Logo Design Psychology & Colour Theory in Branding

Advertising is as big as it has ever been.

It is a tool that seems to rule the world and to tell people what they want and need, even if they don’t know it.

The clearest way to create an image of your brand in people’s minds is to design a simple, creative and memorable logo.

The psychology in logo design can evoke certain emotions.

People buy things when they feel happy, sad, excited, safe, etc. And your logo can help to bring out those feelings in people.

Here are some tips to explore the ideas of logo design psychology and colour theory in branding.

Understand your audience

To understand logo design psychology, you have to know whom you create the logo for.

Different people will have different emotions looking at the same thing.

If your company offers products for young people, your design should be oriented on their psychology and provide something bright and fresh.

If you offer serious business services, your audience is mostly grown up people who would appreciate a whole different approach.

At the same time, don’t make it too group-oriented.

For instance, if your logo would be naturally oriented on rich people or people of a particular nationality or race, it could create different reactions with others.

Keep logo design ‘trends’ in mind

Creating a fashionable logo design that young people will love is an excellent idea.

The most important thing, though, is to remember that fashion changes.

What excites people now can make them roll their eyes in boredom in half a year.

You can use current and current elements in your logo, but try to analyse the situation and to predict whether it would last at least a couple of years.

Remember that when you create a logo design, people will start associating it with you, and it would be difficult to change drastically in the future.

For instance, many businesses have been using ‘hipster’ logos for a couple of years because it’s the trend.

However, many people already feel bored with the style and refuse using a product or service only because of its logo design psychology and branding.

Use the right colour palette

The right choice of colours for your logo design, accompanied by its graphic recognition and font selection, can create a connection with your potential customers and have an emotional impact on them.

Many companies create logos based on their personal preferences and thus, can send the wrong information into customers’ subconscious.

Researchers say that colours influence not only our mood but also our desire to buy.

A colour spectrum can change our motivation to buy by 80% when it comes to online shopping, advertising and marketing campaigns.

While the perception of colour psychology is mostly subjective, some colours have a universal impact.

Here are some examples of such colour psychology.

– Blue is the most popular choice for business logos. It calms people down and at the same time transmits a message of confidence and success.

Companies of very different niches use this colour because it brings almost no negative emotions at all.

– Black in colour and logo design psychology signifies power and indicates the strength of a company.

Any logo that is supposed to create a feeling of authority in people should have at least some black in it.

For example, look at the Nike or Adidas logos.

Their colour suggests that people wearing their clothes would feel more powerful.

– Grey has a neutral shade; it is a bit cold and often used in logos because it goes well with many other colours.

Nevertheless, it is close to black in its meaning.

It shows authority and modesty at the same time; it is often used by powerful companies that don’t brag about their popularity.

– White signifies purity in colour psychology. It creates a feeling of perfection, simplicity, and innocence.

It is always used alongside some other colours, so it is important to choose the right ones.

– Green expresses life and renewal.

It is a colour of respect and peace that is often associated with finances, safety, and nature.

This is the most popular colour among the eco-friendly brands.

Besides that, it’s often used by the companies that deal with computer software, health, nature, food and sport and camping equipment.

– Brown indicates nature (wood or ground) which implies benefits or advantages.

It is a warm colour that doesn’t attract much attention but creates a feeling of harmony and simplicity.

It also can create an emotional image of seriousness and responsibility.

That’s why many construction companies, law firms, real estate agencies and other organisations use it for their logos and branding.

– Yellow is a dazzling colour and is often used to attract attention, as the human eye sees it before anything else.

It creates happy emotions and is often considered simple, or a bit childish.

It is the most appropriate to use it in family-oriented businesses such as water parks, family restaurants, toys, etc.

– Red is an intense colour that can awaken strong emotions.

It can attract or reinforce an interest in anything.

Many restaurants use the lighter shades of red as they satisfy a client’s strong desire to eat.

This colour also shows drive and energy.

Use unique fonts, but don’t get carried away

If your logo has words in it, you need to pay attention to the fonts used.

It is often considered bad taste to use standard fonts from Microsoft Office, as they are simply overused.

Therefore, you need to be creative, as the way words look also affects people’s emotions.

When you see beautiful, rounded letterforms, you can feel calm and relaxed; when you see sharp and angular letters, you may feel energetic and excited.

The most important thing is to make your typography easy for people to understand.

New, fresh fonts may be good to try, but make sure people will be able to read every word, especially at smaller scales.

The logo has to be simple

This rule of creating a logo design doesn’t mean that you need to create it as entirely minimalistic and primitive.

A brand logo should be easily read, not excessively detailed or overladen.

The ease of perception of such a logo proves to gain trust amongst people.

If people see logos that are too complicated (have a lot of text, an excessive amount of unnecessary details, fonts that make it difficult to read, etc.), their emotions cannot be positive.

They will get bored and irritated.

Remember that the majority of the top brands in the world have simple and iconic logo designs.

It should be original

Well, the whole point of a brand logo is to be unique and stand out among the competitors.

An original idea is the most important component in creating a successful logo design.

This idea should not only reflect the essence of the brand to be authentic.

That’s why you should avoid stock pictures or visuals when creating a logo.

A logo should be timeless

An effective logo design doesn’t lose its appeal over time.

Classic is always in style.

The brand logos of Coca-Cola, Kodak, Ford, etc. easily prove that.

It means that you should spend enough time, effort and money to get an excellent Branding agency.

Of course, you’ll be able to adapt it with time, but people will still remember how bad it was if you do sloppy work the first time around.

Take some time, maybe sketch your logo on paper and show it to your friends to evaluate its impact.

Use the right forms

The primary goal of any logo is to pass something to a client in a simple but comprehensive way.

Simple geometrical figures tell about the main features of a company and can be used to convey messages.

– Circles (ovals, ellipses) are a universal symbol meaning integrity, continuity, and perfection. They can suggest a meaning of community, relationships, friendship, etc. A logo with a circle in it characterises a company as united, integral and universal.

– Squares and triangles transmit seriousness, stability, and reliability.

– Vertical lines can bring the feeling of strength while horizontal ones – calm and safety.

It should be well thought-out

That means that when you design a logo, you should think of all the possible ways of using it in the future.

Your brand logo should be easily scaled and look good accompanied with any advertising.

It will also affect people’s emotions.

Conclusion on Logo Design Psychology

As the last point and as a conclusion, here are some more simple tips for exploring logo design psychology.

– Don’t save money on an amateur or ‘cheap’ designer (if you are not a designer yourself, of course); it will all pay off in the future.

– Don’t ever use stock imagery; your logo should be original.

– Don’t make your logo too complicated.

– Don’t rely just on one component for creating an emotional effect (colour, shape, text) but combine all those things cohesively.

– Try not to copy other logos. Sure, it can be hard considering how many designs have been created in the world so far. But if you create something that will even remotely remind people of some other brand, they will target you for criticism.

If you wish to discuss how we can develop your brand or provide graphic design for your product or business, email us at: [email protected]

Inkbot Design is a Creative Branding Agency that is passionate about effective Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Logos and Web Design.

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