# #dc042c

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

## Values

- Hex: `#dc042c`
- RGB: rgb(220, 4, 44)
- HSL: hsl(349, 96%, 44%)
- OKLCH: oklch(0.565 0.227 23.5)
- Relative luminance: 0.1548
- Nearest named color: crimson (#dc143c, Δ 1.537) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/crimson
- Moods: warm, vivid, playful, bold
- Page: https://brandsweets.com/colors/dc042c

## Tints & shades

- Tints (toward white): #f50531, #fa1e46, #fb375b, #fc5574, #fc6e88, #fd879d, #fda5b5, #febeca, #fedce2, #fff5f7
- Shades (toward black): #c80428, #b40424, #a00320, #8c031c, #780218, #640214, #500210, #3c010c, #280108, #140004

## Harmonies

- Complementary: #04dcb4
- Analogous: #dc0498, #dc4904
- Triadic: #2cdc04, #042cdc
- Split-complementary: #04dc49, #0498dc
- Tetradic: #98dc04, #04dcb4, #4904dc

## Colors that go with #dc042c

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 #dc042c: 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), Frost & Ember (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/bold#frost-and-ember), IHG (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/ihg-com), 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 #dc042c — three hues spaced evenly round the wheel, the classic way to get energy into a palette without a clash. Seen in: Toyota (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/toyota-com), Coinbase (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/coinbase), WWE (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wwe-com), Pizza Hut (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pizzahut-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/royalblue
- **Steel Blue** #4682b4 [harmony, pool: split] — Steel Blue is a split-complement of #dc042c: 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), NASCAR (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com), Honda (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/honda-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/steelblue
- **Amber** #ffbf00 [pool] — Amber is paired with #dc042c in 7 real palettes, including McDonald's's brand system and Wired's brand system, as the lead colour. Seen in: McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com), Wired (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wired-com), Maple (https://brandsweets.com/palettes/warm#maple), Google (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/google-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/amber
- **Blue** #0000ff [pool] — 8 real palettes, including Tim Hortons's brand system and native Cybersecurity's brand system put Blue beside #dc042c, 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), Gap (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/gap-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/blue
- **Cobalt Blue** #0047ab [pool] — Designers have shipped Cobalt Blue with #dc042c: 5 real palettes, including Walgreens's brand system and Behance's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Walgreens (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/walgreens-com), Behance (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/behance-net), MLB (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mlb-com), NASA (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nasa-gov). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/cobalt
- **Denim** #1560bd [pool] — Designers have shipped Denim with #dc042c: 16 real palettes, including Target : Expect More. Pay Less.'s brand system and Costco's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Target : Expect More. Pay Less. (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/target-com), Costco (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/costco-com), Netflix (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/netflix), McDonald's (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/mcdonalds-com). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/denim
- **Dodger Blue** #1e90ff [pool] — Designers have shipped Dodger Blue with #dc042c: 6 real palettes, including Databricks's brand system and Google's brand system, as the accent. Seen in: Databricks (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/databricks-com), Google (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/google-com), Replit (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/replit), Figma (https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/figma). — https://brandsweets.com/colors/dodgerblue

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

- On white (#ffffff): 5.13:1 — AA pass, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AAA: text → #b40424 (7.04:1)
- On black (#000000): 4.1:1 — AA fail, AA-large pass, AAA fail. Fix: AA: text → #eb052f (4.6:1); AA: background → #f2f2f2 (4.58:1); AAA: text → #fc5f7c (7.07:1)

## Brands using this color

- **Target : Expect More. Pay Less.** — primary #dc142c (Δ 0.659) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/target-com
- **Wendy's** — primary #dd1438 (Δ 1.194) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wendys-com
- **Budweiser** — primary #dc041c (Δ 1.242) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/budweiser-com
- **Wells Fargo** — primary #d71e28 (Δ 1.532) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/wellsfargo-com
- **KFC** — primary #e4002b (Δ 1.609) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/kfc-com
- **KFC** — secondary #e4002b (Δ 1.609) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/kfc-com
- **NASCAR** — secondary #e4002b (Δ 1.609) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/nascar-com
- **Cartier** — accent #d50032 (Δ 1.661) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/cartier-com
- **Toyota** — secondary #e10a1d (Δ 1.67) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/toyota-com
- **Pinterest** — primary #e40424 (Δ 1.788) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/pinterest-com
- **Burberry** — secondary #d5151f (Δ 1.872) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/burberry-com
- **Lay's** — accent #df2027 (Δ 1.95) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/lays-com
- **MAC Cosmetics** — secondary #da1717 (Δ 1.966) — https://brandsweets.com/colors/brands/maccosmetics-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/dc042c-c49c9f-62cb85-2d231f-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: "#dc042c" })`), `check_contrast` (with fixes), `generate_palette` (explore around locks), `suggest_palette` (mood/industry → curated-first), `list_palettes`.