# #278cbe

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

## Values

- Hex: `#278cbe`
- RGB: rgb(39, 140, 190)
- HSL: hsl(200, 66%, 45%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.607 0.117 235.6)
- Relative luminance: 0.2291
- Nearest named color: steelblue (#4682b4, Δ 3.173) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/278cbe

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #2b9cd4, #45a7d9, #5ab1dd, #6fbbe2, #88c7e7, #9ed1eb, #b3dbef, #c8e5f4, #e1f1f9, #f7fbfd
- Shades (toward black): #2480ae, #20739d, #1d678c, #195a7b, #164e6a, #113e55, #0e3244, #0a2533, #071922, #030c11

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #be5a27
- Analogous: #27bea5, #2740be
- Triadic: #be278c, #8cbe27
- Split-complementary: #be2740, #bea527
- Tetradic: #a527be, #be5a27, #40be27

## Colors that go with #278cbe

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 #278cbe: softer than #000 and cool enough to feel like part of the same palette. Seen in: Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Auth0 (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/auth0-com), Dusty Blue (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusty-blue), Plaid (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/plaid-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Crimson** #dc143c [harmony, pool: split] — Crimson is a split-complement of #278cbe: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop), Wendy's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com), Redfin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/redfin-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Royal Blue is #278cbe's neighbour on the wheel, so the two read as one family — use it for hover states, gradients and secondary surfaces. Seen in: Elastic (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/elastic-co), Confluent (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/confluent-io), Slate Workspace (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/minimal#slate-workspace), HashiCorp (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hashicorp-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Copper** #b87333 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Copper sits directly opposite #278cbe on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Notion (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/notion), Dusk (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#dusk). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/copper
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #278cbe in 9 real palettes, including Beach Hut and Wired's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Beach Hut (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/light#beach-hut), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com), Lemon Squeezy (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lemonsqueezy-com), Google (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/google-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 7 real palettes, including Readymag's brand system and Qualcomm's brand system put Blue beside #278cbe, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Readymag (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/readymag-com), Qualcomm (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/qualcomm-com), Unity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/unity-com), Activision (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/activision-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #278cbe: 8 real palettes, including Hershey's's brand system and Glacier, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Hershey's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hersheys-com), Glacier (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/cool#glacier), General Mills (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/generalmills-com), Intel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intel-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Deep Sky Blue** #00bfff [pool] — Designers have shipped Deep Sky Blue with #278cbe: 8 real palettes, including Telegram's brand system and Astro's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Telegram (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/telegram-org), Astro (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/astro-build), Deep Water (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/dark#deep-water), Patreon (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/patreon-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepskyblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 3.76:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #237ca9 (4.64:1); AA: background → #1c1c1c (4.53:1); AAA: text → #1a5d7f (7.2:1)
- On black (#000000): 5.58:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #34a0d5 (7.14:1)

## 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/278cbe-9cb2c4-df4e64-1f232d-e9f1f0?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: "#278cbe" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.