Whenever Maoist supremo Prachanda faces media or attends any public gathering, he wears a grey shining shirt. So does Baburam Bhattarai. The colour grey has been synonymous with the Maoist emblem since the Maoists signed the peace accord in November 2006.
During Civil Society gatherings the man in yellow shirt – Krishna Pahadi, is obvious among the mass. Such is the impact of colour – it distinguishes you from the rest.
Prachanda or Krishna Pahadi didn’t go to Ivy League management schools where they teach the basics of branding giving the learner an edge over others attending similar courses in similar management schools around the world. However, they have the knowledge of power branding.
Colour is the lowest rung in the ladder of branding. Even a painter has a fair idea that the colour of the walls in a hospital should be green and the colour blue depicts peace, calm, cool and serenity.
What should be your logo’s colours
The choice of colour determines the Brand Personality. If you want to get noticed in the crowd of brands then a distinct colour and distinct personality is a must.
Should your logo be red or white? Should you follow the theme colour everywhere – in all modes of communication? Or should you let the creativity run like a stallion?
It obviously building brand when you follow the same colour everywhere. It does bring multiplier effect. You can imagine the same colour displayed everywhere – be it your business card, newsletter, envelope, annual report, letterhead, and if possible the look of your office, advertisement displayed on the billboards, and if possible all in your organization wear the same dress.
That’s too much I guess. You need use of corporate colours to a certain level but not to the level when the colours block your vision and creativity. So, it all depends upon the Corporate Communications guy in your organization to build and cope with the branding matters.
What the colours say (collected from internet)
Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion and people like to ride black cars and black bikes. In the meantime protesters tie black arm bands and show black flags to raise their voice.
Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility. Widows are advised to wear white outfits and the person mourning the death of a near one wears white.
Red is the colour of love, the colour of passion and anger. A red light in the street irritates us meanwhile a red car allures us. Red is often used in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.
While the girls and children love to wear the pink, sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.
Peaceful, tranquil blue brings calmness, so it is often used in bedrooms. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms and studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms. While blue is one of the most popular colors it is one of the least appetizing. Blue food is rare in nature. When food dyed blue is served to study subjects, they lose appetite.
The most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Green is the colour of life and abundance - leaves, grass, plants – it’s all about growing, expanding, and living. So why don’t we give ferns instead of roses on Valentine’s Day?
While yellow is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more.
Light brown implies genuineness. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.
So, have you decided your logo’s colours now?
Coming to choosing the right colours – actually there are no wrong colours. You just need to choose the right combination of Primary and Secondary colours. If possible you can choose a palette of colours that drive your organization’s brand personality. And then you can play with the magic wand.
