Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Color is important; Research shows that up to 85% of consumers believe color is the biggest motivator when choosing a particular product, while 92% acknowledge visual appearance as the most persuasive marketing factor overall. In This article, we will take you through the process of selecting the right color for your product.

Why Are Brand Colors Important?

Firs impressions are EVERYTHING. Establishing brand colors is important because they elicit emotions and feelings which directly correlate with your product or service. Color is also used to convey certain information that allows for customers to form an initial impression without even knowing what your product is about.

Color helps consumers decide whether they want to engage with the product or not.

Check Out Best Promotional Merch Ideas

Translating Color

Colors translate certain emotions or can be used to associate with a specific message. For example, the color red is often associated with danger and green is associated with nature, but both have additional meanings and associations.

Color Psychology in the branding space is used to affect perceptions and behaviors. It allows us to understand color and use it to our advantage, especially when it comes to marketing and branding.

According to a study, use of colors can contribute not only to differentiating products from competitors, but also to influencing moods and feelings – positively or negatively – and therefore, to attitude towards certain products. Given that our moods and feelings are unstable and that colors play roles in forming attitude, it is important that managers understand the importance of colors in marketing.

The Psychology of Colors

Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue; these colors are often used in food products or businesses such as McDonalds and Coca Cola. When you think of most fast food restaurants, you can clearly see that most of them use the color Red and Yellow. The psychology behind fast food colors is not coincidence, it is meant to make your brain hungry.

According to color psychology, yellow has long been associated with feelings of contentment, happiness, competence, and comfort. One simple color is responsible for that sense of nostalgia and friendliness you feel whenever you pass by those golden arches.

Red is associated with danger, excitement, and energy. It’s also known for being the color of love and passion.

Pink is feminine, it’s sentimental and romantic. Different shades, like hot pink, can be youthful and bold.

Orange is fresh and full of vitality. It’s also creative, adventurous, and associated with being cost-effective.

Yellow is optimistic. It’s a color associated with being playful and happy.

Green is natural, often used to demonstrate sustainability. But it can also align with prestige and wealth.

Blue is trustworthy and reliable. It’s calming or often associated with depression.

Purple is royalty and majesty. It can be spiritual and mysterious.

Brown is down-to-earth and honest, often used for organic wholesome products.

White is pure. It conveys simplicity and innocence, often with a minimalistic feel.

Black is both sophisticated and elegant. It can be formal and luxurious, but also sorrowful.

Multicolor is united or open to anything. It’s great for capturing the spirit of diversity.

Primary Brand Colors

Primary brand colors are the main, consistent colors used in all graphics, publications, signage, ect. Primary brand color rarely change because they are central to the brand’s visual identity.

Secondary Brand Colors

Secondary brand colors act as a complimentary color pallet to the primary brand colors. These colors are updated more frequently and often change to reflect strategy trends and marketing goals.

The secondary brand colors can be used throughout your brand’s website, social media, and packaging but should not consist of more than 50% of the overall design.

How Many Colors Should You Have?

Generally, you should have up two 3 primary brand colors and up to 4 or 5 secondary colors.

Having variety of secondary colors will help you stay on brand more often because it will provide you flexibility and variety in your design needs.

Guideline For Choosing Merch Colors

When managing your brand colors follow these guidelines to grow a strong and consistent brand identity:

• Select up to 3 brand colors for apparel printing

• Select up to 4 secondary brand colors for accessories

• Select colors that match your brand’s essence (personality) and

• Select colors that will offer flexibility and longevity depending on the merch type

• Offer color variations using your primary and secondary colors

Check Your Competitors

Not only do you want to avoid using the same colors, but you will be able to learn what people are responding to and what they are not responding to. Study the psychology behind the colors that are often used for merch within your space.

Check out A Guide To Branding

Color Variations

Colors have different shades, identifying a type of color is important to ensure your product is connecting with your customer.

Color Hues

This refers to variations of the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. As you'll probably recall, these three colors can create any other color, depending on how they’re mixed.

Color Shade

This is when black is added to a color, and the amount of shade refers to the amount of black added.

Color Tint

This is the white version of shade, adding white to make the color lighter.

Color Saturation or tone

This is when you change a color’s appearance by adding both black and white.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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