Brand colors
Also called brand color palette, primary color, secondary color
What are brand colors?
Brand colors are the specific colors a business chooses to represent itself and uses consistently across its logo, website, social posts, ads and packaging. They are defined with exact codes (hex and RGB for screens, CMYK or Pantone for print) and usually split into primary, secondary and neutral colors, each with a role.
The primary color is the one people should associate with you. Secondary or accent colors add variety for buttons, highlights and charts. Neutrals (off-whites, grays, near-blacks) carry most text and backgrounds. Together they form the brand color palette.
Color choice is part psychology and part practicality. Associations like blue for trust or green for nature are cultural and loose, so it matters more that colors fit your brand personality, stand out from competitors, and stay readable when text sits on them.
Why brand colors matter
Color is often the first thing people notice and one of the fastest cues for brand recognition. A consistent palette lets followers spot your posts in a feed before they see the logo.
Fixed colors also make production faster and accessible: when text and background pairs are agreed in advance, every post stays readable.
How to choose brand colors
- Write down your personality traits and look at what colors competitors use.
- Pick one primary color that fits and stands out in your category.
- Add one or two accents and two or three neutrals.
- Test text and background pairs for contrast (WCAG AA asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text).
- Record hex, RGB and CMYK codes in your brand kit.
Brand colors example
Primary Coral #E8573F rgb(232, 87, 63)
Accent Sand #F2C879 rgb(242, 200, 121)
Text Ink #1E1B18 rgb(30, 27, 24)
Background Cream #FBF6EF rgb(251, 246, 239)Brand colors FAQ
How many brand colors should you have?
A common setup is one primary color, one or two secondary colors and a few neutrals. Fewer colors are easier to use consistently.
What is a primary brand color?
It is the main color people should associate with your brand, used in the logo and key elements like buttons and headers.
How do I find a brand's hex codes?
Check the brand guidelines first. Otherwise, a browser's developer tools or a color picker can read colors from the website or logo file.
Related terms
A color palette is a defined set of colors chosen to work together in a design or brand, usually with set roles and exact color codes.
Visual identity is the visible side of a brand: logo, colors, typography, imagery, icons and layout rules applied the same way everywhere.
A brand kit is a compact set of a brand's core assets: logo files, colors, fonts and voice notes, ready for anyone making content.
Brand guidelines are a document of rules for using a brand's logo, colors, fonts, imagery and voice so everyone presents it the same way.
Brand recognition is people's ability to identify a brand from cues like its logo, colors or sound, even without seeing the name.
A logo is the graphic mark, name or symbol that identifies a business. It can be a wordmark, a symbol, or both combined.