When you’re looking at a jacket, sofa or something else, the first thing you look at is COLOR.
You either attracted to it or it repels you so, think of the color that your brand has.
That’s why, I pay closer attention to color choices when it comes to branding. It matters a lot and has cognitive implications on your customers.
Let’s dive in!
IMPORTANT: The right color palette will evoke the right emotions and build positive associations with your brand!
Below, I’ve listed a few screenshots from the color discovery that is a part of a branding strategy:
In my work, I don’t simply rely on my personal judgement, but rather I prefer to supplement it with a cognitive psychology principles for a maximum impact.
To develop a color palette that supports many design goals, you’ll need to know which colors attract the eye more than others.
Take a look at this ‘Visual salience of colors chart’
Visual salience of colors chart explains how your brand color stacks up against other dominant (salient) colors. It can also help you pick the color tint that will draw more attention to your logo/identity,rather than your competitors.
It’s advised to stick to only 1 primary salient color to avoid a.k.a. ’Las Vegas’ strip design gutter where everything seems important and calling for your attention.
Another important factor to be aware of – Arousal level.
Arousal is the level of physical and cognitive energy experienced. When someone’s arousal is they’ll feel energized, focused, and experience a strong sense of cognitive energy.
In behavioral psychology, high-arousal colors evoke pleasurable emotions to motivate users complete certain actions.
At the end of the discovery, I give my recommendations on the best color variations as well as explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each color option. One of my principles is I never push clients to certain options because I believe that my job as a consultant is to give recommendations and then the company should choose what they feel would fit their needs better. That’s how relationships are built.
If you need help in solidifying your brand as well as establishing a bold visual language, feel free to get in touch.
Thank you for reading!
Till next time.
Alex