Color Is Personal
Scratch a designer and you will hear a war story or two about how irrational smart people can be when it comes to color. E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E has a point of view and brings their preferences, dislikes and likes to design when it comes to logo creation and palette.
Be Bold
There's a world beyond a primary palette. Really, there is. We promise. It can be subtle or vibrant. Clients can be remarkably bi-polar when it comes to color. It's a wonderful tool in your arsenal for setting your brand apart from the competition. But only if you let it.
Address Bias & Preference
Everyone has them. Stated or unstated. It's more productive to uncover these upfront before making palette choices. In many instances, even a tertiary color can be rejected without reason or cause.
State the Obvious
There is no "bad" color. It's a question of taste and preference and how to make your brand stand out from the pack. To learn more about bias, I recommend reading The Day The Crayons Quit A smart children's book that will make even the most color resistant executive crack a smile.
Use Real Examples
There are brands out there. And they use color to the fullest. T-Mobile's use of hot pink is one that I have often called as an example for corporate executives who get freaked out by "girl" colors. Another is Virgin Air's recent website that uses pink, orange and purple for a brilliant affect.
Context Helps
Every designer's nightmare is having to design collateral prior to palette being approved. However, it does help to provide a context and or framework of how the colors will be deployed.