Do Business Logo Colors Really Matter?

A good business logo design is very important for any company wishing to build their brand. Once you have a good business logo, the next step is choosing the right colors.

We see the world in colors, and we associate colors with certain characteristics. In order to communicate more efficiently what your business 'character' is and also to have a more effective logo, you have to choose your colors wisely.

Colors also affect people differently, based on their age, culture, sex and upbringing. Therefore choosing a color that appeals to your target customers is very important.

BLUE

Blue is the favorite corporate color. And it is a favorite for a reason. The characteristics most commonly associated with blue are authority, security, intelligence, coolness and reliability. This is because blue is the color of the sky and sea. It generates feelings of peace, calmness and tranquility.

If you choose deep blue (colors of the ocean), other qualities associated with it are serious, naval, academic and analytical.

If you want a cool, soothing color, you would do well to choose light blue. It gives a feeling of freshness, clean and calmness.

Companies that use blue are airlines, airport, air conditioners, breath freshener, mineral water, cruises and seaports. Blue is also a favorite color among males, and is regarded as a 'masculine' color. It works well with a lot of pastel colors, and with careful skill can be used to calm a bright red scheme. Always leave it to the expert however if you plan to use red and blue. Just a little mistake can cause people discomfort.

Successful red and blue logo combinations are ones like the American flag and the Superman logo. If you look carefully there's always a third color around to 'bridge' these two opposite colors effectively. Neutral colors work best here (white and yellow).

GREEN

Green is associated with money, environmental, wealth, nature, health, freshness and loyalty. Green is very relaxing to the eye and is the color of nature. It is also the color of peace and harmony.

Dark green is very popular with financial and banking companies. Light, olive green can be used to promote products based on nature and healing qualities.

RED

Red is a very intense and hot color. It is often used to represent heat, passion, excitement, speed and strength. Red literally 'shouts'. Use it to attract attention and to emphasize importance. It also signifies courage, bravery, danger, war and energy.

Red is used to promote energy drinks, cars (Ferrari red), lipsticks, passionate love (Cupid), and dangerous or extreme sports. Red is also considered lucky for the Chinese and is a color of celebration and prosperity.

YELLOW

Yellow is the color of happiness, excitement, energy and cheerfulness. Yellow is another attention grabbing color. Use it with red and you have a powerful head-turning color scheme.

Deep, bright yellow is the color of royalty, honor and loyalty. Yellow also attracts children and is the color often used for toys, and kindergarten buildings. It is also the color used for emergency and hazard situation; used in radioactive materials, fire trucks, rescue vehicles, tow trucks, tractors, and bulldozers.

ORANGE

Orange is a warm, citrus color, and represents health, vibrancy, sunshine and the tropics. Orange creates a stimulating, vibrant, fun and exciting environment. It works great in combination with red and yellow. It is an effective color to promote health foods, drinks, toys and youth products.

PINK & LAVENDER

Pink and lavender often brings to mind femininity, innocence, romance and health. It is very effective in promoting products or services for women, such as an exclusive spa, beauty products, lingerie, and perfume.

WHITE

Imagine snow, angels and brides. What do these things invoke in you? Exactly…white represents innocence, virtue, purity, cleanliness, coolness, safety, health, medicine and virginity. It is best used to promote wedding shops, charities, medical products, low-fat foods and dairy products.

BLACK

Mystery, formality, seriousness, power, elegant, authority and evil are some of the attributes associated with black. Black is best used as a background to other bright or pastel colors. Using black as your logo typeface will suggest authority, classical, elegance, stability and power.

Using black as your main color however will usually be related to mystery, stability, strength, death, and evil. Examples include banks, mystery or scary movies, rock bands and funeral companies.

GRAY OR SILVER

Gray evokes conservative, depressing and moody feelings. Silver however represents technology, cutting edge, machines, and richness and elegance. Therefore, it is not surprising to see most high-tech companies uses a combination of silver and blue.

BROWN OR CREAM

Brown is also another color that represents nature, as it is the color of the land and trees. As such, it invokes a comfort, homey feeling. It is best used for restaurants, natural or antique furniture companies, and outdoor activities products.

Light brown or cream is suitable for food products as it is the color of wheat, flour, spaghetti and potatoes. Combined with green, it can effectively promote recycling or earth-friendly organizations and products.