Did you know that the colour red is known for emotion and passion as well as implying trust?
Red activates your pituitary gland, increasing your heart rate and causing you to breathe more rapidly. This visceral response makes red energetic, provocative and attention-grabbing. Count on red to evoke a passionate response!
It is always interesting to look at different brand names and try to gauge why they have chosen those colours for their logos and branding. Was it because they simply like the colour red (or purple, green, blue etc…) or was there a deeper meaning behind the choice?
Take Facebook for example.
Their colour has always been blue, very blue. What you may not have realised is that when Facebook made their big privacy update back in 2013, they subtly changed the colour of their branding; changing it from a bold blue to a blue with a slight purple tinge to it, their branding is now somewhere in the rainbow void between blue and indigo.
The colour indigo is a strong, powerful colour that conveys integrity and sincerity. Combine this with the trustworthy blue and Facebook was clearly attempting to encourage more trust from the masses with their most recent updates.
Now what about Apple?
Their main colour is grey or silver. But they are also widely known for black and white devices.
Grey is neutral and conservative but does imply security and reliability. It also creates a great background for other colours. Apple are rapidly becoming known for creating some of the most reliable technical devices. Often people comment about laptops having a three year life span these days; but buy a Mac and be set for twice that time!
Silver is a modern and sophisticated colour that is calming, yet uplifting. It also has a degree of mystery about it. Very fitting with the secrecy Apple has about their future products already in the pipeline.
White is a blank canvas waiting eagerly for creative stimulation, it implies simplicity and efficiency.
Black on the other hand, is the colour of power and authority. The written word was first made possible using the colour black and how powerful was that invention!
Combine all of those colours together and you have a very powerful brand.
One of the most interesting changes that Apple have made in the last year is introducing the colour gold into their product range. Gold is associated with value, luxury and prestige. It also reflects beauty and wisdom. This goes a long way to explaining why ancient idols were nearly always made from Gold. However was the introduction of Gold actively planned by Apple in this way? Did they start releasing Gold coloured products in the run up to the release of the Apple Watch, with the highest option being made from 18 carat Gold? A seriously luxury item that is attempting to combine technology and fashion working together.
Colour can have some serious power. What colour is your brand?
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