The Basics of Color Psychology

As a small business owner, you should know the basics of color psychology. Before we get started, a definition for you: Color psychology is the study of how colors impact human behavior and emotions. In design, marketing, and branding, it focuses on strategically leveraging colors to evoke certain responses from consumers. While this is a highly nuanced field of study, the basics are all you really need to make sure your visuals are communicating what you want them to be.

Colors have the power to shape the thoughts and actions of your customers. Read on so you know how to wield that power with intention!

THE MOST BASIC OF THE BASICS: COMMON COLOR ASSOCIATIONS

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I called this the basics and I mean it. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail on these because this information is everywhere on the internet and I couldn’t possibly get into all the detail here, but below is a list of common color associations. I want you to think about the colors you're using in your branding and marketing materials right now. Based on the list below, are those colors communicating what you expect?

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Red: Passion, excitement, urgency.

Orange: Enthusiasm, vibrancy, friendliness.

Yellow: Joy, warmth, energy.

Green: Balance, nature, harmony.

Blue: Trust, calmness, reliability.

Purple: Luxury, creativity, sophistication.

Pink: Romance, sweetness, playfulness.

Brown: Earthy, reliability, warmth.

Black: Sophistication, power, authority.

White: Purity, simplicity, cleanliness.

Gray: Neutrality, balance, sophistication.

Gold: Luxury, wealth, success.

Silver: Modernity, innovation, elegance.

A BIT BEYOND THE BASICS: COLOR HARMONIES

Just as important as your individual colors are the way they work together. We're getting a bit into color theory here so to avoid getting too detailed I'm going to review three common color combinations (harmonies) we see in brand design, what they are, and how they work together: complementary colors, analogous colors, and monochromatic colors.

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Complementary Colors: Complementary colors are positioned opposite each other on the color wheel. Examples: red and green, blue and orange, yellow and purple. These colors create high contrast and vibrancy when paired together which generates visual excitement. This combination can be attention-grabbing but it's essential to use complementary colors thoughtfully, as excessive contrast may lead to visual fatigue if not balanced correctly.

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Analogous Colors: Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. Examples:  purple and blue, orange and yellow. These colors create a harmonious and visually pleasing effect. This color scheme is often found in nature and offers a sense of unity. Analogous color schemes are versatile and work well for creating a smooth, calming, visual flow.

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Monochromatic Colors: Monochromatic color schemes involve using different shades, tones, and tints of a single color. This creates a unified and elegant look, providing depth and visual interest without the complexity of multiple colors. For example, various shades of blue or different tones of green can be used together to achieve a sophisticated, modern, minimalistic look. This approach is excellent for conveying a sense of simplicity, professionalism, and clarity.

DON'T JUST READ THIS; DO YOUR RESEARCH

You may be familiar with Millennial pink or Gen Z purple. These very specific colors didn't come to be associated with these generations because Millennials like romance, sweetness, playfulness and Gen Z likes luxury, creativity, sophistication. I'm not here to write the whole blog post on why these colors became popular (because seriously, each color deserves a whole blog post), so I'm giving you the short answer: it's cultural. Cultural phenomenon like movies, technologic innovations, advertising from big companies, etc. have a huge influence on color association.

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It's also good to note that color asscociations do not always translate across cultures or locations. For instance, while white signifies purity in Western cultures, it represents mourning in some Eastern cultures.

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Like I mentioned, this is a highly nuanced field. While the common color associations I listed above aren't going to be changing tomorrow, they might change someday. Did you know that while we now associate pink with femininity and blue with masculinity, it actually used to be the other way around? Things change! That's why this section is called do your research. I'm not writing this blog to be the source of truth on these things, merely to give you the basics and to remind you that you should be doing your research and using color intentionally.

RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN

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One of my favorite things about learning a new theory is that I can also learn how to apply to break the rules of that theory. I believe that good design comes from breaking the rules on purpose. Think about what makes your business different than most other businesses in your industry. Now looking at our common color associations, how can you translate that into a unique color palette for your business?

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For example, in the Elysian branding shown above their main differentiators are that they are targeted towards overworked women who want a spa-like experience at home and that they use a humorous, down-to-earth tone of voice to communicate to them. While I used neutral colors to represent sophistication, cleanliness, and calmness, I also threw in a bright yellow to bring in the joy, warmth, and energy of their brand voice. That's how you tell a story through color psychology.

YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AN EXPERT

Because I am! I'm an expert in color psychology. I know about color meanings, color theory, and color trends, and I have at least ten different books about color on my shelves that I'm always referencing when designing brands. There’s a lot more than just color psychology to consider.

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Some of the other things I consider when choosing colors for a brand: What do those colors represent for your specific brand? What colors are trending right now in your industry? What colors are every other business in your industry using? Are these colors going to create a balanced and functional palette that can be used across digital and physical touchpoints?

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If you're interested in how you can work with me on creating branding (including your killer color palette) for your business, apply via the link on my website or shoot me a DM on Instagram so we can chat more about what you're looking for!

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