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Primary Colors

Our primary palette consists of scarlet (red), gray and white.

Our primary colors — scarlet and gray — have been Ohio State’s official colors since the university’s earliest days. Consistent and appropriate use of our primary identity colors is one of the most effective ways our communications create a recognizable Ohio State look.

Accent Colors
Our primary color palette – scarlet, gray and white - should be used across touchpoints. Accent colors should not be used for decorative purposes. Additionally, accent colors should not be used as a predominant color or primary way to identify a school, center, institute or department. If there is a specific need to use accent colors on your website, please consult with the BUX team before doing so.

Primary​

NameHexSass VariableSwatch
Scarlet (PMS 200)#ba0c2f$scarlet
Gray (PMS 429)#a7b1b7$gray
White#ffffff$white

Scarlet Shades​

NameHexSass VariableSwatch
Scarlet Dark 40#70071c$scarlet-dark-40
Scarlet Dark 60#4a0513$scarlet-dark-60

Gray Tints​

NameHexSass VariableSwatch
Gray Light 20#bfc6cb$gray-light-20
Gray Light 40#cfd4d8$gray-light-40
Gray Light 60#dfe3e5$gray-light-60
Gray Light 80#eff1f2$gray-light-80
Gray Light 90#f6f7f8$gray-light-90

Gray Shades​

NameHexSass VariableSwatch
Gray Dark 20#868e92$gray-dark-20
Gray Dark 40#646a6e$gray-dark-40
Gray Dark 60#3f4443$gray-dark-60
Gray Dark 80#212325$gray-dark-80

Usage​

Dos​

  • Reserve scarlet for calls-to-action, whenever possible
  • Use white or gray tints as background colors
  • Use gray shades for legibility of text and to meet accessibility contrast requirements

Don’ts​

  • Don’t use tints of scarlet (colors lighter than scarlet)
  • Don’t use accent colors for decorative purposes
  • Don’t use accent colors as a predominant color or primary way to identify a unit

Accessibility​

References​

  • Ohio State brand guidelines: Color
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