# #b4201d

A color — warm, vivid, playful, bold. Deterministic analysis from BrandSweets (no inference).

## Values

- Hex: `#b4201d`
- RGB: rgb(180, 32, 29)
- HSL: hsl(1, 72%, 41%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.499 0.183 27.8)
- Relative luminance: 0.1083
- Nearest named color: firebrick (#b22222, Δ 0.526) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/firebrick
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/b4201d

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #ce2422, #dd2f2c, #e14947, #e56361, #ea7d7b, #ed9391, #f1adac, #f6c7c6, #f9dcdc, #fef6f6
- Shades (toward black): #a21d1a, #951a18, #841715, #721413, #651210, #530f0e, #420c0b, #300908, #230606, #120303

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #1db1b4
- Analogous: #b41d66, #b46b1d
- Triadic: #1db420, #201db4
- Split-complementary: #1db46b, #1d66b4
- Tetradic: #66b41d, #1db1b4, #6b1db4

## Colors that go with #b4201d

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

- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Royal Blue completes a triad with #b4201d — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Bose (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/bose-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Coinbase (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase), Foot Locker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/footlocker-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: split] — Steel Blue is a split-complement of #b4201d: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Wendy's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com), Honda (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/honda-com), NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Teal sits directly opposite #b4201d on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Magazine Ochre (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#magazine-ochre), Redfin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/redfin-com), Gemstone (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#gemstone), Saffron (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#saffron). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/teal
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #b4201d in 5 real palettes, including Maple and Ember, as the accent. Seen in: Maple (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#maple), Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#ember), Trailhead (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#trailhead), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 4 real palettes, including Tim Hortons's brand system and Dunkin''s brand system put Blue beside #b4201d, as the accent. Seen in: Tim Hortons (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/timhortons-com), Dunkin' (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/dunkindonuts-com), native Cybersecurity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crowdstrike-com), Doordash (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/doordash-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Charcoal** #36454f [role, pool] — Charcoal is the body-text near-black for #b4201d: its slight blue cast keeps type crisp beside a warm colour where pure #000 looks heavy. Seen in: IHG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ihg-com), Codecademy (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/codecademy-com), Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #b4201d: 4 real palettes, including MLB's brand system and Behance's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: MLB (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mlb-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com), Reebok (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/reebok-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Dark Olive Green** #556b2f [pool] — Dark Olive Green shows up next to #b4201d in 5 real palettes, including Olive Grove and BrandSweets's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: Olive Grove (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#olive-grove), BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets), Cider (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#cider), Magazine Ochre (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#magazine-ochre). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/darkolivegreen

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

- On white (#ffffff): 6.64:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #ab1e1c (7.16:1)
- On black (#000000): 3.17:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #dd2f2c (4.52:1); AA: background → #d6d6d6 (4.57:1); AAA: text → #e87573 (7.22:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Wendy's** — secondary #b0161f (Δ 1.51) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com
- **Chipotle** — primary #ac241c (Δ 1.606) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/chipotle-com
- **Tommy Hilfiger** — secondary #b9252d (Δ 1.856) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/tommy-com
- **Twilio** — accent #b10f23 (Δ 1.979) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/twilio-com

## Curated palettes containing it

- **Newsprint** (editorial, muted, warm) — #b91c1c, #78716c, #d97706, #f5f1ea, #1c1917 — Ink-black on warm paper with a single red — the broadsheet hierarchy that lets typography lead. — tool: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/b91c1c-78716c-d97706-f5f1ea-1c1917 — collection: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial

## Fonts for this mood

- warm: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/warm
- playful: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/playful
- bold: https://brandsweets.com/fonts/mood/bold

## Palette tool

Open this color locked as the lead with four explored companions: https://brandsweets.com/palettes/new/b4201d-c4a19c-62cb9a-2d261f-f1e9ed?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: "#b4201d" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.