Jun
28
Posted by: Tanya
in Blog |
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With the internet’s ever-growing influence on the way we represent our businesses, it’s important to keep in mind all aspects of the way we portray ourselves online, in websites, and offline, in marketing materials. An often overlooked yet vital factor in branding is the significance of color. Research on the psychology of color shows that the colors used on websites and other marketing materials aren’t just a means of expression; they carry huge weight in terms of brand communication and brand extension.
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Color Psychology In Branding
Posted by: Tanya
in Blog |
Comment (0)
Tagged in: small business marketing , psychology of color , marketing materials , branding , brand extension , brand communication
With the internet’s ever-growing influence on the way we represent our businesses, it’s imperative to keep in mind all facets of the way we depict ourselves online. An often overlooked yet vital factor in online branding is the significance of color. Research on the psychology of color shows that the colors used on websites and other marketing materials aren’t just a means of expression; they carry huge weight in terms of brand communication and brand extension.
For example, when we see two merging yellow arches, we recognize almost immediately that it’s the McDonald’s logo. The color in itself is symbolic in that, no matter where the logo may be, we’re extremely likely to associate it with McDonald’s when we see it. If we were to come across a similar shape in a different color, however, the association with McDonald’s may not necessarily surface.
Depending on your specific brand and intention for marketing your business, different colors are suitable for different needs. Colors can also convey different vibes, from warm to cool to neutral. Here’s some brief samples of what colors might relay in certain circumstances along with some tips and ideas for making the most of your website’s color options (via Syncrat):
Warm Colors:
• Red is useful when the aim is to motivate an individual to take action. Red is the color of energy. It's associated with movement and excitement. Red is the symbol of life.
• Pink is good when you want to appeal to a user’s caring or romantic side.
• Orange can convey warmth, assurance, stimulate the appetite. It could be used for food and nature sites. Orange is one color that would be good in moderation, avoid over-use.
• Yellow is perfect to make a webpage seem brighter. It stimulates the nervous system as well as the mind, makes objects seem closer and larger.
• I like red: it captivates the eye, but can be an irritant if over-used.
Cool Colors:
• Green is suitable for websites about money and growth. It is the traditional color of peace, harmony, comfortable nurturing, support and well paced energy. It calms the mind and creates a feeling of freshness.
• Blue is soothing. Seeing the color blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming. Over the ages, blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty.
• Purple relays creativity, spiritual and mysterious. Deep purple is associated with royalty and richness while lavender is associated with romance and nostalgia.
Neutral Colors:
• Black conveys power, elegance and sophistication. Black is the color of authority and power, stability and strength.
• White portrays cleanliness and purity. It works great as an accent or background color because it makes other colors seem more vivid and bold.
• Grey is for conservativeness, security, maturity and reliability.
• Brown’s good for readability and stability.
Tips and Ideas:
• Create contrasting color designs with contrasting colors, like a warm and cool color mix.
• Use white backgrounds with black text for ease of readability and when in doubt use red to draw the eye to your subject matter. Use caution when using any colors text. You want your content to be readable and easy on the reader's eyes.
• Keep your audience in mind
• Avoid harsh oversaturated colors. De-saturate colors to approximate colors found in nature and textiles.
With the internet’s ever-growing influence on the way we represent our businesses, it’s important to keep in mind all aspects of the way we portray ourselves online, in websites, and offline, in marketing materials. An often overlooked yet vital factor in branding is the significance of color. Research on the psychology of color shows that the colors used on websites and other marketing materials aren’t just a means of expression; they carry huge weight in terms of brand communication and brand extension. For example, when we see two merging yellow arches, we recognize almost immediately that it’s the McDonald’s logo. The color in itself is symbolic in that, no matter where the logo may be, we’re extremely likely to associate it with McDonald’s when we see it. If we were to come across a similar shape in a different color, however, the association with McDonald’s may not necessarily surface.
Jun
21
Posted by: Tanya
in Blog |
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Building Brand Awareness Through Social Media
Posted by: Tanya
in Blog |
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Tagged in: twitter , social media , small business , pepsi , non-profits , facebook , coke , brand awareness
Social media has a unique ability to serve an array of functions based on what is being represented. The Harvard Business review recently featured an article on how brands like Coke and Pepsi use social media to build trust between themselves and their consumers. Twitter and Facebook are effective tools for these brands to enforce and broaden their identities as well as enhance customer relationships. Due to the already-existent acquaintance with such products as Coke and Pepsi, their incentive is primarily to expand trust around the association everyone already has with them.
For example, Pepsi launched a campaign where it asked its fans to discuss various issues (culture, food, education), then have others vote, then reward certain entrants with monetary grants. Typically, when you hear or think of “Pepsi,” you associate the word with a carbonated thirst quencher and don’t think much beyond that. But now, they’ve broadened your perception to include conversation and charity: additional, diverse and obviously-positive associations.
