It is observed that some of the best coffee logos consist of dark and warm colors. Why is that? Is it because cafés are formal and proper places or because the people who visit cafes are professional and capable individuals and dark colors are appealing to them? If that were the case, majority of the cafés would be located near office buildings instead of university campuses. Why is it that famous fast food brands can get away with using bright and cheerful colors in their brand marks but espresso bars can’t? Don’t they both belong to the same food and beverage industry? That’s because even within the food and beverage industry, every sub component is trying to portray a different image of their company to the customers and must create a brand mark accordingly. A fast food wants to tell its customers that they are bright, cheerful and playful but a café wants to tell its customers that they are warm, mysterious and alluring. The most appropriate colors to portray that meaning are brown, golden and red. Brown is the most popular color for two reasons. The first and most logical reason is that brown is the color of coffee which is why it’s an obvious choice. The second reason is a little complicated. We all know that every color has a unique and different meaning. What many of us don’t know is that colors have a distinct affect on our mood, perceptions and preferences. Simply put, people are psychologically and socially influenced by colors. Brown is the color of earth. It is comforting, nurturing and stable. This color is used when you want to make a connection with earth, create a solid wholesome feeling and make someone feel like they belong there. Brown also offers orderliness in life which makes it a perfect choice whether the coffee shop is targeting students who are looking for order and stability in their lives or professionals who are looking for comfort and placidity from their hectic and stressful routines. Brown is often coupled with golden and red colors in espresso brand marks. Golden symbolizes wealth and wisdom while red is the color of energy and enthusiasm. When brown is combined with either of these colors, the image that is portrayed is of subtle elegance, mystery and sophisticated chic. Why don’t pink, purple and aqua look appropriate in café logos? Pinks and purples may seem appropriate in other industries but don’t work very well for free coffee logos. That’s because these colors are feminine, playful and flirty, which is not exactly the image that you want to portray about your product. You can use these colors to make your product distinct from others but that would be a huge risk for your company image. I’m my opinion, stick to the warmer colors for your business monogram. I’m sure now you have a very clear idea what colors can work for your espresso bar and why. Use this knowledge to your advantage when you’re trying to create a brand mark for your coffee company.