# #281ca6

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

## Values

- Hex: `#281ca6`
- RGB: rgb(40, 28, 166)
- HSL: hsl(245, 71%, 38%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.365 0.204 273.5)
- Relative luminance: 0.0403
- Nearest named color: Galactic Highway (#3311bb, Δ 3.693) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/galactic-highway
- Moods: cool, vivid, technical, modern
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/281ca6

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #2e21c0, #3425da, #4c3fde, #6559e3, #7d73e7, #958eec, #aea8f0, #c6c2f5, #dfdcf9, #f7f6fe
- Shades (toward black): #241a99, #201787, #1d157a, #191269, #16105c, #130d4e, #0f0a3d, #0b0830, #07051f, #040311

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #9aa61c
- Analogous: #1c55a6, #6c1ca6
- Triadic: #a6281c, #1ca628
- Split-complementary: #a66c1c, #55a61c
- Tetradic: #a61c55, #9aa61c, #1ca66c

## Colors that go with #281ca6

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 #281ca6'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] — 5 real palettes, including Procter & Gamble's brand system and Pfizer's brand system put Blue beside #281ca6, 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 #281ca6 in 6 real palettes, including Pepsi's brand system and Behance's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Pepsi (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pepsi-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Casper Sleep (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/casper-com), Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #281ca6: 5 real palettes, including Unilever's brand system and Warbyparker's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Unilever (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/unilever-com), Warbyparker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/warbyparker-com), Intel (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/intel-com), Bank of America (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/bankofamerica-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Firebrick** #b22222 [pool] — Designers have shipped Firebrick with #281ca6: 4 real palettes, including 3M's brand system and MLB's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: 3M (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/3m-com), MLB (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mlb-com), Nintendo (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nintendo-com), Datadog (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/datadoghq-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/firebrick
- **Orange Red** #ff4500 [pool] — Orange Red is paired with #281ca6 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
- **Olive Green** #808000 [harmony: complementary] — Olive Green sits directly opposite #281ca6 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 #281ca6: 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): 11.62:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA pass
- On black (#000000): 1.81:1 — AA fail, AA-large fail, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #6d62e4 (4.52:1); AA: background → #a3a3a3 (4.61:1); AAA: text → #958eec (7.36:1); AAA: background → #c9c9c9 (7.02:1)

## 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/281ca6-a49cc4-dfa54e-261f2d-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: "#281ca6" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.