Usage of color palette in communication is a very old practice. Humans have been conditioned to not just see colors but feel them too. That is where the phrases like “I see red” or “Monday blues” or “Let’s paint the town red” must have originated. We think colours, we feel them and we connect with them emotionally.
Understanding the hues and color connotations
Smart marketers and graphic design service agencies use this characteristic of colors to their advantage in promoting a brand. Here are a few examples:
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Red:
It denotes energy, youthfulness and passion. Some of the brands that have successfully used this color are Coca Cola, LEVIS, Netflix etc.
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Blue:
This color stands for honesty, trust and stability. Lot of digital companies like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have preferred to go blue.
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Yellow:
This is a very happy color. It is associated with cheer, optimism and sometimes craziness. No wonder McDonald’s uses it to attract its customers.
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Black:
It denotes power, boldness and sophistication. A lot of times you must have seen men in black suits in official conferences. Now you know what they are trying to convey through their attire.
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Green:
This is a very calm and serene color because it is closely related to nature. A lot of times communication related to environmental sustainability is all colored in green.
Role of colors in marketing and branding
Brands and colors are very closely related. Research shows a very close relation between color palette and marketing. As per the Seoul International Color Expo, 92.6 percent of people put the most importance on visual factors when purchasing products.
Now that you know how important color palette can be in your marketing communications, let us look at some of the rules of using colors that you can follow in your marketing campaigns:
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Study colors well:
It is important to know what are primary, secondary and complementary colors. Study them well so that you can create a visual balance in your graphic design. The wrong choice of colors can put off your target audience and can affect website visits and even sales.
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Let colours reflect your brand values:
Colors have an innate capacity to evoke emotions in the viewers. Choose the right color that reflects and relates to your product or service. Several examples have been shared above on how every color has a property and an emotion that it can evoke.
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Consistency is the key:
Use the colour theme consistently in all marketing communications. If your primary colour is blue, make sure you are using the same shade of blue in all the designs. It is a good idea to develop a color shade card and share it with your graphic designers.
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Cut the clutter:
Use max four colors in any design. Too much clutter is a bad way of marketing. Focus on just a few key colors that depict the personality of your brand and help you create a brand identity.
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Study your competitors:
And last but extremely critical point is to keep your ears to the ground and keep a watch on your competitors. This is important so that you do not repeat the same colours as your competitors are using. Else your competitor will benefit from all your marketing efforts.
If you are looking for a graphic design agency in the Canada, reach out to WebSocl. Our team understands colors well and makes sure it is used to benefit a brand over a longer term. You can call us or visit our website to see some of the amazing works we have created for our customers. Reach out to us with your specific requests and we will be happy to cater to all your graphic design requirements.