Colour preferences are deeply rooted in us since birth with each colour having a different effect on our emotions and the way we react. The powerful impact of colours will influence our decisions and the choices we make. Here we tell you all about why it’s crucial when choosing signage and logo colours to think about how your customers or clients will depict the colour.

Why logo colours affect consumers

Marketing research has found that colours have a significant influence on our decision making and will often be the reason why we choose one particular product over another. The influence colours have on us is often quick which means as humans we process colours automatically without really having to think about it.

An example of this is road signs, due to our intelligence in being able to depict colours quickly specific road signs are colour coded. Think about it, how fast would you react to a stop sign if it had no colour? You most likely wouldn’t, the only thing that makes you think there could be a potential danger is the fact the sign is red.

As it is widely known that colours affect the way we think and perceive brands it’s important you think about the colours you choose for your logo and brand signage. With the right sign and excellent logo design, you will effectively draw in customers and increase footfall.

Not everyone is going to connotate colours in the same way, while there may be some colours we universally react to, you need to think about how your customers respond to colours. The last thing you want to do is push customers away with your colour choice. On the other hand, if you get the colours right, you could also motivate potential customers to use your business compared to a competitor.

colour chart

What colour do I choose for my industry?

Each sector has colours which will allow them to get there message across in a better and more appropriate way. Restaurants mainly use red, greens or blue and purples for their branding. Red is used to gain the attention of the audience and helps to stimulate hunger. Green is often associated with health, so you are more likely to find health food restaurants with greener tones in their logo and signage. Blues and purples are used to help promote sweetness and sugary products, hence why most pudding or desert restaurants use these colours.

The communication industry is more likely to use blues, blacks and greys to promote their brands and its products. Blue is associated with clear and easy communication; it can also mean mental clarity. Black connotes confidence, strength and security which is often imperative within the communication industry. Grey is known to promote dependability and trustworthiness. All colours are paramount to the effectiveness of branding within the communication industry, without them how likely would you trust them?

Apparel and accessories is a huge industry and are ingrained in many of our lives, the choices we make with our clothing define the kind of person we are. Colours are also extremely important when it comes to branding within this industry, blacks, reds and oranges are some of the main colours we see on the high street and in more luxury brands. Black often promotes sophistication as it is considered a very fashionable colour to many. Black also showcases elegance, which to most brands is essential. Red is often linked to passion and desire. Another thing to take into consideration those that are seen to of been wearing red are actually more attractive to others. Orange is used to showcase extroversion; it’s a vibrant colour which allows brands to promote confidence. Brands such as Ray Ban, Vans and Hermes.

Vehicle manufacturers heavily rely on colours to depict their brands, the colours most used by car brands across the world are greys, reds and blues. Grey is used for quality, silver and grey tones provide a sense of luxury and high-quality for consumers. Reds are used within this industry as more of a masculine colour; red is used to signify power and strength. Blue is used as more of a calming colour and promotes consistency and reliability.

coloured pencils

Why do we use colour to promote our brands

Colours are not there just to influence the preferences of our consumers; they also help us create context and associations with brands. Is your brand a chain or is it only located in one place? If only located in one location you may want to look at how people within that region depict certain colours, as more likely than not they will all have similar colour preferences.

Using a bold colour to help your brand is a great idea, we recommend reading up about the connotations and how users perceive the colour before choosing it for branding and logos. Red is a great colour to use if you want to grab the attention of your consumers, however, can also be seen as rather abrupt, so depending on your brand and how you want to be seen you may go for more sophisticated colours such as blacks and greys.

Women are more likely to prefer more muted tones whereas men prefer more distinct tones. Children gravitate more to primary colours, however, will change over time as they develop and grow.

What colour will you be choosing?

If you think your logo or signage does not represent your brand well, you may want to think about changing the colour. You may also want to think about the exterior of your building, on site spraying is a great way of improving our brand images. Shop front spraying is also another way to make your brand look more sophisticated or confident depending on what you are selling.

Be sure to understand the psychology behind colours, while many people tend to understand what different colours mean they can portray your business in the wrong way if chosen incorrectly. If you would like to know more about the psychology of colours we recommend reading Colour Affects.

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