Brand colors and interaction colors both play crucial roles in branding and usability. But how can they be used to complement each other most effectively, and when does it become risky to use too much brand color in a digital product? We'll break that down in this post.
Brand colors shape and represent a company or product’s identity. They are often chosen to convey specific emotions, values, and associations, building brand recognition. These colors are used in elements like logos, marketing materials, and packaging.
Interaction colors, on the other hand, are used to guide the person using a digital product or service. They might highlight the next step in a process, provide feedback on user input, or signal errors and relevant actions. Interaction colors are applied in buttons, links, notifications, and other interactive elements.
Some common examples of interaction colors include:
Green for successful actions
Yellow or orange for warnings
Red for error messages
Blue for clickable links
As a designer, however, you can never rely solely on interaction colors. To communicate the same information to users who are colorblind, visually impaired, using custom screen settings, or dealing with glare from sunlight, additional cues like text or icons are necessary.
How to prevent conflicts between brand colors and interaction colors
Sometimes, brand colors and interaction colors may clash, but most issues can be resolved with thoughtful design. Here are our top 7 tips.
1. Minimize ambiguity as much as possible
If brand colors closely resemble interaction colors, there’s a risk of confusion. For example, if your primary brand color is red, it might be tempting to use it everywhere, but users commonly associate red with errors and warnings. Consider where this might cause problems and define how to use your colors at the component level. Opt for a color palette that complements the brand colors without clashing, while still providing enough contrast to avoid confusion.
2. Consider accessibility
Brand colors are often chosen because they look great and represent the brand well, but not necessarily for their accessibility. Brand colors that work perfectly in print may not always translate well to the web. For instance, if contrast ratios are too low, the colors may need to be adjusted for digital platforms. It’s a good idea to test your colors for contrast and ensure they meet at least AA standards (WCAG 1.4.3 (AA) Contrast Minimum). There are several online tools where you can input your color codes. Here’s a link to a great tool: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/.
3. Work with focus and hierarchy
To make navigation easier, interactive elements like buttons, links, and notifications need to stand out from the rest of the design. If brand colors are used for both decorative and interactive elements, everything blends together, making it hard for users to focus. That’s why it's important to establish a clear hierarchy for different types of elements. Ensure that interactive components are visually distinct to guide users effectively.
4. Missed opportunities for feedback
Interaction colors often play a key role in providing user feedback. For example, red can signal an error, while green indicates success. If your brand color is red and you also use it for successful actions, it may send conflicting signals to users. Make sure to align your color choices with established conventions to avoid confusion and enhance the clarity of your feedback mechanisms.
5. Be mindful of brand colors
When an advertising agency or branding agency creates a visual identity, there are considerations about what the colors convey and how they help position the brand against competitors and/or attract consumers. Colors help build brand identity, but overusing them in UI design can dilute their impact and meaning. It’s important to be careful here. Instead, colors can be reflected in elements such as imagery, headers, and footers if there is a risk of them being confused with interaction colors. At the same time, it’s crucial to maintain the brand’s identity and feel in the design to preserve the brand identity!
6. Build in flexibility
As your brand evolves over time, your brand colors may change or have variations. If your interaction colors are heavily tied to your brand colors, changes in the brand might necessitate larger modifications to the UI, UX, and even the code to maintain usability.
7. Be consistent across platforms
If your product is available on multiple platforms or integrates with other systems, there may be standardized natural interaction colors or patterns that users expect on these platforms (e.g., Apple iOS and Android). Overusing brand colors can disrupt this consistency and create confusion.
In summary
Although brand colors are important for identity and recognition, they shouldn’t be the only colors driving your UI, especially for interactive elements. It’s crucial to balance brand aesthetics with usability and accessibility to create an effective and user-friendly design for everyone. You can still maintain brand identity by using brand colors in non-interactive areas, such as headers, footers, and images.
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