 |
Time to "get Over" the Rainbow (in Your Logo, That Is)
Author: Erin Ferree  | Posted: 02-04-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 1 | Rating: (50)  (?) 
Ah, rainbows. They're beautiful things, stretching across the sky, like Mother Nature apologizing for wet, nasty weather. It's no wonder that so many people love them.
But, love can quickly turn to hate if you use a many-colored palette in your business brand.
Rainbows belong in the sky?far away from your small business
Rainbows are wonderful, but if you try to bring that natural beauty into your logo with tons of color, you'll be setting yourself up for unnatural disasters.
Here are just a few of the problems that await you:
Rainbows confuse the message that your color palette is trying to communicate. The job of your logo's color palette is to communicate some of the elements of your brand's personality. Colors each have a psychological meaning?for example, green for health, blue for trust and comfort, orange for speed and energy. The colors in your logo should capitalize on these meanings and help tell your prospects the story of your business. If you use a whole rainbow of colors in your logo, then any potential meaning gets lost in the confusion. Your logo will communicate more clearly if you concentrate on just a few colors?2 or 3 at most?and if you make sure to choose those colors for their psychological factors.
Rainbows lack sophistication. Many small businesses are creating their brands to make themselves look "like a real business" and to demonstrate their expertise. Considering a rainbow color palette for your logo just sabotages those goals. Why? Well, rainbow colors are often associated with children's products or fun, frivolous companies?like party supply stores. Unless you're going for an unsophisticated look in your materials as a part of your brand definition, leave the rainbows out.
Rainbows are pretty. What seems to be an argument in favor of rainbows is actually one of the biggest arguments against them. Your business brand should be much more than pretty?it should be meaningful, memorable and credible. Using a rainbow takes the focus off of communicating these desirable attributes and instead emphasizes the color palette itself. Basically, you're distracting your customer with pretty colors.
Printing becomes tricky. Even though good quality, full-color digital printing is readily available for some marketing materials, that isn't the case for everything. You can print your business cards, brochures and flyers digitally and get great results with multiple colors for very little money. But, digitally printing letterhead and envelopes usually doesn't produce good quality materials. Digital printers often use flimsy paper. As being able to choose paper colors other than dull white, fuggadaboutit.
Also, some marketing pieces just can't be printed digitally?such as promotional items, which are charged on a per-color basis. Choosing to print a wide range of colors on these materials can make them cost far too much to produce.
So, let the rainbows stay in the sky. Keep them off your company's logo, and it will be that much stronger.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/time-to-quotget-overquot-the-rainbow-in-your-logo-that-is-376812.html
 About the Author:Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand out in front of their competition and attract more clients. Her "Define Your Difference Branding Workbook" will help you with your brand definition - the most important step in the logo design process.
http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
State law vs Local Ordinance
By: Baby | 29-09-2008
In the state of Washingon do state laws always supersede local ordinances? Can there be exceptions?
Can the order given by a mother to her children or ...
By: mumu | 29-09-2008
Can the order given by a mother to her children or by a mafia boss to his affiliates be considered as a legal order?
Developer/Home Builder is currently under contract ...
By: Help in SD | 29-09-2008
Developer/Home Builder is currently under contract to build a home on lot next to mine. They have brought in trucks and trucks of dirt building the dirt of that lot 3-4 feet higher than mine. Needless to say, the dirt falls onto my sod and sprinklers. We asked them to stop. We demanded they stop. We're screaming for them to stop since each time it rains, the rain water has brought the mud down hill to cover our property. To top it all off, this has formed a bowl(6'x10'x8"d, so far)into our property(sprinkler and sod) that not only is our property not drining as it was, water is finding new places to drain (toward our foundation and garden windows). Yes, I know I need a lawyer. But, why should I have to come out of pocket to build retaining wall..obviously needed, when we planned to have a wrought iron fence around property? Our property was the first ever built here and the Spec Home (still the most expensive) and they are trashing my property! Help from anyone knowing laws, having this happen to them, knowing the ins and outs of builders' dirty little secrets as to doing this. City is NO help what-so-ever! Engineering shovels you to a civil lawyer, Building Inspectors shovel you to engineering, all the while city codes go ignored and not enforced! In need of help in SD, please!
Making a blouse colorfast
By: Nyssa | 29-09-2008
I have a red blouse that stains everything pink! It's been washed maybe half a dozen times already, but it still stains everything else in the wash, the bra I wear it with, my skin, and even the top of my jeans. Is there anything I can do to help make this shirt more colorfast?
Amethyst 620 handset
By: roper | 29-09-2008
Neen internal dbtel handset
What jobs can i apply for with a edexcel level3 ...
By: sally | 28-09-2008
what jobs can i apply for with a edexcel level3 btec national award in art and design
Q&A Powered by: 
Latest Business Articles
Ordinary Business Life Insurance
By: Sarah Martin | 11/10/2008
Ordinary Business Life Insurance
The ordinary business Metropolitan Life Insurance Company prospered anew soon after 1892. This new lease on life was due not only to the low cost of the contracts, but also, in large measure, to the wide variety of plans available and to the many liberal features Mr....
A Review of the WT Powers Income Opportunity
By: Brian Garvin | 11/10/2008
The WT Powers income opportunity is huge because you have access to so many tools and resources which ensure your success. You can have access to state-of-the-art websites, marketing tools, and business management tools.
The websites that you can have access to include a professional website that can be personalized...
A Review of the World Wide Scam Network
By: Brian Garvin | 11/10/2008
If you are getting involved in the world of network marketing, one thing that you know you need is good information. Good information is surprisingly hard to come by on the internet and sometimes it seems that everyone's selling something and no one's talking about what really works. ...
A Review of the WorldVentures Income Opportunity
By: Brian Garvin | 11/10/2008
Traveling is something that people do everyday all the time. When making their travel arrangements it is now easier to make the arrangements online instead of traveling to a travel agency to make the arrangements. When you visit a travel agency, online or at a store, there are several different...
The One Self-sabotaging Thing You Do Every Day That Keeps You From Making 7-figures in Your Business
By: Fabienne Fredrickson | 11/10/2008
I've been hearing this one question a lot recently: "What did you actually DO to multiply your income so quickly? Can I do it too?" The answer is "Yes" and it's important to realize that it comes down to several things surrounding marketing. But, believe it or not, those are actually the easy part, because you can be shown exactly how to do this.
A Review of the World Lottery Syndicates Income Opportunity
By: Brian Garvin | 11/10/2008
Would you like to improve your chances of winning the lottery? Joining World Lottery Syndicates is the best way to do it and you will be glad you did. There is no better way to increase your chances of winning millions from the lottery then by joining World Lottery...
A Review of the Wholefood Farmacy Income Opportunity
By: Brian Garvin | 10/10/2008
In a world of uncertain meals, people are finding that they are less healthy due to fast consumption of foods and how the foods were processed and prepared. Because of the busy lifestyle the food chain has become less clean and healthy and more fast and simple. This type of...
A Review of the Wealthy Marketer Income Opportunity
By: Brian Garvin | 10/10/2008
Many of the people who get involved in network marketing are usually considered at least a little unorthodox by the people around them. They tend to be more prone to take risks and more interested in high payoffs, and this is exactly what Wealthy Marketer taps in to. ...
More from Erin Ferree
The 4 Jobs of Your Logo Font
By: Erin Ferree | 18/09/2008 | Business
Many entrepreneurs think that the font for their business name is like a trophy wife
The 6 Jobs of Your Logo's Icon
By: Erin Ferree | 16/09/2008 | Business
This is a case of the icon's job description not being well written. In a perfect world, entrepreneurs love their logo icons
Designing Temporary Materials to Get You Through a Branding Emergency
By: Erin Ferree | 15/09/2008 | Business
What if your urgent problem is that you have no marketing materials for your business? Having something to market your business with is better than nothing. In some cases, it might even help you get to the next step in your brand.
Branding is Like a Fairy Tale..
By: Erin Ferree | 14/09/2008 | Business
It may not seem like the story of Little Red Riding Hood has much of a parallel to your business's brand. But, a good brand can be a lot like a story. Instead of being a story of a little girl going on a journey, and overcoming different challenges, the brand is the story of how you take your customer from just learning about your business to becoming a customer.
How to Avoid Having Two Separate Businesses to Market Even if You Offer Two Services
By: Erin Ferree | 14/09/2008 | Business
I get a lot of questions from small business owners who have two major problems they solve or two services they offer in one business. I'm not really sure why this is so prevalent
The Three-part Harmony in Your Logo
By: Erin Ferree | 13/09/2008 | Business
Just as a harmonized song is made up of a set of three notes, every small business's logo should be made up of three pieces of art: the icon, the font, and the color palette. These three pieces all work together, singing the same basic song, to tell your business's story. In your logo, each of them gives you an opportunity to build in meaning and symbolism.
The Four Red Light Factors for Your Business Brand
By: Erin Ferree | 12/09/2008 | Business
Making decisions about the 4 following Brand Definition factors does make you stop and wait a bit but ensures that you proceed through the branding process safely and create a brand that will help your business to reach its goals safely and comfortably.
Where to Put Your Contact Info on a Trifold Brochure
By: Erin Ferree | 06/05/2008 | Business
When you're designing a trifold brochure, you have to put your contact information someplace on the brochure. The only question is, where?
|
|
Business 
