The Colour of Money: Branding and Finance

Oscar Wilde once said, “mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways”. In the financial sector, which has long struggled to win the trust of its customers, colour becomes a valuable asset to help brands speak to their audience.

Perceptions of colour

Research by Color Communications Inc found that people make subconscious judgements about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing – and between 60-90% of those snap judgements are based on colour alone. Clearly, colours play a pivotal role in shaping brand perception. With this in mind, we studied the brand colours of over 80 top banks, investment firms, and insurers.

Our findings support the long-held view that blue is the go-to colour for finance brands. Often thought to signify trustworthiness, blue featured in 56% of brand logos, with 35% using it as their main colour. Red followed, featuring in 41% of brand logos. 35% chose it as their main colour – the same percentage as blue.

At the other end of the scale, however, the least commonly used colours were purple, pink, and orange. Only 1% of brands analysed used any of these. So, for companies looking to shake things up in the financial sector, there is a clear opportunity to convey this attitude through their brand; specifically, the colours they choose.

Rebranding Yoyo

We were presented with this very opportunity when Yoyo approached us for a rebrand. Founded on a mission to disrupt the payments sector, they needed a way to signify their difference from the crowd. We developed a uniquely vivid and fun brand that would stand out in the financial sector and beyond; a large part of this was down to colour. Yoyo embraced the disruptive potential of fuchsia and violet in their branding, two colours seldom seen in financial companies.

We designed and built a bold new website incorporating the vivid pink and purple colour palette, alongside an eye-catching icon. The overall effect was a playful, striking identity that really emphasised the unique energy, values, and ethos of Yoyo as a brand and company.

Interested in how we can elevate your brand? Drop us an email on hello@steve-edge.com.