Choose a brand color: based on industry or emotions?
Industry color conventions are a starting point, not a definitive end. The brand's personality is what truly matters.
Choose a brand color by first determining the personality and positioning, then cross-referencing industry conventions to decide whether to follow or diverge. Industry conventions help build trust quickly when the brand is new, but if the industry has saturated a particular color, diverging for clear reasons can be advantageous. No color is absolutely good or bad; it only matters if it aligns with the specific message and audience.
Brand colors are not a matter of aesthetic taste or industry trends. It is a strategic decision: colors evoke emotions in customers from the very first moment they see the brand, even before they read a single word. Choosing incorrectly can lead to a loss of trust or blending in with the crowd. Choosing correctly makes the color an identifiable asset that needs no explanation.
The first step: brand personality, not the industry
Before selecting a color palette, you need to answer a foundational question: what personality does this brand have? Is it premium and distant, or friendly and approachable? Bold and unconventional, or classic and trustworthy? That answer will narrow down the suitable color range before you consider any industry conventions.
Sinh Vũ never opens the color palette before establishing the brand personality on paper. Without a defined personality as an anchor, color selection will be influenced by the personal tastes of those in the room, which is the most common reason why brand colors do not align with everything else.
According to Nielsen Norman Group, color is a strategic tool, not decoration: color must resonate with brand values and intentionally guide the viewer's emotions.
Industry color conventions: follow or separate?
Industry color conventions exist for practical reasons: blue is associated with finance because it evokes stability and trust; green is linked to health and nature; black and gold are associated with luxury. These conventions have been established by the market over decades, allowing customers to immediately understand what you are selling.
By industry convention suitable when the brand is still new, lacks credibility, and needs to gain customer trust quickly. Particularly true for finance, healthcare, and education, where customers prioritize safety over novelty.
Separate from industry conventions when the industry has saturated a color tone and your brand has a clearly differentiated positioning. A typical example is digital banks choosing warm colors instead of traditional blue, as they sell a youthful and convenient experience, not conservatism.
The key point: separating color from industry conventions must have a reason rooted in positioning, not just for the sake of being different. Difference without reason is a risk; difference with foundation is an advantage.
Vietnamese cultural context: do not overlook
The meaning of colors is not universal. White in the West is associated with purity and high minimalism, but in Vietnamese culture, it still carries connotations of mourning in some contexts. Red evokes luck and energy during Tet celebrations but can be overly stimulating if used as the primary color for a brand that requires calmness.
If your brand sells to domestic consumers, this is a layer of context that cannot be overlooked. Sinh Vũ always questions cultural context when working with brands targeting the Vietnamese market, as a beautiful color on a moodboard may lead to unnecessary misunderstandings in reality.
There is no color that is absolutely good or bad, only colors that are suitable or not for the specific message and audience.
Nielsen Norman Group, Using Color to Enhance Your Design
Common mistakes when choosing colors
- Choose colors based on the business owner's personal taste: the color you like may not be the one that resonates well with your target customers. The decision-makers in the meeting room are not the same as the buyers out there.
- Color locking based solely on screens: Colors displayed on screens use the RGB system, while printing uses CMYK or Pantone (industrial standard color systems). These two systems are not equivalent, and colors can easily shift when printed on kraft paper, fabric, or outdoor signage.
- Copying the colors of leading competitors: It seems safe because customers are familiar with it, but in reality, it makes you invisible. Customers cannot distinguish you from anyone else.
- Skip the color of direct competitors: in contrast to the previous mistake, some brands choose attractive colors but overlap with competitors in the same segment, leading to unnecessary confusion in customers' minds.
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
Sinh Vũ's process follows a fixed order: defining the brand personality first, then building the color palette, and testing colors on the actual materials of that brand, not just on screen. A brand selling products in kraft paper packaging needs to test colors on kraft paper. A brand with retail points needs to test colors on outdoor signage in both daylight and nighttime.
A beautiful color on a mood board that fails on real materials wastes all the effort put into building the identity. That’s why Sinh Vũ does not finalize the color palette until it has seen the color perform well in the brand's actual environment.
Decision checklist
Topic: Choosing brand colors based on industry and desired emotions. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Nielsen Norman Group, Using Color to Enhance Your Design. Practical experience through various brand projects by Sinh Vũ Studio.
Frequently asked questions
In my industry, everyone uses blue; should I follow?
The more relevant question is: do you want to build trust quickly or stand out right from the start? If the brand is new and customers need to trust before purchasing, following industry color conventions is a safe and reasonable approach. If the industry is saturated and you have a clear differentiation, separating colors is an opportunity, not a risk. The important thing is that the reason for separation must stem from the brand's personality, not just because you are tired of blue.
What to do if the color looks good on screen but is off when printed?
This is a common technical error when color locking is based solely on the screen. Colors displayed on screens use the RGB system, while printing uses CMYK or Pantone, which are not equivalent. Sinh Vũ always tests colors directly on the brand's actual materials, such as kraft paper, fabric, or signage, before locking the official color palette. You should ask the designer to provide Pantone or CMYK color codes along with HEX codes to avoid this issue.