When it comes to branding, the colour blue is often associated with trust, reliability, and stability. Some of the biggest brands including IBM, Microsoft, Bank of America and Facebook use blue as their primary brand colour. What is it about this colour that makes it such a consistent choice among some of the biggest corporations?
Blue is often associated with the natural world, including the sky and the ocean, which are vast and unchanging. As a result, blue can convey a sense of grandiosity that isn’t necessarily intimidating. It tends to inspire feelings of dependability and security, and is often associated with calmness and serenity.
Blue is also often associated with authority and leadership. Many corporate business brands, government agencies, and other institutions choose to use blue in their branding to convey a sense of credibility. This may even have created a feeback loop that has us associating the colour with large, stable institutions.
Another reason why blue may be particularly effective at inspiring trust in a brand is that it is often seen as a neutral colour. Unlike more vibrant or bold colours, like red or orange, which can be attention-grabbing but also potentially overwhelming. Blue is often seen as more balanced and understated.
Changing the hue and shade can make blue appropriate for everything from rich luxury brands, to children’s services or soft artistic brands.
Overall, the color blue can be an effective choice for a brand that wants to inspire trust in its customers. Whether it is used in a logo, marketing materials, or on a website, blue can be a good choice for brands that need to inspire trust and communicate reliability.
If you’re considering an update to your brand colours, contact us for a free consult, and we can talk colour theory and the details of your business!