A solid color palette is the backbone of a successful brand or design.  It is a fundamental that people do remember readily.  If you are establishing or revamping your brand and the designs that feed off of it, pay attention to your color usage.  On top of choosing a color scheme based on the guiding principles of color theory, take another look at you, your business or organization.  Look at its purpose, the target audience and your products and services.  Look for a good psychological order to all of this and consider what kind of reaction or what impression you want  your branding to leave on the viewers.  Each color conveys an emotion and elicits a response, use this to your advantage and you stand a good chance at having a successful color palette for a good branding campaign.

Below I will discuss the basics of each color and the emotion/message that they convey, these are all based on widely accepted research and observations.  Afterwords, you should be able to see why it isnt the best ides for a spa to go with a bright yellow and black combo at the very least.  One thing worth noting though is that color reactions and emotions can differ based on culture and location.  Take purple for example.  In the United States it is often seen as a color of royalty and dignity.  Contrast that to Brazil where purple is a color of death and other locales where color represents creativity.  The focus here is for an analysis based on American trends and mindsets.  If you are looking to serve a foreign region and have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Red:  Often seen as the color of power, strength, passion, energy, sex and life.  This is a bold color that demands attention, and as such it is often used in signage to alert a viewer of something potentially hazardous.  This color can be used in branding to add a more energetic and personable touch.

Orange: A very playful color that is in no way calming.  Orange screams ambition, warmth and fun.  It is not recommended to use a bright orange as the main color because it can overpower a viewer.

Yellow:  This cheerful color can be associated with happiness and optimism.  Like orange, avoid overusing this color because it can cause a great strain on the viewer.  Research has shown that when used sparingly, yellow can energize customers and actually help to increase sales.

Green:  An organic color that fittingly denotes nature and growth.  Green often symbolizes money in the United States as well.  Darker greens can symbolize masculinity and wealth.  Lighter greens however can be very calming and often symbolize harmony.  Green can also be used to represent fertility and jealousy as well.  Studies have also shown that light blue can help concentration and are sometimes used in schools and testing centers.

Blue:  This steady color often denotes dependability, loyalty and knowledge.  Blue can also be a very calming color, but a blue that is too rich or saturated can be seen as cold and impersonal.  Studies have also shown that productivity is increased in surroundings that are predominantly blue.

Purple:  Can be used to convey prosperity and respect (in a regal fashion) and also wisdom and spirituality.

Black:  The color of sophistication, mystery, and stability.  In the west black is also used as a color of grieving and carries a solemn tone under these circumstances.  Black is a versatile color that can convey a number of messages.

White:  A color of neutrality, creativity, and cleanliness/purity.  White is also versatile and has the ultimate contrast with black.

These basic colors can be used mono-chromatically (different shades on one color) or with other colors.  When analyzing color psychology for your brand or design remember that the first color that is seen is going to be the one that elicits the strongest response, so be careful with your primary color.  Creating a brand that incorporates blue can show staying power and competence.  Adding an appropriate red can make it feel more personable and energetic.  Have fun and experiment! Take your time as your finished brand will be the first impression to new potential clients.