Choosing a Color Scheme for your Small Business Logo Design

Understanding the psychology of colors is vital to designing an effective logo.

So you just launched a new small business and you are excited to get out there and tell the world.   But first you need a logo.   What's going to attract the right customers?  How do you capture the essence of the business in the logo?   What's going to look great on a business card, signage,  shirts etc.   The human mind is highly responsive to visual stimuli, and color is one of the major defining factors in that response. On both a conscious and subconscious level, colors convey a whole lot of meaning.  Graphic designers need to harness the power of color psychology to bring resonance & meaning to their designs – and in no field is this more important than that of logo design.

The use of color can bring multiple layers of meaning, from primitive responses based on millions of years of evolved instinct to the complex associations we make based on learned assumptions. Companies can use these responses to underline and accent their branding messages. And your success as a logo designer or business owner in need of a logo design will be boosted if you have a thorough understanding of color psychology. 

Logos are a critical aspect of business marketing. As the company's major graphical representation, a logo anchors a company's brand and becomes the single most visible manifestation of the company within the target market. For this reason, a well-designed logo is an essential part of any company's overall marketing strategy.  ​

What different colors mean

Every color, including black and white, has implications for logo design. As a business owner working with a professional graphic designer, you need to pick your colors carefully to enhance specific elements of the logo and bring nuance to your message with the use of shade and tone.

In general terms, bright and bold colors are attention-grabbing but can appear brash. Muted tones convey a more sophisticated image, but run the risk of being overlooked. More specifically, particular meanings are ascribed to different colours in society...

• Red implies passion, energy, danger or aggression; warmth and heat. It has also been found to stimulate appetite, which explains why it is used in so many restaurants and food product logos. Choosing red for your logo can make it feel more dynamic.
• Orange is often see as the color of innovation and modern thinking. It also carries connotations of youth, fun, affordability and approachability.
• Yellow requires cautious use as it has some negative connotations including its signifying of cowardice and its use in warning signs. However it is sunny, warm and friendly and is another colour that is believed to stimulate appetite.
• Green is commonly used when a company wishes to emphasise their natural and ethical credentials, especially with such products as organic and vegetarian foods. Other meanings ascribed to it include growth and freshness, and it's popular with financial products too.
• Blue is one of the most widely used colors in corporate logos. It implies professionalism, serious mindedness, integrity, sincerity and calm. Blue is also associated with authority and success, and for this reason is popular with both financial institutions and government bodies.

• Purple speaks to us of royalty and luxury. It has long been associated with the church, implying wisdom and dignity, and throughout history it has been the colour of wealth and riches.
• Black is a colour with a split personality. On the one hand it implies power and sophistication, but on the other hand it is associated with villainy and death. More mundanely, most logos will need a black and white version for use in media in which color is not available – and there is currently a trend for bold monochrome logos and word marks.
• White is generally associated with purity, cleanliness, simplicity and naivete. In practical terms, a white logo will always need to stand in a coloured field to make it show up on a white background. Many companies will choose to have a coloured version and a white version of their logos; for example, the Coca-Cola word mark appears in white on its red tins and brown bottles but is used in red when needed on a white background.
• Brown has masculine connotations and is often used for products associated with rural life and the outdoors.
• Pink can be fun and flirty, but its feminine associations means it is often avoided for products not specifically targeted at women.

These associations are not rigid rules, of course, but they're worth keeping in mind as you make your color choices. Remember that the overall impact of your logo design will depend not on the colors themselves but upon how these interact with the shapes and text.

Single or multiple colors?

To get the maximum impact of your chosen color's coded message, at Banyan Creative we normally stick with a single color when creating a logo design. That said, there are some very successful multi-colored logos – think of Google, Windows or eBay.  The implication of multiple colors is that these companies are offering a wide choice of products and services. The multiple colors used for the Olympic rings carry a message of diversity and inclusivity.

Think Globally

If your client is a global corporation, choose your logo color with care. There are cultural differences in the way colors are interpreted. For example, red is considered lucky in China, while white is the color of death and mourning in India. There's a good round up of the cultural connotations of different colors here.
Finally, don't put too much focus on color choice. Consider that one in 12 of us suffer from color blindness. Plus there's always the likelihood that any logo you produce for a client will end up be reproduced in monochrome, or even in different colors, as they see fit. So make sure your color choice reinforces and enhances the design of your logo – but doesn't define it.

Need help with you logo?  Contact us at Banyan Creative

Sam Casey is the Managing Partner at Banyan Creative.   He enjoys helping small business owners launch new businesses, rebrand old ones, and help them develop a stronger digital footprint.   He also enjoys drinking a lot of coffee while designing logos and would be happy to buy you a cup and talk marketing.