The Branded for Success book was written in 2007 by my wife and 2 of our colleagues. It’s purpose was to highlight my wife’s graphic design talent that could be leveraged for a business to get a successful brand. It has allowed the three authors to gain authority as branding experts since they are published authors on the subject.
Understanding of branding has grown and evolved over the last 18 years. The principles in this book are still applicable but some updating is necessary. This chapter deals the proper use of color for a successful brand. Using our content transformation services, we will evaluate it to see that it is not outdated and irrelevant. This is our opportunity to update and supplement with necessary content that may have been missed when it was originally offered.
Since the book was written from a design perspective, this topic is important and should be determined after the foundational brand elements are completed first. New content will be added as necessary before we prepared for it’s new delivery. Since the repurposed content will be used for premium access content, I will provide summaries of the original text and the repurposed text. Also, when we are finished, the chapter divisions may not be the same, since this will not be repurposed into another printed book.
Summary of chapter 6 of the original text:
Understanding which colors are best for your market and products requires more than just personal preference—it involves research and strategic thinking. Studies have shown that certain colors resonate more effectively within specific markets. To help with this, a bonus PDF titled “Using Color Successfully” is available on our website. This guide explains how different colors are perceived and how to choose colors that appeal to your target audience rather than yourself. One common mistake is selecting colors based on personal favorites, but what really matters is how those colors influence your customers’ perceptions and behaviors.
For example, red and yellow are heavily used in fast food branding because of their psychological impact—red stimulates appetite and urgency, while yellow grabs attention and evokes warmth. These colors are proven to provoke action, which is why they’re dominant in restaurants like McDonald’s, T.G.I. Friday’s, and others. On the other hand, large corporations such as Dell, IBM, and Wal-Mart consistently use blue in their branding because it inspires trust and professionalism, particularly in its deeper shades. In contrast, lighter blue tones may suggest softness and are better suited for brands targeting themes like parenting or nature.
The shade of a color can dramatically alter its effect on consumers. For example, green often brings to mind money and financial growth but also suggests nature and eco-consciousness, especially when paired with browns. Brands like American Express and Check Into Cash utilize green to emphasize financial benefits and call consumers to action.
Ultimately, color selection should be driven by how your audience responds to certain hues and how well those colors support your brand message. The “Using Color Successfully” resource and additional bonus materials provide valuable insights into making color choices that enhance your brand’s appeal and effectiveness.
Summary of the corresponding repurposed text:
Color is a powerful and strategic element in branding that goes far beyond aesthetics. It plays a critical role in shaping how consumers perceive a business, influencing emotions, trust levels, and buying behavior. Choosing the right colors for your brand involves understanding your brand personality, industry standards, and, most importantly, your target audience. Rather than relying on personal preferences, businesses should make intentional color choices that align with their mission and values.
Research shows that different colors evoke different emotions and are more effective in specific industries. For example, red creates urgency and energy, making it ideal for fast food or retail. Blue communicates trust and professionalism, commonly used in finance and healthcare. Green suggests health and sustainability, black signals luxury and sophistication, and yellow conveys optimism and attention-grabbing energy. Even subtle differences in shade can dramatically impact perception. Pastels feel soft and approachable. Bold colors are energetic. And neutrals offer a clean, timeless look.
Color psychology plays a crucial role. It helps in creating emotional connections, building brand recognition, and influencing consumer decisions—often on a subconscious level. How color will be applied across various brand touchpoints, from logos and websites to packaging and marketing materials is important. For example, red or orange call-to-action buttons create urgency, while blue and white backgrounds establish professionalism.
Ultimately, choosing the right color palette is both a psychological and strategic decision. When done thoughtfully, it helps establish a strong, memorable, and emotionally resonant brand that stands out in a competitive market.
Observations:
The original content is still applicable for today. It needed a refresher on use of terms and slight adjustments to changes in color use and perception. But overall, this content, conceptually, needed little work and updating. Some things in branding will remain timeless because human nature, in part, is understandable and easily researchable.
Final Thoughts:
Almost any content, if it has any age, will need adjusting. The amount of adjusting will depend on how evergreen the concepts written are. If the concepts in the original content are still true today, then minor adjustments are needed. Massaging of wording, terms used, and out-dated language are usually the case. Otherwise more work will be required to evaluate and determine what parts, if not all, the concepts need to be reworked, or abandoned altogether. Then research will be needed to replace with corresponding updated and relevant material.