Compromise and flexibility are essential for achieving a visually appealing and effective design that resonates with the desired audience. Bridging the marketing-design divide over color choices requires clear communication, shared goals, and mutual respect. Establish a collaborative process involving both teams, where designers present color palettes aligned with brand guidelines, and marketers provide feedback based on target audience preferences and marketing objectives. Flexibility in Design = - Adapt to feedback - Adjust to changes - Encourage creativity

Color choices are mostly subjective. The best way to ensure branding success is by testing alternatives with customers to eliminate any obvious issues, but the final decision must be made by one informed decider. The true key to a strong brand identity has nothing to do with achieving consensus among teams. Whatever choices are made, they must be religiously and consistently applied to have the intended effect of 'branding' the mind of the customer. That is the key.

Color is a matter of psychology and contrast is part of it! You cannot go off on this... so the way to conciliate it is when you know the brief, the audience you are focusing and what impact or ambiance you want to achieve. So marketing is going to help you to dive deeper, you need also to find your own ways to research... because this will lead you to different perspectives. Color culture, impact, contrast, shapes, what do you want to achieve with those mixures? Ask yourself?

Colors have meaning and should be chosen carefully to properly reflect the brand. Marketing should have a hand it the decision as they are not looking at 'what they like best' but rather, what color goes best with the brand.

I think the key to a successful brand is having a solid brand system in place from the start. That way, there’s less chance for conflict between the design and marketing teams. It’s important for the system to evolve as trends change, but having clear guidelines from the beginning helps keep everyone on the same page and ensures long-term success.