How Colors Can Make Or Break Your Brand

Do you ever wonder why you go into Target with a few things on your list and then leave spending a minimum of $300? We all know Target is one of the most strategic stores when it comes to the customer journey but they also have strategically picked elements to create a universal brand that speaks to its consumers. When you see a red target symbol, you immediately know what brand that belongs to. The same could be said about the Apple symbol and the Coca-Cola logo. These brands have a great way of evoking emotion immediately when you think of them.

Color is among one of the major elements brands use to evoke emotion and create their audience to take action. Understanding how color impacts your brand can make or break the success of your business, it sounds dramatic but it's true!

How colors change the chemistry in your brain:

Looking into the science of it all, different colors change your alpha brain waves. When your eye transmits color to your brain, your brain releases hormones to create different emotions and energy levels. The hormones also impact your mental clarity. Color can affect your actions or thinking by increasing or decreasing appetite, boosting attention span, reducing the perception of wait times, encouraging sales and conversions, and enhancing mood.

The Power of color

Here are the main colors and their affects on consumers:

Red - It draws attention, creates a sense of urgency, and adds value. Red naturally increases your blood pressure. It evokes the strongest emotions of love, desire, and anger. Red is exciting and motivates you to take action. It also increases your appetite and establishes dominance. With it being such a powerful color, you want to use it sparingly or match it with complementary colors.

Blue - It suggests trust and loyalty. Blue evokes peaceful and happy feelings. Blue is one of the most universal favorite colors. It emanates integrity as well as conservatism and predictability. Blue and yellow together are the most readable combination of colors to consumers.

Green - It generates a sense of acceptance and permission. Green is secure, symbolizing harmony, healing, and stability. Green is great for industries that involve finance and overall health. Green reduces your heart rate. Light green suggests organic, natural, and environmentally friendly. Dark green speaks to money.

Yellow - Stimulates hunger responses and increases metabolic rate. It is the color of mind and logic. Yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, and happiness. It's a warm color that creates a sense of cheerfulness and playfulness. Too much yellow can cause anxiety, nervousness, apprehension, agitation, and confrontation. It can suggest impatience, and criticism, and motivate people to become overly critical and judgmental.

Colors that can maximize your brand:

The color red can maximize call to action buttons and landing pages. It is great for brands with activity products. Red creates actions so this is why you see a lot of big brands incorporating red into their brand. Blue is great for highlighting important information. You should NOT use blue if you are trying to promote a food product because it is known to suppress your appetite. Green is great for highlighting safety and health. You can use green to encourage conversions. Yellow can be used to create an inviting atmosphere. It would not be ideal to use yellow for promoting high-end brands.

It is important from time to time to look into what colors you are using to represent your brand. Make sure the colors you use correlate to what you want your brand to represent.