What Your Logo Says About Your Company – Learn the Color Theory!

What Your Logo Says About Your Company

To design an eye-catching logo that grabs the attention of users in less than eight seconds, you must first understand the psychology of colors. The human mind is largely responsive to visual elements, and colors are among the first things that attract eyeballs to your webpage.

On a responsive and subconscious level, colors largely impact the way people respond to what they see. A highly skilled graphic designer is one who knows how to play with the power of colors keeping in mind the human psychology – and that’s particularly important in case of logo design and website design.

Studies conducted on the human brain’s response to colors have repeatedly stated that a beautiful layer of colors that resonates with users adds multiple meaning to the subject. When it comes to logo design, companies have a great advantage in the sense that they can use appropriate colors to add expression and voice to their brand messages. And professional logo designers stand a better chance of creating engaging logos if they better understand the psychology of colors.

There Are Multiple Colors – What Do Each Of Them Mean?

Yes, there are dozens of colors out there, and the interesting thing is that each of them including black and white has a unique role in logo design. An intelligent logo designer is one who chooses the right mix of colors to enhance the visual appeal of the logo and add meaning to your brand message using beautiful shades, borders, and tones.

Here are a few interesting things studies reveal about colors:

Bright colors are more attention-grabbing, but on the downside, they can be brash in some applications.

Faint tones (or muted colors) are a great fit for sophisticated images, but on the flip side, they can be overlooked by the user.

Let’s take a detailed look at what different colors mean, according to human psychology.

Red indicates heat, danger, aggression, energy, passion, and warmth. It is also believed to cause hunger, which is one reason why they are so prominently used in restaurant and food chain logos. If you want to give a dynamic feel to your logo, red could be a great choice.

Orange is said to psychologically impact a person’s innovation and thinking. When it comes to online shopping, orange is commonly used to indicate approachability and cost-effectiveness of a product or service. Furthermore, it is a bright and lively color popularly used in websites that target the younger generation and fun-loving people.

Yellow is a bright, sunny, and friendly color that is also believed to trigger appetite. However, on the downside, it’s also expressed warnings and cowardliness.

Green is the color of Earth and is popularly used in logos of brands that offer products or services related to earthly elements like fruits, vegetables, and other organic foods. Other meanings associated with green are relaxation, freshness, and constant growth. It’s hugely popular with finance and technology websites.

Blue, the color of the sea symbolizes professionalism, sincerity, and integrity, which is why they are predominantly used in corporate logos. Facebook is a classic example of the case. Blue is also believed to be associated with simplicity, authority, and success. Corporate bodies in a range of sectors use blue, but the government, finance, and social media sites top the list.

Purple indicates royalty, wealth, richness, sophistication, and mystery. The color itself is a combination of red and blue, so it typically combines both warm and cold properties. It’s prominently used in education and religious sites as it implies wisdom and dignity. Yahoo!, Cadbury, and LA Lakers are a few world famous brands that have purple in their logo.

Black signifies authority, boldness, mystery, secrecy, and split personality. However, on the other hand, it is also linked to darkness, danger, and threat. Yet, most brands use black in their logo because it’s one rare color that goes well with almost all other colors in a range of applications. If you wish to go for bold logos, black can be used as an outline for your text font.

White indicates peace, purity, innocence, cleanliness, grandness, and truthfulness. It’s often used in logos as a negative space or reversed text. Coca-cola is a prime example of the case.

Brown, the color of the soil, represents solidity, reliability, and earthly elements. It’s commonly used in logos of construction, textile, legal, and bakery sites. Coffee, chocolates, and cakes are some common food items that best represent brown.

Pink represents feminism, glamour, youth, and beauty. That’s exactly why it’s used in the logos of fashion, beauty, and gift sites among many others. It’s also a playful and fun color, which is why it’s used in children’s sites, and not so much in corporate and government sites.

These are some indications as to what each color signifies in logo design, however, there are no rigid rules as to what colors should be used in your brand logo. In fact, the engaging factor of your logo will be largely determined by the shape, style, and font used and less likely impacted by the color combination.

Should You Go For A Single Color Or Multiple Color Logo?

To leave a lasting impression on the user’s mind, it’s advisable to go for single color logos that are simple and easy to remember. However, if you prefer something more stylish and colorful, don’t hesitate to experiment with multiple colors like Google, eBay, depot, and ClickeClock.

Multiple color logos are a great choice for businesses that offer more than one service. In simple words, multiple means more variety, so using more colors has a meaning of its own. Case in point, the Olympic logo uses multiple colors, and most companies dealing with tiles and lighting fixtures use multiple-color logos.

Think Globally

Also, keep in mind that the meaning and usage of color changes from country and country based on the local tradition and culture. For example, Red is considered lucky in Chinese tradition whereas white is Green is believed to bring luck in the Western culture.

In Closing

Although keeping the above-mentioned points about colors will give you a heads-up, don’t forget that at the end of the day, your interest and choice of colors in logo design might be different from others.

Let us know what colors you’d like to have in your logo, and we’ll be happy to create a stunning logo that resonates with your business – and gets your word across to your target audience with great visuals.

Did you like the information in the article? What are some inspiring logo design colors you’ve come across? Do let us know in the comments!