Brand color is the flagship color a brand adopts to communicate its identity, values, and positioning. It is a critical element of a brand’s visual identity that differentiates it from competitors and connects with its target audience. The flagship color is often the first thing people notice about a brand, even before the logo or name, making it an essential component in creating brand recognition and emotional appeal.
When selecting a brand color, companies can choose one of three strategic routes: Integration (aligning with dominant industry colors), Revolution (choosing a complementary color to signify change), or Rebellion (opting for a completely unique color that breaks industry norms). Each route allows a brand to communicate its purpose and positioning visually while engaging the target audience through the psychology of color.
Brand Color: Why It Is Important
Brand color plays an essential role in establishing a brand’s identity and creating instant recognition. It is often the most memorable aspect of a brand’s visual identity and can evoke specific emotions and associations in the minds of consumers. By selecting a color that aligns with the brand’s values, personality, and target audience, companies can create a powerful visual connection that enhances customer loyalty and sets the brand apart in a competitive market.
How Your Brand Color Can Contribute to a Clearer Brand Strategy, Better Brand Recognition and Higher Customer Loyalty
By integrating brand color into the broader brand strategy, companies can create a cohesive visual identity that reflects their mission and values. A well-chosen color enhances brand recognition by making the brand instantly identifiable, even without the logo or name present. Additionally, a color that connects with the target audience emotionally and culturally strengthens customer loyalty, as it reinforces the brand’s identity and builds trust through consistency.
Brand Color: What Is Its Function?
The primary function of brand color is to visually express the brand’s personality and values while differentiating it from competitors. It acts as a key element in the brand’s visual communication, influencing consumer perceptions and emotions. The color must align with the brand’s positioning, whether it is chosen to integrate with industry norms, signal revolutionary change, or stand as a rebellious outlier. It helps shape how the target audience feel about the brand and fosters instant recognition.
Brand Color: A Real-World Scenario
Starbucks offers a good example of using brand color to signal rebellion. While most coffee brands use red, gold, or brown, Starbucks chose green to reflect its commitment to ethical sourcing and positive customer and partner relationships. This green color not only set Starbucks apart visually but also communicated its values of sustainability and social responsibility, helping the brand build a loyal following.
How to Define Your Brand Color
To define your brand color, start by considering the brand’s mission, values, and target audience. Understand the psychology of colors and how different shades evoke specific emotions and associations. Then, select a color that aligns with your brand’s personality and strategic goals, whether it’s through industry alignment (Integration), signaling change (Revolution), or breaking norms (Rebellion).
Brand Color: Best Practice
A best practice for selecting brand color is to choose a color that not only reflects the brand’s personality but also creates a clear visual differentiation from competitors. For example, in the telecommunications industry dominated by blue tones, Orange broke the norm by choosing orange as both its brand name and flagship color, positioning itself as a revolutionary force in the market.
Brand Color: What to Avoid
Avoid choosing a brand color that doesn’t align with your brand’s values or positioning. A color that confuses the target audience or doesn’t evoke the intended emotions can weaken the brand’s identity. Additionally, avoid using colors that are too similar to competitors unless you are following the Integration route and deliberately choosing an adjacent color for differentiation. Lastly, selecting a color purely based on aesthetics without considering its psychological and cultural impact can result in a brand identity that feels disconnected from its audience.
When to Define the Brand Color in the Branding Process
To ensure perfect alignment, the Brand Color must be defined before the Brand Imagery, and after the Product Taglines.
