Choosing Colors For Logos

Choosing colors for your logo can be the best and the hardest part of the logo process. When choosing colors it is important to know that they serve a purpose beyond just being aesthetically pleasing. Colors have the ability to influence psychological reactions such as changing moods or emotions and are used to express personality. Studies have shown that our brains register shapes first, color second and content third. With that being said, the color of your logo can make a potential client decide if they care enough to read through the content of what you’re trying to sell them.

Keep in mind that these psychological reactions are not always universal, which brings me to my next point. Another important thing to consider when choosing colors for your logo is your target audience because the meaning of each color changes from culture to culture. There are cultures that use completely opposite colors to represent the same thing. For example, in some cultures black is used as the color for mourning, while other cultures wear white.

As a Graphic Designer, I always remind my clients that color usage is a strategy that can help them stand out from their competitors. Choosing the right colors for your logo will make a big difference when printing out their marking materials such as business cards, posters, flyers & brochures. It is what will make the difference when a potential client gets handed multiple business cards for the same product or service but some look beautiful and others … well not so much. Having worked in the printing business for 11 years has taught me the importance of choosing the right colors for business printing and the importance of keeping them consistent regardless of the platform or medium being used.

Below are some examples of colors, their meanings and how some companies have used those colors in their logos to show how they want to be portrayed by their clients.

*All Logos shown below are NOT designed or owned by Segura Creative, they are just used here as examples of good design and color choice.