NobleNox DesignsColour psychology in branding: what the research says and what it does not
Search for colour psychology and you will find the same chart everywhere: red is passion, blue is trust, green is nature, yellow is happiness. It is tidy, shareable and only partly true. Here is what published research supports, what it does not, and how to choose colour without leaning on myths.
What the research supports
One of the most cited studies in this area is “Exciting red and competent blue” by Lauren Labrecque and George Milne, published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Across four studies, the authors looked at how hue, saturation and brightness shape the personality people attach to a brand, and how colour affects how likeable and familiar a brand feels.
The central finding is that colour is a real driver of brand personality. Red tends to read as exciting and blue as competent, and the intensity of a colour can strengthen or soften those impressions.
Two cautions apply. The studies measured perceptions and stated purchase intent, not real sales. And the results describe tendencies across groups of people, not what every customer will feel. Colour shapes how a brand is perceived. It does not decide a purchase on its own.
Fit matters as much as meaning
A separate study by Bottomley and Doyle (2006) looked at how colours and products interact. Its message is useful for any founder: a colour is not good or bad on its own, it is judged against what people expect from that kind of product.
That is why a neon-orange bank would feel odd to most customers, and why calm blues are so common in finance and insurance. It also gives you permission to break a category convention, as long as you have a reason and the result still feels right for what you sell.
Culture and context change the meaning
Red signals luck and celebration in China, while in many Western settings it is also used for warnings and danger. The same green can mean “natural” on a skincare label and “money” on a finance app. Associations also shift with age, personal experience and the surrounding design.
If your customers live in more than one market, ask people from those markets what they see, instead of relying on a chart written for someone else.
A popular claim to treat with caution
You may have read that up to 90 per cent of snap judgements about products are based on colour alone. The figure is repeated everywhere, and it usually traces back to a 2006 review article by Singh in Management Decision that gathered earlier work. It is not a test of how real customers choose products in your category.
Colour matters, but nobody can give you a reliable percentage.
Common associations: tendencies, not rules
| Colour | Often associated with | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Excitement, energy, urgency | Can also signal danger or warnings |
| Orange and yellow | Warmth, optimism, energy | Yellow text on white is hard to read |
| Blue | Competence, reliability, calm | So common that it is easy to look generic |
| Green | Nature, growth, health | Implies eco claims you must be able to back up |
| Brown | Dependability, earthiness | Can feel dull without a lively accent |
| Purple | Luxury, creativity | Meaning varies widely between markets |
| Black | Sophistication, premium | Can feel heavy or cold |
How to use colour without leaning on myths
- Start from the personality you want, then check which colours support it
- Check category fit. Look at your competitors and decide whether to follow or break the convention, on purpose
- Aim for distinctiveness and consistency. A colour only becomes yours through repetition, so use the same palette everywhere
- Test with real people from your market. Show two or three options and ask what kind of business each one suggests
- Make sure it is readable. Every colour has to work for text and buttons, not only for logos (see the contrast guide)
When you are ready to build the palette itself, follow the steps in how to choose a brand colour palette from scratch.
If you would like colour choices backed by strategy instead of guesswork, start a project and I will take you through it.
Start a projectSources
- Labrecque, L. I. and Milne, G. R. (2012), “Exciting red and competent blue: the importance of color in marketing”, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(5), 711 to 727. doi.org/10.1007/s11747-010-0245-y
- Bottomley, P. A. and Doyle, J. R. (2006), “The interactive effects of colors and products on perceptions of brand logo appropriateness”, Marketing Theory, 6(1)
- Singh, S. (2006), “Impact of color on marketing”, Management Decision, 44(6), 783 to 789