How Does Color Affect Mood?

For years artists and design professionals have argued that choosing the correct color can make a difference on the emotional effects that a work of art, decorated room, company logo or even a sign can employ. Though there is no hard scientific evidence to back this claim to date, there still seems to be truth surrounding the psychological effects of color. 

Color was first discovered by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, when he passed pure white light through a prism, resulting in separated lines of each visible color. Since then, the use of color has expanded, and universal meanings have been assigned to each one individually. Here’s a breakdown of the three different color groups and their specific meanings.

1. Warm colors consist of any variation of red, orange or yellow and are said to be energizing. When used, these colors help foster feelings of happiness and optimism.

• Red is extremely eye-catching in nature and evokes passionate emotions of love, anger and excitement. 
• Orange inspires bliss and happiness. It creates a warm and inviting feel, perfect for calls-to-action.
• Yellow is absolutely energizing, associated closely with sunshine, hope and laughter. Using yellow can evoke an optimistic and cheerful mood.

2. Cool colors are next up on the color wheel and include shades of green, blue and purple. These color choices are said to bring about a soothing and calming feeling.

• Green is often associated with healthy choices and wealth. It is often used by companies in the health, beauty and environmental industries to inspire hope.
• Blue is one of the most commonly used colors, due to it’s calming nature meant to evoke feelings of trust and spirituality.
• Purple is inspiring! Known as the color of creativity, royalty and wealth, purple is often used to enrich the look of a design and add an air of luxury.

3. Neutrals, like black, white, gray, tan and brown, are most commonly used as backdrop or accent colors. When juxtaposed with warm or cool colors, neutrals help enhance the other colors in the design, strengthening their meaning.

• Black and gray indicate sophistication and conservatism, while white represents purity, innocence and softness. 
• Tan is subdued and relaxing, while brown has a wholesome, earthy feeling.

In addition to the given meanings for each color, the main reason that color is so effective in evoking certain emotions is experience. Each individual has experienced color differently and therefore associates specific colors with certain emotions. This is why it has been hard for scientists to pinpoint the exact psychological effects that colors can have on individuals.

If you’re looking to choose the perfect color palate for your next custom banner, vehicle wrap or wall graphic, you’ve come to the right place. For more than 25 years, the design consultants at Chief Graphix have been walking industry leaders just like you through the custom branding process.

To learn more about how we can help you create custom signage that’s both engaging and emotionally-charged to compliment your company's unique services, call 1-883-SIGN today.

Top Tips for Creating Your Company Logo

A good logo is clever, enticing and captures the true spirit of the company that it belongs to. In a sense your company logo serves as a first impression, so it’s very important to choose a design that represents your business accurately. If you’re on the market for a new logo or are trying to rebrand and old one, here are a few great tips to follow to make sure that you create a logo that your company and its customers can be proud of:

1. Think outside of the box. You want your logo to be unique so that your company stands out among it’s competitors. In today’s society labels are everything. Create a logo that’s fun and clever, one that your customers will be proud to display to their friends and family.

2. Visualize your brand. Think about your target audience and the message that you want your logo to portray. Brainstorm your logo with an idea board, listing all of the thoughts that you have about your brand and its goals. It’s not enough to slap a cute image up with a company name across it. Your logo should have a subtle meaning behind it that is unique to your company.

3. Use the power of color. Not only are color choices essential to the overall aesthetics and attention grabbing ability of your logo, but the colors you choose can actually affect the emotional response that your logo produces. For example, red signals that a company is energetic and bold, while blue signals that they are professional and trustworthy. For a full list of color meanings, click here.

4. Think about using the company name. It very common for companies to use a variation of their company name as their logo, which is called Logotype. If your brand has a unique name, you may be able to pull off a Logotype design, but be sure to choose a font that matches your brand style.

5. Keep it simple. As they say, “less is more.” Keeping your logo clean cut, yet quirky will not only resonate well with your customers, but it will make it easier to display your logo across multiple media platforms. With digital marketing at the forefront of many business branding efforts, you’ll want to make sure that you logo is flexible enough to be transformed slightly to work with each social media, news or marketing outlet.

At Chief Graphix, we understand the impact that a well-thought out logo can have on a company’s overall success. We see your logo as a company resume for the world to see. Whether you choose a logo of simple letters, or multiple colors and graphics, there is a tremendous benefit to having a repetitive image to represent your company.

If you’re on the market for a new logo, call 516-883-SIGN today and let our professional graphic designers guide you towards a new branding initiative that will help you differentiate your business from the competition!