Your brand colours will undoubtedly play a role in the colours you choose for your printed brochure. But you shouldn’t feel limited or restricted by your existing business palette. It’s intrinsically part of your brand, so assuming you have the correct colour that represents your company’s values then these colours must follow through with the colour choices you make when designing your brochure.  There’s a whole spectrum of colours out there that you could incorporate into the design of your brochure, but it won’t work if these colours don’t represent your brand.

Colours should complement your brand, but what colours have the biggest impact, and how can you select wisely?

What Colours Should I Use In My Brochure?

Specific colours are known for sparking certain emotions and feelings, which is why it is often said that colours can define a brand. This is unlikely to be something we’re born with, but more of a learned trait due to standard, everyday experiences that we have right from birth. Take traffic lights, for example. We naturally associate red with danger, and green as positive (go) because we see this in action every day. Understanding how colours make people feel can help you to select a palette.

Here are some of the biggest brands in the world and their primary colour choice.

● Red some say this was originally used due to its association with blood, blood equals warning or danger, but also with very intense feelings of passion, anger, and rage. Yet in China, it’s a sign of celebration. Red against a white background is incredibly dramatic, a solid choice for big brands to get noticed.

● Pink is a symbol of softness, femininity, romance, and youthfulness. And in some cultures, it’s also used to communicate happiness, joy, and even good fortune. A more vibrant pink is used to get noticed, especially when used on a dark background to give more impact.

● Orange is quite diverse. Some people feel a sense of warmth from orange, which is the colour of fire, used for warning signs on chemicals. Yet it’s a motivational colour which has some positive aspects and also seen a reliable.

● Yellow has an obvious association with sunshine, it makes people feel happy, energised, and optimistic like we should feel on a summer’s day.

● Green is equally associated with nature and plants so it reflects positivity and strength, growth reliability, and organic thoughts and ideas, and is often used by businesses to demonstrate their sustainable and environmental standpoints.

● Blue with its association with the sky and the sea; both of which can be sources of calm and relaxation.

● Purple has long been associated with Royalty, so it conjures up images of wealth, power, authority, and grandeur.

● White is a well known symbol of purity, which is why traditional wedding gowns are white. It can also be connected to cleanliness, freshness, and simplicity.

● Black is an unusual one. For some, black can be a sign of sadness, but for others there’s something mysterious about black, it has long been seen as luxurious when teamed up with other colours such as gold and silver.

What Should I Think About When Selecting Colours For Brochure Design?

While colour is important, it’s not the only aspect that you should consider when thinking about how your brochure will look and what design elements make your brochure stand out. Here are three other things related to colour that you’ll also need to consider:

1. Shade

Shade refers to how much black is added to your chosen colour. For example, a colour with no black added would appear quite subtle. As more and more black is added to the base colour, that colour becomes deeper and darker. And so, the shade of your chosen colour can make a difference in the feelings that colour evokes in readers.

2. Tint

Tint is the opposite of shade; it refers to how much white is added to the base colour. This can make your chosen colour appear very pale in comparison to its neutral state. And, like shade, it can have a big impact. With pink, for example, the lighter the tint, the more gentle and delicate it appears; much different to the vibrant darker shades.

3. Saturation

Saturation refers to adding both black and white to a base colour, and determines how strong or weak a colour will appear on paper. Colours with a high saturation are very bold, vibrant, and intense, while colours with a low saturation are more understated, creating a washed-out, faded look which can change the message you’re sending.

Unsure? Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Browse websites or the brochures of your competitors and look at how the colours complement the tone of voice, reflect the message, or even distract from the content, and use this insight in your favour.

Colours matter

The fact is that visual appeal matters. Even the most informative printed brochure will ultimately fail to achieve its goals if it lacks the aesthetic needed to motivate potential customers to open it, or if the colours inside feel distracting or off putting.

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Dean Williams

Dean Williams is a design and marketing blogger working for Print-Print Limited, promoting business and building brands through quality print marketing. If you’re interested in small business promotion then please get in touch hello@print-print.co.uk