Just dare to use red in your personal brand

I have an obsession with history and how it intersects with the present and our personal story. And, duh, branding.

So, before I start writing or even thinking about colors, I nerd out big time (facts are a thing for me), and I do some research. As little or as much, my intuition and curiosity lead me.

But my go-to book to learn about colors is the fantastic book “Secret Lives of Color” by [Kassia St Clair] (this is an Amazon link for the book in case you’re interested in buying it, but there are no affiliate links involved).

I would never think colors have so much history. But, it was not always easy peasy for them. Even colors had some hurdles to overcome throughout the centuries.

Like the cousin orange, red is seen as a very bold color. However, we are told to use it with care in branding as it evokes opposite and strong emotions in people. It’s like a provocateur! But, perhaps, it’s a reflection of its own history.

Red was difficult to produce artificially for a long time. Alchemists, such as Zosimus of Panopolis, claimed the secret. This was as valuable and precious as gold by then. In fact, before it was a thing, red was the “alchemist’s gold,” what they wanted most to achieve.

I feel that red is underappreciated. Red is the must-have color in a Ferrari, and several soccer teams have red equipment. It happens to be one of my favorite colors because it inspires me to take action and, at the same time, brings a bit of flirt, passion, and romance into my life.

I have pops of red in my hair all the time, one way or the other, to remind me to tap into my inner warrior and have courage when things look too challenging, and I am drowning in fears and doubt.

Therefore, if your brand keywords relate to red’s emotions, there’s nothing wrong with adding a few pops of red to your brand. The color for the sexy, strong, bold, self-starter, passionate and courageous. If this is something your brand stands for, the inner story you want to bring to life and help people, just dare to use red!