We all encounter color in our everyday lives, from traffic lights to the products we buy. Color certainly influences what we read and what we buy. Have you ever thought about the importance of color in branding?

The proper use of color in branding is vital, and it plays an integral part in memory recall. Color stimulates all the senses, instantly conveying a message like no other communication method. Color conveys meaning and message without words and it should represent your brand’s image.

Choosing the correct color for your brand is crucial, the colors you use in your branding efforts should be carefully weighed because it sets you apart from your competitors’ products and logo. Each color triggers certain emotional and psychological reactions.

You want your brand perceived in a way that is rememberable to your customers, some brands are instantly recognizable by their colors. For example, McDonald’s use their brand color “yellow” to great effect. Yellow is the most visible color, which is why the McDonald’s M can be seen from a great distance. (Test your knowledge of trademarked colors by taking this pop quiz)

Visualize the color blue

Blue is a very popular color for corporate websites because it conveys communication, authority, and clarity. Many global companies like IBM, JP Morgan, Samsung, AT&T, BMW and General Electric use blue as the primary color in their logo. And most websites incorporate blue or at least one shade of blue into a design or logo.

Have you ever thought why social media sites use blue? Twitter, Tumblr, WordPress, LinkedIn and Facebook, they all use blue in their brands.

Blue is gender neutral and generally associated with the mind and intellect and it is the most popular color in the universe. This is not a coincidence that all social media giants picked blue. There is no doubt that they must have invested a great deal of money and time to make sure that they chose the right color for their brands.

Blue dominates the world-wide web including my blog header. From Reddit, Skype, Mashable, Foursquare, Digg, MSN Windows Live, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft, Skype, the White House website.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was asked why he decided to make Facebook blue in an interview. His answer was “Blue is the richest color for me and I can see all of blue”

Color plays an integral factor in the success of your business! Think carefully and choose wisely.

Do you believe there is a psychology of color?

Recognisable Brands Test brand color test

Lastly, if you’re questioning the power of color in branding, look at this example: