

Hard to read, huh? Avoid this fatal flaw of design by lightening or darkening the color values in order to create better contrast. In the top section you can see how the type appears squiggly. Check out the diagram below to see what we’re talking about. Visual vibrations are when two overlapping colors seem to vibrate, making it hard to read. Not enough contrast between the two colors will create visual vibrations. When selecting these combinations, be careful if you use the true hue-as in the exact colors you find on the 12-Step Color Wheel. These are the most contrasting color relationships in the wheel and tend to be eye-catching and bold. Pairing color can be tricky, but here are the basics:Ĭomplementary colors are directly across each other. Creating balanced contrasts between the colors you use is essential to creating visual harmony and aiding readability.

Each color in the wheel is called a hue (the name of the color in the color wheel, for example: blue-green, red-orange). This wheel can aid you in making color choices in a harmonious way. The 12-step color wheel was originally developed by Sir Isaac Newton. Understand basic color theory.īefore you start selecting color, you’ll need to understand basic elements of color theory. Here’s what you need to know about using color effectively in your business communications. Creating a strong color scheme, using fonts strategically, and thinking through the images that represent your business on social media are important elements in creating a brand. And the great thing about color is that once you establish brand colors, you can use them in strategic and fun ways across social media that will make your content more recognizable-and the way visual media travels around the internet, it’s more important than ever to have your brand hitch a ride with it. You don’t need a brand strategy team to make good color choices for your business. Research even suggests that between 62-90 percent of consumer decisions are based on color. These colors are used so intentionally and consistently you’re likely able to recognize them in seconds, before even reading the tagline or logo.


Facebook, Twitter, and IBM come in shades of blue. The most successful brands become almost synonymous with the colors they use: Coca Cola and Target are red. What Every Brand Needs to Know to Use Color EffectivelyĬolor is a powerful tool in a marketer or business owner’s arsenal as it communicates emotion and intent instantly on a deep, subliminal level.
