Colour
Colour is a key feature of our brand identity and should be used to complement photography and typography. Used correctly it will communicate our brand personality and provide standout.
We have a lot to say and many audiences to speak to. We need variety as well as coherence in our messaging, so the colour palette is broad. Whilst there is scope for wide variation in colour, we encourage creatives to exercise restraint when varying colour within campaigns, so we have defined palettes per audience.
Our colour palette
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Blue
Pantone 306U
C76 M0 Y5 K0
R0 G185 B228
#00B9E4
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Mid Blue
Pantone 285U
C90 M48 Y0 K0
R0 G115 B207
#0073CF
Bright Yellow
Pantone 123U
C0 M18 Y89 K0
R255 G207 B33
#FFCF21
Bright Orange
Pantone 2012U
C5 M57 Y100 K0
R233 G130 B0
#E88200
Bright Green
Pantone 2249U
C70 M0 Y61 K0
R69 G179 B130
#45B382
Blush Pink
Pantone 196U
C0 M25 Y5 K0
R244 G195 B203
#F4C3CB
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
Dark Purple
Pantone 2613U
C67 M78 Y31 K19
R96 G67 B107
#63436B
Dark Teal
Pantone 3165U
C81 M24 Y20 K63
R0 G74 B92
#004A5C
Grey Blue
Pantone 2380U
C80 M60 Y50 K41
R48 G69 B79
#30454F
What to use and when
Undergraduate recruitment
Our undergraduate recruitment palette reflects our promise to the ambitions of a new generation, with blue bringing intellectual promise and violet and pink lending qualities of optimism and emotional strength.
This palette should be used for undergraduate recruitment campaigns only. For communicating with current undergraduate students, see Student and Staff Comms.
Background
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Blue
Pantone 306U
C76 M0 Y5 K0
R0 G185 B228
#00B9E4
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Accents
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Postgraduate recruitment
Our postgraduate recruitment palette signals academic prowess with the addition of mid blue, and maturity with the reversed colour ordering and introduction of Grey Blue.
This palette should be used for postgraduate recruitment campaigns only. For communicating with current postgraduate students, see Student and Staff Comms.
Background
Grey Blue
Pantone 2380U
C80 M60 Y50 K41
R48 G69 B79
#30454F
Accents
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Mid Blue
Pantone 285U
C90 M48 Y0 K0
R0 G115 B207
#0073CF
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Student and staff comms
We recognise that our students and staff care about a wide range of issues, both related to life within the University and issues in the wider world. Our internal student and staff comms colour palette is just as diverse as these interests, affording us flexibility and cut-through in what can often be a crowded and information-heavy environment.
Care should be taken to restrict the number of colours used in any given piece of communications, and to ensure colours do no clash or overpower messaging.
Background
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Blue
Pantone 306U
C76 M0 Y5 K0
R0 G185 B228
#00B9E4
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Mid Blue
Pantone 285U
C90 M48 Y0 K0
R0 G115 B207
#0073CF
Bright Yellow
Pantone 123U
C0 M19 Y89 K0
R255 G207 B33
#FFCF21
Bright Orange
Pantone 2012U
C5 M57 Y100 K0
R233 G130 B0
#E88200
Bright Green
Pantone 2249U
C70 M0 Y61 K0
R69 G179 B130
#45B382
Blush Pink
Pantone 196U
C0 M25 Y5 K0
R244 G195 B203
#F4C3CB
Accents
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Alumni comms
Our alumni comms uniquely use a base gradient to highlight the transformative power of our gold-rated teaching. Paired with rich purple, historically associated with the University, our alumni comms are celebratory and reinforce the pride and esteem we hold in our community of graduates.
We have two available colour combinations for our alumni comms:
Gold
Gold Gradient
Dark Gold
C29 M42 Y81 K20
R166 G129 B61
#A6813D
Light Gold
C2 M10 Y53 K0
R252 G227 B143
#FCE38F
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Dark Purple
Dark Purple
Pantone 2613U
C67 M78 Y31 K19
R96 G67 B107
#63436B
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Corporate comms
Our corporate colour palette should be used for high level communications from the heart of the University. The Dark Teal base references depth and growth and reinforces our commitment to Powering Potential, and our range of bright accents support broad and targeted communication.
Background
Dark Teal
Pantone 3165U
C81 M24 Y20 K63
R0 G74 B92
#004A5C
Accents
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Blue
Pantone 306U
C76 M0 Y5 K0
R0 G185 B228
#00B9E4
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Mid Blue
Pantone 285U
C90 M48 Y0 K0
R0 G115 B207
#0073CF
Bright Yellow
Pantone 123U
C0 M19 Y89 K0
R255 G207 B33
#FFCF21
Bright Orange
Pantone 2012U
C5 M57 Y100 K0
R233 G130 B0
#E88200
Bright Green
Pantone 2249U
C70 M0 Y61 K0
R69 G179 B130
#45B382
Blush Pink
Pantone 196U
C0 M25 Y5 K0
R244 G195 B203
#F4C3CB
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Enterprise
Our restrained palette for Enterprise activity reflects the simplicity and impact of access to our expertise. The use of strong, bright colours paired with white on a charcoal base acts as a beacon in a complex business landscape.
Background
Dark Grey
Pantone Black 6U
C54 M27 Y36 K82
R32 G50 B50
#203232
Accents
Bright Violet
Pantone 2583U
C48 M72 Y0 K0
R154 G91 B179
#9A5BB3
Bright Blue
Pantone 306U
C76 M0 Y5 K0
R0 G185 B228
#00B9E4
Bright Pink
Pantone 1787U
C0 M82 Y53 K0
R245 G63 B91
#F53F5B
Bright Yellow
Pantone 123U
C0 M19 Y89 K0
R255 G207 B33
#FFCF21
White
C0 M0 Y0 K0
R255 G255 B255
#FFFFFF
Campaign examples
Dos and don'ts

Do use colour as an accent

Do use colour to differentiate between campaign audiences

Do limit the number of colours that appear in any one piece

Don't overlay Bright colours on top of one another unless critical to the design

Don't mix colours across campaign styles

Don't mix colours that have poor contrast
Downloads
Use the links below to download audience-specific Adobe Swatch Exchange (.ase) files for both screen and print.
Campaign | RGB (screens) | CMYK (print) |
---|---|---|
Undergraduate | Download | Download |
Postgraduate | Download | Download |
Internal comms | Download | Download |
Corporate | Download | Download |
Enterprise | Download | Download |
Alumni | Download | Download |
Related Guidance
Get in touch
If you have any questions please contact a member of the team:
Contact | |
---|---|
Studio team, Marketing and Communications | studio@herts.ac.uk |
Jak Kimsey, Head of Digital and Creative Experience (he/him) | j.kimsey1@herts.ac.uk |
Marketing and Communications Business Support | marketinguh@herts.ac.uk |