Colors create an immediate visual connection to a brand, and UW–Madison’s primary color combination of Badger Red and white is core to our identity. Our set of secondary colors offers contrast, variety, and flexibility.
Primary colors
Badger Red and white are carried throughout the entire visual expression of UW–Madison, serving as the foundation and centerpiece of all branded materials.
Badger Red
Digital
Hex: #C5050C
RGB: 197, 5, 12
Print
CMYK: 3, 100, 66, 12
PMS: 200 C
White
Digital
Hex: #FFFFFF
RGB: 255, 255, 255
Print
CMYK: 0,0,0,0
Pantone Color books are no longer available in Adobe software without a Pantone Connect subscription. Using the official UW CMYK color break for standard four-color printing should give you the correct output results. For printers that require a PMS color, you can create a swatch with the CMYK color break, change the color type to “Spot Color,” and then label it as PMS 200.
Secondary colors
What pairs well with Badger Red? Check out these reliable color combinations for print and digital use.
Digital
Calibrated to the digital color space, these secondary brand colors are used on UW websites for backgrounds, page elements, and design accents. They should also be used for digital materials such as social media, email, and presentations.
If you’re building a website, the digital palette is included in our UW Theme for WordPress and HTML templates for other web platforms.
Dark Red
Hex: #9B0000
RGB: 155, 0, 0
Light Gray
Hex: #E1E5E7
RGB: 225, 229, 231
Black
Hex: #121212
RGB: 18, 18, 18
Secondary brand colors — black, crimson red, and light gray — pair seamlessly with Badger Red and white while providing visual variety.
Crimson Red
CMYK: 9, 100, 64, 40
Light Gray
CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 10
Black
CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 100
Accent colors (print only)
In certain applications, more color options may be desired. These accent colors pair nicely with the UW’s main colors. However, they should always be used in moderation and in a less pronounced way than the primary and secondary colors.
Yellow
CMYK: 0, 25, 100, 0
Med Gray Blue
CMYK: 30, 0, 0, 40
Blue
CMYK: 45, 0, 0, 60
Accessibility and color resources
Accessibility requirements for digital text
Make sure your text is easy to read and accessible. Digital text color combinations must meet a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 in order to comply with the UW–Madison’s Digital Accessibility Policy. Use contrast checkers to ensure your digital text meets contrast ratio guidelines.
Download the UW color palette
If you’re designing in Adobe, you can access the full UW–Madison print and digital color palettes.