Different colors can evoke strong emotions from different viewers. No one person is the same in regards to what they associate specific hues with, but there are some underlying meanings that are universally understood. When deciding on your brand’s color palette it is vital to keep in mind what subconscious or obvious meanings are being perceived when customers or patients see your logo, website and printed materials. The following is a helpful guide to some common colors and the meanings that are associated with them.
Red: One of the more powerful colors (for better or worse) in design is red. Some of the words that are associated with red are energy, passion, love, desire, courage and determination. But on the flip side, it also represents blood, fire, danger, war and even sexuality. While dark reds can signify leadership and valor, unless you’re marketing something “high-octane” like sports cars and energy drinks, most reds are usually best used as a complimentary color or to highlight a call-to-action.
Green: The color of growth, nature, freshness, and healing. Green also has a strong correlation with safety and money. On negative side (for most businesses) green also can indicate inexperience and certain hues are connected to sickness, jealousy or cowardice. Green is a great color to use to keep your brand appearing fresh, friendly and natural.
Blue: Perhaps one of the most common colors for brands to incorporate is blue. It’s common for a reason. Perhaps due to it’s correlation with the ocean and the sky, blue evokes feelings of stability, calmness, tranquility, wisdom, trust and intelligence. Blue is commonly found in corporate America, and in general is highly accepted by males. One instance that you may want to avoid blue is when selling food-related items. It is said that blue suppresses appetite.
White: For medical website design, white is an extremely important color. Any modern design should incorporate simplicity and plenty of white space, but it it is extra important for medical and dental organizations. White is associated with cleanliness, safety, purity, innocence and sterility. White is commonly used for medical organizations, charities, and high-tech products. One may want to avoid too much white if the product or service is in the more “high-octane” category as discussed above.
Look for our next article, where we will delve into more meanings of common primary and secondary colors. Want to discuss your brand’s color palette, website design, or general marketing strategy? Contact New Wine Web Design today!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (12/14/2015) Team Dalog (Flickr)