YOUR COLOR PALETTE ISN’T FOR YOU, IT’S FOR YOUR AUDIENCE
Here’s the mistake most people make when choosing their brand’s color palette: they start with their favorite colors. But your brand isn’t about you, it’s about the experience you create for your consumers. The right palette starts by asking, “How do I want people to feel when they interact with my brand?”
From there, you want to use color psychology and industry trends to choose colors that not only look great together but also send the right emotional signals. Keep in mind that color meanings can vary widely across cultures and industries, but here’s a basic overview of color theory in Western contexts:
Red
Red is the color of urgency, passion, and attention. It’s powerful, stimulating, and can even raise heart rates. It’s confident and dominant. You’ll see it used in retail settings to communicate “Buy Now.” A true, bold, saturated red is best used sparingly as a dramatic pop of color. Think of Louboutin’s signature red sole, Wolf stove knobw, or Levi’s tiny red tag.
Blue
Blue communicates trust, stability, calm, and professionalism. You’ll see it used often in industries like tech and finance, where customers need reassurance. Light blues feel fresh, innovative, and calm. Deeper shades convey authority, like with LinkedIn, American Express, and Chase Bank.
Green and Brown
Green connects to nature, health, and growth, while brown signals warmth, reliability, and earthiness. Together, they’re perfect for eco-consciousness, health, or outdoorsy brands. Use green for freshness and optimism, brown for stability and authenticity. Whole Foods and John Deere use these tones to ground their brand identities in nature and tradition.
Teal
Teal blends the calm trust of blue with the growth and renewal of green, making it a go-to for brands that want to feel fresh, creative, and approachable without losing credibility. It’s often tied to innovation, sophistication, and nature-inspired thinking. Slack and Mint use teal to signal modern problem-solving with a friendly edge.
Orange
Orange is vibrant, playful, and full of warmth. It’s less aggressive than red, but still signals excitement and energy. You’ll often see orange used when a brand wants to convey that they’re creative and not afraid to try new things. It’s a popular choice for the fitness industry, snack foods, and a couple of noteworthy giants like Amazon and Home Depot.
Yellow
Yellow is the color of sunshine, positivity, and joy. It can make your brand feel approachable and full of life, but overuse can cause visual fatigue, so it’s best used in moderation. Brands like National Geographic use it to stand out, welcome an audience in, and inspire curiosity.
Purple
Purple blends the stability of blue with the energy of red, signaling creativity, luxury, and imagination. Historically tied to royalty, it still carries a sense of exclusivity and intrigue. Cadbury uses deep purple to convey indulgence and heritage. Twitch leans on a brighter purple to connect with young creatives.
Pink
In branding, pink often signals femininity, approachability, and softness, but the shade you choose changes the message. Soft blush tones feel calm, nurturing, and minimal. Think Glossier or Lunya. (Light pink had direct to consumer brands in an absolute chokehold in the mid 2000s.) Hot pink, on the other hand, is bold, playful, and attention-grabbing, often used to signal confidence and unapologetic self-expression.
White
White is clean, minimal, and versatile. It’s often used to convey chic simplicity. Think Apple’s product packaging or Nike’s generous white space in their ads. It makes other colors pop and gives designs a modern, uncluttered feel. White is perfect for brands that want to project clarity and focus.
Black
Black communicates power, elegance, and sophistication. It’s a favorite for luxury brands like Chanel and Nike because it feels timeless and confident. Used heavily, it can create a sleek, high-end look; used sparingly, it adds bold contrast. Black also pairs well with almost any color, making it a versatile choice for brand elements that need a strong visual anchor.
A quick word on contrast and accessibility
A color palette of all light or all dark colors will limit your design options. For text and visuals to be layered over top of each other while remaining readable, you need contrast — light colors that can sit on dark backgrounds and vice versa. This isn’t just good design practice; it’s important for Accessibility. Some of your audience will have low vision or be on old devices that make it harder to read colors without enough contrast.
Want to build a brand that feels as good as it looks?
Choosing colors is just one step in creating a brand that people remember and connect with. My Complete Bran Strategy Workbook walks you through defining your mission, creating a visual identity, and crafting a clear voice that sets you apart from the sea of your competitors. It’s the same workbook I use with my freelance clients, but you can DIY it at your own pace. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a brand that feels authentic, consistent, and ready to turn heads.
