# What yellow means in branding

> What yellow means in branding, a short history of the colour and brands known for it, with sources. Open it in a free palette tool.

Web page: https://davidewins.com/colours/yellow

Swatch: #f5c518

Surveys in Europe, Canada, the United States and elsewhere link yellow with amusement, gentleness, humour, happiness and spontaneity. It can also suggest duplicity, envy, jealousy and greed. In China and many Asian countries it is the colour of royalty, respect and wisdom.

Survey words: amusement, gentleness, humour, happiness, spontaneity.

[Build a palette from yellow](https://davidewins.com/colours?base=f5c518)

## History

- Yellow ochre was one of the first colours used in art. The Lascaux cave in France has a yellow horse painted about 17,000 years ago.
- Egyptian tombs used ochre and orpiment to show gold and skin.
- In imperial China, bright yellow could be worn only by the emperor and his household.

## Brands known for yellow

- **Caterpillar**: Its machines are known by their "Caterpillar Yellow" paint. ([Wikipedia: Caterpillar Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_Inc.))
- **National Geographic**: The magazine is known for its yellow rectangular border. ([Wikipedia: National Geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic))
- **IKEA**: Stores are usually blue buildings with yellow accents, Sweden's national colours. ([Wikipedia: IKEA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA))

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Yellow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow)
- [Wikipedia: Caterpillar Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_Inc.)
- [Wikipedia: National Geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic)
- [Wikipedia: IKEA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA)

The swatch is my own pick of yellow, not an official value.