Examples of logo colors for different industries
Choosing the right logo colors can communicate your business’ strengths and help you attract the right customers. And, as you might guess, the wrong combination can have the reverse effect.
What the different colors mean
Everyone has heard of color psychology, which tells us that colors impact our emotions and behaviors. Yellow is cheerful (because the sun is bright and yellow!) and green is calming (like laying in the grass and looking up at a bunch of leaves is peaceful). But do these logo color “rules” really mean anything in business and branding?
Green
The ultimate in versatility, research shows that green isn’t linked with many brand personality traits, but it has strong cultural associations. That means you can use green for just about any type of business.
Red
Red is the universal sign of excitement, passion, and anger. It draws attention and makes you stand out from the crowd. Is your brand loud, playful, youthful or modern? Think red. More mature, classic, or serious? Red may not be for you.
Orange
Orange is an invigorating, playful color. Go orange to stand out from the crowd. It’s used less often than red, but still packs an energetic punch. Be cautious when using orange if your brand is trying to appear luxurious, feminine, or serious, as orange does not invoke those traits to consumers.
Blue
Blue symbolizes trustworthiness and maturity. You should use it for your brand if you want to be taken seriously. One thing to keep in mind, though, is as the classic king of colors, blue appears in over half of all logos. If you use blue for your brand you’ll need to find a way to stand out!
Purple
Purple is where the rainbow gets luxurious. Use purple to appear simultaneously cutting-edge and wise. There’s just a hint of femininity in there too.
Pink
In modern, Western society, nothing says “girly” quite like pink. But it’s more versatile than that. From soft millennial pink to neon magenta, pink can give a brand a modern, youthful, luxurious look.
Pink is an unusual color. All 6 colors listed above are either primary or secondary colors in subtractive color systems. In theory, pink is just light red. But we don’t have an equivalent English word for light blue or light yellow. It’s also a relatively modern color word—it only entered the English language in the 17th century. So in the long history of color, pink is still very young and hip.
Yellow
Yellow logos reflect accessible, sunshiney friendliness. Yellow exudes cheer, and your brand will radiate affordable, youthful energy. On the other hand, most consumers do not associate yellow with maturity or luxury brands, so think twice if that’s how you want your business to be seen.
Brown
What can brown do for you? Make your brand appear rugged, masculine, and serious. Brown is the least-utilized logo color, so if you choose it you’ll be sure to stand out from the competition. You may want to avoid brown, however, if you want your brand to appear feminine.
Black
Black is the new black. Want to look slick, modern, and luxurious? Time to go black. Rather be economical and affordable? Stay away from the dark side.
Gray
Not quite dark, not quite light. Gray is the middle ground of mature, classic, and serious. Go darker to add mystery. Go lighter to be more accessible.
White
White is the absence of color. While you can have a white logo, it must always be paired with another color (as a background) and that color will dominate. When used as an accent—or added to another color to make it lighter—white is youthful and economical. But it can work for almost any brand.
Gradient
In the last few years, gradients have become very modern and among the top in logo design trends, and the trend continues to rule in 2021. Gradients give logos more of a 3D effect, making the designs pop off the screen. Gradient logos are easy to remember and catchier as compared to colored logos. Designers are so much influenced by this trend that in the coming time, you can expect them to explore the full potential of gradients.
You don’t have to pick just one color for your logo!
What color will your logotype be?
Choosing the color of your logo is not as simple as liking green and wanting a dark forest logo. Consider how you want your brand’s personality to be perceived and what colors can help you share that with your customers. It’s also worth considering what your competitors are doing. Can you benefit from being an exciting, fun company in a more traditional field?
A graphic profile is a great basis for saving time and strengthening your brand with important guidelines that you want others in the company to follow. Learn more about Why Should You Have A Clear Graphic Profile.