Official Colors and Usage

OFFICIAL COLORS AND USAGE

Color is as significant to a graphic identity as other graphic and brand marks: the official colors of Auburn University are orange and blue.

As most designers know, precise color matching can be difficult depending on the medium being used, and the art or special effects being used. OCM recommends the following PMS colors for their proven versatility and quality consistency across multiple mediums:

Orange PMS 158
Blue PMS 289

CMYK percentages for PMS-289 and PMS-158 are:

PMS-289 cyan 100, magenta 64, black 60, (no yellow)
PMS-158 magenta 61, yellow 97, (no cyan, no black)

In recent years, although it does not appear to be the original Auburn Orange, Orange PMS 172 has been used, with mixed results. Vendors and designers have noted that screen effects with 172 usually result in various shades of pink, and darker versions frequently appear red, limiting creative uses of the color and leading many to select alternate shades of orange.

As OCM develops a design standard for the campus, we will move toward PMS 158 as the official color to avoid these problems, and to more closely match historical Auburn Orange. In the interim, either PMS 158 or 172 may be used; however, we strongly advise careful review of printer proofs if Orange 172 is used, due to its often extreme quality variations.