What is Your Brand's Color Palette Saying?

Are you in the process of branding your business? If you are, or on the verge of beginning that process – you might be considering what colors you want in your brand’s color palette. Whether it’s a DIY project or with the help of a brand designer, there’s a lot to consider and we are here to help you have all the information you need. We’ve said it a lot and we’ll say it again; your brand serves as the face and voice of your business. It is the first impression and hopefully one that lasts. So, the colors that represent your brand really do matter. The colors of your brand invoke a myriad of feelings and emotions without saying any words, and if chosen well, can communicate so much of your business to your client upon first glance. Keep reading to find out what your brand’s color palette is saying and how to go about choosing the best colors for your business’ brand! 

Because the colors of your brand can carry so much weight, choosing your color palette should be intentional and strategic. But, that isn’t all it should be. Owning a business is heavy stuff, and often entails big decisions that aren’t always the most fun. Look at branding your business as the part of your journey that brings out the passion that got you started in the first place. Your business is most-likely an extension of you, and branding it is one of the exciting things you get to do with it. So, have fun and choose a color palette that speaks to you! 

The deeper meaning of colors 

When choosing the colors of your brand, you might be thinking it’s just as simple as asking what your favorite colors are. While that is a piece of it, the choice of your color palette goes so much deeper than that. Colors have a powerful meaning and the ability to trigger thoughts and emotions in our mind and each color has various, distinctive associations that it carries. Knowing these associations can help you to attract your ideal client in the perfect and most intentional way.

Here’s a little background to color theory and what each color represents…

Red: It is a strong color that holds many different meanings. It can represent passionate emotions such as love, power, strength and ambition. But it also is associated with feelings like action, anger and conflict. In many situations, the color red alerts you to take an action. Like a stop sign or light, for example. Red demands your attention and often serves as a warning.  

Pink: The color pink is thought to be a calming color associated with love, kindness and femininity. Light shades of pink are described as relaxing, while brighter shades of pink can be irritating or overwhelming. Pink is often associated in our society as a “girly” color, but in reality, it is a color that is neutral to all genders and can be used to express so much more!

Orange: Orange is a fun color! It is the combination of the boldness of red and the playfulness and brightness of yellow. Orange is an energetic color and is associated with feelings like playfulness, excitement, enthusiasm and warmth. The more bold and bright oranges are usually used in warning or alert situations, while the deeper shades are intended for warmth and relaxation. Burnt orange is a current fan favorite, so you are probably seeing it often.  

Yellow: Like we just stated, yellow is playful and light. It is the color of happiness, energy and joy. I mean, it is the color of sunshine, after all. Yellow is actually known to stimulate mental and physical activity – so its effects go far beyond just being easy on the eyes. 

Green: Green is the color of nature, and more than just literally. It represents growth, rebirth, renewal and abundance. This is why you’ll often see green in the branding of natural foods, beauty products or wellness brands. Green is also heavily used in the world of sustainability practices and environmental industries. Alternatively, it still has a correlation to some not-so-great feelings – ever heard the term “green with envy”? Green has also been associated with envy and jealousy.

Blue: Blue is a popular and timeless color; tried and true. It is associated with feelings of trust, calmness and serenity. In its deeper shades it is linked to feelings of security and loyalty, and its lighter shades it influences feelings of softness, gentleness and ease. Its versatility is why it is a well-loved color to use in branding.

Purple: Purple combines the stability and power of blue, with the fierceness and passion of red; two powerhouse colors! It invokes feelings of creativity and imagination, but also has been strongly associated with royalty and luxury. It has been known to bring feelings of inspiration and boldness. If you are considering purple in your branding, you are ready to make a statement. 

Gray: Gray is a cool and neutral color. It actually has little to no association with feeling and is often described as “emotionless” or dull. With that said, it also associated with the feelings formal, sophisticated and elegant. In branding, it is commonly used with another primary color.

Black: Black is a powerful color used in branding usually in tandem with other colors and rarely on its own. Formality, strength, and power – just a few feelings that are attached to this color. The emotions that black creates are vastly different across the board, and therefore can be used by many different brands! 

Brown: Brown is a rich and warm color that represents with dependability and reliability and earthiness. In branding it is often used to create comfort, calm and feelings of honesty and trust.  

White: The “cleanest” and purest of all the colors. It is referred to as the color of perfection and represents simplicity and freshness. It can also symbolize a clean slate or the start of a new beginning. But on the flip side of that, it can also be seen as sterile or cold. When thinking of using white in branding, it is wise to use an alternative shade of white and be careful of just how much white you are using. 

Within all of these primary colors, there are numerous shades. They each are express different things and have completely different names. I know, even more information to consider. Don’t fret, here is a color thesaurus for you to refer to and learn all the many shades in each color. 

Getting to know your brand 

Before you can choose the colors of your brand, it’s important to really get to know what your brand is truly about to its core. You need to do some deep diving into your values, mission, who you want to appeal to and what you have to offer. There is a lot that goes into building your brand and picking your color palette and it can be hard to know where to begin or what colors are best for you. Now that you know the deeper meaning behind color theory, start by answering these few questions and go from there!

1. What are the main values of your brand?

Think of what you stand for and what matters most to you.

2. How would you (briefly) describe your ideal client?

If you were to describe your ideal client to someone, how would you do it? What are their pain points? What are they looking for that you have to offer?

3. What are 3-5 colors that first come to mind when you think of your brand?

Just off the top of your head, without overanalyzing, think of what colors pop up first when you think of your brand. 

4. When thinking of your brand, how do you want your ideal client to feel?

What are the primary emotions you want your target audience to feel when they are introduced to your brand. 

5. What are a few adjectives you would use to describe your brand?

Think of a few words that you would use in explaining your brand to a friend – playful, trustworthy, bold, or professional, for example.

Once you’ve answered those simple questions, it will be much easier to choose your colors with intention and purpose. Your color palette plays a huge role in your brand and it’s so important to give that decision a lot of time and thought. We understand that all this decision making can be taxing and overwhelming, which is why we are here! With the help and guidance of your brand design team, you will be able to carefully consider all of these questions.

Here’s the thing… 

There’s no denying that color theory is important and helpful to consider. If you are wanting to be intentional about your brand’s color palette, this resource and information is a great place to start. BUT, the beauty of branding your business is that YOU get to make the choices and it doesn’t need to be completely calculated.

So, feel free to play around with it and do what feels best. It’s more than okay, and honestly encouraged by us, to throw these rules out the window a little bit and just choose colors that appeal to you as the business owner. After all, your business is yours and yours only. You are in the driver’s seat, and if your brand doesn’t resonate or feel like the right fit for you – all of the intention and strategy was for not! 

At Northwest Brand Design we understand that the struggle of branding your business on your own is real, and that’s why we’re here. We will work with you and for you to create the best brand suited for your business and prepares you to really kick ass in your industry. We believe in creating powerhouse brands for powerhouse businesses, and we are ready to help you execute that.