A brand color palette is the group of colors that you have chosen to represent your brand. You choose these colors by understanding what feelings you want to evoke in your targeted audience. They should also match the mission of your brand.
Doing research in the beginning helps you choose a brand color palette that will work across every marketing channel for clear, consistent content.
Once established, when people see your brand colors, they can often distinguish your brand from your competition. There is a certain level of comfort for people when brands are recognizable because it removes fear and instills trust.
HOW TO CHOOSE BRAND COLORS
The easiest way to choose your brand color palette is by understanding who you are as a company and how you want to be perceived by your audience. Brand colors are part of your Brand DNA.
Without hiring a Branding Expert, capturing your brand essence can be difficult. To do it yourself, or at least start heading in the right direction, write down the first words that pop in your head.
For example, if you're a tech company, words that catch your attention could be:
innovation, frontier, trail blazer, advanced, sophisticated, engineering, precise and edgy.
Then, write down words that describe the feeling you want your customers to have about your company. If you want them to feel like it's an edgy, sophisticated company, then your brand colors need to reflect those words. You want to capture the essence of your company.
After you've created your list, then it's time to do a deep dive into your industry.
What colors have meaning in your industry? For example, fast food companies often use red and bright yellow together (think In 'N Out Burger, Carl's Jr and McDonald's). Black is often reserved for luxury products or services such as private jet companies.
Take a look at your competitors and look for a commonality.
HOW TO CREATE A BRAND COLOR PALETTE
You can get inspired for brand colors from a box of crayons. (I still have mine from when I was little, do you?) Also look at color trends from companies like Pantone. Color swatches, fan decks and unique color combinations are available at your local paint store as a tactile approach to discovering new color palettes.
You can also do a color search online. One great website that resonates with my aesthetic is the color section on Canva. I find this website useful after I have done my color research and have a general direction of where I am headed. Canva has a great color search tool that offers various palettes and includes a graphic showing all of those colors used together. This makes it easier to imagine how you can use these colors in your content.
As a Luxury Copywriter and Brand Consultant, I have learned that specific color combinations can define a luxury brand color palette. This relates to brand color psychology and meanings.
COLOR MEANINGS
I love choosing colors that have hidden meanings and subtle messaging that relate to the brand.
For example, I chose Chartreuse as my primary business color this time. According to this website I found, chartreuse was first introduced in 1884 in a fashion magazine (perfect, hello!), and described as "an energetic shade that can inspire and motivate people to do their best." That is exactly how I want my clients to feel. The fashion component is one of those hidden meanings and subtle messages I mentioned above. Here is another website to explore color meanings.
Another way to learn the basic meaning of colors is to look at Chakra colors. Chakra color meanings directly relate to color definitions. For example, blue is the throat chakra which in turn is about communication and trust. If you notice, many financial institutions use blue as their primary color.
Your brand color palette is for your logo, but your brand color palette also needs to contribute to the well-being of your company. The brand color palette can range from 2 - 5 colors.
BRAND IDENTITY WITH COLORS
Once decided, your brand colors become part of your brand identity and used correctly, will be on all marketing materials.
If you're unsure of the power that color brings to a brand, just think of Tiffany & Co.
Your brand color palette sets you apart from the competition. It keeps your image organized, consistent and clear.
In color we trust,
Keverne Denahan
Freelance Content Creator, Luxury & Brand Expert
Copyright © Keverne Denahan 2021
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