Hello designers!

 

First post here, I'll try to become an active member. I don't have any designing skills though.

 

We hired a designer to make the logo for our company. The problem now is that we don't know what colors

we need to use for the rest of our website (backgroundcolor or backgroundimage, other color use on the website, ...)

 

Do you guys can give me some pointers on what colors to use?

 

Thanks!

 

Kind regards,

 

Jimmy

 

No one can tell you what colours to use, it entirely depends on your business, what mood or feel you need to give it ( I say need because it should not be about your choice it should be about what is best for the business based on audience research )

 

There is something that can help you a bit, it's called the colour wheel which encompasses colour theory, read about it here http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory

 

Personally I wouldn't be too impressed with that logo anyway to be honest, unless you are a diner, pub or other traditional type of food business? Then it might be suitable, but referring to your business as a 'company' puts doubt into my mind that is what you do hence my remarks. Of course I don't know, you might be and I could be completely wrong.

Thanks for the feedback Fuzzy Logic! We are a gift basket business and we got this logo for about 3 years now. I know it isn't the most beautiful logo out there, but it does the job for now. We will consider a new one in the near future.

 

Thanks for the really helpfull article! If I interpretate it well, it means that we will need to use some yellow-ish colors OR we can go for "A color scheme based on complementary colors" and then we could use some light blue color?

Edited April 25, 201412 yr by Jimellys

The best idea after looking at colour theory is to look at other websites, your problem is that you are doing things backwards, as that logo seems totally inappropriate for your business I would start there and then deal with the website a little later.

 

Are you only online or are you based in a shop as well?

 

If you are in a shop as well I would deal with the branding first as a matter of urgency only then will you get the chance to have a website build that is actually suitable for your needs.

 

The colours you use need to express something about the business and yourself in order to give clients that personal touch, brown just would not cut it in your case, you need brighter colours, I am not taking rainbow, I am talking colours like this http://www.rabbitdigital.com/2443/cake-shop-website-design ( the cake shop images ) might be more suitable, of course I don't know your business but the type of people you need to attract will not come to a brown website and stick around with any interest.

The logo is the fastest form of communiction you have with your target audience. People should be able to decode your message/brand identity from the logo in a fraction of a second. That's why most logo's are very simple and stylized.

The colours in the logo should macth the rest of your brands identity colours.

Depending on your branding strategy all the graphic elements in your visual identity should either:

1. Stand out (unique branding strategies)
2. Have appeal (emotional, relational strategies)

If you are positioning your brand with the first strategy you might want to use colors with strong contrast in hue, value and saturation, for the other you probably should use a more harmonic and pleasing colour scheme.

Here's a tool to develop colour schemes based on colour theory

http://colorschemedesigner.com/

Edited April 25, 201412 yr by Nillervision

Thanks once more Fuzzy Logic and thanks Nillervision for the usefull tips and links!

 

I should go into deeper detail about our business. We operate only online, we don't have a real shop. We deliver breakfast and gift baskets at home.

 

If we would like to change our current logo, what colors should be used when designing?

 

Our website now: http://jimellys.com/

Edited April 25, 201412 yr by Jimellys

Having looked at your website I'd say that as an online company you do need to invest, I would recommend a complete redesign of you entire corporate identity; The logo, web site, packaging, and marketing strategy. I only have English myself but apart from tiny inconspicuous links to the top left of the header, and a feed from Facebook, you appear to have no real social presents. For you type of business this needs to be a priority.

 

Personally as an entrepreneur I would say that an investment of around 25% of 1 years pre-tax turnover, plus a re-launch campaign, could see a good R.O.I if you find the right team to work with and have the right 5 to 10 year business plan.

 

I would start with hiring a business advisor, (Many banks will help you with this type of planning as well), and building the business plan, then raising some capitol to invest. It will be hard work and there will be no quick fix, but there is potential for some good results if you get the planning stage right.

and what is that image for on the front page? if it's kids eating something then show it - that isn't working