What role does color theory play in your design choices for animated explainers, and how do you decide on the best palette for a specific project?

Color theory is a fundamental aspect of our design process at Team Maryam, as it greatly influences the mood, message, and overall appeal of an animated explainer video. Here’s how we approach it:

1. Understanding the Brand and Audience: We start by analyzing the client's brand identity and target audience. Colors evoke emotions, and we choose a palette that aligns with the brand's personality and resonates with the intended viewers. For example, vibrant and bold colors might suit a tech startup, while softer tones could work better for healthcare or educational content.

2. Conveying the Message: Each color is selected to complement the video's narrative. For instance, blues and greens often represent trust and growth, while reds and oranges signify energy and urgency. The goal is to use colors that enhance the message and make it memorable.

3. Maintaining Harmony: We ensure the color palette is cohesive, balancing contrasts and harmony to create visually appealing animations. Our designs prioritize clarity, making sure the colors highlight the essential elements without overwhelming the viewer.

4. Client Collaboration: We share the proposed palette with the client and are open to feedback. This collaborative process ensures the colors align with their vision and branding guidelines.

In short, color isn’t just aesthetic—it's strategic. It helps tell the story, engage the audience, and strengthen the connection between the brand and its message.

Color theory plays a crucial role in designing animated explainers because it directly impacts how viewers perceive and engage with the content. It involves understanding how colors interact, evoke emotions, and communicate messages effectively. Here's how it influences design choices:
 

Emotion: Colors evoke feelings (e.g., red for energy, blue for trust).

Brand: Align with brand colors for consistency.

Audience: Tailor tones to demographics (vibrant for youth, muted for professionals).

Focus: Use contrast to highlight key elements.

Accessibility: Ensure readability and color-blind-friendly designs.

Color theory guides emotional tone, brand alignment, and audience engagement in animated explainer videos. I choose palettes by:

Setting Mood: Warm colors for excitement, cool for trust, and neutrals for balance.

Brand Integration: Ensuring alignment with client branding.

Focus: Using contrasts to highlight key elements.

Readability: Prioritizing high contrast for clarity.

Audience & Context: Tailoring colors to audience preferences and storyline phases.

Palettes are finalized through research, mood boards, testing, and client feedback.

It’s important to consider the use of a brand’s color palette when creating an explainer video, but it’s equally crucial to think about when and how to use it. It’s not always appropriate to apply the company’s colors, especially in scenes that depict problems or negative situations. Let me explain.

For example, if the video starts by showing someone’s problems:

"This is Thomas. Thomas has a problem: when he gets home, his clothes are dirty, and he doesn’t have time to do laundry."

In this case, some clients insist on using their brand’s colors right from the beginning. However, I believe this is a mistake. Associating the company’s colors with negative situations can create an unintended emotional connection between the problem and the brand.

The same applies when the video discusses the difficulties the customer faced before seeking the company’s help. Continuing with the previous example:

"Before contacting laundry service X, Thomas had to come home, do laundry, cook for his kids, and barely had any time to relax."

Even in this context, I wouldn’t recommend using the brand’s colors. A different palette that reflects the problems and stress of the moment can help visually separate the customer’s struggles from the company’s identity.

On the other hand, the brand’s color palette should come into play when the video starts talking about the solutions the company offers. For example:

"Now, laundry service X picks up Thomas’s clothes from his home every week. Thomas is happy and has time to enjoy with his family."

At this stage, the company’s colors can reinforce a positive connection and association with the solution being provided.

Another point to consider is that the customer shouldn’t be depicted with the company’s colors. For instance, Thomas shouldn’t be dressed in the brand’s colors. Instead, these colors should be reserved for elements directly related to the company, such as the workers’ uniforms or the laundry vehicle. This ensures that the brand’s visual identity is directly associated with the solution, not the problem.

For the colors in my projects, I always follow the brand guidelines provided by the client.

Usually, the logo gives a good idea about the color scheme, but I also check their website and consider their target audience. If the logo has a flat color combination like blue and white, I use light blue or white for the background and blue for character clothing and split screens.

If the branding includes gradients, I can apply those too, but in a limited and subtle way.

Generally, the client has a color palette for their brand.
When the client does not have brand colors, I use the colors of their logo and ask the client if they want me to use those colors.
Finally, it is important to study the sector to which the video is directed. For example: If it is for the health sector, they usually use shades close to green and blue.

For established brands, animated explainers often adhere to an existing color palette. To keep the animation visually engaging, I incorporate complementary elements like photos or illustrations that align with the brand colors. This approach adds variety and depth, preventing the video from feeling repetitive, especially if the brand has a limited color palette.

Color creates feelings! I pick a group of colors that match the message. Bright and bold colors bring excitement. Calm and muted colors build trust. I start with brand colors, then add matching hues to direct the viewer's eye and highlight key points. Contrast is key for clarity. I test colors together to see how they look on screen. The right colors let the viewer feel the story.