Colours are a crucial branding element due to their ability to evoke different emotions, convey various messages and enhance brand recall and identity. Among the numerous colours, businesses can use in their branding, purple and its shades often go unappreciated even though they have a distinct character, a long history, and deep associations.
If you want to use the colour for your branding, website, and other areas, you should understand it, how to work with it, and its characteristics. You need to understand its different shades and their codes.
For example, the lavender colour code and the ones for lilac and other shades of purple are different and can make a huge difference depending on where and how you use them.
The Meaning and Significance of Purple
Many of the names given to shades of purple are also names of flowers, which is perhaps the reason they are associated with relaxation. They also represent a soft nature, elegance, royalty, and sophistication.
Purple has a long history because it has been used for centuries as a symbol of power and royalty. The reasons for this are primarily the rarity of purple dyes and their rich hues. Some purple hues do not enjoy the same grandeur as their names are derived from flowers, but they still hold significant value and symbolism.
You should understand the duality of this colour if you wish to use it or its other hues for your branding. While they can evoke the coolness of the fragrances associated with them, they can also exude a kind of arrogance when used to represent wealth, royalty and luxury. As always, the message you convey and the emotions you evoke will depend on how you use these colours.
Use of Purple in Business and Branding
From the understanding of the psychology of colour, the right hue of purple that resonates with your target audience can make a huge difference in how people perceive it. Consider how the darker shade used by Cadbury evokes different emotions compared to the lighter hue used by Hallmark.
If you want to use purple in branding, you should understand that it is both a secondary and cool colour. It is made by mixing blue and red but can be combined with other colours to create different hues.
For example, lilac combines white and purple to create a cooler hue, while lilac combines pink with light purple to create a warmer hue. Understanding such differences will help you choose the right one for your projects.
Tints of purple included in lighter varieties are used to reflect a youthful and fun audience because they feel more friendly and approachable.
Shades of purple included in darker varieties often attract a more mature audience. Hues like aubergine, plum, and royal purple are even better suited for more traditional businesses.
Dos and Don'ts of Using Purple In Your Business and Branding
Purple is versatile and very powerful so you can use it in different ways in your branding. However, there are certain things you need to know before doing so.
Businesses that wish to use it should consider its cultural context and significance. Its versatility means it can symbolise wealth and luxury in one culture and sadness and mourning in another.
Lavender, in particular, was used in Victorian Britain to make garments for women during a mourning period. It provides a more subdued tone compared to dressing in all black. It is still used in Brazil in this way today.
Avoid Overwhelming Your Audience with Purple
Because of how powerful it is, purple can be so overwhelming that it can lead to visual fatigue. One way to reduce this effect is by combining different shades of purple, using purple as an accent colour, or pairing it with more neutral shades.
Combining lavender and lilac with blue and green hues is a great way of creating a soothing effect while combining them with white can make them seem more saturated than they are.
Test Different Shades
Purple exists in a wide spectrum. You can go from very deep purples to the more softer lilacs and lavenders. For this reason, it is a good idea to experiment with and test different shades to see which works best with your brand and its target audience.
Focus groups can help you decide whether the hues you choose are perfect for your brand or if you need to rethink your branding strategy.
Purple is a very interesting colour to use in your business and branding. It is powerful, sophisticated, and elegant, but it can also be quite soft.
You can choose from its many shades and hues to use in your business and branding, but always understand what message you want to convey and your target audience before doing so. This will ensure you choose the right shade of purple for how you want your brand perceived and the message you want to convey.