The Communicative Power of Colors and Fonts

Why are colors and fonts important for how my school communicates?

We have all heard, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Unfortunately, this saying does not apply to the world of marketing. Most judgments are made upon first glance and determine whether your audience will click out of your website before reading a word. 

There are some people who have an eye for colors and fonts… and there are those that don’t. It may seem like it is a small aspect of your branding, but it plays a more significant role than some think. Some colors and fonts can scream unprofessional or boring. Schools, like any other organization or business, should identify the design tools that fit their brand. 

The capability of colors 

Think about your favorite color or your least favorite color. Why do you like or dislike this color? You probably associate it with something that you think is good or bad. Psychology tells us that colors have the power to make us feel a certain way.

Ok, but really, how much can they affect our mood? Well, based on psychologists’ findings… 

A LOT. 

• Color influences 85% of shoppers’ purchase decisions.
• About 62%-90% of the product assessment is based on colors alone.
• Colors increase brand awareness by 80%.

Your “type” can say a lot about you

No, I’m not talking about significant others. Fonts can invoke a sense or judgment of trust, friendliness, or reliability in a reader. Brands have realized this over the years as they design logos and prints. 

Imagine you are reading this blog post except instead of this font….

What would your impression of the School Comms Lab be if this entire article was in that font?

Though these are more obvious examples, the small differences in fonts have the same effect as color. Without full awareness, consumers form instant judgments about the nature of your brand. As a school, your goal is to convey a sense of trust, friendliness, and professionalism. 

Brand Personality

This may sound odd, but did you know that brands can have personalities? The colors and fonts that are incorporated into a brand become a set of characteristics that we assign to them. The odd way we personify brands is what marketers and psychologists alike call brand personality.

Psychology also tells us that people are more likely to remember visuals than text. Therefore, consumers will probably remember what you said, but rather how your brand made them feel (aka the brand personality). 

Conveying your school’s personality

Depending on whether your school is a university, high school, or elementary school, the best colors and fonts for you may vary. Higher education appeals to adults who are more serious. Of course, this does not mean you should stick to boring and unfriendly themes. 

Alternatively, if your school is an elementary school, your audience is young children and their parents. Fonts and colors should be fun, brighter and funkier. Instead of a balanced neutral and bright shade, experiment with multiple bright colors. 

Many school leaders may be wary of venturing into the brighter colors because they feel this will make them appear less professional. Here at the School Comms Lab, we know how to show we mean business, but make it rainbow business. 

We do not need to be bland to be professional— especially when your audience is a crowd of students. The classroom is a place that many students think of as boring. They need something fun to catch their attention. Though a small step, colors and fonts are a way to do this. 

Translating colors and fonts

Now that we know why and how these visuals are important, we can determine which ones your school should gravitate towards and which to shy away from. 

This article goes more in-depth about font psychology and how to apply this to your communications. 

This guide from Canva provides a detailed explanation for each color and what it conveys. 

Of course, we can’t forget about the School Comms Lab which uses tools including Canva to generate the digital fonts and colors that fit each individual educator, district and school identity. Did you know that we have fully editable brand board templates like the one below in our membership community?

What this helpful?

If you found this post helpful, why don’t you sign up for our monthly e-newsletter with additional tips and tricks?