The Business of Colour

Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute , 30 seconds

What do your colours mean?

When you think about a brand, what springs to mind? A logo? Their latest product? A catchy slogan?

From golden arches to red bulls, colour is fundamental to our recognition of familiar brands and organizations. For better or worse, colour affects the way people react when they first encounter your company too. So, it’s important to understand common colour associations to ensure people remember your brand and make the appropriate connections to your area of business. And with so much information out there, we felt it was important to consult an expert.

We worked with Dr. Sally Augustin of Design With Colour, who has extensive experience integrating science-based insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and services that support desired cognitive, emotional, and physical experiences. Her clients include manufacturers, service providers, and design firms in North America, Europe, and Asia. Sally’s work has been discussed in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Forbes, and Psychology Today.

We also analysed colour popularity among Vistaprint’s customers who used the colour filter buttons when searching for marketing materials on our site. Based on the information presented, it’s up to you to decide whether to opt for a colour typically associated with your area of business or go against the grain and choose less traditional colours to stand out from your competitors.

Hopefully, the information included in the infographic will give you a better understanding of common colour associations and recommended applications.