Why Color Theory Matters When Marketing Your Brand!

Colors play a major role in how we view and navigate the world around us; influencing how we communicate our emotions. Colors impact our moods and influences our everyday decisions. Many big corporations spend millions each year with marketing and advertising agencies to make big decisions on branding. In order for a company to be successful, they must understand their audience and what colors can influence and evoke specific emotions.

Color Theory 101:

Understanding color theory isn't just child's play. Even as children, we understood the importance of colors and how they made us feel. Think back to the late summers when you'd go back-to-school shopping... do you remember reaching for the popular brand of vibrant crayons? Most of us had a preference of one brand over the others because the richness and smoothness of their product was exactly what we wanted. The richer the hue, the more you felt connected to your artwork. That's the same concept that many marketers think about. How colors can evoke thought, inspire ideas and shift emotions in consumers. The more you know about your consumer, the more you'll understand how to speak to them using colors.

Many colors are connected to different emotions, it all depends on what message you are trying to convey. For instance, in the fast food industry, many companies incorporate red and yellow in their branding. Research states that the two colors increase appetite, which is what you want as a food brand. The colors you select will help capture your audience's attention. Some companies even go as far as trademarking specific colors to prevent other companies from monetizing from it. For instance, T-Mobile trademarked a specific hue of magenta; Tiffany trademarked the robin's egg blue; and 3M has trademarked the canary yellow that their Post-Its are most recognized for.

Trademarking Colors

The idea of trademarking a color may sound absurd at first, but when thinking with your business cap, you will certainly understand why. This is a tactic to make a brand stand out and prevent other companies, especially in the same industry, from using the same exact hue, creating confusion amongst consumers. If another cellular phone service provider decided to use the exact same color magenta as T-Mobile, it will lead to legal action. Let's be clear, though, the other company might be able to use pink, but just not the same exact color because they're in the same industry and are competitors of T-Mobile.

Trademarked Colors

Understanding Color Theory & The Color Wheel

Simply put, color theory is the science and art of using color. The color wheel is a visual illustration of the spectrum of colors that derive from primary colors. The mixture of primary colors create secondary and tertiary colors, as well as a range of hues, shades and tones when white and black scales are added to the colors.

Color Tiers:

Primary Colors:

Primary colors consist of red, blue and yellow. These colors cannot be made by mixing other colors - they are the essential players in making other colors.

Secondary Colors:

Secondary colors are created when two primary colors are mixed. For example, red + blue = violet; yellow + red = orange; blue + yellow = green.

Tertiary Colors:

Tertiary colors are created when a primary color is mixed with a secondary color to create a new variation of a color. For example, mixing blue + green = teal; red + orange = vermillion; orange + yellow = amber and so on.

Shades, tones and tints:

Another aspect of color theory is the process of mixing neutral colors such as white, gray and black to pure colors to create variations of hues. These color mixtures include tints, tones and shades. Tint is when a pure color is mixed with white, increasing lightness and creating a lighter version of the pure color. A tone is when a pure color is mixed with gray to make a slightly darker gradient of the pure color. A shade is created when a pure color is mixed with black, creating the darker version of a color.

Colors play a significant role of the ins and outs of branding, so studying color theory may be a good way to understand the exact messaging you'd want to convey to your customers. Color theory isn't as boring as it may sound, it's simple and if you can brainstorm on your connection and emotions in regards to color, it'll help you in the long run.

Conclusion

Colors are more than just visual elements; they are powerful tools that can shape how your brand is perceived, influence emotions, and drive consumer behavior. From understanding the basics of color theory to recognizing the strategic use of color in branding, the choices you make can significantly impact your business’s success. Big corporations invest heavily in color decisions for a reason—they know that the right hues can evoke specific emotions and create lasting connections with their audience.

Ready to make color work for your brand? At RMS, we specialize in helping businesses like yours harness the power of color theory to create compelling, memorable brands. Whether you need guidance in selecting the perfect color palette or want to understand how color can influence your audience, we're here to help you every step of the way.

Contact us today to discover how the right colors can elevate your brand and make a lasting impression. Let’s work together to create a brand that not only stands out but also resonates deeply with your customers.