Is pink the right choice for your branding and marketing?

If you are considering pink as a primary color for your brand, it’s important to know the color theory of pink and cultural references that are associated with it.

The color psychology of pink suggests a female-focused product or service

Pink has a strong connection with feminine brands.

It starts with pink being associated with baby girls (while baby boys traditionally got blue). For toys and children’s clothes, pink is the primary indicator that something is intended for girls. From famous brands like Barbie to in-store signage and toy packaging, pink is the predominant color used to quickly suggest that a product is meant for girls.

This continues into adulthood with pink logos and branding for Victoria’s Secret, Avon and Cosmopolitan magazine—these are all brands that primarily sell to women. The MaryKay makeup line was an early pink-dominated brand. MaryKay empowered a generation of women entrepreneurs as they strived to earn their own pink Cadillac, and it continues to be a key part of their package design.

Pink ribbons represent breast cancer

Pink, and more specifically the pink ribbon, has become the symbol of the fight against breast cancer. There are multiple breast cancer research and support organizations that use the pink ribbon. Many brands have introduced pink-colored products to highlight their support of breast cancer survivors and to show their financial support of research.

Color theory of pink upended: pink logos can be unexpected in other brands

The color theory of pink shows that the color is tightly connected to the feminine—products that are selling to girls and women. If this is not the demographics of your ideal customer, it may be confusing to use pink. Or, it might be a unique way to make your brand stand out!

There are a few companies that are not female-focused that have chosen pink. Lyft has developed a quirky and approachable image that has helped itself stand out from Uber and a huge list of very masculine tech brands by choosing pink for its primary brand color. Vineyard Vines has also successfully used pink even though they sell clothing to both men and women; this seems to work with their preppy style which general uses more pink than other styles of clothing. Finally, Lemonade is an Insurance startup that is trying to stand out from all the entrenched firms that tend towards more traditional colors such as blue.

Considering other colors? Read more about the color theory of green.