The world may make us feel otherwise about the title of this article but the truth in this statement runs far deeper into our psyche than one might like to believe. Colour defines nearly every aspect of our lives from clothing to art, pictures, movies, and yes, it will dictate and define the type of business you have and which type of consumer you attract.
Even our laws and regulations will use colours in combination with shapes and simple symbols, as discussed in our last article, to embed information into our minds based on simple but deep rooted psychological emotions. All the road signs above are shaped and coloured for very specific reasons that we all come to know as an instinct. We know Red is Stop, Green is Go and Yellow is Proceed with Caution.
As we shop through our local grocery stores, it isn't difficult to figure out which products are meant for certain types of diets. Many of these products, especially the junkier products that society tends to over consume, are displayed in vibrant colours and combinations that all have a secret code and message to each type of psyche and emotion. We all know these colours and combinations better than we might think we do. As we can see with the wall of sugary carbonated goodness below, each product has a distinct look to it. We know that with Soda, red usually defines a regular or original option that reminds us of our youth and makes us think or feel energized. The diet version of this same Soda will usually have a silver or white label which makes us feel as though it's a more calm and clean version of our favourite product. Most citrus type drinks will have green and yellow which makes us feel like it might be healthier and a positive option. Often times, the primary colour is just obvious in that it aligns with the nature of the products base, such as Orange Crush, but the diet versions will almost always have the silver or white label option. This tactic is used for every product on the market. We see potato chips, candy, non-perishables, drinks and niche products all colour coded to pull us in by our emotions and primitive instincts. Another great example is diet products for people looking to eat healthier as item labels are often lightened with light and dark blue combinations to create a sense of calming and ease. No Name products are distinctly yellow to indicate discounted and cheap. You will see yellow used often for discount signs and tags because of the fact that we feel more positive in having saved a little money. If you really pay attention to the world around you, you can analyze every product easily in order to make the right choices that are suited to you. We must all remember though that these companies know exactly what they are doing to pull you in and attract you, like a bird to shiny objects, and it doesn't often dictate the quality of the product but it can give you an idea to the quality of the businesses morals and values. Colour is an easy way to mislead others through manipulating their emotions. We actually all do it every day when we choose certain clothing colours to make us feel more slim or balance our colours to feel more proportioned. We wear makeup and style our hair to give the appearance that we are younger, more chiseled and taller. We choose use colour in our every day life to define who we are and what we stand for as individuals, our beliefs, and our recreational preferences.
Colour, in combination with shapes and symbols can make or break your brand or business. When creating your image, you absolutely must be sure to balance these three aspects and keep it as simple as possible in order to hit all types of media and just in case you need to make subtle changes in the future as you grow. Having a logo or image that is over detailed, colour imbalanced, gradient, shadows, and too many words or images, can be hurtful to your image and how people perceive your business morals, values, and experience level. Find that singular image that defines you or your business and work it into your name to create the perfect logo and brand. If you look at nearly all the logos in the coloured emotions chart above, you will see that they are all singularly recognizable and coloured in such a way to define their motive and values as a business. If you are a male body builder and personal trainer, your business logo shouldn't be baby blue and purple, because it doesn't define the image you are trying to portray. Instead, this type of business would use Black and Red combinations to portray balance, boldness, youthfulness, strength, and power. This type of colour choice will attract consumers to want to feel that way themselves and buy into your business with greater confidence.
So be smart and take your time in creating your logo or brand, and never be afraid to ask for help, opinions, or to study what other successful companies within your same industry have done with their image. You don't have to copy them completely, but take hints from what has worked for them and also remember that most other companies also started with nothing before building to great levels of success.