Did you know the colors you choose for your brand can make or break how customers feel about you? It’s not just about looking pretty—color psychology taps into the emotions people associate with certain shades, influencing how they perceive your business. And with some companies even trademarking their colors (hello, Tiffany Blue), it’s clear that selecting the right hues can be a game-changer.

Take the following trademarked colors, for example. Would you be able to name the brands they’re associated with, just based on color?

However, color branding isn’t a simple decision. Every color comes with its own set of pros and cons, and knowing how to wield them effectively means getting to know both your brand and your audience inside out.

Let’s talk about red, for example. On the one hand, it’s all about passion, energy, and power—think of brands like Coca-Cola or Marvel that exude excitement and strength. But there’s a flip side: red can also signal danger or aggression, which is why it’s a terrible choice for brands looking to convey trust and safety (sorry, banks!). This is why understanding the psychology behind each color is key—you don’t want to send mixed messages.

Why Color Context Matters

The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all color that works for every brand. What matters most is context. You can’t just pick a color because it looks nice or because your competitors are using it. The colors you choose should align with your brand’s personality and resonate with your audience. Are you trying to be seen as bold and rebellious? Or calm and nurturing? Color can help reinforce these ideas and make your brand more relatable to your customers.

And this is where the brand archetype framework comes into play.

The Power of Brand Archetypes

Originally developed by psychologist Carl Jung, the brand archetype framework identifies 12 archetypes that represent universal roles or characters found in stories, myths, and human behavior. These archetypes are wired into the collective unconscious, meaning we all recognize these patterns on some level.

Each archetype has a distinct personality, and aligning your brand with one of these archetypes can help strengthen its emotional appeal. For example:

  • The Hero: Strong, courageous, and confident. Brands like Nike use the Hero archetype with bold colors like red to inspire action and perseverance.
  • The Innocent: Simple, pure, and trustworthy. Soft blues and pastels reflect the Innocent archetype’s sincerity—think Dove or Johnson & Johnson.
  • The Outlaw: Rebellious, daring, and independent. Darker, more intense colors like black and maroon suit brands like Harley-Davidson.

By choosing colors that reinforce your brand’s archetype, you’re tapping into a powerful emotional connection with your audience, making your message not just heard, but felt.

Case Study: Dynamic Strides Therapy as the Caregiver Archetype

A great example of Revel using color to align with an archetype is Dynamic Strides Therapy (DST). DST, a pediatric therapy center, partnered with Revel to overhaul its brand, aiming to better represent its diverse range of services beyond hippotherapy, which was the focus of their previous branding.

DST embodies the Caregiver archetype—its mission is to provide physical, mental, and emotional support to children, helping them grow at their best. To convey this role, Revel designed a new visual identity centered around an abstract butterfly, a symbol of transformation, rebirth, and hope—everything DST stands for.

To further reinforce the Caregiver archetype, DST’s color palette was carefully selected. The vibrant mix of lime green, coral pink, teal, and blue evokes a sense of warmth, trust, and vitality. Each color plays a unique role in making the brand feel approachable, safe, and uplifting:

  • Lime green brings energy and growth, symbolizing the physical development kids experience in therapy.
  • Coral pink adds a nurturing, friendly tone, helping the brand feel welcoming and supportive.
  • Teal and blue provide a sense of calm and trust, reinforcing DST’s connection to healthcare and the care-driven nature of its services.

Together, these colors align perfectly with DST’s Caregiver archetype, creating an emotional connection that resonates with both parents and patients. 

By focusing on the Caregiver archetype and selecting colors that foster trust and care, DST’s rebranding has helped shift public perception, broaden awareness of its services, and better align its identity with its purpose.

How Color Complements Brand Archetypes

Colors don’t just stand alone—they work hand-in-hand with your brand’s entire personality. In fact, colors can even help signal which archetype your brand aligns with, making it easier for your audience to “get” your message instantly.

Let’s take a look at how this might play out in real life:

  • The Creator Archetype: Brands like Lego or Adobe thrive on innovation and originality. These brands often use warm, earthy tones like orange or brown, signaling a playful yet inventive spirit.
  • The Sage Archetype: Known for wisdom and knowledge, Sage brands (think Google or Harvard) might lean into neutral or understated colors like grey and navy to communicate authority and credibility.

Choosing a color palette based on your brand’s archetype can help customers intuitively understand what your brand stands for, before they even interact with your product or service. It’s a subtle yet powerful form of communication that can deepen brand loyalty and make you more memorable.

Tips for Picking the Right Colors

Feeling overwhelmed with color choices? Here are some quick tips to make the process easier:

  1. Know Your Audience: Different colors evoke different emotions, but not all audiences react the same way. Younger, tech-savvy audiences might love bold neons, while an older, more conservative crowd may prefer calming, neutral tones.

Take our recent work for Mission Ridge, a local senior living community.  Blue and gray tones work together to communicate the brand’s dedication to trust, serenity, and reliability to its audience.

  1. Check the Competition: While it’s important to stand out, you also don’t want to pick a color scheme that clashes with your industry. If all your competitors are using blue to signify trust and professionalism (e.g., many tech companies), it might be wise to follow suit or carefully decide how to differentiate.
  2. Test and Learn: Don’t be afraid to test different color schemes with your audience. Sometimes the best color choices are the ones you don’t expect! Small focus groups or A/B testing can reveal what really resonates.
  3. Stay Consistent: Once you choose a color palette that works for your brand, stick with it. Consistency across all brand touchpoints—your website, social media, print materials—reinforces brand recognition and helps your audience connect with you over time.

Bringing It All Together

So, if you’re feeling stuck with your current branding or don’t quite know how to convey your company’s personality, it might be time to revisit your color palette. By tapping into the right hues and aligning them with your target audience, you can create a lasting emotional impact—and that’s the kind of connection that turns customers into lifelong fans.

Need help finding the right color story for your brand? Revel Advertising’s got you covered. Let’s collaborate and make sure your brand not only looks good but feels right for your audience, too.

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