Monday, May 16
True Colors - what are your company colors saying?
From Ricksticks, a visual design firm in Toronto:
How would you select colors for your logo, web site, or brochure? Many who are faced with these decisions simply choose colors on instinct -- colors that are favorites.
Doesn't sound like too big a deal. The result, however, could be a significant loss of opportunity, or worse, a costly mistake. For any company or organization, shaping public/consumer perception is essential.
A key aspect of how this perception manifests, is in how you present your collateral identity -- your logo, business card, stationery, and the rest of your marketing materials. Color can set an indelible first impression. Color affects us all in a psychological level and an emotional level. These are effects which should be incorporated into your design.
The following is a list of colors along with symbolism associated with each color. Keep in mind that these symbolic meanings may not translate to other cultures. When considering color implications from the perspective of an unfamiliar culture, it is always a good idea to do a little preliminary research. Trends and market demographics will also play a part in the color selection process.
Blue is the color of the corporate world. It connotes stability and confidence -- the darker the shade, the greater the trust. POSITIVE: power, dignity, water, relaxation, loyalty, authority, respect, confidence, order, security, sky, cold. NEGATIVE: depression.
Red is aggressive and commands attention. It is an intense color that is exciting and passionate. POSITIVE: energy, desire, speed, strength, power, love. NEGATIVE: danger, fire, blood, stop, violence.
Orange is a friendly, vibrant color. A color that is demanding of the viewers attention. It is playful and energetic and conveys an informality. POSITIVE: accessible, affordable, social, warmth, balance, flamboyant.
Brown is stable, and also a friendly color. Earthy browns convey simplicity and comfort. POSITIVE: home, hearth, outdoors, wooden, reliability, endurance, credibility. NEGATIVE: boring, stale, inaction.
Purple is the color of royalty -- connotes good taste and ceremony. POSITIVE: richness, spirituality, elite, independence, superior, nobility, mystery, transformation, sophistication, power, enlightenment, vision. NEGATIVE: cruelty, arrogance, mourning.
Yellow is uplifting, energetic and welcoming. POSITIVE: joy, light, hope, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, philosophy. NEGATIVE: cowardice, dishonesty, betrayal, illness, hazard.
Green is associated with growth and nature. It is a relaxing color well utilized by the environmentally aware. POSITIVE: health, luck, renewal, freshness, cleanliness, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility. NEGATIVE: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune.
Gray is reliable and practical -- associated with modesty and dignity. POSITIVE: security, intelligence, wisdom, maturity, solid, practical, conservative. NEGATIVE: sadness, loneliness, aging, lifeless.
Black is a powerful neutral -- a good technical color with a wide range of modern meanings. POSITIVE: sophisticated, sexuality, formal, elegance, wealth, mystery, style. NEGATIVE: fear, evil, anonymity, depth, sadness, anger, death, mourning.
White is absolute purity and innocence. POSITIVE: reverence, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, youth, birth, winter, goodness, marriage. NEGATIVE: clinical, cold, sterile.
Hmmm... check out this handsome, black, white, and red website all about marketing and sales strategy...
How would you select colors for your logo, web site, or brochure? Many who are faced with these decisions simply choose colors on instinct -- colors that are favorites.
Doesn't sound like too big a deal. The result, however, could be a significant loss of opportunity, or worse, a costly mistake. For any company or organization, shaping public/consumer perception is essential.
A key aspect of how this perception manifests, is in how you present your collateral identity -- your logo, business card, stationery, and the rest of your marketing materials. Color can set an indelible first impression. Color affects us all in a psychological level and an emotional level. These are effects which should be incorporated into your design.
The following is a list of colors along with symbolism associated with each color. Keep in mind that these symbolic meanings may not translate to other cultures. When considering color implications from the perspective of an unfamiliar culture, it is always a good idea to do a little preliminary research. Trends and market demographics will also play a part in the color selection process.
Blue is the color of the corporate world. It connotes stability and confidence -- the darker the shade, the greater the trust. POSITIVE: power, dignity, water, relaxation, loyalty, authority, respect, confidence, order, security, sky, cold. NEGATIVE: depression.
Red is aggressive and commands attention. It is an intense color that is exciting and passionate. POSITIVE: energy, desire, speed, strength, power, love. NEGATIVE: danger, fire, blood, stop, violence.
Orange is a friendly, vibrant color. A color that is demanding of the viewers attention. It is playful and energetic and conveys an informality. POSITIVE: accessible, affordable, social, warmth, balance, flamboyant.
Brown is stable, and also a friendly color. Earthy browns convey simplicity and comfort. POSITIVE: home, hearth, outdoors, wooden, reliability, endurance, credibility. NEGATIVE: boring, stale, inaction.
Purple is the color of royalty -- connotes good taste and ceremony. POSITIVE: richness, spirituality, elite, independence, superior, nobility, mystery, transformation, sophistication, power, enlightenment, vision. NEGATIVE: cruelty, arrogance, mourning.
Yellow is uplifting, energetic and welcoming. POSITIVE: joy, light, hope, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, philosophy. NEGATIVE: cowardice, dishonesty, betrayal, illness, hazard.
Green is associated with growth and nature. It is a relaxing color well utilized by the environmentally aware. POSITIVE: health, luck, renewal, freshness, cleanliness, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility. NEGATIVE: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune.
Gray is reliable and practical -- associated with modesty and dignity. POSITIVE: security, intelligence, wisdom, maturity, solid, practical, conservative. NEGATIVE: sadness, loneliness, aging, lifeless.
Black is a powerful neutral -- a good technical color with a wide range of modern meanings. POSITIVE: sophisticated, sexuality, formal, elegance, wealth, mystery, style. NEGATIVE: fear, evil, anonymity, depth, sadness, anger, death, mourning.
White is absolute purity and innocence. POSITIVE: reverence, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, youth, birth, winter, goodness, marriage. NEGATIVE: clinical, cold, sterile.
Hmmm... check out this handsome, black, white, and red website all about marketing and sales strategy...
