The last guy who did not recognize the importance of color was Henry Ford. He said, “Any customer could have a car painted any color that he wanted as long as it was black.”
We’ve come a long way since then. Apple´s CEO, Steve Jobs, once called Google´s Vice President of Engineering, to say that the second O of the Google logo on the iPhone did not have the right yellow gradient. These days, everybody recognizes the importance of color.
A 2007 study by the University of Loyola, Maryland, found that consistent use of color could increase recognition up to 80%. Other studies have shown that color is even more memorable than a shape or a name. Think of red, which brand do you think of first? If you are like most people, you probably say Coca-Cola. Color is a highly effective way of building recognition and association and your school is a brand, just like Coke.
Here are three important steps to effectively using your school colors.
First, know your school colors. Printers of all kinds recognize Pantone colors and once you know your Pantone color code, you can specifically request it. It’s not enough to use green. You’ll want to always use Evergreen 19-5429 TPX.
http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/colorfinder.aspx
Second, use color, but don’t over use it. Not everything should be in your school colors because, after a while, your audience will become desensitized to it. “Save your powder” and use your school colors sparingly.
Finally, be consistent. It’s going to take some time for people to recognize your school colors. For example , if you always print your school name in a particular color then be consistent in all of your publications and online newsletters. If you always print your mascot in a specific set of colors, don’t ever deviate.
