"Colors: Why It Matters"

Written By Tammy Fink

When choosing a color for a logo or even for special printing project, your color scheme should be approprately represent your company. It is okay to 'just like' a particular color...or to use a color because it is like or even unlike your competition. You want to keep several things in mind regarding color. You must ultimately pick a color, and then choose the color equivalant through the Pantone Matching System. These are "universal colors" which are used by professional print shops. Even if you are primarily a web based company you need to pick your PMS Colors. Many times I get clients, who had someone design a logo for their website, and poof they are soon needing business cards, and other collaterals. Now we have to go back and try to match colors to a website. If they would have started with the Pantone Colors first, then it would make additional print jobs easier later on.

When choosing a color, remember that colors often have a profound impact on the viewer. And if you are planning on doing business overseas, you might want to be sure that you research color meanings in other countries. I had a client who came to me with a delima regarding a business card. While his corporate colors were fun, vibrant, and totally appropriate here in the United States, he had just gotten word that he would be presenting his product in Japan. After I did a bit of research, we discovered that the colors and general 'fun' vibe of his current card would not be appropriate for the more traditional Japanese investors. We made the changes necessary, and he was able to make his presentation knowing that he had the tools he needed to succeed. On a side note, we also included a Kanji symbol to his card. It was much appreciated.

Here is a sampling of color definitions, that I compiled from researching this topic:

Gray Solid, intelligence, modesty, practicality, conservative, safe, comforting, mature, elegance, humility, respect, reverence, stability, subtlety, wisdom, old age, anachronism, boredom, decay, decrepitude, dullness, dust, entanglement, pollution, urban sprawl, strong emotions, balance, neutrality, mourning, formality, March.

White Universal color of peace, purity, refinement, light, reverence, purity, snow, peace, innocence, cleanliness, truth, simplicity, security, humility, sterility, winter, coldness, criticism, surrender, cowardice, fearfulness, unimaginative, air, fire, death (Eastern cultures), hope, Aries, Pisces (star signs), bland, empty and unfriendly (interior), January, celebration.

Black Authority, boldness, elegance, absence, modernity, power, sophistication, formality, centering, magic, creation, death, strength, elegance, wealth, mystery, style, evil, death (Western cultures), fear, anonymity, anger, sadness, remorse, mourning, unhappiness, sex, seriousness, conventionality, rebellion, anarchism, unity, sorrow, life, rebirth (ancient Egypt), slimming quality (fashion), January (Northern Hemisphere only).

Red Passion, vitality, strength, life force, energy, fire, love, sex, excitement, speed, heat, arrogance, ambition, leadership, sex, passion, protection, masculinity, power, danger, gaudiness, blood, war, anger, revolution, radicalism, socialism, communism, aggression, summer, autumn, stop, Mars (planet), respect, Aries (star sign), December, the Roman Catholic Church[citation needed], martyrs, the Holy Spirit, conservatism (U.S. politics), wealth (China).
Studies show that red can have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure; red also is said to make people hungry; the red ruby is the traditional 40th wedding anniversary gift. Red is also the color of the devil in modern Western culture.

Blue Seas, men, authority, dignity, security, faithfullness, productive (interior) skies, peace, unity, harmony, happiness, tranquility, calmness, trust, coolness, confidence, conservatism, water, ice, loyalty, dependability, cleanliness, technology, winter, truth, depression, coldness, idealism, obscenity, tackiness, air, wisdom, royalty, nobility, Earth (planet), Virgo (light blue), Pisces (pale blue) and Aquarius (dark blue) (star sign), strength, steadfastness, light, friendliness, July (sky blue), February (deep blue), peace, mourning (Iran)[citation needed], truthfulness, love, sadness, aloofness, the Virgin Mary, liberalism (U.S. politics)
In many diverse cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, believed to keep the bad spirits away. Widely used in education logos, government and medical logos.

Green Great intelligence, refreshing, growth, healing, abundance, conservative, tranquility, health, freshness, life, nature, bad spirits, spring, fertility, youth, environment, wealth, money (US), good luck, vigor, generosity, go, grass, aggression, inexperience, envy, misfortune, coldness, jealousy, disgrace (China), illness, greed, Marijuana and drug culture, corruption (North Africa), life eternal, air, earth (classical element), sincerity, hope, Cancer (bright green, star sign), renewal, natural abundance, growth, health, August, balance, harmony, stability, calming, creative intelligence, Islam, the ordinary.
During the Middle Ages, both green and yellow were used to symbolize the devil. Green is believed to be the luckiest of colors in some western countries including, Britain, Ireland, and the U.S. It is widely used in healthcare, construction, real estate and golf logos.

Yellow Sunlight, positivity, buoyancy, joy, happiness, earth, optimism, intelligence, idealism, wealth (gold), summer, hope, air, communication, intelligence, liberalism, cowardice, illness (quarantine), hazards, dishonesty, avarice, weakness, greed, femininity, gladness, sociability, summer, friendship, Gemini, Taurus, Leo (golden yellow, star signs), April, September, deceit, hazard signs, death (Middle Ages), mourning (Egypt), courage (Japan), God (gold). Yellow ribbons were worn during times of warfare as a sign of hope as women waited for their men to return.
During the Middle Ages, both green and yellow were used to symbolize the devil. For logo design, it should be noted that it is one of the hardest color on the eye and should be used sparingly.

Purple Envy, sensuality, alchemy, leadership, sophistication, rank, authority, spirituality, creativity, wealth, royalty, nobility, ceremony, mystery, wisdom, enlightenment, arrogance, flamboyance, gaudiness, mourning, profanity, exaggeration, confusion, pride, Scorpio (violet, star sign), May, November, riches, romanticism (light purple), delicacy (light purple), penance.
Purple is the color of mourning for widows in Thailand, favorite color of Egypt's Cleopatra, and the purple heart - given to soldiers who have been wounded during warfare. In logos, it is rarely used.

Orange Hinduism, Buddhism, demand of attention, happiness energy, joy, warmth, friendship, balance, heat, fire, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness, aggression, arrogance, gaudiness, overemotion, warning, danger, autumn, desire, Sagittarius (star sign), September.
Orange has less intensity or aggression than red and is calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.
Orange is the Royal family of the Netherlands. As such in the Netherlands Orange symbolises royalty and as William of Orange was a Calvinist orange symbolises protestantism particularly in Ireland (Orange Order). Gives logos a contemporary feel.

Brown Calm, woodiness, richness, boldness, depth, natural organisms, nature, richness, rusticism, stability, tradition, anachronism, fascism, boorishness, grounded, dirt, dullness, filth, heaviness, poverty, roughness, earth (classical element), October, Capricorn, Scorpio (reddish brown, star signs), down-to-earth. Brown can stimulate the appetite, wholesomeness, steadfastness, simplicity, friendliness, and dependability. In logos it used by construction companies, and development agencies, as well as, legal institutions.

Pink Spring, innocence, softness, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, femininity, health, love, sex, June, marriage, joy. Widely used in spa, healthcare and cosmetic product logos.

Tammy Fink is the owner and head designer of Blue Water Designs, LLC. www.BlueWaterDesigns.biz