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Bold Simplicity: The Strategic Use of Flat Color in Branding and Advertising

In the vast spectrum of design, flat colors stand out for their simplicity and visual impact.

Flat colors are defined as solid, unshaded hues without any gradients or textures, presenting a clean and uniform appearance. This quality allows them to create visual clarity and instantly recognizable branding elements. Opting for one flat color in a design offers an eye-catching modern aesthetic that is highly adaptable across various media.

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Why Flat Color Works

This approach works because it simplifies the design to its core elements, allowing the message to shine.

In a world where consumers are bombarded with information, a focused use of color can help your brand cut through the noise. It's about creating a visual hierarchy where color guides the viewer's eye to what's most important.

Insights from an Iconic Design

Siegfried Odermatt's 1960s series of advertisements for the Neuenburger Versicherungen insurance company provide a timeless lesson in the strategic use of color.

By pairing a single, flat color with black-and-white images, e.g., a grayscale car smashing into the word “Auto” in red, Odermatt emphasized the message with unforgettable visual contrast. These were not just aesthetic choices but strategic moves that illuminated the entire concept. Using a flat color, he turned the headline into a focal point, proving that color can dramatically affect perception and engagement.

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Applying Flat Color in Modern Design

The principles behind Odermatt's effective use of flat color are as relevant today as they were decades ago.

When considering flat colors for your branding or advertising efforts, think about the following:

  • Choosing colors that embody your brand’s personality and message.
  • Using contrast effectively makes your design pop and focuses the viewer's attention.
  • The emotional impact of colors and how they align with the message you want to convey.

Flat color can be particularly powerful in print marketing, where the tactile experience of the material can further enhance the visual impact of the bold hues. 

Stepping Forward with Color Confidence

Leverage the simplicity and boldness of flat colors to make your brand stand out.

By incorporating this technique, you adopt a time-tested strategy emphasizing clarity, focus, and emotional resonance. Start with understanding the message you wish to convey, and let flat color be the medium that boldly delivers it to the world.




The Graphic Design Idea Book: Inspiration from 50 Masters
by Steven Heller, Gail Anderson

REVIEW

This book serves as an introduction to the key elements of good design.

Broken into sections covering the fundamental elements of design, key works by acclaimed designers serve to illustrate technical points and encourage readers to try out new ideas. Themes covered include form, narrative, color, type and image, ornament, simplicity, and wit and humour.

The result is an instantly accessible and easy to understand guide to graphic design using professional techniques.

Eco Friendly

Eco-friendly promotional products are good for the environment and good for getting your message across to your target audience.

Tradeshows

Promotional items that endorse your business are great items to give away at tradeshows. They offer endless opportunities to get your message across to new audiences.

Corporate Gifts

Show employee appreciation and build company morale. Items such as flash drives, picture frames, desk accessories and computer mice make great employee gifts.

New Products

View our newest promotional products! We are constantly adding new items to our 300,000+ inventory to give you fresh and up-to-date choices every day.

Awards

Awards and recognition gifts say thank you to employees for a job well done. We carry awards, plaques, trophies, ribbons and much more.

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Promotional Products

We carry promotional items such as eco-friendly gifts, awards, corporate gifts, new products and tradeshow items.

Business Stationery

Our business card program streamlines your order process yet gives you complete control over your content. Letterhead, envelopes and pocket cards too!

Occasion Cards

We carry holiday and occasion cards, moving announcements, thank you notes and more. Customize your cards with logo imprints and other options!

Memos & Notepads

We print company phone pads, note pads and forms in various sizes. Personalize them with your company logo, names and contact information.

Programs & Announcements

Full color announcements and programs for fundraisers, trade shows, banquets and agendas. We also foil stamp, emboss and die cut.

Brochures

We print full color single to multi-sheet newsletters, product sheets, tri-folds, rack cards, handouts and promotional literature.

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Offset Printing

We print items such as business stationary, brochures, occasion cards, memos & notepads, programs and announcements.

Tips & Tricks

Design and tech tips to make designing your job a little easier, marketing tips to assist your advertising efforts and print tips for faster, less expensive buying.

Tutorials

Check out our video on how to sign in to your account and place orders online.

Printing Terms

Look here for a glossary of the most common terms in the printing industry.

Templates

Find different templates to design your full-size banners.

FAQ's

How do I send a file? How do I save a document as a PDF? What is a CMYK color format? Answers to your most frequently asked questions.

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Click here for FAQ's about our tips and tricks.

Tips & Tricks

Design and tech tips to make designing your job a little easier, marketing tips to assist your advertising efforts and print tips for faster, less expensive buying.

Presentations

Pitch books and investment books help you communicate your message with PowerPoint presentations, graphs, and charts. Custom binding and tabs available.

Manuals

We can print 1-5000+ copies of your training, safety and operational manuals and technical documents. Full color, B&W, binding, inserts, index tabs, even lamination.

Black and White Copies

Our high-speed, high quality B&W laser printers produce crisp, clean copies of legal documents, RFP's, variable data, digital output of files, manuals and more.

Archiving

Do you need digital scans of your important documents? Letter, legal, 11 x 17, oversize? We can PDF your documents or OCR scan your files to create searchable, editable text files.

Color Copies

Our high-quality digital color presses turn out beautiful invitations, flyers, brochures, newsletters, rack cards, coupons and more. We can also print large format prints and maps.

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Digital Printing

We print B&W and color copies of presentations, product sheets, manuals, newletters, brochures, postcards and more. We also do archival scanning.

Maps & Prints

We print oversized, digital prints of well-logs, operational flow charts and pipe line maps. Turn your maps and prints into digital files for emailing and archiving.

Banners

Full color, affordable, retractable banners make great trade shows displays, point of purchase signage, directional signage and outdoor vinyl banners.

Oversize Scans

We scan large format documents such as well-logs, engineering plans and maps to digital files. Your PDF digital scans can be easily archived to CD.

Posters

Our digitally printed posters and prints are exceptional, with crisp, vibrant colors and photographic quality. Custom stock, mounting and laminating available.

Event Signage

Catch people's attention with color signage! We produce banners stands, pop up and hanging displays, full color table covers and tabletop displays.

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Click here for FAQ's about large format printing.

Large Format Printing

We print event signage, maps, banners, well-logs, posters, prints and more. We also do oversize scanning.

Eco Friendly Tradeshows Corporate Gifts New Products Awards ? Promotional Products Promotional Products Business Stationery Occasion Cards Memos & Notepads Programs & Announcements Brochures ? Offset Printing Offset Printing Tips & Tricks Tutorials Printing Terms Templates FAQ's ? Tips & Tricks Tips & Tricks Presentations Manuals Black and White Copies Archiving Color Copies ? Digital Printing Digital Printing Maps & Prints Banners Oversize Scans Posters Event Signage ? Large Format Printing Large Format Printing Send A File Forms Factory My Jobs Place Order Request Estimate