Once upon a time, before Twitter became X, you could still picture the blue and that little flying bird.

McDonald’s has red and orange on lock. See those two colours together and suddenly, you're craving fries or fried chicken.

Then there’s black. Sleek, bold, elegant and powerful. For some, it brings Apple to mind. For others, maybe BMW or Mercedes.

Here’s the point. When you're just starting out and still figuring things out, you need to pause and think about what colours you want people to associate with your brand.

Colour is not just a nice visual. It shapes how people feel about your brand in seconds. A study in the Management Decision Journal found that people make up their minds within 90 seconds of seeing a product. And up to 90 percent of that decision is based on colour alone (Singh, 2006).

So before you go with your favourite colour or whatever feels trendy, take a step back.

If you want to build a brand people take seriously, your colours need to say the things you can’t always put into words.

This article will help you understand what colour personality is, why it matters, and how to find one that actually fits your business.

Let’s get into it.

What Colour Personality Means

To put it in the simplest terms, colour personality is the feeling someone gets when they see a certain colour. Some people react differently to certain colours, it evokes a feeling when they come in contact with it.

We all react to colours in different ways. Some colours feel soft and calm. Others feel bold and loud. Some make you feel safe. Some make you feel excited. Colour has the power to trigger a feeling even before you understand what something is about.

Red can feel bold, urgent, or passionate. Blue often feels calm or trustworthy. Yellow is bright, playful, and full of energy. Black can feel sleek, serious, or luxury. These are just a few examples, but you get the idea.

Now, think about that in the context of your business. What feeling do you want people to have when they come across your brand for the first time? Do you want to feel soft and friendly? Or do you want to come across as bold and confident?

So when it comes to your brand, colour personality is about choosing colours that match the kind of feeling you want people to have when they come across your business. If you want to come across as fun, you probably wouldn’t use dark grey. If you want to be seen as professional and calm, you may avoid loud neons.

What Different Colours Say About Your Brand

Remember when you see certain colours and suddenly feel hungry? Or when a scene in a film goes dark blue or red and your body tightens like something dangerous is about to happen?

That’s because colours carry emotion. They trigger responses in the brain, fast. 

Even in film, fashion, or interior design, colour is used to set the mood before anything is said and it works the same for brands.

International Journal of Research in Marketing found that colours strongly influence consumer trust and buying intent, especially when they’re consistent with a brand’s message and tone.

Here’s what the most common brand colours tend to communicate:

Red:

Red is powerful and urgent. It increases heart rate and creates a sense of energy, which is why it’s often used by brands like Jet2holidays, Virgin or Coca-Cola. 

It's the best for brands that want to appear bold, or action-driven.

Blue:

Blue is calm, and professional. A University of Winnipeg study showed blue is strongly associated with dependability, no surprise it’s favoured by banks like Barclays and brands like LinkedIn.

It’s great for brands that want to feel secure, smart, and established.

Yellow:

Yellow is cheerful, warm, and attention-grabbing. 

It’s linked to optimism and creativity, though too much can feel overwhelming. McDonald’s and IKEA use it to appear upbeat and inviting.

If you are looking to give a youthful, friendly, or playful vibe then yellow might be your best bet.

Black:

Black communicates elegance, and exclusivity. It’s widely used in luxury and tech. Apple, Chanel, and Rolls-Royce all use black to convey simplicity and status.

It’s great for a luxurious high-end brand or even a modern tech brand.

Purple:

Purple is often linked to creativity, royalty, and quality. It combines red’s passion with blue’s calm, making it feel unique and imaginative. 

Cadbury’s distinctive purple is even trademarked because of its brand recognition power.

Brands like creative or heritage brands might want to look more in purple’s direction.

Green:

Green is all about nature, balance, and wellbeing. 

According to colour psychology studies, it’s seen as reassuring and is often used in health, sustainability, or finance.

It’s great for brands that are rooted in sustainability or eco-friendliness.

Orange:

Orange is warm, fun, and full of energy. It makes your brand feel friendly and confident without being too loud. It’s a great mix of red’s boldness and yellow’s cheer.

One of the most noticeable uses of the orange colour is done by Fanta and Brand Mavins. 

Orange is great for high-energy, fun brands.

Choose the Right Colours for Your Brand

Let’s start with asking basic questions like;

What services do you offer?

Your colour choices should reflect the kind of experience you're offering. If you’re running a premium skincare brand, soft neutrals or muted tones may work better than loud, bright colours. On the other hand, if you sell party supplies or kid’s toys, bold, cheerful colours make more sense. 

Who is your target audience?

Different colours appeal to different people.
If you’re speaking to busy professionals or a more traditional audience, go for calm and stable colours like navy, grey, or green. But if your audience is Gen Z, creatives, or trend-driven buyers, experiment with vibrant tones, contrast, and unexpected combinations. The colours should feel familiar to them.

What’s your price range?

Price affects perception.

Luxury brands often use black, white, deep purples, or metallics to create a sense of exclusivity. 

If your products are more affordable, lighter or brighter colours tend to work better, they feel more open, friendly, and accessible. The wrong colour can confuse your audience about your price point.

What industry are you in?

Every industry has patterns, but you don’t have to follow them blindly.

Tech companies love blue because it signals trust and intelligence. But in recent times some tech companies, especially those in the fintech side, are leaning more to black.

Wellness brands go green to represent nature and calm. 

Fashion leans into black, neutrals, or metallics, bold pops depending on the aesthetic. 

Look around, what’s common in your space, and how do you want to fit in or stand out?

Once you’ve answered these honestly, choosing colours becomes easier. 

Mistakes to Avoid When Picking Brand Colours

We hear it all the time from our clients, how they’d love us to incorporate their favourite colour into the brand, and while there’s nothing wrong with personal touches, your brand colours should never be based purely on personal taste.

Here are some of the most common mistakes small business owners make when choosing colours — and how to avoid them:

Picking Colours Based on Personal Taste

Your brand isn’t just for you, it’s for your audience. Just because you love purple doesn’t mean it reflects your brand’s values or appeals to your audience. Branding has no business with what your favorite color is, it’s about what relates well with the people you want to reach. 

Overloading the Palette

It’s easy to get excited and want to use five different colours. 

But too many colours can make your brand feel all over the place. A smart brand typically uses 2–3 primary colours with one or two accents for balance and flexibility.

Copying Big Brands Without Context

Yes, brands like Apple and Coca-Cola have iconic colours. But their choices are backed by decades of brand building. Copying them without understanding their strategy just makes your brand look unoriginal. You need colours that work for you, not just what’s trending.

Ignoring Colour Psychology

Colours communicate. Red excites. Blue reassures. Green calms. If you pick a colour that sends the wrong message, it can confuse your customers. For example, soft pink might not work for a luxury legal consultancy, but it might be perfect for a skincare brand.

Not Testing Across Formats

That bright neon green might look great on Instagram, but what about your packaging, website, or business cards? Your colours need to work everywhere, digital and print, light and dark backgrounds.

Conclusion 

We love it when we hear our clients get all excited about choosing their brand colours. That energy is valid, colours are fun! 

But look beyond aesthetics when it comes to picking brand colours because they carry real weight in shaping how your business is perceived.

So take your time. Ask the right questions. Explore the meaning behind colours. Test how they work in real life, not just on your mood board, and if you’re still unsure?

We are here for you! 

At Brand Mavins, we help small business owners like you pick the right colours that work well for your business. Colours that reflect your personality and at the same time appeal to your ideal audience. 

Book your free discovery call today and let’s get started.