Primary palette – print

VCU Gold — PMS 130 — is the identifying swatch for the enterprise, followed by black, cool gray 10 and white.

Among the academic and health materials, we recommend usage in the following ranges to best appeal to audiences and still maintain flexibility with the other elements of the brand. Do not substitute other colors for these primary colors.

*Spot color for uncoated paper: A custom ”VCU Gold Mix“ should be used consisting of 1.1% Warm Red, 2.2% Rubine Red and 96.7% Process Yellow. This custom ink should be made by a certified ink vendor and purchased by your offset printer. It is essentially a custom PMS color made just for printing on uncoated paper. It cannot be specified in a layout program comprising a CMYK build. (NOTE: If cost is a consideration, Pantone 109U may be used in place of the custom mix on uncoated stock. Enterprise Marketing and Communications can supply 109U versions of the brand mark on request.)

**Four-color process for VCU Gold ink: This is made up of a CMYK build and should only be used for offset printing on coated paper: 0% cyan, 30% magenta, 100% yellow and 0% black. It should be monitored on press to ensure it matches to PMS 130. For in-house printing on a standard/generic desktop printer (inkjet or laser), please use the four-color process (CMYK) versions of the logo. 

Secondary palette – print

Secondary colors are available exclusively for the purposes of supporting and accenting the primary palette. They are not intended to be dominant design elements and should be applied sparingly and with clear intent. The primary colors are designed to establish the look of your material while secondary colors may be used to highlight supporting content and various callouts.

This palette should be applied with the following percentages in mind.

Primary palette – digital

VCU Academic’s primary print and web palettes directly align, fostering visual continuity and reinforcing brand recognition across mediums. Do not substitute other colors for these primary colors.

Secondary palette – digital

Secondary colors serve to complement and enhance the primary palette rather than overshadowing it. While primary colors define the overall aesthetic, secondary hues can accentuate supporting elements and draw attention to specific content or calls to action.

VCU’s secondary digital color palette deliberately excludes tints and shades to streamline user interface elements and aid in accessibility. VCU’s secondary digital color palette prioritizes digital functionality and brand engagement while retaining core identity elements.

This palette should be applied with the following percentages in mind.

ADA Compliance and resources

Color selections must adhere to WCAG’s standards, ensuring a minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio to achieve Level AA compliance.

Level AA compliance requires a sufficient color contrast ratio between text and background, enhancing readability for individuals with low vision or color blindness. VCU is committed to fostering a more inclusive online environment and ensuring that all users, regardless of visual abilities, can access and engage with our digital content with ease. By prioritizing Level AA compliance and implementing accessible color contrast ratios, we uphold our dedication to accessibility and promote equal access to information and resources for everyone in our community.