COLOR PERSONALITIES & HOW TO CHOOSE YOURS

What’s your favorite color? Everyone has one. A color that speaks to you, a color you naturally gravitate towards, excites you or soothes you, perhaps. Colors influence perceptions. They can cause certain emotions. So when it comes to branding your business, choosing your logo color is a big decision. The color of your logo can affect the perceptions about your goods and services before possible customers/clients even know what you’re selling! *Studies have shown that customers make a judgment on people or a product within 90 seconds, and 62-90% of their judgement is due to color alone.

The pressure! Of a color!!!

Don’t stress, we’ve got you!

How do you choose the right color for your business logo that will produce positive vibes from possible clients?

 

Welcome to Color Psychology 101!

RED

Not surprisingly, red as seen as strong, ambitious, competitive, bold, passionate, determined, confident, and memorable.  Look at these logos and you can probably match up a few of these emotions when you look at them:  CocaCola, Target, Red Cross, Netflix, CNN, TIME, Kelloggs.

BLUE

Fun Fact! Ask people what their favorite color is and half will say blue. Half! Understandable, because blue is perceived as peaceful, truthful, soothing, stable, loyal, honest.  Which is why you see businesses like Lowe’s, Ford, Facebook, GE, American Express, IBM, Oral-B, Samsung all sporting a blue logo.

GREEN

Ah green – the safe, secure, accepting, down to earth, frank and aware of others color. You see green you think nature, life, clean, crisp – just what brands like Whole Foods, John Deere, Starbucks, BP, and Animal Planet want you to feel when you see their logos.

YELLOW

Quick! What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see yellow?  Perhaps happiness, sunshine, brightness, individuality, warmth, cleanliness, and positivity.  Yellow is bold yet simple.  Think McDonald’s – those golden arches! Post-it – can’t miss a yellow post-it!  Best Buy with their big yellow ticket!  And Snapchat, the latest in using yellow to speak to their fun, young brand!

ORANGE

Orange is for the social butterflies, a lively and friendly color (this is my sister’s favorite color and it makes so much sense to me now). Mastercard, Home Depot, Nickelodeon, Fanta, Crush, Harley Davidson all chose orange as their logo color and you can see why – they are social, lively, friendly! Orange = energy! Look at Gatorade’s orange lightning bolt!  We want energy and Gatorade is going to give it to us! Sold!

BROWN

Brown, it’s stable, simple, dependable, earthy, rugged, friendly and traditional. The obvious choice for brands like Hershey’s, M&Ms, Nespresso – I mean come on, brown is the color of chocolate and coffee! No brainer! But think about it… UPS – dependable,  Cotton – earthy, A&W – friendly,  Louis Vuitton – traditional.

PURPLE

Purple (my personal favorite) conveys artistry, uniqueness, intuitiveness, being active, elegance, wealth, luxury, compassion and maybe a little arrogance (well, no wonder I like purple! ).  I’d say brands like Yahoo!, Cadbury, Hallmark, and Aussie did well when they chose purple as their logo color!

PINK

Pink is the loving, kind, soft, sensitive, nurturing, sensual, sweet, charming delicate, and innocent color of the bunch.  It screams feminine. It’s no wonder Barbie, Victoria’s Secret, and Cosmopolitan all chose pink.  But look at LG and TMobile.  Pink wouldn’t have been the first color I would have picked for them, but you know what? Those are all positive attributes and the best part is IT STANDS OUT!  LG & TMobile aren’t dummies.

BLACK

Black is sleek and sophisticated, classic, powerful, prestigious, not afraid of anything, demanding, timeless, luxurious and bold.  All these words describe what each of these brands – Prada, Gucci, Adidas, Sony, Chanel, Nike – represent.  I’d say they succeeded in their color choice.

WHITE

White is simple, open, pure, confident, positive, logical, innocent, independent, detail-oriented, organized and clean.  L’OREAL, OLAY, APPLE, PBS – makes sense to me!

Ok, we’ve covered what each color can be bring to the table… but how do you choose YOUR logo color?

Picking your logo color goes hand-in-hand with deciding what is your company brand message.  Start by asking yourself some questions:

  • What is your business? What does it do?  What is the goal?  Is it down to earth, rugged, construction? Then you might want to consider a brown or green or a combination of both.  Is your company supplying a need for children? Consider blue, yellow, orange or pink! Are you a spa? I’d definitely pick a blue over yellow.  Yellow is a nice, happy color, but when people think of a spa experience, they want to feel calm and soothed, two words that fall under Blue’s description!
  • How do you want people to feel when they see your logo? Remember you have 90 seconds to make an impression.  What is that impression going to be? Strong, kind, outgoing, honest, clean, unique, active, fun, sophisticated?
  • Consider your competition. What colors are they using? Now ask yourself – should your company stay within those same color schemes because they really speak to your clientele?  Or can you buck the trend and find another color that still speaks to your brand but makes you STAND OUT in the industry (like the LG and TMobiles of the world)?

Remember, colors can be perceived in different ways by different people.  So you might want to experiment with a couple of options and get feedback from different people such as current customers, potential customers, friends, family, and most importantly, A DESIGNER! Working with a professional is the best way to explore your options and think of how color can work within not just your logo, but your entire marketing strategy!

*Reference: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00251740610673332/full/html


MEET CLARE SRAJER

Clare is no stranger to small business having grown up with a mom-preneur who opened Around the Corner Candy in 1998. She grew from employee to manager to co-owner before deciding that she was destined for more than just the sweet life. Clare came to Stellar with a desire to learn new things and put her customer service skills to great use! As Marketing Assistant, she dabbles in a bit of everything from social media to email to web. Hardworking Clare fits right in with her love of animals, music, crystals and plants. Best known for her obsession with vintage horror, Clare’s house is decked out in paintings and prints from old movies & shows like Dracula, The Munsters, and The Twilight Zone.


MEET DEVIN WRIGHT

Devin grew up in a family business quickly learning that marketing is essential. Having graduated from Judson University with a Bachelor’s in Communications and a Minor in Marketing, Devin is infatuated with the art of storytelling. He can spin a client’s vision into a fantastic tale to create value and attract customers with flair. Devin is always one to dress for success… even if the situation doesn’t call for it. A ballroom dance instructor, Devin is an old soul who enjoys classic cars, old movies and collecting vinyl records.


MEET BRIA LANGWORTHY

Bria joined the Stellar team just 2 days after her college graduation… talk about a go-getter! She is driven to help businesses shine combining both creativity and analytics. With a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Bria is ready to take on the world… or at least our amazing Stellar clients. Bria spends her time outside the office thrifting for clothing and collecting antique tea cups. Her unique style is present in her desk décor and the handmade earrings she wears each day! She is a mother… to over 20 house plants.


MEET HARRY SEMERJIAN

If you need something cleaned, call Harry. Seriously! Even if it’s not his mess, he’ll offer to fix it for you. As Stellar’s SEO expert, Harry's insight into a client's business is a valuable tool reaching more than just online audiences, but customers in the real world too! Harry has owned a handful of businesses since the ripe old age of 13 ranging from manufacturing to real estate to business services. A true Renaissance man, Harry can speak with someone for less than 30 minutes and have a complete business strategy worked out in his head leading them to definite success. A father of two teenage boys, Harry knows a thing or two about dealing with people on the brink of insanity. He fits in well at Stellar.


MEET BODHI

Named after Patrick Swayze’s character in Point Break, Bodhi joined the Stellar team in May 2017 and we don’t know how we got through the prior 6 years without an office dog! Adopted from Animal House Shelter, Bodhi is a Pitbull/American Bulldog mix that his human Lindsay cannot believe someone gave up. Bully breeds definitely get a bad rap because there is nothing sweeter than this 65-pound “lap dog” climbing into someone’s chair as we gather around the conference table. With as much charisma as his namesake, Bodhi greets visitors to the office with a toy in his mouth ready to play. He hasn’t quite developed any marketing skills just yet, but he can spot a duck or another dog out the window like nobody’s business.


MEET KRISTIN KILIAN

Anything that gets thrown Kristin’s way is handled with ease… at least as far as we know. Coming from the retail industry, Kristin is no stranger to a fast paced, ever-changing environment and has no problem adapting to the chaos that comes with managing Stellar’s high profile clients. With years of experience managing all aspects of communications for Fortune 500 companies, Kristin is able to schmooze clients, conquer any task, and ensure everything is running smoothly… even when it’s not! A Hallmark movie fan, Kristin loves spending time with her firefighter husband and rambunctious toddler.


MEET STACY KRUPA

As an expert on all things entertainment, Stacy really knows how to roll out the red carpet for Stellar clients! Her background with Fortune 500 companies makes her well equipped to deal with the ups and downs of any industry. Stacy lives for creative marketing – finding award-winning ways to entice audiences to click, download, buy, or visit through branding, social media, web design, and merchandising. When she’s not dazzling customers, she’s hitting the gym or spending time with her family. A mom of two, she’s used to working well under pressure and taking the lead to make sure sh*t gets done – traits we welcome in the Stellar office!


MEET LYNNE HARKIN

Using a space heater at her desk year-round, Lynne is no stranger to turning it up. With a background in retail and corporate sales, Lynne brings practical knowledge to help Stellar clients determine their path to success. As our content writer extraordinaire, Lynne helps brands find their voice and reaches a whole new world of customers. You may hear her getting flustered from time to time, but it’s always short-lived. Her get ‘er done, take charge attitude works in her capacity at Stellar and as the busy mom of 3 busy boys.


MEET CHRISTINA WOJTOWICZ

As a lover of spicy treats, Christina is a no-nonsense, get the job done kind of a girl. Any task thrown her way is done quicker than you can say Siracha! As our resident Web Developer, troubleshooting issues is her specialty… just like at home as the mother of two young sons! Christina’s ad agency background and experience developing websites adds another layer of insight to our client’s marketing efforts. You’ll often see her hiking and biking with her family (with a stop off at their favorite Dairy Queen for a treat!).


MEET MOLLY FIVELSON

Known around the office as Molly Pee Pee Pants, our resident Graphic Designer has more than just a small bladder. Her experience designing logos, developing brands, and creating amazing materials for Stellar clients brings a fresh perspective and artistic flair.  Molly’s easy-going attitude makes her the perfect candidate to work with constant changes and multiple ongoing projects. When she’s not out saving lives along the side of the road, she lives as a baseball widow and chauffeurs her kids to all their activities.


MEET SIN VAN V

Known for her rainbow hair, Sin is never one to settle for just one style. She pushes the Stellar team to think outside the box and consider things they would have never done before. Her Bachelor’s in Graphic Arts & Illustration from the American Academy of Art is just the tip of what she’s learned. With real-world experience in business management, marketing and promotions, event planning, and vendor coordination, Sin’s experience gives Stellar an Edge over the competition (see what we did there?). Despite her edgy moniker, Sin is a kid at heart riding her scooter, dragging the Stellar team on crazy outings, and smothering her adult son and daughter with embarrassing hugs and kisses.


MEET LINDSAY COATS

Known as the Dream Crusher, Lindsay’s level head keeps the office running like a well-oiled machine. When everyone else is trying to get in human-sized balloons and doing mid-day yoga, Lindsay is crunching numbers in a spreadsheet – literally one of her favorite things to do. With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Lindsay has the know-how to help Stellar clients make the right decisions to reach their goals. She loves problem-solving and making things work. She has a soft spot for kids and animals… she’s been known to grab babies from strangers and roll on the ground with any dog that will snuggle her.