The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s colors are more than just aesthetic choices—they are a vital part of the institution’s identity and brand presence. Crimson and gold evoke tradition, pride, and excellence, helping unify the DU community across all platforms and experiences. These colors ensure consistency and recognition in everything from athletic uniforms to digital media. Using DU’s official colors correctly reinforces the university’s reputation and strengthens its visual impact, both on campus and beyond.
This page lists out the primary brand colors and complementary colors as well as the color standards. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to brand@du.edu.
Brand Colors
Crimson and gold have served DU throughout much of our vibrant history. Crimson symbolizes DU’s passion and determination to succeed, while gold signifies the bright future we see on the horizon.
DU Crimson
PMS: 200
CMYK: 3,100,70,12
RGB: 186,12,47
Hex: #BA0C2F
DU Crimson must be used in every visual communication.
DU Gold
PMS: 7503
CMYK: 10,15,50,29
RGB: 168,153,104
Hex: #A89968
White
CMYK: 0,0,0,0
RGB: 255,255,255
Hex: #FFFFFF
Black
CMYK: 10,10,10,100
RGB: 0,0,0
Hex: #000000
Tints, Shades, & Complementary Colors
Tints, shades and complimentary colors are available to augment our brand colors where more options are needed, such as pie charts, infographics and icons. The following colors cannot be used as the primary color within a layout.
Crimson Tint
CMYK: 0,86,63,0
RGB: 213,81,84
Hex: #D55154
Navy Tint
CMYK: 81,60,45,29
RGB: 55,80,96
Hex: #375060
Gold Tint
CMYK: 11,16,44,11
RGB: 204,186,140
Hex: #CCBA8C
Dark Grey Tint
CMYK: 66,57,51,29
RGB: 84,86,91
Hex: #54565B
Light Gold Tint
CMYK: 16,13,21,0
RGB: 213,210,197
Hex: #D5D2C5
Light Grey Tint
CMYK: 36,32,29,16
RGB: 146,142,145
Hex: #928E91
Brand Compliant
The primary color should always be DU Crimson. If a significant amount of white is visible in the layout, DU Crimson must be the next most-used color.
Not Brand Compliant
DU Gold, black and any tints or shades may not be the dominant color in a layout, even when DU Crimson is present.
Accessibility
91¶ÌÊÓƵ is for everyone, including those with visual impairments and other disabilities. It is critical that we ensure all of our branded materials and communications are accessible to all.
We are committed to maintaining our WCAG AA status for accessibility. WCAG 2.0 level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. To learn more about accessibility go to .
Tip: WebAim's contrast checker is a great resource for testing the color combinations of your design.
For more color combinations and their contrast ratios, download the full visual style guide
Compliant Brand Color Combinations
Non-Compliant Brand Color Combinations
