The Meaning of Colour
All colours have associations with emotions — conjuring feelings within us, whether we are consciously aware of them or not. These associations are not rigid rules, but being mindful of them can help in choosing an appropriate colour scheme when it comes to creating a brand identity.
It is important to remember, though, that colours alone will not be the sole way your logo has impact. It is how your selection of colours interacts — and forms a relationship — with the type and shapes they are used within, that determines how much strength and memorability it will have.
As Piet Mondrian once wrote: “Everything is expressed through relationship. Colour can exist only through other colours, dimension through other dimensions, position through other positions that oppose them. That is why I regard relationship as the principal thing.”
Bearing this in mind, below is a list of colours and their associations. Use them to accent and underline your branding message — but don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to follow the norm on every occasion. Often a challenger / rebel brand chooses a colour palette that is almost the polar opposite of what people expect. It’s all down to the brand values you want to manipulate them to convey.
Red: passion, energy, excitement, power, ambition, danger, aggression, immediacy, anger, hunger. It has…
