COLOR!

What is color theory?

Color theory is both the science and art of using color.

It explains how humans perceive color; and the visual effects of how colors mix, match or contrast with
each other.

Color theory also involves the messages colors communicate; and the methods used to replicate
color.
RED
Red is the first color that babies can see (besides black and white). Scientists theorize that humans
evolved the ability to see red better than other colors because it allowed us to more easily identify
fruits growing on trees. It developed a strong evolutionary meaning, as well: when they’re emotional
human faces turn red.

And while not exactly an emotion, red has also been shown to stimulate appetite (which is why you
see it in many food and restaurant logos).
ORANGE
Orange is an invigorating, playful color. Go orange to stand out from the crowd. It’s used less often
than red, but still packs an energetic punch. Be cautious when using orange if your brand is trying to
appear luxurious, feminine or serious, as orange does not invoke those traits to consumers.

Orange is associated with change (think autumn leaves or orange skies at sunrise/sunset) and is
often used by brands who like to think of themselves as a little bit different.
YELLOW
Yellow logos reflect accessible, sunshiney friendliness. Yellow exudes cheer, and your brand will
radiate an affordable, youthful energy. On the other hand, most consumers do not associate yellow
with maturity or luxury brands, so think twice if that’s how you want your business to be seen.

It has many cultural associations (gold, fields of wheat and corn, sunlight, etc), and is one of those
colors that’s very diverse. A soft, bright yellow is light and fresh, where a deep gold holds more weight
and history.
GREEN
The ultimate in versatility, research shows that green isn’t linked with many brand personality traits, but
it has strong cultural associations.

Since plants are green many people say green is the color of growth or new life—and in the middle
ages pregnant women were often painted wearing green. But historically and in different cultures,
green has been a color of death. (In fact, a popular green dye created in the 18th century included
arsenic, and it literally killed people. Some have argued that it may be partially responsible for the
death of Napoleon Bonaparte, whose walls were covered in green-dyed wallpaper).

In the US, we
associate green with
money because
dollars are green, but
remember that this
association won’t hold
across other cultures.
 BLUE
Blue symbolizes trustworthiness and maturity. You should use it for your brand if you want to be taken
seriously. One thing to keep in mind, though, is as the classic king of colors, blue appears in over half
of all logos. If you use blue for your brand you’ll need to find a way to stand out!

Ironically, considering its popularity today and the fact that it’s a primary color, it’s likely that ancient
people (Greek, Chinese, Japanese and Hebrew) couldn’t see the color blue, making it one of the
newer colors to be experienced by humans.

It’s one of the last color words to

appear in virtually every language
(which scientists believe is linked
to the ability to actually see that
color).

Be wary of blue if you are in the

food service (it supposedly
suppresses appetite).
PURPLE
Purple is where the rainbow gets luxurious. Use purple to appear simultaneously cutting-edge and
wise. There’s just a hint of femininity in there too.

Purple probably gets its luxurious associations because historically purple dye was very expensive,
thus the color was only worn by the very wealthy. One interesting thing about purple, though, is while
it’s associated with luxury and wealth, it’s not seen as an overly serious color.
PINK
In modern, Western society, nothing says “girly” quite like pink. But it’s more
versatile than that. From soft millennial pink to neon magenta, pink can give a
brand a modern, youthful, luxurious look.

The well-known cultural meaning of pink=femininity didn’t exist before the 1940s,
when clothing manufacturers realized they could make more money if they
gendered children’s clothing. Before that it was a unisex color and represented the
height of luxury.
 BROWN
Make your brand appear rugged, masculine and serious. Brown is the least-utilized logo color, so if
you choose it you’ll be sure stand out from the competition.

Brown is not used very often because humans have learned to associate it with rotting and decay.
However, that association can be overcome. Brown is also a deep, rich, natural color (that’s made
from mixing all other colors together).

It can be great to give a brand a

rugged, natural feel and is great
for outdoorsy companies or
those selling naturally brown
products (like coffee or
chocolate). It also represents
aging, so is often used by
companies wanting a vintage,
hand-made feel.
BLACK
Want to look slick, modern and luxurious? Time to go black. Rather be economical and affordable?
Stay away. For something as old as light itself, black still feels modern. It simplicity is almost jarring,
giving all-black logos a feeling of mystery and exclusiveness that can capitalized on by luxury brands.