A lot of research has shown that more than 90% of shoppers decide on doing business with an organization based on its appearance in logos, social media, and website, just to name a few things. One of the most important elements of branding is color. For this reason, it is important to pick the best color to represent your company.

When choosing a color, there are actual components to consider.

A color can’t just be picked because it looks good. There is definitely a right and wrong color to choose from. Each color provokes a mood or action. In order to pick the right color, it is best to understand how each color influences us.

Red.

This color is an attention grabber. There is a reason it is used for STOP signs. It provides you with a sense of urgency. It is also a very passionate color used on holidays like Valentine’s Day. You will find it in most sales advertisements as well.

Another use for it is in the fast food industry as the color red provokes hunger. The next time you go out to eat, pay attention to the many fast foods that use the color red in their logos and even in the dining in interior design.

Blue.

This color is very friendly and welcoming. It invokes loyalty and dependability. Just like fire and ice, blue and red are polar opposites in that blue will suppress your hunger. For this reason, you will hardly see it in restaurant logos or advertisements. Where you will find this color is in most social media platforms, which endorses friendly, outgoing and family oriented vibes.

Green.

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Go Green”? That’s because green is always associated with nature. It is definitely a color that promotes natural or organic products and services.

It is also used by financial organizations as a color that fully represents money and power.

Purple.

The color purple is used often to represent royalty. It was a color used by many royal families many years past. With this stereotype, it is no wonder that purple is also associated with luxury.

Yellow/Orange.

These colors are also attention grabbers. Yellow is often used for Yield signs and orange for Caution signs. The similarities shared by these two signs is the emotion of anxiety to stop or beware. This is definitely a color used in retail stores during last chance sales to instill the urgency to purchase an item before it’s “too late”.

Knowing the meanings of colors opens a door of possibilities in choosing your branding. Mixing and matching colors will also be integral to the meaning you want your branding to convey to your potential clients.