When you plan a business, one of the things you should stress is your branding. It is more than just the name and logo of your business, but rather the one that communicates the “idea” of your products or services. This is how you can forge a connection with your customers.
To design a brand that makes an impact, investing in specialized branding services is essential. This will help you develop an e-commerce site that stimulates a desire or impulse to buy.
But you may be challenged in selecting colors for your e-commerce brand. It may be easy to stick to neutral tones because they’re trendy, but brand colors should withstand the test of time. Hence, trend-jacking may be a recipe for disaster. So here’s how to strategically choose the perfect brand colors to avoid going out of style and favor:
Use the Psychology of Colors
Have you ever noticed that looking at the color blue makes you calm, while seeing something red makes you think of power? That’s exactly how the psychology of colors work.
Psychology of colors, or color psychology, is commonly used in advertising to elicit certain emotional reactions. For example, if you look at McDonald’s website that’s designed around the company’s colors, you’ll immediately think of movie nights and slumber parties. Similarly, if you visit Amazon, you may remember your last pay day, where you purchased something online.
Colors also invoke nostalgia. It usually occurs when certain color palettes go out of style, then bounce back to the trend years later. For example, the famous brown lipstick of the 90’s. It lost popularity in the early 2000’s, so it when it re-emerged in recent past years, makeup lovers instantly felt the 90’s vibes.
The psychology of colors prove that hues impact people’s purchasing decisions. And top brands and advertisers know this very well. That’s why instead of just following a trend, they look beyond that, and consider the consumers’ emotions. Their goal is to use colors to persuade a customer to buy on impulse.
With or without knowing it, you may be buying a product because of its brand’s colors, too. The secretariat of Seoul International Color Expo found that 93% of buyers focus on visuals. And a whopping 83% claimed that color is the primary reason they make a purchase.
Considering that, it’s safe to assume that color is the main reason why iPhones sell a lot, despite their hefty price tag. When the first rose-gold iPhone was released, countless consumers of different income levels were awe-struck, prompting them to purchase units for themselves.
Analyze Other Brand Colors
If you’re still undecided on what colors to use, let’s take a look at some samples from renowned companies:
- Japan Airlines (JAL) – Their logo has a red bird, in which the animal symbolizes flight, while the color red represents Japan’s colors. Red is also associated with good luck in Asia. Therefore, JAL’s brand image depicts a powerful and lucky air travel, with exceptional Japanese customer service.
- AT&T – The sphere in AT&T’s logo represents global electronic communications, which is also emphasized by the blue lines. You’ll also notice shadows behind the blue lines, implying that it’s a 3D image, and therefore a variation of how a globe looks like.
- UPS – The brown in UPS’s logo symbolizes reliability, which is what their parcel service is known for.
Using those as inspirations, pick a color that best communicates your brand message. Find out what each color means, and choose a shade or two that will immediately draw out the response you’re aiming to get. Design your e-commerce site around your chosen colors, so your web visitors will always fill their carts and checkout.