How To Use Colors as a Nonprofit
For the vast majority of nonprofits, marketing is important for growth. There are many important questions to consider when marketing, such as who your target audience is or how you want to reach your target audience. One thing that many nonprofits often forget to do is consider which colors to use in marketing.
Color psychology is crucial for businesses when marketing in order to convey certain characteristics through color. And it’s just as important for nonprofits. Every color has a different meaning. Here is a list of colors and brands that commonly use them:
Yellow
Yellow is used to show clarity and warmth. Some of the large companies that use yellow are Best Buy, McDonald’s, and Subway. Some nonprofits that use yellow are the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Livestrong Foundation. Yellow is meant to draw attention to a product, and studies have found that it is the first color that infants react to.
Orange
Orange is used to show enthusiasm and confidence. Some of the large companies that use orange are Nickelodeon, Fanta, and Amazon. Some nonprofits that use orange are Care.org, World vision, and the YMCA. Orange is associated with impulse actions and affordability.
Red
Red is used to show passion and boldness. Some of the large companies that use red are CNN, Target, and Coca Cola. Some nonprofits that use red are the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and Doctors Without Borders. Red, like orange, is associated with impulse actions, and creates a sense of urgency and survival in people.
Purple
Purple is used to show calmness and wisdom. Some of the large companies that use purple are Yahoo, Taco Bell, and T-Mobile. Some nonprofits that use purple are the Children’s Society, and A March of Dimes. Purple usually creates feelings of luxury and royalty.
Blue
Blue is used to show trust and security. Some of the large companies that use blue are JP Morgan, Facebook, and American Express. Some nonprofits that use blue are Make A Wish, UNICEF, and Water.org. Blue creates feelings of trust and loyalty, which is why many technology and financial companies use blue.
Green
Green is used to show growth and health. Some of the large companies that use green are Whole Foods, Spotify, and Holiday Inn. Some nonprofits that use green are Greenpeace and Audobon International. Using the color green in marketing is connected to nature.
These are the different ways colors are used in businesses.
But what about nonprofits? For some nonprofits, finding a color scheme is easy. After all, environmental nonprofits should probably use green, and water nonprofits should probably use blue. For other nonprofits, it’s trickier.
The way to find out the main colors to use are to understand what your nonprofit stands for. If your nonprofit revolves around nature, green has to be included. If your nonprofit revolves around children’s sports, try using orange.
Take a look at your nonprofit’s mission, and think about what colors you feel would best represent the mission. Think about the effect each color would have on potential volunteers or donors, and make an educated decision for what colors you want to emphasize on your website, ads, and any other media.