Color Palette Trends: Branding Edition | Should Your Brand Colors Be Trendy?

Every business runs into the same fork in the road at some point in their brand design journey: do you want to stay consistent, or stay relevant? 

Let’s talk about this in the context of color palettes, because that’s one of the first things that determines how a client ~feels~ about your brand. As a brand designer, I know there’s a tricky balance on if your brand colors should be trendy or not, and the question isn't if you should care about color trends, but how much they should influence your decisions.

What Factors Go Into Choosing Brand Colors? 

Colors matter to your brand, like… A lot. 

They’re one of the most powerful, meaningful psychological tools in marketing. They determine how your client feels (calm? happy? inspired?) before they’ve even made a logical decision on what they think of your brand. And as a brand designer who is all about making your brand a whole experience, I put a huge focus on your color palette. 

Using Color Psychology in Your Brand Color Palette

Before we get into color palette trends (and if you should give into them or not), let’s chat a little about color psychology, because that’s what our wholeee strategy will be rooted in. 

Here’s an overview of what kind of energies different colors signal to potential customers: 

• Reds: fire + energy
• Blues: chill + laidback
• Yellows: bubbly + excited
• Greens: organic + grounded
• Oranges: confidence + courage
• Purples: luxury + sophistication 

Of course, different hues and tones play into how different colors feel, and you can’t just start willy-nilly throwing around colors because you want to make a brand that feels exciting but also luxurious but also organic. These are just the building blocks that our strategy is based on! 

Using Trendy Brand Colors: Everything to Know

So… Should you use trendy colors for your brand color palette?

Here’s the thing: colors that feel "fresh" attract attention; colors that feel "dated" quietly erode trust. So how do you find that happy middle ground? 

Here are a few things to consider when building a brand color palette: 

• Does this color align with who we are as a brand? 
• Will this feel right in 3-5 years? 
• How will our audience react?

At the end of the day, your brand colors should be chosen by carefully-curated strategy, not by what’s trending on Pinterest. The best brand color palettes will both feel true to your brand story and stand the test of time. Trend-led color choices can date a brand faster than they elevate it, trust me. 

How a Brand Designer Can Help Pick Your Brand Colors | Early Object

Great brand color strategy is anchored in identity, informed by culture, and will always work for you. And as a brand designer, that’s how I help my clients choose colors that not only look nice, but also attract dream clients! If you’re still feeling stuck, let’s talk.