conveys importance and confidence; intelligence, stability, unity, and stability
  Green: Can represent earth-friendly; Ireland/Irish; Islam; spring; paired with red: Christmas
  Gray: Mourning, formality; strength, sophistication
  Silver: Can represent riches, wealth; glamorous and distinguished; 25th anniversary
  White: In the West, it’s a symbol for brides; in the East, it’s a symbol for mourning and funerals; can represent “Good/Pure” (such as angels); can represent hospitals, doctors, nurses (the medical profession)

• Warm (Exciting) Colors: These colors rev us up, increase the blood pressure, and get us going, from optimism to violence. In nature, warm colors can indicate the change of seasons or the eruption of a volcano. You can tone these colors down with neutrals and/or a touch of cool colors, or even using pastel versions of the colors, such as pink or peach.Warmer colors tend to dominate a picture/image, even if there are an equal amount of cool colors.

  Specific psychological associations:
  
  Red: Take action/take notice; excitement; passionate love; anger; fire; heat
  Pink: The “sweet” side of red; large amounts can cause physical weakness in people
  Yellow:Happiness, joy, cheerfulness (“sunny”); hazard/warning; cowardice, deceit
  Gold:Wealth/prosperity; happiness, joy; somber
  Orange: Vibrance, energy, warmth; stimulating to the emotions and the appetite; fruity, vitamin C, good health
  Black: Considered a “warm” color because of its strength; conservative, serious, conventional; mysterious, sexy, sophisticated
  Brown: Purity, cleanliness, innocence (too much can be blinding and cause headaches)

  Cultural associations (if any):
  
  Red: Power (“red carpet”); danger; emergency; stop; in some countries (like China), it represents purity, joy, celebration, happiness, prosperity; communism; worn by brides in the East, and mourning in South Africa
  Pink: Femininity; romantic love; playfulness, tenderness
  Yellow: Symbolizes families waiting for members gone off to war (“the yellow ribbon”); hazard signs; mourning in Egypt; in Japan, courage; in India, merchants
  Gold: 50th wedding anniversary
  Orange: Pumpkins, autumn, Halloween
  Black: In the West, mourning and rebellion; in China, little boys; the “bad guy”; a mysterious person (like a spy); evil
  Brown: Warm neutral that can stimulate the appetite; natural/nature; warmth, honesty, wholesomeness; casual

This is a VERY basic overview of colors and their uses; there are many other considerations when developing a logo and/or a palette, including the strategic effect of certain color combinations and shades.

So, with that in mind, step back and take a look at all of the colors you use in your company. Do they say the right thing about you and your product or service?

(Loose reference source: About.com)

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