Coca-Cola.
At the mere mention of that name, there’s a good chance that you immediately pictured flashes of red and white.
Brands like Coca-Cola have achieved what may be impossible for most: instant brand recognition through colour association.
Although brands are ultimately built over time, colour does play a significant part in creating a first impression. In fact, research has found that people make a subconscious judgement about a brand in less than 90 seconds, and the majority of people base that assessment on colour alone.
When it was time to pick the colour scheme for the Kenneth Kam brand, I not only considered the first 90 seconds but also the following 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and so forth. From a branding perspective, colour is a powerful statement of intent because it reflects where I am today, and where I want to be tomorrow.
As a Forex trader, I place a premium on achieving sustainable growth for my portfolio and building enduring relationships. So it only makes sense that colour, as a vital branding element, should consistently reflect that long-term sentiment and outlook. With aspirations of becoming the ‘Pension Fund for the World’, establishing the right colour scheme from the outset was critical.
Determining the most appropriate colour scheme for the Kenneth Kam brand started with several key considerations. First, it was important to think about the meaning behind a colour. What does it represent and how does that relate to the Kenneth Kam brand? Since colour is a powerful language, how do I apply it so that it supports what I have to say and not cause confusion? The topic of colour psychology is covered quite extensively these days, and I found some great resources online which helped me to answer these questions.
With millions of colours to choose from, why did I select gold, emerald green and ruby red as my colour scheme?
I chose gold as the primary colour of the Kenneth Kam brand because it conveys exclusivity and premium value. Gold was also selected because it is the predominant colour of the matador’s costume, which is the main source of inspiration behind my design.
Black and white are used extensively as the background colours for my logo and other visuals. Regardless of their connotations, they are simply complementary base colours used to give prominence to the gold colour in this case. Emerald green and ruby red were also chosen to accentuate the primary gold colour of my visual brand identity.
However, the selection of green and red colours is significant. Green symbolises money; but it also connotes harmony, balance and growth. Red represents life and passion.
Combining these different colours together, I feel that the final colour scheme expresses the Kenneth Kam brand in a genuine, tasteful and distinct manner. By marrying this colour palette with typography and other visual elements to create the Kenneth Kam brand visual identity, the whole essentially becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
Colour is an important part of one’s brand identity, and I’ll be the first to admit that choosing the right colour scheme was not an easy task. But I believe it’s a worthwhile endeavour.
Who knows? Maybe one day, the Kenneth Kam brand will be able to achieve the same level of recognition as Coca-Cola, and people will instantly see gold, green and red upon hearing my name.
I’d say that is a branding goal worth striving for.
Authored by Kenneth Kam
Produced by Callio Media