The Importance of Colour Within Branding.

After a recent branding exercise which involved extensive research into colour (in which the brand's main direction was taken) I came across some interesting information regarding colour and its importance and power within a brand and in general.
Firstly some statistics summarised from the Branding Strategy Insider, which cited some very interesting facts regarding colour.

1. Colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

2. Colour can improve readership by 40%.

3. Ads in colour are read up to 42% more often than the same ads in black and white.

4. 73% of purchasing decisions are made in-store. Therefore, catching the shopper’s eye and conveying information through the effective use of colour is essential to boosting sales.

5. Tests indicate that a black-and-white image may sustain interest for less than two-thirds of a second, whereas a colour image may hold a person’s attention for two seconds or more. Since a product has just one-twentieth of a second to catch the customer’s attention on a shelf or display, the 1+ seconds added by colour could have a significant impact on awareness and sales.

It is important to remember that while perception of colour is somewhat subjective, there are some colour effects that have universal meaning. Colours in the red area of the colour spectrum are known as 'warm' colors and include red, orange, and yellow. These warm colours evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility.

Colours on the blue side of the spectrum are known as 'cool' colours and include blue, purple, and green. These colours are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.

I found a fantastic article from entrepreneur.com with an essential guide to colour submitted by John Williams. This is an extremely good quick guide about the meanings of colour and will give you a helpful breakdown of the colour spectrum.

Blue: Cool blue is perceived as trustworthy, dependable, fiscally responsible and secure. Strongly associated with the sky and sea, blue is serene and universally well liked. Blue is an especially popular colour with financial institutions, as its message of stability inspires trust.

Red: Red activates your pituitary gland, increasing your heart rate and causing you to breathe more rapidly. This visceral response makes red aggressive, energetic, provocative and attention grabbing. Count on red to evoke a passionate response, albeit not always a favourable one. For example, red can represent danger or indebtedness.

Green: In general, green connotes health, freshness and serenity. However, green’s meaning varies with its many shades. Deeper greens are associated with wealth or prestige, while light greens are calming.

Yellow: In every society, yellow is associated with the sun. Thus, it communicates optimism, positivism, light and warmth. Certain shades seem to motivate and stimulate creative thought and energy. The eye sees bright yellows before any other colour, making them great for point-of-purchase displays.

Purple: Purple is a colour favoured by creative types. With its blend of passionate red and tranquil blue, it evokes mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty. Lavender evokes nostalgia and sentimentality.

Pink: Pink’s message varies by intensity. Hot pinks convey energy, youthfulness, fun and excitement and are recommended for less expensive or trendy products for women or girls. Dusty pinks appear sentimental. Lighter pinks are more romantic.

Orange: Cheerful orange evokes exuberance, fun and vitality. With the drama of red plus the cheer of yellow, orange is viewed as gregarious and often childlike. Research indicates its lighter shades appeal to an upscale market. Peach tones work well with health care, restaurants and beauty salons.

Brown: This earthy colour conveys simplicity, durability and stability. It can also elicit a negative response from consumers who relate to it as dirty. Certain shades of brown, like terracotta, can convey an upscale look. From a functional perspective, brown tends to hide dirt, making it a logical choice for some trucking and industrial companies.

Black: Black is serious, bold, powerful and classic. It creates drama and connotes sophistication. Black works well for expensive products, but can also make a product look heavy.

White: White connotes simplicity, cleanliness and purity. The human eye views white as a brilliant colour, so it immediately catches the eye in signage. White is often used with infant and health-related products.

I hope this bit of information is as helpful to you as it was to us!

Keep Creative,

James