As I set up our west coast office here in beautiful Delta, BC, I’ve been attending lots of networking events to meet other business owners. During a recent event, I had the pleasure of listening to Shawna from Styled Staging & Design talk about colour theory. It got me reflecting more on how we use colour in marketing, something that’s second-nature to Sid, our Creative Director.
Setting the mood
Most of us will be aware of how we feel upon entering a room. Sometimes the air is fraught with tension and we may not know why or how. It just feels off, like you walked in on an argument without there being evidence of a fight. Other times you walk into a space and feel instantly at ease, welcome even, despite the lack of adorable 80-year-old Walmart greeter.
Our goal when creating branding and websites is to instantly evoke whatever mood is associated with the project outcome. Colour plays a big role in setting that tone, usually in very subtle ways.
How colour affects you
Shawna talked about the effects certain colours have on our brains and bodies. Here’s a recap:
Blue is associated with having a calming effect, but overexposure is said to lead to feeling “blue.”
Red is associated with stress, creating energy and can provoke anger and frustration.
Yellow helps your body release serotonin, creating feelings of happiness and ease.
Green is a relaxing colour, one that is very easy on the eyes and helps relieve stress.
Purple is said to provoke frustration and gloom, while also enhancing sexuality and spiritually.
Orange is associated with stimulation, enhancing mental activity, and physically by boosting appetite.
Pink is commonly known for femininity, but also helps reduce anger and stress.
White is a helpful colour as it “grounds” the eye, allowing us to focus on a singular message. (Hence, why we love whitespace!)
Black is often associated with luxury and gives the impression of intellectual intelligence and perspective.
So, what does this have to do with marketing?
When you hire a professional designer, they understand colour’s effects on perspective and mood. Designers know what colours work best for different industries, and what stimulates the feelings you want from your audience.
Branding and design isn’t about choosing your favourite pallet, it’s about evoking emotions.
Real world examples
Here’s how we used colour to set the tone in a few recent projects:
Explore St. Lawrence
The town of St. Lawrence is coastal, and we used the calm, sea-blue to create a sense of longing for a quiet small-town getaway.
Town of Twillingate
In this new logo for the Town of Twillingate, deep blue is used to represent the depth and variability of the ocean, but also the depths of the town's rich history and sea-faring culture.
Found Consignment Boutique
Found Consignment Boutique is a place where luxury and timeless beauty come together, so their website uses lots of white to put the focus on their high-end products.
SassyTuna Studio
The frenetic colour pallet of Sassy Tuna's new website is about relating to children and artists and encouraging creativity.
Shameless Plug If you’re looking to bring emotion to your brand - whether it’s excitement, calm, or those chills that run up and down your spine - we’ve got the know-how to bring those feelings to life. Get in touch and we’ll help you perk up your palette!