Beyond our logo, color is the most recognizable aspect of our brand identity. Our brand colors reflect our bold, diverse community. Using color appropriately is one of the easiest ways to make sure our materials reflect a cohesive Berkeley brand.
The Berkeley color palette has two layers: primary and secondary palettes, each with its own subgroupings of colors.
Our color palette has been modified for use online. Six of our original brand colors—Founder’s Rock, Medalist, Lap Lane, Soybean, Pacific and Bay Fog—have been altered subtly to insure web accessibility.
When using color builds, always use the color values listed. They were adjusted for the best reproduction in print and on screen and do not match Pantone® Color Bridge breakdowns.
Primary Palettes
Berkeley Blue Hex 003262 CMYK 100|71|10|47 Pantone 282 Text color options
Founder’s Rock Hex 3B7EA1 CMYK 76|34|21|0 Pantone 7697
California Gold Hex FDB515 CMYK 0|32|100|0 Pantone 123
Medalist Hex C4820E CMYK 0|34|98|12 Pantone 7550
Secondary Palettes
Wellman Tile Hex D9661F CMYK 0|69|98|12 Pantone 7416
Rose Garden Hex EE1F60 CMYK 0|98|46|0 Pantone 1925
Golden Gate Hex ED4E33 CMYK 1|85|88|0 Pantone 7417
South Hall Hex 6C3302 CMYK 11|68|95|62 Pantone 7602
Bay Fog Hex DDD5C7 CMYK 5|11|8|12 Pantone 434
Lawrence Hex 00B0DA CMYK 79|0|6|5 Pantone 306
Lap Lane Hex 00A598 CMYK 81|0|39|0 Pantone 326
Pacific Hex 46535E CMYK 45|25|16|59 Pantone 431
Sather Gate Hex B9D3B6 CMYK 25|2|30|4 Pantone 558
Ion Hex CFDD45 CMYK 23|0|89|0 Pantone 381
Soybean Hex 859438 CMYK 17|0|88|39 Pantone 7746
Stone Pine Hex 584F29 CMYK 40|40|80|55 Pantone 450
New Web Colors
Two colors—Background Gray and Web Gray—have been added to our basic palette and integrated into our web templates and to IST’s web template Open Berkeley.
Grey Hex EEEEEE
Web Grey Hex 888888
Black and white backgrounds
If using black or white as a background, refer to the text options popup.
Black Hex 000000
White Hex FFFFFF
Using Color
It is important to maintain a sense of hierarchy, balance and harmony when using the Berkeley color palette. Our color system is extremely flexible, but exercise restraint. Unique and exciting color palettes can be created from as few as three or four colors in addition to the primary Berkeley palette. View color guidelines
Adobe Swatch Exchange (ASE) files
InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop all support the exchange of colors via ASE files. Load these color files to your program to easily access the Berkeley color palette.
Our Commitment to Web Accessibility
In accordance with the systemwide UC Information Technology Accessibility Policy, and to help serve those with low vision, our web color palette is accessible online and in digital materials.
Please use the following color guide:
HEX colors should be used when designing for screens or desktop printing.
CMYK color should be used when designing for 4-color printing (C=cyan, M=magenta, Y=yellow, K=black).
SPOT color is a single color created by Pantone and the most accurate representation of a color when printed.
Adobe COlor (ACO) files. A file with the ACO file extension is an Adobe Color file, created in Adobe Photoshop, that stores a collection of colors in HEX, RGB and CMYK color spaces.
Import instructions for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign:
- Find and download the ASE file.
- Open your swatches palette by clicking the menu > Window > Swatches
- Click the flyout menu and choose “Load swatches” or “Open Swatch Library/Other Library”
- Navigate to the ASE file
- Your swatches will open up in a new swatch palette
