Colours of Marketing – blue is the most used colour in branding globally
From the inviting blue of the ocean to the crisp blue of the sky on a clear autumn day, blue is one of those colours which has the power to evoke strong feelings of security, comfort and joy. So it is no surprise it is used liberally by marketers in branding and logos, especially for companies which want to be seen as professional and trusted.
Adobe says that “blue is the most popular colour choice for the top brands”.
“It is thought to put people at ease, as it reminds them of the sky and the ocean,” Adobe continues. “Blue is also associated with trust, security and confidence which make a great combination for the brands that want these elements in their message.”
European brand company Get Hooked states that blue is frequently used by companies which want to “appear serious, businesslike and professional”.
“Blue radiates trust, honesty and reliability,” Get Hooked says. “This color thus contributes to building customer loyalty. The professionalism that is often associated with blue is because it is an objective, calm and analytical color.
“That is why you see that this color is often used by companies and brands that want to emphasize their systematic qualities.”
This is almost certainly the case for organisations we willingly give our data over to including finance behemoths Visa, American Express, PayPal and Australian bank ANZ and tech companies
Samsung, HP, Phillips, IBM, Dell.
Blue is also a colour strongly associated with communication so is a clear choice for telecommunications and social media organisations such as Telstra, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Vimeo, Skype and Zoom.
Oberlo points out that blue is so trusted, “some retailers add their guarantee, trust certification or free shipping icons in a blue color to strengthen the trust aspect the color is known for”.
Ignyte agrees with this saying the dominant qualities attributed to blue include trust, loyalty, security, serenity and logic.
For some brands, the reason blue is used in their marketing is immediately apparent such as The Royal Australian Navy (nothing says water quite like blue), and non-profit groups Beyond Blue which raises awareness around depression and Lifeline which supports those most in need.
Blue is also often used by political parties including Australia’s conservative Liberal Party – interestingly, the Australian Labor Party had blue as its primary or secondary colour in branding in the 70s, 80s and 90s before adopting just red in the 2000s.
Other large companies to adopt blue colours in marketing and branding include car brands Ford and VW, tyre company Michelin, paint maker Dulux and customer loyalty organisation Flybuys.
Also jumping on blue for branding are Australian department store Big W, beverage company Pepsi, dental hygiene’s Oral-B and broadcaster Channel Nine.
Next time you hit a shopping strip or centre, take a few seconds to note which companies use blue in their branding. Chances are you will be surprised at how frequently it appears – likely much more than any other colour.
And ask yourself if it makes you feel the company is trusted, secure, professional and reliable.