I love business mentoring. It is fun and can be very rewarding, as you watch your client progress. In parallel, you often find opportunities to expand your own horizons.

One such incident happened yesterday, sitting in central Jerusalem with the owner of a small chain of shops. The company is commencing a programme of restructuring, and this process allows for a new logo and additional lines of sales.

The CFO asked for my opinion on a set of posters that had been drawn up. This prompted a discussion, and many constructive points were delivered by himself and the marketing director. Then we were joined by a webmaster, who I had found for my client. The gentleman, we shall call him David, has already delivered an excellent service for another customer.

Here, David was invited to share his thoughts on the suggested posters and how they would feed in to a new website.

David’s comments were incisive and of value to others. In parallel to the message, he concentrated on the colours. He observed how each one plays to a different audience. And whilst the combination displayed in the pilot posters were interesting, they were totally unsuitable for this specific area of commerce. Simply put – nice set up, that would not work here. Ouch!

Both my client and I listened attentively. It was time for a rethink. And yet the ‘Jerusalem Syndrome’ can operate in the most unexpected manner. Checking my emails just a few hours later, I cam across this most pertinent of blogs: “How to use the psychology of colours when marketing“.

The article makes for annoying reading, as you come to realise how multinationals exploit us. For example, red is for energy and urgency. On the other hand, green represents tranquility and harmony. Blue is preferred by the menfolk, and so on.

My conclusion. Next time you come up with your own logo and you look for opinions from friends, you make also want to have it vetted by a psychologist. Today, many of the best logos are riddled with hidden meanings.