Your company logo items should effectively represent your brand and immediately differentiate you from the competition because it is one of the primary identifying factors that your audience will use when they think about your business.
Colour provokes subconscious judgements because every hue has a very distinct personality and set of cultural connotations surrounding it. For example, you have probably noticed how different colours can impact your mood and you might even have found yourself suggesting that you’re “seeing red” or are feeling “green with envy”.
Research indicates that more than 90% of people [1] state that visual elements including colour affect their purchasing decisions above any other sensory factors. Additionally, as colour can improve readership by 40% and comprehension by more than 70% you need to ensure that you are using this powerful informational tool to your advantage in every aspect of your promotional marketing strategy.
Understanding these colour-related cultural cues will help you to select an appropriate colour personality. You can use this to design an effective logo that will appeal to your audience and increase your brand recognition.
Red
Often associated with fire and the sun, red tones can encourage people to take risks and heighten feelings of love, passion, power and energy. Red evokes strong emotions and can even stimulate the appetite, which is why many restaurants incorporate this fiery hue into their marketing messaging and interior design. Red can also be used to effectively create a sense of urgency during promotional sales and can encourage impulsive shoppers to spend more.
Yellow
Cheerful and warm, yellow represents youthfulness and optimism. Although it can stimulate the nervous system and mental processes, yellow can also cause eye strain and fatigue when used in excess. In marketing, yellow is often used to capture the attention of window shoppers and within the messaging of businesses whose model thrives on communication as this hue demonstrates a sense of clarity and approachability.
Blue
Most commonly associated with cool skies and gentle seas, blue tones can lower blood pressure and calm the senses. Known as a cold colour, blue represents serenity and calmness and can increase productivity by eliminating feelings of stress and pressure. Corporate businesses often integrate blue into their branding and promotional marketing materials because it encourages feelings of trust, authority, order and security. A YouGov survey in 2015 illustrates that blue is the most popular colour in 10 different countries across four continents, with 33% of people in Great Britain and 23% of people in Indonesia placing it ahead of every other colour.
Orange
Embodying feelings of enthusiasm and excitement, orange tones effectively demonstrate warmth and confidence. This eye-catching hue is an effective call-to-action colour as it can encourage people to complete a wide variety of actions, including making a purchase or subscribing to a mailing list to receive further communications.
Green
Often associated with good luck, nature and health, green is a tranquil colour that can alleviate feelings of sadness and establish a relaxing and pleasant ambience. The human eye is most sensitive to this gentle colour and can easily discern a wide palette of different shades of green. In addition to being used to send a relaxing message, green is also representative of fertility and wealth and can be used to instil feelings of trust and confidence among audiences.
Purple
Purple can encourage feelings of mystery or spirituality and has long been a colour associated with royalty. In addition to showcasing success, wisdom and wealth, purple tones can also be used to establish a sense of calm. Purple is routinely used to market anti-ageing beauty products because it exudes femininity and can thus represent imaginative and creative brands.
How to Ensure Your Logo Is Seen
Avoiding cliché will help you to stand out. If you have noticed that a significant percentage of your competitors have used a similar colour palette for their logos, it might be beneficial for you to create a unique colour story that will immediately differentiate you from the pack.
A highly effective way to increase your brand recognition is to produce a collection of promotional marketing materials such as branded pens, tote bags and mugs that have been specifically designed to appeal to your ideal audience. Simplicity is often key here because your logo should be clearly and seamlessly integrated into any promotional merchandise you produce, ensuring that it is not visually overwhelmed by any other design elements.
Your website and social media platforms are also an ideal place to showcase your brand logo. In addition to incorporating it into your profile imagery including avatars, icons and banners, placing your logo on any infographics, imagery or other digital material you share across social media. This will help you to build your brand authority and increase your reach as your audience shares your material with their friends, followings and connections.
This same principle should be applied to any print materials you choose to produce as this will contribute to the visibility and memorability of your brand among your target audience.
