young man closing his eyes and lying in a field of green grass
Color Psychology: Green
August 1, 2020
businesswoman smiling while on the phone, standing in front of a pink background
Color Psychology: Pink
August 1, 2020

August 1, 2020

Color Psychology: Purple


If you want to position your brand as creative or prestigious, purple may be a great option for you. But some consumers think of overindulgence or excess when they see too much purple.

In this post, you’ll learn about emotions we typically feel when we see purple. You can also explore when purple is effective in branding — and when it can go wrong. Finally, we’ve included links to brands that use the color in their logos and designs.

Personality & Emotions

Purple is a blend of red’s energy and blue’s calm. The color calms the mind and nerves, but it can also bring joy and trigger creativity. Purple has long represented royalty and sophistication, but it’s begun to lend itself toward artistic, creative brands as well. Thus, businesses can use purple shades in a variety of industries, from beauty and anti-aging products to art institutes.

When to Use Purple

If you want to position your brand as prestigious, purple may be your most effective brand color. It used to be one of the most expensive colors to produce, and purple’s connotation of royalty still remains to some extent. Creative problem-solving companies can also brand with purple. If you’re new to the community or looking for a way to stand out in your industry, incorporating this unique color will help!

When to Avoid Purple

If your business serves a lower-income demographic, it may be smart to avoid branding with too much purple. Because the color symbolizes royalty, some people associate purple with excess or extravagance. If you do choose purple as a brand color, it may be best as an accent to a more primary color. Traditionally masculine brands (such as testosterone therapy clinics) may want to stay away from the color since purple shades lean toward a feminine connotation.

Strategic Brand Examples

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Treefrog Marketing is an agency in Lafayette, Indiana focused on small business. We specialize in strategic marketing and advertising, graphic design, web design, social media, SEO, and more. For more information, please visit our website. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Leverage Kelly’s marketing experience, insights, and leadership to grow your business.

As the founder and chief marketing strategist at Treefrog Marketing, a co-host of the Priority Pursuit Podcast, a StoryBrand Certified Guide, and fractional chief marketing officer, Kelly Rice has spent more than two decades helping small businesses take their companies to the next level by providing trustworthy leadership and building effective marketing strategies and systems.

She has dedicated her career to helping small businesses succeed because she knows, firsthand, how hard they work to make their communities a better place. 

Still, many people undervalue the strength and ingenuity of small businesses, but not Kelly. She believes they deserve to have a marketing partner and strategy that works as hard as they do.

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