Colour Guide: Everything You Need To Know About Blue Promotional Items

With Blue Monday in sight, there's no better time to take a moment or two to think about the colour blue in all its glory. Because it's really not all bad, despite the negative connotations of the "January blues"... 

So what are the January blues? If you've managed to avoid them so far, we're impressed. The phrase refers to a heady combination of the post-Christmas lull and gloomy winter weather, adding up to a sense of misery that is only further exacerbated by the fact that the Twixmas glory days of eating chocolate and cheese with every meal is apparently no longer socially acceptable. Sob.

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In fact, the idea of January being a miserable month is so firmly entrenched in our minds that Blue Monday is even a nationwide awareness event. Launched by Sky Travel back in 2005, Blue Monday will take place on Monday 15th January this year and is widely considered to be the most depressing day of the year. 

However, as deep as those blues might feel at the moment, blue is far from a miserable colour: shiver-inducing wintry despair aside, it's a colour that's symbolic of so much more. From the sky and the ocean to luxury and elegance, blue can span everything from eco to luxury-themed campaigns. 

One of the three core primary colours, blue arguably offers something for everyone and, whatever your business, your merch scenario or your branding requirements, there's a blue to match.

We're talking soothing shades of turquoise, deep royal tones, saccharine shades of baby... You get the picture.

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Anyway! Keep reading to find out all you need to know about the colour blue, from the history of the colour all the way through to the connotations and colour psychology.

Need-To-Know Trivia About The Colour Blue

Blue sits between green and violet on the colour spectrum. Blue pigments were originally made from minerals including cobalt and azurite, with the minerals mixed with liquids in order to create paint, dye and more. 

Ever wondered why the sky appears blue? It's all about the scattering of sunlight as it enters the Earth's atmosphere; NASA offers a pleasingly easy-to-understand explanation if you want to find out more.

Similarly, if you've ever noticed that the further in the distance something is, the bluer it appears to the eye, it's because of something called atmospheric perspective. In a nutshell, it's where a far-from-the-eye object appears to assume the colour of its backdrop, which will more often than not be the sky. 

To the lingo! The word "blue" has its origins in Old High German, with the original "blao" translating as "shimmering" or "lustrous". Some languages, including Russian, don't actually have a single all-encompassing word for "blue", opting instead for expressions that refer to light blue and dark blue.

On a further linguistic tangent, some languages have the same words for blue as they do for green; and you thought your promotional product requirements were complicated...

What Does Blue Traditionally Represent?

• According to this excellent colour psychology guide, blue represents calm, reliability and trust 🦋
• Blue traditionally plays a symbolic part in British weddings: after all, brides are classically encouraged to have something old, new, borrowed and blue about their person on their big day 💙
• Blue is intrinsically linked with the sea and the sky, and in turn with nature and infinite possibilities 🐳
• Blue is also associated with distinction; for example, royalty wear blue sashes during state occasions, whilst the phrase 'blue blood' can be used to describe a member of the nobility 🔵
• Interestingly, blue is also linked with the attire of workers: think overalls, denim and 'blue collar' roles 👔

Which Famous Companies Use Blue In Their Branding?

With its associations with trustworthiness, reliability and hard work, blue is a colour that's chosen time after time in the branding of some of the world's biggest tech companies, including the likes of Meta, LinkedIn and HP. 

Arguably, these colours are chosen to represent the seamless experience and fuss-free products their customers can expect when they choose to work with them. 

Blue is also used a lot in banking logos. Visa, American Express, PayPal, Barclays, Halifax and Nationwide all incorporate reassuring tones of bleu within their logos, providing customers with a subliminal reminder that they're to be trusted and can be relied upon. 

Interestingly, a study conducted in America a few years ago found that blue was people's "favourite" colour when it came to the design of corporate logos; the study additionally found that men are more likely to prefer it than women. 

Which Blue Promotional Products Could Your Business Consider?

Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. Your company's logo might not be blue - or anything near it, for that matter! But that's not to say you can't choose blue promotional products for your marketing campaigns. 

You can trust Total Merchandise to have a wide range of blue-tiful branded merchandise items for you to consider; with everything from branded metal bottles for water to eco-friendly branded tote bags on offer, we've got all the items your business could possibly need. Can't find what you want? With close to 20 years of experience behind us, we can advise on the perfect promotional product to match your business' bespoke requirements.

The beauty of many of our products is your artwork can be made to stand out on any colour or material. Whether you opt to have your logo embroidered onto a printed t-shirt or luxuriously embossed onto a branded diary, you can be assured it will be strikingly visible to your customers.

Read on to discover a few of our very favourite promotional products available in bleu and browse our whole range to find the perfect match for your business today.

750ml Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Help your customers up their daily water intake with these easy-grab branded water bottles. It's also available in red, white or black, and your corporate artwork can be printed in up to four colours.

Allowing your audience to reduce their usage of single-use plastic bottles, this reusable giveaway ticks our eco friendly boxes, too. A minimum order quantity of just 48 units means it's a great match for businesses both large and small, with the practical nature of printed water bottles meaning you can be assured your customers will appreciate receiving them. 

Bayford Folding Shopping Bags

For brand awareness that your customers can take on-the-go with them, look no further than our printed shopping bags. Dispatch can be possible in as little as five working days with these printed tote bags, which are available in a whole rainbow of colours for you to pick from. 

The beauty of printed shopping bags is that they can be used by almost any demographic and offer long-lasting and enduring visibility for your branding. And who doesn't love a thoughtfully designed bag? 

Stress Ball Keyrings

Help your customers tackle the day-to-day pressures of the modern world with our promotional stress ball keyrings! Banish feeling blue with these easy-squeezy branded keyrings, which can be printed in up to full colour with your artwork.

Of course, the beauty of a promotional keyring is they can go everywhere with your customers. The result? Your brand will travel wherever they do, meaning your business will become a comforting and reassuring presence in their lives. 

Folding Bottles

Hello, bright idea! These super-smart Folding Bottles can hold 400ml of liquid and, when empty, can be folded down into handbag or pocket-friendly sizes. The result? Delightfully fuss-free branded water bottles that are ridiculously simple for your customers to use.

These best-selling Folding Bottles aren't only available in blue, by the way; take your pick from ten eye-catching hues and have your logo printed in up to three colours. 

A5 Soft Touch Notebook & Pen

Whether your target audience comprises of students or office workers, our pad-and-pen sets are a must-consider product that will ensure your logo stays within their grasp. 

Your logo will be neatly printed to the notebook in one colour, while the pens will be engraved with your design. For an extra special touch, you can even add the individual names of your recipients to the pens, with the sets available to be ordered from just 25 units. 

Whatever colour you're after, you can rely on Total Merchandise to provide the perfect promotional products for your business. Want an instant inspiration fix? Browse our best-selling promotional products. If you need help or advice, simply contact a member of our friendly and experienced Sales team on 01376 509092 or email info@totalmerchandise.co.uk.