Psychology & Meaning of Brand Colours – Orange Edition

Orange is a popular colour in branding due to the sense of energy it conveys. But are you using it correctly? Choosing your main marketing colours is an important step in your brand design that should be taken seriously. Customers are quick to make assumptions about your business based on your logo and the way it makes them feel. So, if you’ve chosen orange for your brand, are you conveying the right message?  

Learn more about what the colour orange means for business and how it affects your customers, then read to the end for our list of popular orange promotional products. 

What Does the Colour Orange Represent?

Not quite as bright as yellow, but more vibrant than red, the colour orange represents energy, achievement, optimism and boldness. Found in citrus fruits, it connotes a sense of freshness that many food brands take advantage of. Because of its eye-catching quality, you’ll also find it used frequently in the world of traffic safety, caution signs and hunting safety vests. 

Just like other colours in marketing,  different shades of orange can give different impressions. For example, a lighter orange gives off a more joyful, youthful aesthetic, and is also popular with tropical themes. A pastel orange creates a more subtle sense of gentleness, warmth and creativity. A darker orange offers a warm, earthy aesthetic, signifying strength and trust. This hue works perfectly with autumnal colour schemes, creative services and exercise brands.  

What Types of Businesses Should Use Orange?

Orange is a versatile accent colour that fits well with a wide variety of colour schemes, but can be overpowering as a central brand colour. This means that if you’re planning to use orange as your primary brand colour, or in a monochrome design, you need to be ready to get a lot of attention! Here are a few industries that can do well harnessing the power of orange: 

• Gyms, Exercise & Outdoor Activity Brands: Because orange conveys a sense of explosive power, it’s the perfect promoter for brands that want to show strength and energy. Using it with your exercise promotions also transfers that sense of power to customers whenever they wear your promotional clothing and accessories.

• Food Brands: Because of its high-energy associations, orange is popular with fast-food brands. Orange also carries the same appetite-stimulating qualities as red, making it perfect for promoting savoury foods.

• Security Brands: Thanks to its connotations with caution and safety, orange is a great colour for promoting security. Its high-energy vibe is great for standing out from the competition. It also inspires confidence and trust from your customers.

• Creative Services: Orange is all about pushing boundaries and exuding wild energy, so it can be a great fit for creative businesses. Artistic brands can benefit greatly using orange to both capture customer attention and get them excited about their products.

However, not everyone should be using orange in their branding. For example, in marketing colour psychology, orange is often used for promoting sales, and has developed a connotation with discounts and affordability. If your products are more premium, then using too much orange could give the wrong impression and put off potential customers. 

The colour orange also creates feelings of high energy and risk, which does not pair well with brands focused on being calm, relaxed or quiet. Similarly, the impulsive nature of orange won’t complement logic-focused or intellectual brands. 

Our Favourite Orange Promotional Products

Ready to catch your customers’ attention with the explosive power of orange colour psychology? Here are some of our favourite orange branded products. 

Bright Alpha Soft Touch Pen with Stylus 

While many of our popular pens come in orange, this one truly captures the spirit of the colour with its high-energy accents and sleek design. Share as part of your next big promotion, or stock up your front desk for a customer keepsake that catches their attention with every use. 

Full Colour 500 ml Utah Recycled Plastic Water Bottle   

Energetic brands need to keep their audience hydrated! These lightweight, travel-friendly water bottles are the perfect gifts to for customers on the go. You can share them as part of a gym membership, or share at trade shows, conventions and sales presentations. 

Budget Shopper RPET Tote 

Perfect for promotional events or trade show goodie bags, this brightly coloured tote is sure to become a customer favourite. Its deep orange colour offers a smart, earthy style that customers will love carrying around, putting your brand on display every time they shop. 

Full Colour Shoop Drawstring Bag 

High-energy marketing means offering gifts that can keep up with your customers! This drawstring bag is lightweight, sturdy and stylish. Customers can take it on their next outdoor run or bike ride, offering safety from cars thanks to its vibrant, bold colour. This pack is also perfect for use at college campuses, theme parks and sports camps. 

Engraved Tao Bottle & Can Opener Keyring 

Keyrings are a great way to keep your logo close to your customers. Plus, a bottle and can opener is a great way to take advantage of orange’s appetite-stimulating properties. This custom-engraved gift is ideal for drink brands, venues and anyone else who wants to associate their logo with a good time. 

Sandy UV-Protected Sunglasses 

What goes better with the summer sun than a pair of orange sunglasses? With your logo printed stylishly on the side, these sunglasses promote your brand while building memories alongside your customers. 

Want to find more orange products? You can use our page filters to search our promotional products by colour, brand and material to fit your style.  

Sources:

https://www.ukpos.com/knowledge-hub/how-colour-affects-consumer-behaviour

https://www.figma.com/colors/pastel-orange