The purpose of a logo is to give your brand a visual representation that makes it easy for consumers to recognize it. Ideally, it should be able to send, with just an image, the message your brand stands for, as well as its strengths, as these are the things people what to associate themselves with. This way, you will be able to attract the right consumers – the ones that understand your brand message and want to adhere to it.
When it comes to mobile apps, the logo becomes that much more important, as it is the first thing a consumer sees when browsing through the App Store. You can sometimes get away with a mediocre logo on a product that is displayed on shelves if you compensate with a well-design package, but in the case of an app, your logo represents the package.
By now, you have probably heard about the psychology of colors – the science that studies how colors affect emotions and behaviors. This science applies to graphic design as well, including logo creation. To better understand how to choose the colors for your logo, we have put together a list of how specific colors influence users, and we are sharing that with you today.
Stand out from the crowd: Red and Orange
Research says red is the first color babies can perceive after they are born, and the reason for this seems to be evolution – red helps us recognize ripe fruits, as well as anger and strong emotions on humans’ faces.
If you want to be easily recognizable, consider red or orange as the primary colors of your brand. They both work well in multiple color combinations, such as when paired with black, white, brown, and blue, and can give your band a playful, youthful, and out-there vibe.
If your app tries to send a luxurious or serious vibe, you may want to stay away from these colors, as they are not perceived this way by the majority of consumers.
Friendly and approachable: Yellow
The color of the sun, yellow signals your app is friendly, warm, and accessible for anyone. If your primary goal is to be seen as an affordable, young, energetic brand, you can’t go wrong with yellow as your primary color or as an accent color among browns, blacks, and whites.
Yellow has strong cultural associations in many corners of the world. it is the color of gold, sunlight, corn, and wheat, so it is often associated with abundance and prosperity. Yellow is also very versatile, and a little change of shade can change the message entirely – soft yellow, for example, signals freshness and light, whereas a deep gold yellow puts the emphasis on history, wealth, and luxury.
Goes with just about anything: Green
If you want to talk versatility, green is the way to go. While this color does not bring out personality traits in your brand, it does have some strong cultural meanings in various regions of the globe. This is why green works with just about any project and is often used in creative logo design by top designers.
Green is most commonly associated with new life and growth, as it is the color plants take when they come back to life in spring. This is why you will see many portraits of pregnant women throughout history that were depicted wearing green dresses.
In some corners of the world, such as France, green was historically associated with poison, as a particular green paint that was developed in the 18th century included arsenic. In the USA, on the other hand, green is associated with money and wealth. This proves green can be a great choice for just bout any app, provided that you make sure it sends the right message to the audience you are targeting.
Maturity and trust: Blue
If your brand needs to appear trustworthy, established, and mature, you can’t go wrong with blue. This is the color to choose if you want your app to be taken seriously and show there is much more than youth and playfulness behind it.
Keep in mind that, because maturity and trustworthiness are traits any brand would want to associate with, blue is also the most used color for logos. This means, if you want your app to stand out and be recognizable in the store, you need to find another way for your logo to be remarkable,
If your app targets the food industry, you may want to keep away from blue, as it supposedly reduces appetite. As for the shades you should be using, the darker the blue, the more royal and serious it will look, so if you are looking for something more playful, go with teal or lighter shades of blue.
High-end, but playful: Purple and Pink
Purple is the color of luxury, but it is also a very modern shade. This is why brands use it to appear astute but also innovative. What’s more, it can also appear very feminine, meaning it can be easily used with women’s apps.
The reason why purple is associated with luxury is that, in the past, purple dye was expensive to purchase, so only the rich could afford it. Throughout the years, however, while it remained connected to wealth and status, it was not perceived as being overly serious. This is the best choice for those that want to launch an expensive but playful app.
As for pink, the universal girly color, know that it was not associated with femininity until the ‘40s when clothing manufacturers figured out they could sell more by gendering clothes. In the past, pink was linked to luxury and was worn equally by men and women.
Natural and serious: Brown
Brown is used for brands that want to appear masculine, serious, and earthy. It is also one of the least-used colors in logo design, so it can be a good choice for those who want to stand out. It’s a suited choice for apps that are linked to nature, the outdoors, coffee, and chocolate.
This color is also suited for logos that need a more vintage look, as it is also associated with the passing of time and aging.