5 ways to use red in your firm’s colors
5 ways to use red in your firm’s colors
We have already written about 7 ways to use blue in the design and corporate identity of your company. Now it’s the turn of the red!
You will find out what are the advantages of using this color in a corporate style, with which colors it is best combined. The article will help you choose a brand color and, with its help, improve your project.
Red
Associations with red are strong and contradictory – love, beauty, high temperature, danger, blood, prohibition and its violation. It is not surprising that it is the shades of red that evoke the most vivid emotions. It enhances perception and encourages action.
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Red is equally popular in all areas, if you choose it, then you are not afraid to be in the spotlight, you have ambitions and a desire to become the best. In any case, this is how most people perceive red. Well-known “red” brands with a worldwide reputation – Coca-Cola, Colgate, Canon, Netflix, Opera and many, many others.
Delta Transmissions is a car service from California. The task of our designers was to create a simple and recognizable corporate identity. In combination with a simple and minimalistic logo – the Greek “D”, inscribed in the car steering wheel, our designers chose a darker shade of red as the brand color. So the company retained the association with strength and friendliness, but the corporate identity began to look less aggressive.
However, today, in order to attract increased attention and be remembered, it is no longer enough to paint your company red. Combinations with other colors, proportions and shades play a fundamental role.
Red + black
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Black is associated with austerity, power and authority. By using it in a corporate identity, you are hinting at your confidence and experience. However, black is used so often that it no longer attracts attention by itself. Combining with red will help make your black style brighter. Together, these colors look like something gloomy and aggressive, create an image of confident strength and gothic romanticism, brutality. This combination will help show your confidence, add masculinity to the image.
A prime example is the Republic of Gamers gaming lineup, from Asus. Aggressive red lines on a black background, crimson neon lights and dark shades. However, this is more the exception than the rule. Most companies’ style suggests a lighter vibe, with white and steel shades of gray helping to achieve it. Notable examples of black and red logos: MSI, F1, Dodge, Rosbank, etc.
The “Battle of Motors” project is a show-competition for tuning cars on YouTube. The corporate identity is based on a combination of red and black colors. As conceived by our designers, red symbolizes the spirit of competitive struggle, and black – the severity and determination of the participants in the competition. In combination with the automotive stylist, the corporate identity looks solid and at the same time expresses the fighting mood of the project.
A combination of red and black is great if you have a martial arts school, a gothic nightclub, or a youth clothing brand with an aggressive look. However, in any other area, this combination will also draw attention to you. The choice of primary colors is just the beginning of the path to a unique corporate identity.
Red + yellow
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Yellow is the color of positive, warmth and happiness. It is associated with gold, sun, light and optimism. In addition, yellow is the color of caution and increased attention. It can play the role of a background or, conversely, stand out against the background of a darker color. Then red comes to the rescue. The combination of yellow and red will help you draw attention to your product, create a bright, positive image.
Corporate identity reds and yellows are fairly common. These are the world-famous logos and corporate identity of companies: DHL, Lays, Kodak, Shell, Chupa-Chups, MC’Donalds and many others.
We used this combination in the Veiland corporate style. The company’s colors are yellow and black, with vibrant red accents. Combined with a dynamic logo, the brand image is associated with masculinity but has a positive mood.
Red and yellow are suitable for everyone who wants to create an image of energy and friendliness. You can use only these colors as main colors, or add several others to them to create a unique mood for your company.
Red + blue
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Blue is the most popular color in the world. We have already talked about how you can use it in the colors of your company. Blue calms, evokes a feeling of confidence, is associated with the sea and the sky, with water and cold.
The contrasting combination of blue and red can be either sharp and shocking, or harmonious and light. Perception depends on the selected proportion, hue and the presence of complementary colors. Most often, the red-blue pair is diluted with white or yellow colors.
Popular examples are everywhere, especially often blue with red on logos are found by motorists: Esso, Mobil, Chevron, Valvoline, Saab and others. Fast food lovers will find this pair too, for example, on the Burger King and Pepsi logos.
The corporate identity of the Forward Sports Center is an image of confident strength and movement towards the goal, which conveys the spirit of the company. We chose a dark shade of blue as the main brand color, and made the main elements red. The contrast created a sense of energy and dynamism, while aggressive identity elements complement the image.
In design, the combination of blue and red is one of the most expressive. It will help if you want to demonstrate your strength and confidence, to attract attention and be remembered by the buyer. This contrast is used by companies whose creators do not want to get lost among the sea of just blue and just red logos.
Red + green
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Green is the color of life and health, renewal and freshness. It calms you down and gives you a sense of confidence. Associated with nature, ecology and health. Green is often used in the financial services and IT industries. Nevertheless, this color cannot always attract attention, being lost against the background of competitors due to its neutral mood. Add red to make your logo bright and recognizable.
There are many examples of such a combination, among the most famous logos are Castrol, Heineken, Mountain Dew, the previous version of the Lucky Strike logo. Most often, green plays the role of a background, while red emphasizes details or a central element of the logo. The red-green style almost always has white elements.
A combination of green and red is fine if your company is in food, ecology, medicine, or financial products.
Output
In this article, we talked about the role red plays in the corporate identity, with what colors it is combined, what shades are used most often. With the help of red you can accentuate attention, highlight the central elements of the logo and style. It can be used as a bright background and centerpiece.
Today there are so many red “companies” that the red color itself has already become familiar, and therefore has lost its value. To become truly recognizable, use red and experiment with combinations, shades and proportions. Create a vibrant corporate identity that you don’t have to blush for!
Source: habrahabr.ru
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