Color and Font: The Cornerstones of Design

Ashlyn Busse – Senior Graphic Designer

Marketing designs can contain any number of components, but two of the most consistent (and important) elements are color and font. The average viewer might not give a second thought to the colors and fonts in a design. However, the designer likely spent hours conceptualizing the perfect combinations of both for the initial branding guide and lots of trial and error to best use them in the resulting collateral. Making these decisions will look different for every project, but there are a few rules in both color and font selection that designers tend to abide by.  

Color Choices

Picking the right color isn’t just about making the design look nice; it also can have a psychological effect on the audience. Color theory explains the emotions and sensations associated with different colors, and it is a critical tool in developing branding. Red, for example, has been shown to induce hunger, which is why it is often used in logos for fast food chains. Blue, on the other hand, creates a sense of calm, making it a popular choice in the medical field. Many designers and clients will opt for variations of these colors to stand out, such as a lighter blue or even purple for medical companies, but straying too far into other colors can misalign the viewer’s emotional response.

Complementary colors are also an important element to branding and design and need to be selected and used carefully. While some brands will simply stick within different shades of the same color (think Coca Cola’s red and white look), most will look across the color wheel to find secondary hues. When adopting this strategy, avoid colors that have the same value as each other. These pairs can be identified by a sort of visual vibration that strains the eyes when they are put together. Another common mistake to watch for is using colors that are already associated with other things. Red and green complement each other beautifully, but there’s a reason they are not commonly seen together in ads outside of the holiday season.

Font Function

Font style association with certain conceptions and emotions is less scientific, partially because there are so many options. Selecting the right font for a brand is generally more about trying possibilities until landing on one with the right feel. The font selected needs to fit the brand, but it also needs to be adaptable for multiple uses. Designers recommend that each piece contain a maximum of 2-3 font face styles to avoid a messy look. While bold and italics can offer a bit more variety, the base brand font style and 1-2 complementary styles will be doing a lot of leg work in a large variety of content. Legibility is another important consideration when selecting a brand font. Cursives may look nice, but will the audience be able to receive the message efficiently while struggling to make out the letters?

Size in individual designs also contributes to legibility. For font in a print medium to be easily read, it should be at least 9-point. Disclaimers and other legal font need to be at least 6.5-point. Many designs, particularly in B2B, have a lot of text on them, and font can be an important tool to help the audience visually prioritize content.

The most important rule for color, font and any other visual design components is consistency. The viewer’s attention span is limited, and for any impression made to be properly associated with the brand, there need to be identifiable elements. This is why designers spend so much time deliberating these two cornerstones of branding. Not only can they help communicate the message more effectively, but they also need to stand the test of time and become part of the brand’s identity.