Brand that have defined colours

As a design and print company, we love colour! It’s at the core of our business and allows us to create beautiful booklets, fantastic folders and standout stationery for our clients and customers. But colours don’t just brighten up the place; they can also act as powerful triggers to make us think or feel a certain way. Much of this is to do with the experiences we associate with these colours, or colour combinations, and the brands that provide such experiences. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at just a handful of popular brands, the ideas behind their colours, and how they influence our relationship with them.

Coka-Cola

Two people cheersing coke bottles

Perhaps one of the most iconic brand-colour relationships ever. The combination of the powerful red background with elegant, scripted white text is one few people fail to recognise. In fact, it is seen as one of the most recognisable logos across the planet, hardly surprising really.

But what do these colours really mean? In marketing, red is often associated with power, energy, passion and excitement — all positive traits for a brand such as Coca-Cola. Additionally, red can induce impulse purchases from consumers, a useful tool for any retail brand! The white can be seen as simplicity, purity and minimalistic , this is especially true for ‘Coke’ as the logo is also the name of the company.

Google

Google logo on top of building

For anyone that spends any time on the web, Google will likely play an important part in that experience. Whether you’re using Chrome to browse, the search engine to search or one of their myriad of services such as Gmail, Maps, or Translate, Google didn’t just revolutionise the way we search the web; they wrote the book on it. Yet for a company with such a complex role in our world, their logo is effortlessly simple. The letters of their name are set in primary (other than the green ‘L’) colours in a friendly, printed font.

Google’s use of colours is up for debate, but according to the designer Ruth Kedar, responsible for creating the first iteration of the logo, simplicity is key. At first, there were lots of different colour variations on offer, but the final product was one which used the primary colours of blue, red and yellow. However, to add some variety and not follow the pattern, they introduced green, a secondary colour, for the letter ‘L’.

The use of multiple colours, especially primary colours, shows inclusivity, variety and diversity. The colours themselves are simple, along with the font and name, the logo can almost seem childlike. Perhaps this is why we have all become fond of Google.

Pandora

pandora building at night time

Differing entirely from Google’s inclusive approach, Pandora’s elegant sole black and white branding creates an air of exclusivity. The black name and branding represent power, luxury and sophistication, all of the qualities that a designer jewellery brand would want to evoke. But black can’t do this on its own, making the white contrast just as important.

White, as mentioned above, is purity and simplicity, which complements the simple and often minimalist designs of their jewellery. The shops are also minimalist, with clean and uncluttered layouts, often reflecting the black and white branding.

Apple

Apple laptop and imac on desk

Apple takes things a step further in terms of simplicity by employing a single icon as a logo, with contrasting colours used as the background (white on black, etc.). For a technology company, simplicity is a key selling point; if the products aren’t simple, they won’t be easy to use. This is seen with the simplicity of the logo and of the colours used, along with the lack of any accompanying text. This also creates an air of arrogance; the idea that people should already know the name of the brand, without need for cluttered text.

Although the modern Apple logo design incorporates colour simplicity, the first logo, used from 1976 – 1998 was a much more colourful design. This evolved into the use of just black for the design from 1998 – 2011. For three years following, a chrome version was used before finally changing to grey in 2014, the current version.

This changing of colours tells the brand story from conception, until the present day, with the first devices being considered groundbreaking and not following the norm, with colours to match. Now, Apple is one of the most recognisable brands on the planet; therefore, the single colour logo is appropriate.

Cadbury

Selection of cadbury chocolate bars

Cadbury is a beloved brand, both in the UK and across the world. Its classic Dairy Milk chocolate bar has been one of, if not the most favoured chocolate bar in the UK for years. It would be naïve to think that the colour choice hasn’t helped it to its top spot.

Its purple colouring is unique, thanks to a trademark that Cadbury held from 1995 until early 2019 which prohibited other brands using their colouring. Purple is a colour associated with royalty and majesty, with darker shades representing luxury. These three things are perfect identifiers for a chocolate product, typically associated as a treat or ‘one-off’. The experience should feel opulent, and this is delivered both in the quality of the product, and of the branding.

Here at Brightsea, we know how important it is that your brand stands out from the crowd. From choosing the right colours to having the best-printed materials, we’ll take care of your brand from start to finish. Our eco-friendly printing methods will ensure that your materials don’t only look great, but leave a minimal environmental footprint that will set you apart from your competitors. Get in touch for a quote here!