Official University Colors

Scarlet and cream, the primary colors for the university, were chosen by students in 1892, and are mentioned in three of our school songs dating back to the early 20th century. They are the official colors of the university. "Red and white" are generics ... scarlet is a particular hue of red, but cream is not white at all. Use scarlet and cream if you can.

For complementary use, a gray and a lighter shade of cream are provided. Consistent use of these colors enhances audiences’ visual interaction with our brand.

Scarlet

Pantone
186CP
CMYK
C2 M100 Y85 K6
RGB
R208 G0 B0
Hex
#d00000

Cream

Pantone
4545CP (25%)
CMYK
C3 M3 Y8 K0
RGB
R245 G241 B231
Hex
#f5f1e7

Gray

Pantone
Cool Gray 3CP
CMYK
C0 M0 Y0 K25
RGB
R199 G200 B202
Hex
#c7c8ca

Lighter Cream**

RGB
R254 G253 B250
Hex
#fefdfa
** Digital only

* The new PMS Plus Series Color Bridge is the new color set selected for the university. It’s the best option when converting to a 4-color process. The rest of the color breakdowns reflect this change.

Secondary Colors

Navy

Pantone
2965CP
CMYK
C100 M63 Y16 K78
RGB
R0 G18 B38
Hex
#001226
Only used to create scarlet/navy gradient on photos. Do not flood.*

Cerulean

Pantone
7702C
CMYK
C69 M16 Y17 K0
RGB
R36 G154 B181
Hex
#249ab5
Used as an accent color. Do not flood.* Be careful with matching it with the red – it vibrates if put too close.

Tertiary Colors

Use in infographics, charts and graphs. Do not flood.*

Green

CMYK
C24 M0 Y98 K9
RGB
R188 G203 B42
Hex
#bccb2a

Orange

CMYK
C0 M55 Y100 K0
RGB
R245 G138 B31
Hex
#f58a1f

Lapis

CMYK
C95 M61 Y29 K10
RGB
R0 G93 B132
Hex
#005d84

Yellow

CMYK
C0 M14 Y80 K0
RGB
R255 G215 B79
Hex
#ffd74f

Purple

CMYK
C38 M100 Y0 K0
RGB
R165 G34 B141
Hex
#a5228d

*Do not flood except on Instagram stories/social media, digital signage, or holiday graphics. But keep in mind primary university colors are scarlet and cream.

Tints and shades of all colors – when used in tandem with the primary, secondary or tertiary colors – are acceptable if needed for charts or gradients. However, do not use tints and shades to replace the primary, secondary or tertiary colors.

If you have further questions about color usage, please email VCN Leadership for project-by-project decisions.

Colors and fonts are available on a Creative Cloud library

Full list of web-approved colors (and classes) are available on the WDN website.