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idgaf about color psychology & neither should you
Published 2 days ago • 4 min read
ISSUE #116
"Whoever designed that sign deserves to lose their job," I tell Kyle with palpable disgust as we walk past a new auto shop in town.
Always the one to give someone the benefit of the doubt, he responds, "Well, maybe they liked those colors."
"It doesn't matter," I respond. "The sign shop should have known no one would be able to read it."
Every day on my walks with Waylon, I pass this monstrosity.
It's roughly 3.5 x 5 feet and raised about 6.5 - 7 feet off the ground. From across the street, I can BARELY read it. I literally couldn't tell you the business's name or what they specialize in (and it is three doors down from my house).
Let me paint the picture for you: The sign in question has a royal blue background with black lettering and offset white text behind it. The information includes a phone number, the business name, and another line of text that remains a mystery to me despite having walked past it countless times.
It's hard to read from across the street, much less at 35 mph.
It infuriates me that someone paid money for something this bad.
If someone can't read your sign while driving down the road, you aren't going to build any recognition as a new business.
This principle doesn't just apply to physical signage - it's equally as important when people “drive-by” your content online.
Your brand's colors are the first make-or-break moment for your business. If they are working, there’s a better chance someone will slow down their scroll to see what you’ve got going on.
But if they aren’t working - someone could “drive-by” without giving your brand or that piece of content you worked really hard on a second thought.
Keep Reading For...
😵💫 why idgaf about color psychology & neither should you
🎨 the ultimate guide to designing your brand's color palette
👩💻 color for conversion - how to design like a pro (even if you have a color palette you already love)
but idgaf about color psychology & neither should you....
I am the antethesis of a beige aestehtic girlie (and proud of it).
In fact - I consider myself a colorist. It all started in college when I learned how colors interact while studying painting. I fell in love with color theory, and my fine arts degree's approach to color still influences how I design (and see the world).
There are countless color palettes on Pinterest, not to mention color scheme-generating websites and AI tools.
But IDGAF about color psychology (and neither should you).
Color psychology studies how colors affect human behavior, emotions, and perceptions. For instance, blue often suggests trust and stability, while red can imply excitement or urgency (and apparently make you eat more?).
Despite what you've heard, the effect of color psychology on your audience is NOT that big of a deal.
People's perceptions of colors can vary based on their culture, personal aesthetic, and a lifetime of connections.
No one is going to hire you/buy from you because your color scheme makes them feel any type of way.
What's more important is how well your brand's colors work together. This is called color theory.
When it comes to how your audience interacts with your brand, I believe color theory plays a much more significant role in their behavior and engagement.
If you love red and want to make it one of your primary brand colors, don't worry—no one's going to feel hungry every time they look at your site (unless you're a food blogger, restaurant, etc.).
The three things you need to know about color theory
Do me a favor and pull your brand's color scheme up in another tab. Then, ask yourself the following questions.
CONTRAST: If the colors you are using (especially when it comes to a background color + text color) do not have enough contrast, your brand's content could not be legible or eye-catching (especially at “drive-by” speed - aka. your audience scrolling through IG). Contrast also affects whether or not it is ADA-compliant (click here to test if your color combos are ADA-compliant for free)
HIGH KEY COLORS: Is there too much competition? Hear me out. When you look at any grouping of colors, there are high-key colors (the ones that stick out to you right away) and low-key colors (the ones that don’t quite stand out). It’s similar to contrast - but it takes it one step further. Too many high-key colors in a brand color scheme or composition make it hard for people to know where to look.
LOW KEY COLORS: Is there too little competition? If you look at your color scheme and none of the colors are really “popping,” then that is a problem, too. Your colors may have enough contrast to be legible when used in your content, but there is no impact. Everything reads at the same volume. Turning up the volume on 1-2 colors in your brand's color scheme “sharpens” your tools (aka. colors) and helps to create more impact and draw people's attention.
Need some help creating or making the most of your brand's color scheme? Here's a few resources to get you started ↓
okay catie - but I don't love my brand colors & can't seem to get them right on my own?
Book a Creative Direction Consult to get 1:1 help from me with your brand's color scheme.
This is perfect for a new brand that feels totally unsure of how to get started with their brand Identity, an existing DIY brand that wants a proffesh polish, or someone who is considering a visual rebrand and wants to dip their toe first.
Your brand's colors are like your copy's voice. They add a flavor and layer of subconscious recognition for your audience. The colors you use live rent-free in your audience's heads and remind them of YOU.
In my opinion, brand colors are something everyone should be able to design & use effectively.
Colors convert.
Whether it is an Instagram post, your website design, or even a newsletter like this, the colors you use - and more importantly, how you use them visually guide people through your content and play a role in what catches their eye, what they read and at the end of the day how they convert.
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