Choosing Colors and Branding for Your Gift Shop

Selecting the right colors for your brand is critical to reinforcing your store’s image. Once you’ve defined what makes your store unique, it’s time to build a brand around it that supports every touchpoint. Your logo, office, storefront, website, packaging, and staff apparel are just some of the places where your logo and palette must be consistent.

The colors you use subtly but powerfully reinforce your image. Visual factors (over all other senses) are the most important when shoppers scan storefronts and websites. Color increases brand recognition by 80%. Because shoppers see so many brands each minute, they make a subconscious judgment within seconds about brands, products, and stores. Colors also act as instant memory joggers. Let me prove it: If I said the orange home improvement store, which one do you think of? What if I said the blue one? Colors are important to your brand.

If you’re considering a brand refresh, here’s guidance about color.

Red	Emotions: excitement, young, passion, courage Use: to create shopper urgency, high visibility for critical elements, connotes “sale” in retail icons
Orange	Emotions: enthusiasm, happiness, friendly, Use: communicate fun and playfulness, stimulates mental activity, bright = call to action, light = upscale
Yellow	Emotions: cheerful, high energy, spontaneous Use: Communicate optimism & positivity, fun & happiness, warmth
Green	Emotions: health, freshness, wealth, serenity Use: Communicate relaxation, eco-consciousness, money, growth
Blue	Emotions: trust, dependability, security, responsibility Use: high-tech, calm, and intellectual, strong (the most popular brand color)
Purple	Emotions: noble, mysterious, wise, spiritual Use: communicates creativity, can skew female in lighter shades, the calm of blue – but more fun