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.
Download ASE files.
Download ACO files.
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
