As children, we all were attracted to colourful toys. Be it the pink Barbie dolls (not going into the feminist notions of pink) or the crayons from Crayola or the cars from Hot Wheels. Bright colours were attractive as kids, and colouring books were every kid’s delight. So, colour has an impressionable impact on the human mind right from the childhood days. In fact, anybody from India who has accompanied his mother or wife to a saree shopping spree will definitely second this opinion here. Hence, the importance of colour, both as a psychological basis- like yellow being a happy colour and so on, and as the basis of brand identification is paramount.
The American dictionary Merriam Webster defines colour as a phenomenon of light (as red, brown, pink, or grey) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects. It is the latter part of the definition that is of our interest. Colour, in branding, is an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message without words. So, let’s say if you are a Bengali staying in Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu because it is one place where you would mostly find brand names printed in Tamil rather than Hindi or English, unless of course it is a big shot MNC like KFC or McDonalds), colour would be the only way for you to know a brand or a company without being able to discern Tamil. So, it is easy to spot a Vasan Eye Care by its distinctive blue and yellow logo, along with the eye of course.
How colour influence people
Colours generate a diversity of responses from the time we perceive it. Our brain co-relates each colour tone with a particular emotion which may vary from person-to-person. This emotion further leads to an array of thoughts, memories of people, events and places. The effect that a colour has on us depends largely on personal preference, upbringing, individual experiences, culture of a place and context. For some, green might be a colour of peace and tranquility, while some might associate it with negative energy and jealousy. In U.S.A. white colour represents purity, but in India it is considered to be a colour of mourning.
There is a physiological effect within the spectrum of visible light. Colors having long wavelengths such as red is detected and recognized fast. Hence, it is often used to symbolize danger. However, colours having shorter wavelengths like blue are considered to evoke a soothing effect on body and mind. Blue can actually reduce blood pressure, anxiety. Other middle range colours like yellow are bright and draws attention easily. It often used to represent happiness. Therefore, it is obvious why Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has made use of the colours blue and yellow in its logo.
How a colour would affect would depend on what specific frame of mind it creates in a person. In simple terms, each colour initiates a particular mood in us. Hence, in order to engage customers with your brand or company you need to use appropriate colours that evoke the mood of your brand, product or service.
The Power of Colour for Brands
Colour is fundamental in creating the visual identity of your company or brand- be it through logos, packaging, environments, or other forms of communication or marketing tools like posters, banners, advertisements. When it comes to branding, colours obviously play an important role as brand identification tool, and a way to connect with the audience. Talk about the colour blue, most audience would today identify with Facebook or Twitter. Colours evoke recognition and emotional connection with a brand. You can say a lot about your product or what it stands for just with the use of suitable colours.
However, consumer reaction to colour in relation to the product also plays a paramount role. For example, you cannot equate a person who wants to buy a Barbie with one who wants to buy a Harley Davidson. While a pink colour palette would go right in for the person interested in buying the Barbie, a Harley owner would want his product to be rugged, and somewhat of a bold colour wanting to make a statement. This shows how customers relate colour with the personality of the brand.
Therefore, it is very important to set your target audience before deciding on which colours to be used for your brand or company. It is necessary because not every colour is appealing to everybody or would garner the same impact. Perception and meaning of colour vary with class, creed, gender, age and religion. Different people have different taste. Besides, you should also keep in mind the cultural context of your market place and the attributes of our brand archetype. For instance, if your brand archetype is the Saviour, it is best to use colours that represent safety, care and affection. And once you have decided who you are addressing to and what mood you need to evoke in them to receive your product or service, it’s easier to choose the colours accordingly.
How important are colours in branding and marketing
It is quintessential for startups that the colour of their logo speaks about their brand. For example, most people would associate yellow with Flipkart today. And Flipkart has done a wonderful job here because psychological research suggests that yellow triggers a happiness emotion in. Maybe that explains the brand’s soaring market popularity and trust in India. Well, certainly up to an extent. Research has proved that most of the time people are attracted to a brand is solely due to the colour used either for packaging or marketing tools like banners, posters etc. A good example can be use of colour in packaging of laundry detergents where blue and orange are predominant. Blue stands for cleanliness while orange conveys vibrant energy.
So, most certainly, colours have an effect in influencing people as far brand retention and recollection is concerned. IBM uses a royal blue that conveys stability and reliability. On the other hand, Fed Ex chose two contrasting colour shades- orange and purple just to communicate that somebody has reliably delivered something important to you that is worthy of not only your attention but signature too.
When it comes to colour and the notion of masculinity or feminity, colours like grey, black or white are often considered a men’s favourite and bold while colours like pink, purple or orange are considered softer hues. This should be kept in mind while designing a company’s logo. A fashion magazine or company for women might as well want to have their logos in these softer colours while one for men, or car companies might want to go for bolder colours.
Finding your own palette
So, when it comes to choosing your palette, the choice of colour should reflect the context and the products of the company. A leather company’s logo might do well to position itself in a brown hue, but the same cannot be said of a jewellery brand. Selecting colours that represents your company or brand is not a simple task. Remember not to get swayed by the market trend or get influenced by the choices of your ad agency. All that matters is which colour best expresses your company’s objectives, brand image and value, enhances market positioning of your brand, garner greater customer recognition and recall, and helps to differentiate your brand and stand apart from all competitors.