The Science Behind Logo Colors and What They Mean Image

The Science Behind Logo Colors and What They Mean

May 25, 2018

Everyone knows that the Burger King logo is red, yellow, and blue and that the Speedway logo is red. But have you ever wondered why?

At first glance, a company’s logo is deceptively simple. But the process behind brand creation and brand identity can be long and intricate.

And as one of the crucial elements of designing a brand identity, choosing colors for a brand and your logo has a lot more to it than you might think.

Here’s a quick look at the science behind logo colors and what they mean.

Why is color important in a brand’s logo?

It all goes back to how we see.

As Alina Wheeler explains in her book Designing Brand Identity, during the visual perception sequence, the human brain will first register a shape, then read color, and lastly, read content.

So, we process color before we start reading anything. Color stands out to you before any words or phrases.

Now, let’s quickly go back to the goals of a brand.

Wheeler defines some of the main reasons for brand identity as:

  • Making it easier for the customer to buy (consumers are busy; you want to make the shopping or dining experience as simple and easy for them)
  • Making it easy for the sales force to sell (competition is steep, and companies need to remain competitive)
  • Making it easy to build brand equity (i.e., for a company to have a positive reputation and be well-recognized)

When you keep in mind that color is the #2 thing our brains process, we can realize that a company’s logo color should stand out quickly to a consumer or buyer and be memorable and recognizable.

Think about Arby’s for a minute. What’s the first thing that comes to mind?

For many, it’s their red and white logo with the cowboy hat.

Besides brand recognition, a brand’s color palette can also help evoke certain emotions, creating particular user experiences in the process.

What do different logo colors mean, how do they pertain to different industries, and how do you create color schemes?

We’ve established that colors are extremely important when it comes to branding.

Now, let’s dig a little deeper.

In the following infographic from, you’ll gain more insights into the science behind logo colors like:

  • What different colors mean across the globe
  • Colors to use for certain industries
  • How to combine colors and create color schemes


Logo Color Psychology: How to Choose the Best Colors for Your Brand


    Allen Industries