Today I looked out the windows in my office and noticed the trees are a beautiful blend of yellow. Some are a greenish-yellow like an unripe banana. Others are a bright yellow that reminds me of the warmth of the sunlight. And some have orange and red mixed in, which indicates to me they’re about to turn brown and fall off. Yellow, like all colors, has positive and negative associations. Sunlight, lemons, and buttercups are yellow. But urine, jaundiced skin, and poisonous frogs are also yellow.  

Yellow is a color that can stop you in your tracks. Depending on the shade of yellow you’re looking at, you may get the feeling of warmth, confidence, playfulness, and mental clarity. Or perhaps the feelings of caution come up, or a cowardly yellow belly gets on your last nerve.

Yellow Brands

Three brands that come to mind with yellow logos are McDonalds, Shell, and Snapchat. What do these three brands have in common? They want your attention. If you’re driving down the highway and see a Shell or McDonalds logo, it’ll certainly get your attention. Similarly, I imagine that next to the blue Facebook logo on your phone, Snapchat hopes your eye will be drawn to their app instead. If you’re looking for attention grabbing qualities for your brand, yellow might be a good choice.

Empowerment

A few months ago, I read a book with the purpose of homing in on my courage and purpose. One of the exercises in the book was to close your eyes and picture something that made you feel strong and powerful. With my eyes closed and my mind still, I could feel the warmth of the summer sun on my skin. I was glad I had my eyes closed because I could sense the overwhelming yellow brightness and knew it would blind me.

Sunlight provides plants with a chance to flourish. It provides our human forms with Vitamin D – a natural energy and mood booster. With such life-giving properties, it’s no wonder we sometimes stare at yellow in awe and amazement.