# #172ea1

A color — cool, vivid, technical, modern. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#172ea1`
- RGB: rgb(23, 46, 161)
- HSL: hsl(230, 75%, 36%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.376 0.185 266.8)
- Relative luminance: 0.0471
- Nearest named color: Blue Hour (#0034ab, Δ 2.267) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue-hour
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/172ea1

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #1b36bb, #1f3dd6, #3653e2, #516ae6, #6c81ea, #8798ee, #a1aff2, #c1c9f6, #dbe0fa, #f6f7fe
- Shades (toward black): #152a93, #132686, #112174, #0f1d67, #0d1959, #0b164c, #09123e, #060d2d, #04091f, #030512

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #a18a17
- Analogous: #1773a1, #4517a1
- Triadic: #a1172e, #2ea117
- Split-complementary: #a14517, #73a117
- Tetradic: #a11773, #a18a17, #17a145

## Colors that go with #172ea1

Named partners (harmony on the OKLCH wheel, co-occurrence in curated palettes and brand systems, and the neutrals that carry it), best first:

- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the text near-black for #172ea1: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: dbt Labs (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/getdbt-com), Boeing (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/boeing-com), HP (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hp-com), UEFA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/uefa-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Steel Blue is #172ea1's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Hershey's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hersheys-com), Fintech Trust (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#fintech-trust), Glacier (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#glacier), FedEx (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/fedex-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 6 real palettes, including Procter & Gamble's brand system and CVS's brand system put Blue beside #172ea1, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Procter & Gamble (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pg-com), CVS (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cvs-com), Pfizer (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pfizer-com), Tesco (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/tesco-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cornflower Blue** #6495ed [pool] — Designers have shipped Cornflower Blue with #172ea1: 4 real palettes, including Blue Mono and Peacock's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Blue Mono (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#blue-mono), Peacock (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/peacocktv-com), Gopro (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/gopro-com), Qualcomm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/qualcomm-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cornflowerblue
- **Crimson** #dc143c [pool] — Crimson is paired with #172ea1 in 9 real palettes, including Pepsi's brand system and Walgreens's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Pepsi (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pepsi-com), Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Casper Sleep (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/casper-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #172ea1: 9 real palettes, including Warbyparker's brand system and Unilever's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Warbyparker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warbyparker-com), Unilever (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/unilever-com), Intel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intel-com), General Mills (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/generalmills-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Orange Red** #ff4500 [pool] — Orange Red is paired with #172ea1 in 4 real palettes, including Tide's brand system and NASA's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Tide (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/tide-com), NASA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nasa-gov), Intercom (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intercom-com), Soundcloud (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/soundcloud-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/orangered
- **Red** #ff0000 [pool] — Red is paired with #172ea1 in 4 real palettes, including 3M's brand system and Walgreens's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: 3M (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/3m-com), Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com), Hyundai (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hyundaiusa-com), Twitch (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/twitch-tv). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/red

## Contrast (WCAG 2.x, as text)

- On white (#ffffff): 10.81:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.94:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #516ae6 (4.55:1); AA: background → #a8a8a8 (4.55:1); AAA: text → #7e90ed (7.1:1); AAA: background → #d1d1d1 (7.08:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Nivea** — primary #0032a0 (Δ 1.356) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nivea-com

## Fonts for this mood

- technical: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/technical
- modern: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/modern

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/172ea1-9c9ec4-df814e-231f2d-e9eef1?lock=0&style=vibrant
(Humans lock/regenerate in the tool; the URL is the state — read `lock=` back to see what they kept.)

## Connect an agent

Point any MCP client at the BrandSweets colors endpoint for the same engine:

- Endpoint: https://mcp.brandsweets.com/colors/mcp
- Tools: `analyze_color` (e.g. `analyze_color({ color: "#172ea1" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.