What Are the Most Popular Brand Colors in Each Industry?

Colors are such an important part of Brand Identity that they reveal everything about the brand even before the brand tells you a line about themselves. They reveal their ethos, their strategy, their value proposition, and everything else, just by the stroke of a single color (sometimes multiple).

Color psychology quietly works at the heart of branding, brand identity, and logo design. Have you noticed that fast food chains always reach for the color ‘Red,’ and banks often settle for the color ‘Blue ’? Most of us may miss it at first glance, but if you look closely, you will start to see patterns. And this pattern isn’t formed out of the blue (no pun intended). These are the results of carefully thought-out branding, merchandising, and marketing strategies.

One color, chosen well, can nudge you towards trust or hunger or a sense of luxury before you’ve read a single word. For designers and brand strategists, that is not a nice-to-have. Knowing what colors are favored by which brands, and the reasons behind them, is genuine leverage.

Now, to answer the big question of which industries prefer which brand colors, UK-based insurance intermediary Towergate Insurance recently conducted a survey in which they saw 520 company logos, spanning everything from restaurants and airlines to pharmaceuticals and couriers. They have since mapped which colors each industry leans on. What the infographic reveals is something brands rarely admit: These aren’t random choices.

Popular Brand Colors Across Different Industries

1. Restaurants – Red, Green, and Blue

• Red – Some of the most popular food chains and restaurants, like McDonald’s, use ‘Red’ dominantly in their branding. Red is seen as an energizing color; it catches one’s attention easily, and it is also thought to stimulate hunger.
• Green – Green is the other dominant color in the industry, seen in the branding of famous chains like Subway. It is used to indicate ‘Healthy’ and ‘Restoration.’
• Blue – Blue, the other color that’s prevalent in restaurants, often when paired with pink, is frequently used to promote sugary products as it is associated with sweetness.

2. Airlines – Blue, Red, and Yellow

• Blue – In this industry, ‘Blue,’ as seen highlighted in carriers such as United Airlines, represents ‘Dependability.’ It is commonly required by consumers and is linked to trustworthiness.
• Red – Red, as seen in British Airways (alongside Blue), among other airlines, is symbolic of ‘Warmth.’ The airline industry is a service that prides itself on the in-flight service and customer satisfaction. Therefore, Warmth becomes a very important part of their service and branding. Red also exudes a sense of caring.
• Yellow – Yellow is predominant in the major airline carrier, Lufthansa. It is often associated with happiness and optimism.

3. Communications Equipment – Blue (majorly), Black, and Grey (mildly)

• Blue – The majority of communications equipment, such as Nokia, uses ‘Blue’ in its logo. It is symbolic of ‘Communication’ and is often associated with clear communication and mental clarity.
• Black – Black is the secondary color seen in so much communications equipment. The font color of so many brand names in this industry is written in plain Black. It is a color that represents strength and security.
• Grey – Grey, although sparsely used, is seen in communications equipment quite often when paired with blue. It is known to represent trustworthiness and dependability.

4. Apparel and Accessories – Black, Red, Orange

• Black – Black is seen predominantly in famous brands, such as Chanel. It is a symbol of ‘Sophistication.’ It is a very fashionable color and is considered to be the height of elegance in the retail world.
• Red – Red here, seen in brands like Vans, is linked to the inherent desire in people to wear red. It is often rated as more attractive by others.
• Orange – Orange is an interesting new addition seen quite frequently in this industry. The famous color used in the logo of Hermes, Orange, is thought to exude confidence and optimism. It is also a very vibrant color.

5. Automobile and Truck Manufacturers – Grey (predominant), Red, and Blue

• Grey – It is a majorly popular color in the Automobile and Truck Manufacturing world. It stands for ‘Quality,’ which is often the most desirable quality in this industry. More silver-like shades are used in this industry, which provide a sense of luxury and high-quality workmanship.
• Red – Red represents ‘Masculinity’ here, which, as predated and stereotypical as it sounds, is very closely aligned with the Automobile industry. Red is thought to exude a more masculine quality than the more feminine pink. Red is used to signify strength and power. The famous brand Audi uses a red font.
• Blue – As a calming color, Blue is thought to invoke a sense of consistency and reliability. The famous German Automobile manufacturer Volkswagen uses Blue strongly in its logo.