When building a brand, your logo, typography, and tone of voice matter—but your brand colours are what people remember first. In fact, colours boost brand recognition by up to 80%. That’s why selecting the right brand colours isn’t just a creative decision—it’s a strategic one.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to choose your brand colours the right way—step by step. Whether you’re starting a business or rebranding an existing one, this guide will help you build a colour palette that’s clear, consistent, and emotionally powerful.
Why Are Brand Colours So Important?
Your brand colours influence how people feel about your brand, often before they’ve read a single word.
Colours:
- Trigger emotions and associations
- Help establish trust and credibility
- Improve brand recognition
- Guide user behavior on your website or product
Think about how blue is often used by tech and finance companies (trust, reliability), while green is favored by health and wellness brands (growth, nature, calm). These are not coincidences—they’re deliberate branding decisions based on colour psychology.
Step 1: Understand Your Brand Personality
Before you choose any colours, you need to define your brand personality.
Ask yourself:
- Is your brand bold or subtle?
- Is it innovative or traditional?
- Do you want to appear premium, affordable, or luxurious?
Use this personality to guide your colour selection.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet for colour meanings:
| Colour | Common Associations |
|---|---|
| Blue | Trust, calm, security |
| Red | Passion, action, urgency |
| Green | Health, balance, growth |
| Orange | Warmth, creativity, friendliness |
| Purple | Luxury, spirituality, creativity |
| Teal | Clarity, calm, modern |
| Yellow | Optimism, attention, youth |
| Black | Sophistication, power, elegance |
👉 Pro tip: Choose colours that align with what your audience should feel when they interact with your brand.
Step 2: Know Your Audience
Your audience’s preferences and expectations should guide your brand colour palette.
For example:
- Health and wellness brands often use calming tones like teal, green, or lavender.
- Tech brands lean toward cool tones like blue, black, and grey for trust and innovation.
- Children’s products use bright, high-energy colours like red, yellow, and blue.
Try to map your audience’s demographics and values to colour preferences. If you’re unsure, look at competitor brands or run a simple survey with sample palettes.
Step 3: Create a Balanced Colour Palette
A strong brand colour palette usually includes:
1. Primary Colour
Your hero colour. It’s the most visible and should reflect your brand’s core identity.
2. Secondary Colours
These support the primary colour and offer flexibility in design. Choose 2–4 complementary colours that work well with your primary hue.
3. Neutral Colours
Think white, black, grey, and beige. These are used for backgrounds, text, and layout support.
A good rule of thumb is the 60-30-10 rule:
- 60% primary colour
- 30% secondary colours
- 10% accent colour
This helps create visual harmony across all brand touchpoints—from websites to brochures.
Step 4: Ensure Accessibility and Contrast
Inclusivity matters. If your colours aren’t accessible, you may alienate users with visual impairments or colour blindness.
Here’s what to do:
- Check contrast ratios between text and background
- Avoid relying on colour alone to communicate information (use icons, labels, and patterns)
- Use tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker or Color Oracle
Following WCAG 2.1 guidelines ensures your brand remains user-friendly and compliant.
Step 5: Test Your Palette in Real-World Scenarios
Don’t lock in your colours without seeing them in action. Apply your palette to:
- Website mockups
- Social media templates
- Email newsletters
- Business cards or signage
Look at how the colours perform on screens and in print. Do they clash? Do they look different in dark mode? How do they feel when paired with imagery or typography?
Getting feedback from others—especially potential customers—can also reveal whether your colours are hitting the mark emotionally and practically.
Step 6: Think Digital and Print
Your colour palette needs to work consistently across platforms:
- Use HEX and RGB for digital assets (web, apps, social)
- Use CMYK and Pantone for print (business cards, posters, packaging)
Also, define rules for how each colour should (and should not) be used. For example:
- Do not alter the hue or saturation of the primary colour
- Avoid using more than two accent colours in the same layout
- Don’t use colour gradients unless specified in the brand guidelines
Step 7: Study Your Competitors
It’s smart to understand how other brands in your industry use colour—but not to copy them. Your goal is to stand out while remaining relevant.
Scan your top 5 competitors and identify their primary and secondary colours. This will help you:
- Avoid visual overlap
- Identify gaps in the market (e.g., are most brands using blue? Try teal or purple.)
- Position your brand as fresh, different, and memorable
Step 8: Document and Share Your Brand Colours
Once you finalise your colour palette, create a simple brand colour guide. It should include:
- Colour swatches
- HEX, RGB, CMYK, and Pantone codes
- Usage rules and examples
- Accessibility tips (e.g., approved contrast pairings)
Share it with designers, developers, marketing teams, and agencies to ensure consistency across all media.
Your brand colours are more than decoration—they are an expression of who you are. The right colour palette helps you connect emotionally with your audience, establish credibility, and stand out in a crowded market.
To recap:
- Start with your brand’s personality
- Know your audience and their expectations
- Build a flexible, accessible colour system
- Test and document everything for consistency
By choosing your brand colours with intention, you’ll create a visual identity that’s not only beautiful but also strategic and enduring.
Free Tools to Help You Choose Brand Colours
Here are a few free tools to explore:
- Coolors.co – Generate and explore palettes
- Adobe Color – Create and test colour schemes
- Khroma – AI-based colour generator based on your preferences
- WebAIM Contrast Checker – Ensure accessibility
Ready to Build a Stronger Brand?
If you’re planning a rebrand or starting something new, make your colours work harder for you. A thoughtful palette can elevate your presence and make your brand more memorable.