# #cd040e

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

## Values

- Hex: `#cd040e`
- RGB: rgb(205, 4, 14)
- HSL: hsl(357, 96%, 41%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.534 0.217 28.1)
- Relative luminance: 0.131
- Nearest named color: Blood Kiss (#c30b0a, Δ 2.041) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blood-kiss
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/cd040e

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #eb0510, #fa0f1b, #fb2d37, #fb4b54, #fc6970, #fc8288, #fda0a5, #febec1, #fed7d9, #fff5f5
- Shades (toward black): #b9040d, #aa030c, #96030a, #820309, #730208, #5f0207, #4b0205, #370104, #280103, #140001

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #04cdc3
- Analogous: #cd0473, #cd5f04
- Triadic: #0ecd04, #040ecd
- Split-complementary: #04cd5f, #0473cd
- Tetradic: #73cd04, #04cdc3, #5f04cd

## Colors that go with #cd040e

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 #cd040e: 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), 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 #cd040e — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), Coinbase (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase), Foot Locker (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/footlocker-com), 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 #cd040e: nearly opposite, so it still pops against it, without the vibrating edge of a true complement. Seen in: Honda (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/honda-com), Wendy's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-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 #cd040e 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 #cd040e 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), Trailhead (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#trailhead), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 6 real palettes, including Tim Hortons's brand system and native Cybersecurity's brand system put Blue beside #cd040e, as the accent. Seen in: Tim Hortons (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/timhortons-com), native Cybersecurity (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/crowdstrike-com), Doordash (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/doordash-com), Dunkin' (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/dunkindonuts-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #cd040e: 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 #cd040e in 4 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): 5.8:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #b4040c (7.09:1)
- On black (#000000): 3.62:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #eb0510 (4.56:1); AA: background → #e3e3e3 (4.52:1); AAA: text → #fc646c (7.18:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Budweiser** — secondary #cc0414 (Δ 0.353) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/budweiser-com
- **Honda** — secondary #cc0000 (Δ 0.543) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/honda-com
- **Behance** — accent #d00d00 (Δ 1.002) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net
- **3M** — secondary #c80000 (Δ 1.218) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/3m-com
- **Huawei** — secondary #c7000b (Δ 1.331) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/huawei-com
- **Ferrari** — primary #d40000 (Δ 1.471) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ferrari-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/cd040e-c49f9c-62cb93-2d251f-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: "#cd040e" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.