# #281b9d

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

## Values

- Hex: `#281b9d`
- RGB: rgb(40, 27, 157)
- HSL: hsl(246, 71%, 36%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.353 0.194 274.5)
- Relative luminance: 0.0367
- Nearest named color: Deepsea Kraken (#082599, Δ 3.27) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/deepsea-kraken
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/281b9d

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #2e1fb7, #3523d1, #4b3bde, #6355e2, #7b6fe7, #9389eb, #aba3ef, #c7c2f5, #dfdcf9, #f7f6fe
- Shades (toward black): #241890, #211683, #1d1371, #191164, #160f57, #130d4a, #0f0a3d, #0b072c, #08051f, #040311

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #909d1b
- Analogous: #1b4f9d, #691b9d
- Triadic: #9d281b, #1b9d28
- Split-complementary: #9d691b, #4f9d1b
- Tetradic: #9d1b4f, #909d1b, #1b9d69

## Colors that go with #281b9d

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

- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: analogous] — Steel Blue is #281b9d'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] — 4 real palettes, including Procter & Gamble's brand system and Pfizer's brand system put Blue beside #281b9d, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Procter & Gamble (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pg-com), Pfizer (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pfizer-com), CVS (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cvs-com), Zillow (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/zillow-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Crimson** #dc143c [pool] — Crimson is paired with #281b9d in 6 real palettes, including Pepsi's brand system and Casper Sleep's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Pepsi (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pepsi-com), Casper Sleep (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/casper-com), Nintendo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nintendo-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #281b9d: 6 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), Bank of America (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/bankofamerica-com), Intel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intel-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Firebrick** #b22222 [pool] — Designers have shipped Firebrick with #281b9d: 4 real palettes, including Nintendo's brand system and 3M's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Nintendo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nintendo-com), 3M (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/3m-com), MLB (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mlb-com), Datadog (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/datadoghq-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/firebrick
- **Red** #ff0000 [pool] — Red is paired with #281b9d 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), Twitch (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/twitch-tv), Hyundai (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/hyundaiusa-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/red
- **Olive Green** #808000 [harmony: complementary] — Olive Green sits directly opposite #281b9d on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. — https://brandsweets.com/colors/olive
- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the text near-black for #281b9d: 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). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal

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

- On white (#ffffff): 12.11:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.73:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #6f62e4 (4.54:1); AA: background → #9e9e9e (4.52:1); AAA: text → #9389eb (7.02:1); AAA: background → #c7c7c7 (7.16:1)

## 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/281b9d-a59cc4-dfa74e-271f2d-e9ecf1?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: "#281b9d" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.