03. The psychology of colour & 6 free colour palettes

Colour psychology is the study of how colours affect perceptions and behaviors. In marketing and branding, colour psychology focuses on how colours can impact consumer’s impressions of a brand, and whether or not they can convince consumers to consider specific brands or make a purchase.

In branding, we use colour psychology to incite emotion and evoke feelings. Below we’ve listed some of the most common colours used in branding, and the colour psychology associated with each colour.

01. Red

Red captures attention and is often associated with feelings of danger, energy, passion, excitement and action. You’ll often see red being used for security companies, sporting clubs, gyms and entertainment venues. Red also encourages appetite and is often used for restaurants and fast food outlets. Red creates a sense of urgency so avoid it if you’re going for a brand that has to convey a sense of calmness, stability or balance.

02. Orange

Orange represents fun, energy, creativity and adventure. Orange is often used in children’s brands, transport, art, entertainment and food. Orange is ideal for businesses that want to draw attention and create a sense of fun and adventure.

03. Yellow

Yellow creates enthusiasm. Yellow is fun, lively, spontaneous and happy! Yellow is also used in food, entertainment and sports. Yellow is also often used in leisure and travel brands. Yellow encourages relaxation and boosts mood. Avoid bright yellow in brands that are designed to convey a sense of timelessness and maturity. If you’re set on yellow for a more ‘serious’ brand, try to go for darker, golden shades.

04. Green

Green is incredibly versatile in terms of colour psychology. Lighter shades of green represent new life, energy, and growth. Darker shades represent relaxation, balance, stability and maturity. Green is used in a myriad of businesses; finance, environment, real estate, farming, entertainment and leisure. Green is one of my favourite colours to use in branding and works with just about every other colour.

05. Blue

In colour psychology, blue’s colour meaning ties closely to the sea and the sky; blue represents stability, harmony, peace, calmness and trustworthiness. Blue, like green, is versatile in terms of colour psychology and can be used in a wide range of businesses. Lighter shades of blue are energising and youthful and often used in technology and communication company branding. Darker blue shades represent maturity and timelessness and are often used in insurance, finance and law companies.

06. Purple

Purple represents spirituality, imagination and mystery. Purple is often used in the branding of humanitarian, spiritual and holistic businesses. Purple conveys a sense of power and is often associated with royals. Purple encourages creativity and creates an impression of luxury and wisdom. Use purple sparingly as overuse can convey a sense of arrogance.

07. Pink

Pink is synonymously feminine. You can fight it all you want, but colour psychology (and societal norms) dictate that pink is for women. Use this to your advantage. Pink conveys emotions of softness, elegance and femininity, so use it for brands specifically targeted to a female target market; such as beauty and cosmetic products, fashion, and even children’s products. Remember you can incorporate pink in a subtle way by using nude and pastel pinks.

08. Grey

In colour psychology, grey represents neutrality and balance. Grey represents composure, maturity and stability. Grey is ideal to use with other colours as using it on its own can be perceived as dull and boring. Grey is versatile in terms of industry use, and can adapt to any industry if combined with the correct colours.

Free Colour Palettes

To use these colour palettes, just copy the list of hex codes and use them in your design program of choice! You’re also welcome to download the images for future use.