WELCOME TO

THE COLOUR PALETTE PLAYBOOK

We're so stoked you're here, ready to DIY your colour palette like a pro and launch your brand with a bang!

Keep scrolling for the full colour palette playbook, a step by step guide that will take you through the entire process and end with you having a dope AF colour palette to call your own. Because we LOVE to overdeliver, we've also created a simple Canva template for you to organise your new brand colours, you can access that here.

If you have any questions just hit the chat button, bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

First up, a quick bit on why colour is so important

THE significance  OF Colour Psychology  IN BRANDING CANNOT BE understated. 

Colour psychology aims to understand and explain the intricate relationship between specific colours and the emotional and psychological responses they create. 

Experts suggest that certain colours influence specific behaviours and perceptions in consumers. However, it's worth mentioning that reactions to colours are subjective and that context is important. For example, while some might see red as vibrant and energetic, others could associate it with caution or danger. Factors such as cultural background, age, and gender also play a pivotal role in shaping these perceptions. 

The application of colour psychology isn't straightforward either. No single colour guarantees universal success for a brand - wouldn’t that be nice! However, a poorly chosen colour, or combination of colours, could well result in a brand not resonating with its intended audience. 

Interestingly, we have established strong associations with certain colours over time due to their consistent use by brands, sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, the colour orange, often linked with energy and enthusiasm, might not inherently possess these qualities. Still, its frequent use by brands wanting to convey such messages has solidified this association in consumers' minds. 

So, as we get into this process, remember: it's not just about picking pretty shades. It's about understanding their power, their impact, and how they can help your brand tell its unique story. 


The Psychology of Colours

Now that we've set the stage, let's get into it: the colours themselves. 

Each hue, from the boldest red to the softest lavender, carries its own story, emotion, and power. And understanding these can be the key to crafting a brand that resonates at first glance.

Often a global favourite, blue radiates feelings of trust, wisdom, peace, confidence and calm. Used by Brands like; Merit, Smythson, Warby Parker, Facebook.

BLUE

01.

Bold and fiery, red is all about energy, excitement, passion, strength and action. Used by brands like Target, Pinterest, Netflix, Levis and Coca-Cola that want to evoke excitement.

RED

02.

Think nature, health, growth, rest and tranquillity. Brands like Whole Foods and Athletic Greens use green to align with freshness and organic vibes. It’s also the colour of money so is often used by banks and other financial institutions.

GREEN

03.

The colour of sunshine, joy, inspiration, happiness and optimism. Brands like Bumble, Nikon, IKEA and McDonald's use it to feel inspired and positive. 

YELLOW

04.

Rich and regal, purple speaks of luxury, creativity, wisdom, spirituality and creativity. Brands catering to a more female audience, like Hallmark, Urban Decay, Cadbury’s chocolate often lean into its charm.

PURPLE

05.

Bursting with energy and creativity, orange is warm, optimistic, vibrant and playful. Orange is also a great example of how the same colour can evoke different responses… Think about budget airline Easyjet vs the ultimate luxury brand Hermes.

ORANGE

06.

Fun, sweet, feminine and intuitive. Brands targeting a feminine audience, like Barbie, Kylie Cosmetics, The Skinny Confidential and Cosmopolitan will lean into shades of pink.

PINK

07.

Sleek, sophisticated, powerful, professional and timeless. Brands like Sephora, Net-a-porter and Nike use black to convey style, power and elegance. 

BLACK

08.

Clean, peaceful, pure, fresh and modern. Brands aiming for a minimalist vibe, like The Ordinary and Apple, often go for white. But, it can sometimes feel a little too sterile or empty.

WHITE

09.

Luxury, abundance, opulence, all words associated with gold. Brands wanting to convey the superior quality of their products and their luxury status, like Charlotte Tillbury, Dolce & Gabbana plus Lamborghini and porsche use gold tones.


GOLD

10.

ACCOUNTABILITY

ACTION TAKING

ACHIEVEMENT

ADAPTABILITY

ADVENTURE

AMBITION

AUTHENTICITY

BALANCE

BEAUTY

BELONGING

BEING THE BEST

BOLDNESS

CARING

COLLABORATION

COMMITMENT

COMPASSION

CONFIDENCE

CONNECTION

COURAGE

CREATIVITY

CURIOSITY

DIGNITY

DIVERSITY

ECO-FRIENDLY

EFFICIENCY

EMPOWERMENT

EQUALITY

ETHICS

FAITH

FREEDOM

FRIENDSHIP

FUN

GIVING

GRATITUDE

GROWTH

HEART CENTERED

HONESTY

HUMOUR

HUMAN

HOPE

INDEPENDENCE

INTUITION

INITIATIVE

JOY

JUSTICE

KINDNESS

KNOWLEDGE

LEARNING

LEADERSHIP

LEGACY

LEISURE

LOYALTY

LOVE

MINDFULNESS

NATURE

OPENNESS

OPTIMISM

PATIENCE

PEACE

PRIDE

RELIABILITY

RESOURCEFULNESS

RESPECT

RESPONSIBILITY

RISK TAKING

SAFETY

SELF EXPRESSION

SIMPLICITY

SUCCESS

TEAMWORK

TRANSPARENCY

TRUST

TRAVEL

UNIQUENESS

USEFULNESS

VULNERABILITY

WELLNESS

WISDOM

LET'S GET INTO HOW YOUR BRAND IS PERCEIVED, AKA

YOUR Brand Vibe

From the list below, select 4 to 5 words that best align with your brand values aka what’s important to you and your brand, how you’d like it to be perceived the emotions you’d like it to convey and simply how you want it to show up in the world.

Once you have some clarity on your brand vibe you’ll better be able to see which direction you should be headed in in terms of colour…

Did you choose words like; Simplicity, Balance, Wellness, Peace and Patience? If so you might want to look at more natural, neutral tones.

Or did you select words like; Risk-taking, Bold, Confidence, Leadership, Boldness and Action-taking? If so you’ll want to lean into bolder, brighter, more in-your-face colours.

While it's essential to stand out, being aware of industry colour trends can give you insights into what resonates with your audience. For instance, eco-friendly brands might lean into earthy greens or blues, symbolising nature and trust.

Choosing your brand colours isn't just about vibe and personal preference. It's a blend of intuition, strategy, and a dash of inspiration. 

Considerations: Crafting a Palette with purpose

Here's what to keep in mind:

Industry Trends

It's crucial to differentiate yourself. Take a look at your competitors. What colours are they using? How can you set yourself apart while still feeling relevant?

Competitors Colours

Think about the people you’re hoping to reach, your target audience? Consider colours that resonate with their preferences, lifestyles, and aspirations. Do a little market research, dive into their world and see which hues they're drawn to.

Target Audience

Now that you’re armed with all of this newfound information and clarity around your brand vibe, it’s time to dive into that thing you came here for, the Colour Palette Library.

Below you’ll find 75+ carefully created colour combos that you can use for your brand.

ok...

WHAT NEXT?

You might be tempted to combine two or more of the colour combos above. Our recommendation? Keep it simple. The key to making DIY'ed anything look elevated is to not overcomplicate or overcompensate. 

The two colours you choose will make up your primary and secondary brand colours. Which is which is totally up to you, however for the combinations with a brighter colour or neon pop, we'd recommend that being your secondary colour - it will be perfect for CTA buttons or to highlight important info.

Once you have your favourite colour combo selected we're going to quickly and easily expand the colour palette into something more internet friendly using a couple of handy free tools.

BUILDING OUT THE PALETTE

EXPANDING YOUR colour palette AND WHY IT matters

A common pitfall to avoid is using colours for backgrounds and text that are too similar in tone. Not only does this look low quality and is an instant giveaway that your brand is DIY’d and not designer-made, it can also make content difficult to read, especially for those with colour vision deficiencies.

It's worth mentioning that just because we've paired colours together as ideal primary and secondary palette combinations it doesn't necessarily mean that they should be used together for text and background. If you're not sure whether or not a text-background combination is accessible you can check (for free) here.

DEEPEN with shades AND ELEVATE with tints

Once you've chosen your colour combo, head over to Make Tints and Shades. Paste in your primary colour hex code into the grey box and click ‘make tints and shades’. Below that, you’ll see two rows of colours pop up, shades on top and tints below (see image below for reference).

Shades (the top row) is where you’ll select a dark shade from your primary colour, ideally either 70%, 80% or 90% simply click on your preferred option to copy the hex code. This shade will serve as a text colour, offering an on-brand and slightly softer alternative to jet black.

Next up, from the second row, create two tints of your primary colour:

First, a medium tint that backs up your primary colour and adds a touch of softness, ideally any tint between 50% and 80%.

Then, a super pale tint that can act as an on-brand alternative to white, ideally 90%. This tint will also complement white, offering subtle variations between background sections on your website. 

The RESULT? AN elevated  FEEL THAT ADDS branded layers TO YOUR digital presence.

Now for an example, so you can see what's what! Check it out, a show stopping 6 colour palette we created in literally seconds (!) from one of the colour combos above plus additional tints and shades.

Zero time spent worrying about whether or not the colours match or if they'll work together. The most foolproof way, in our opinion, to DIY your colour palette and elevate your brand right from the get-go!

USING THE PALETTE ON ONE OF OUR WEBSITE TEMPLATES, WILDA

06. Primary Shade @ 80%

#192025

05. Pure White

#FFFFFF

#F2F6F8

04. Primary Tint @ 90%

03. Primary Tint @ 60%

#CAD9E4

02. Secondary Colour

#F6F70F

01. Primary Colour

#7BA1BB

THE BREAKDOWN

COLOUR PALETTE

USING YOUR NEW BRAND COLOURS WELL

Alright, you've crafted a colour palette that's pure magic. Now, it's time to weave that magic into every corner of your brand. Let's talk about the art of implementation.

Consistency: Your Brand's Best Friend

Imagine meeting someone who changes their personality every time you see them. Confusing, right? Inconsistency in your brand's colours can have a similar effect. Here's why consistency is key:

• Trust Building: When your audience sees the same colours across all your touchpoints, it builds trust. They know what to expect, and that familiarity breeds comfort and loyalty.
• Recognition: Over time, consistent use of your colour palette will make your brand instantly recognizable. Before they even see your logo or name, they'll know it's you or, if it’s the same colour used by someone else, they’ll be reminded of you - even better!
• Professionalism: A consistent colour palette screams professionalism. It shows you're serious about your brand and have invested time and thought into its presentation.

Need somewhere to store your new colour palette and colour codes, etc? We've got just the free Canva template for you!
Click here to access

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