Picking the right logo colors can instantiate your business’ métiers and help you gain the right customers. And of course, the impact can completely be reversed if the combination is not worthy.
Almost, everyone including the professional logo designers is familiar with the theory behind psychology of colors. Various colors affect our emotions and behaviors in different ways. People usually go for yellow when they want a fresh and bright effect as this color is associated with brightness of the sun and expresses energy and freshness. Green is generally associated with a calm and refreshing effect and reminds of leaves and fresh grass. But the question is, do these rules work with professional logo as well? Are your branding efforts impacted by the colors the same way they affect people normally?
A research by Lauren Labrecque and George Milne revealed that the usual effects of colors works to some extent. Yellow will definitely make your brand look youthful and easy to approach but green may not work in the same way. Based on the research by these two eminent researchers, we have further looked into the psychology of colors and come up with a list of colors and how they affect the perception of the clients.
Red Color Professional Logos
Red is powerful and all around the world it is used to express passion, love, excitement and anger. It immediately attracts everyone and brings you in the limelight. A classic example is that of Coca Cola. If your brand is associated with modernism, youthful passion, and has a lively and loud feel to it, then you should definitely go with Red for your professional logo. If you are thinking on the lines of maturity and more subtle expression, stay away from red.
Why does the color Red have such an impact? It is because it is integrated in the human perception since the very beginning. In fact, apart from black and white, red is the only color that babies can recognize. Scientists hypothesize that humans developed the ability to identify red amongst all the other colors because since prehistoric times, it has helped humans to differentiate fruit growing on trees from the leaves.
Red has long since been associated with evolution because when experiencing strong emotions like anger, embarrassment or love, human face tends to turn red. Thus, today we associate that color with heightened emotion, including love, sex, anger and passion. Red seems to trigger human cravings as well as most of the food places and restaurants also use red chilies and red color in their logos.
So, if your brand is intrepid and bold, you should definitely go for the variations of color red when choosing colors for the logo design of your brand.
Orange logos
Another very playful stimulating color is Orange. Want to stand out and be recognized? Go Orange! This color is not as popular as the red color but it is still packed with the right kind of energetic punch which can get your brand an invigorating identity. However, it is not meant to invoke the effects of luxury or a feminine touch. And orange is anything but serious.
Orange has the best of both primary colors it is created from – Yellow and Orange.
Orange is linked with transformation, with change. (think autumn leaves or orange skies at sunrise/sunset) and is often used by brands who like to think of themselves as a little bit different and they opt for orange when designing the brand logo.
Yellow logos
Yellow logos echo open, sunshiny sociability. Yellow radiates liveliness, and your brand will give off an inexpensive, youthful vigor. However, think twice if you are planning to use this color for a mature or luxury brand because not all consumers may agree with you.
Yellow belongs to the primary color families and is one of the very first colors discovered by early humans. It’s a culturally rich color that is also associated with richness of gold, cornfields, wheat and sunlight, etc. It’s a vibrantly diverse color and represents everything from the lightness and freshness from its lighter hues to more sobriety and weight in association with history.
So, play with the yellow color when it comes to your brand’s logo design depending on what kind of audience you are trying to attract.
Green logos
Green is the ultimately versatile color that is suitable for any business as it has stronger cultural associations than any personality trait. Green has held different cultural affinities throughout history. It has been considered the color of fertility, growth and rebirth for the fresh leaves and the life of trees and plants. However, in some historical eras, it has also been linked to death and destruction including both the real facts and superstitions – the former being a dye containing arsenic & the latter associated with Napolean Bonaparte’s death and green-dyed wall paper in his residence.
In the US, green holds monetary importance as the color of US dollars is green. In short, green is a very diverse color and you can use it various hues and shades and build up the meaning of your brand mix and matching it in various representations of your business like the logo, fonts or the overall shade of your brand.
Blue logos
If there is one color that depicts sobriety and seriousness, it is the color blue. It symbolizes maturity and trustworthiness and states clearly that your brand should be taken really seriously. Blue is a classic and can truly be called the king of colors but the downside to this popularity is that it appears in most of the logos around you. If blue is the color you want to go for the design of your professional logo, then you will have to do something to really stand out!
It is best to select blue for your brand if you want to radiate classic poise or guarantee trust in your brand. Nonetheless, avoid it completely if you are in the food business as it supposedly plays a role in suppressing the appetite. For the lovers of blue with the more playful approach, the lighter hues are more appropriate like the teal side of the wheel of color.
Black logos
Chic, modern, luxurious, sensual – this is the color black for you. Want to exude richness and wealth, then black is the color for you. If not, then better stay away from the darker side.
Black is simple yet elegant. It radiates a sense of mystery and exclusivity. It is the perfect color for luxury brands who can capitalize on its elitism through their professional logo designs.
White logos
When there is no color, there is white. However, when using white in your brand logo, it is essential to pair it up with another color to bring out its exclusiveness. When you use another color in the background of your white brand logo design, it will be the color in the background that will dominate. However, when accentuating any color with white, you can create an effect of freshness and youth and it is more economical too. White is that color that can suit any business logo.
