# #cb2538

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

## Values

- Hex: `#cb2538`
- RGB: rgb(203, 37, 56)
- HSL: hsl(353, 69%, 47%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.548 0.199 21.7)
- Relative luminance: 0.1431
- Nearest named color: Bento Box (#cc363c, Δ 2.095) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/bento-box
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/cb2538

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #d93044, #dd4657, #e15b6b, #e5717e, #ea8b96, #eea0a9, #f2b6bd, #f6cbd0, #f9e1e4, #fdf6f7
- Shades (toward black): #b92234, #a41e2e, #931b29, #811824, #70151f, #5a1119, #490d14, #380a10, #22060a, #110305

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #25cbb7
- Analogous: #cb258b, #cb6525
- Triadic: #38cb25, #2538cb
- Split-complementary: #25cb65, #258bcb
- Tetradic: #8bcb25, #25cbb7, #6525cb

## Colors that go with #cb2538

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 body-text near-black for #cb2538: its slight blue cast keeps type crisp beside a warm colour where pure #000 looks heavy. Seen in: Codecademy (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/codecademy-com), IHG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ihg-com), Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember), Logitech (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/logitech-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/charcoal
- **Royal Blue** #4169e1 [harmony, pool: triadic] — Royal Blue completes a triad with #cb2538 — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Coinbase (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase), Foot Locker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/footlocker-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Toyota (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/toyota-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: split] — Steel Blue is a split-complement of #cb2538: 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), Retro Pop (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/playful#retro-pop). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Teal** #008080 [harmony, pool: complementary] — Teal sits directly opposite #cb2538 on the wheel — the strongest contrast one hue can give another, so use it small: a button, a link colour, one highlight. Seen in: Redfin (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/redfin-com), Gemstone (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/vivid#gemstone), Magazine Ochre (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#magazine-ochre). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/teal
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #cb2538 in 6 real palettes, including Maple and McDonald's's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Maple (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#maple), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#ember), Trailhead (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#trailhead). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 6 real palettes, including Tim Hortons's brand system and Dunkin''s brand system put Blue beside #cb2538, 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
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #cb2538: 4 real palettes, including Behance's brand system and MLB's brand system, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), MLB (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mlb-com), Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com), NASA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nasa-gov). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Dark Olive Green** #556b2f [pool] — Dark Olive Green shows up next to #cb2538 in 5 real palettes, including Farmers Market and Olive Grove, as the supporting colour. Seen in: Farmers Market (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#farmers-market), Olive Grove (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/muted#olive-grove), Magazine Ochre (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/editorial#magazine-ochre), BrandSweets (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/brandsweets). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/darkolivegreen

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

- On white (#ffffff): 5.44:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #a81f2f (7.24:1)
- On black (#000000): 3.86:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #da3448 (4.57:1); AA: background → #ebebeb (4.56:1); AAA: text → #e67582 (7.23:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Wise** — accent #cb272f (Δ 1.061) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wise-com
- **Coinbase** — danger #cf202f (Δ 1.126) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase
- **GitHub** — danger #cf222e (Δ 1.236) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/github
- **Tim Hortons** — secondary #d0142c (Δ 1.559) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/timhortons-com
- **Five Guys** — secondary #d21033 (Δ 1.674) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/fiveguys-com
- **Huawei** — primary #cf0a2c (Δ 1.778) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/huawei-com
- **New Balance** — secondary #cf0a2c (Δ 1.778) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/newbalance-com

## 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/cb2538-c49c9c-62cb8c-2d241f-f1e9ee?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: "#cb2538" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.