# How to Choose Brand Colours

Source: https://dijitulmedia.co.uk/guides/choosing-brand-colours/
Updated: 2026-10-12

> Choose brand colours by starting with one main colour that suits your audience and stands apart from competitors, adding one or two supporting colours and neutrals, then defining each in Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HEX and checking contrast for readability. dijitul builds tested colour palettes as part of brand identity packs from £395 + VAT.

## Key facts

- Most palettes need one primary colour, one or two secondary colours and neutrals
- Define every colour in Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HEX
- Some bright RGB screen colours cannot be printed in CMYK
- WCAG 2.2 asks for 4.5:1 contrast for normal text and 3:1 for large text
- Colour Blind Awareness says about 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are colour blind
- Test colours on real items, not just a screen

## Start with your market, not your favourite colour

The most useful first step is to look at your competitors. Lay their logos, vans, websites and packaging side by side. If every local electrician uses blue and yellow, a different main colour helps you stand out on a street of vans or a page of search results. If a colour is strongly tied to a market leader, avoiding it reduces the risk of looking like a copy.

Then think about your customers and what they need to feel. Colour associations vary by culture and context, so treat any "green means calm" chart as a loose guide. What matters more is whether the palette feels right for your price point and sector: a premium spa and a discount tyre centre should not look the same.

## Building a palette

- **Primary colour**: the one people should associate with you. Used for the logo and key moments, not everywhere.
- **Secondary colours**: one or two that work alongside it for headings, icons and backgrounds.
- **Accent**: an optional bright colour for buttons and calls to action.
- **Neutrals**: a dark grey or near-black for text, plus light greys or off-whites for backgrounds. These do most of the work on a page.

A common mistake is choosing five equally strong colours. That makes every layout look busy. A simple rule of thumb is that neutrals cover most of the space, the primary colour a smaller share, and the accent only small touches.

## Print vs screen: Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HEX

The same colour has to be described differently for each medium:

| System | Used for |

| Pantone (PMS) | Exact spot colour matching on stationery, packaging, signage and merchandise |
| CMYK | Standard four-colour print: leaflets, brochures, business cards |
| RGB | Screens, video, presentations |
| HEX | Websites and digital tools (an RGB colour written as a code, such as #1A5E8C) |

Screens can show brighter colours than CMYK ink can print. Vivid greens, electric blues and neon oranges often print dull. Choose your colours knowing the print version, not just the screen version, and check each one on a printed proof. Our guide to logo file formats explains which file uses which colour mode.

## Accessibility and contrast

Brand colours have to be readable. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) ask for a contrast ratio of at least **4.5:1** for normal text and **3:1** for large text against its background. Many pale brand colours fail this for text, so define which combinations are allowed for text and which are only for decoration.

Colour blindness matters too. Colour Blind Awareness, the UK organisation, says about 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are colour blind. Red and green are the most commonly confused, so never rely on colour alone to carry meaning, for example in charts or in-stock and out-of-stock labels. Add icons, labels or patterns.

## Testing before you commit

- Mock up a business card, a social post, a van side and a web page in the palette.
- Print the mock-ups on the paper you will use; uncoated paper makes colours look softer.
- Check the logo in single colour and reversed out of the primary colour.
- Run text colour pairs through a contrast checker.
- Look at the colours on a cheap phone screen as well as a good monitor.

Once settled, record every value in your brand guidelines so printers, sign makers and web developers all use the same numbers.

## When to call dijitul

dijitul builds colour palettes as part of our brand identity packs from £395 + VAT, defining every colour in Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HEX, with contrast-checked text combinations. If you only need a palette for an existing logo, we can quote it or work at £45 an hour + VAT. Read what is a brand identity or request a quote.

## FAQs

### How many brand colours should a business have?

Most businesses work well with one primary colour, one or two secondary colours, an optional accent, and neutrals for text and backgrounds. More than that tends to make layouts look busy and inconsistent. dijitul defines this as part of brand identity packs from £395 + VAT.

### Why do my brand colours look different in print?

Screens use RGB light and printers use CMYK ink, and CMYK cannot reproduce some bright screen colours. Paper type changes colour too. Define a proper CMYK version and a Pantone reference for each brand colour and check printed proofs.

### Do I need Pantone colours?

If you print stationery, packaging, signage or merchandise where colour must match exactly every time, yes. Pantone spot colours are mixed to a standard recipe. For everyday CMYK print and digital use, CMYK, RGB and HEX values are enough.

### What colour contrast is needed for accessibility?

WCAG 2.2 asks for at least 4.5:1 contrast between normal text and its background, and 3:1 for large text. Light brand colours often fail for text, so brand guidelines should say which colour pairs can be used for text and which are decorative only.

### Can you match my brand colour from an old logo?

Yes. dijitul can sample colours from existing artwork, signage or printed items, then define accurate Pantone, CMYK, RGB and HEX values so future work matches. Small jobs like this are charged at £45 an hour + VAT.

### Does colour psychology matter for branding?

A little, but less than people think. Associations vary by culture, sector and context. Standing apart from competitors, suiting your price point, and being readable matter more than any colour meaning chart.

## Prices and contact

Prices (all from, + VAT): Logo design £150; Brand identity pack £395; Business cards or letterhead £75; Flyer or leaflet £95; Brochure £295; Social media graphics pack £99; Photography, half day £295; Photography, full day £495; Product photography £25 per image; Video £695; 2D/3D CAD and design time £45 an hour. All prices are "from" and exclude VAT. Every job gets a fixed price before work starts. Printing, and travel for shoots beyond the Mansfield and Nottinghamshire area, are quoted separately. Contact: https://dijitulmedia.co.uk/contact/ · 01623 650333 · info@dijitul.uk