Somewhere, Over the Rainbow…

I get to do a lot of fun things as a designer, and choosing colour and creating colour palettes for client projects is right up there. But where to start? And how to make sure I’m getting it right?

Colour isn’t just an afterthought, a nice visual element; it’s a massive part of how we can communicate a message through our design. Colours convey emotion, moods, and can even influence behaviour. So for us designers, understanding colour psychology is so important in getting the right outcome.

Alright then, what do colours “mean”?

Colours have inherent connotations that originate from cultural and societal influences. Do you recognise any of these associations?:

  • Red: Bold and attention-grabbing, red is often associated with passion, energy, and urgency. It’s a colour that stimulates appetite and grabs attention (stop signs, sale labels). Heinz, Netflix, Pizza Hut.
  • Blue: Calm, serene, and trustworthy, blue brings feelings of stability and reliability. It’s a popular choice for corporate branding and websites aiming to convey professionalism and trustworthiness. You’ll find blue used a lot in the financial world for this reason; AmEx, Visa, PayPal.
  • Yellow: Bright and cheerful, yellow radiates optimism and joy. It’s often used to grab attention and generate a feeling of happiness. Best Buy, Reese’s.
  • Green: Symbolising growth, harmony, and nature, green has a calming and refreshing effect. It’s commonly associated with being eco-friendly, and with health and wellness brands, or those who want to align with those values. Whole Foods, Greenpeace, Starbucks.
  • Purple: Regal and mysterious, purple conveys luxury, creativity, and even spirituality. It’s used in branding to evoke a sense of sophistication and individuality. In the UK, I think of Cadbury, or – a more global brand – Hallmark.
  • Orange: Energetic and enthusiastic, orange combines the passion of red with the warmth of yellow. It’s a colour that encourages action and impulse, making it ideal for brands looking to evoke excitement and vitality. Dunkin’ Donuts, Nickelodeon.
  • Black: Elegant, strong, and authoritative, black is all about confidence and luxury. It can convey a sense of exclusivity and is commonly seen used by high-end brands. Nike, Chanel, Dior.
  • White: Clean and minimalist, white signifies simplicity and clarity, and a sense of spaciousness and neutrality. Facebook, Coca-Cola, M.A.C.

Colour choice is much more than just an aesthetic preference; it guides user perception and behaviour and helps our work to meet its goals. Here’s a few examples of how:

  • Branding: Colour plays a crucial role in brand identity, helping to convey the brand’s personality, values, and positioning. By choosing colours strategically to align with the brand’s identity and target audience, we can tell a stronger brand story, to the right people.
  • User Interface (UI) Design: Colour psychology influences user interactions and decision-making processes. We use colour to highlight important elements, create visual hierarchy, and guide users through interfaces intuitively – and also encourage them to click where we want them to!
  • Marketing and Advertising: Colour choices can significantly impact consumer perceptions and purchasing decisions. By understanding the emotional associations of different colours, designers can create visuals that resonate with the target audience and drive the desired actions.

Anyone wondering about the coral/hot pink I chose as the key colour to represent my brand? Well, it’s fun and optimistic, friendly and creative (a heady mix of pink, orange and red). Using it alongside the grey (practicality, experience) and cream (calm, straightforward) of my brand palette, it supports the messaging of how I work and who I am.

I hope this goes some way to explaining why – even if you’ve told them a dozen times you hate purple – your designer might still be pushing you for that purple logo! And next time you look at an advert, note the colour palette and see if you can understand what the designer wanted to convey. Did it work? How much did colour play a part?

If you’d like me to create a colour palette for your next project that’s scientifically determined to help you meet your goals, please get in touch!