Primary Colors

The primary University colors are gold, white, navy blue, and gray. Inspired by the selection of the daisy as the official school flower in 1893, the first school colors were gold and white. In 1987, navy blue was added to provide better visual contrast to publications, merchandise, and athletic uniforms. In 2018, gray was elevated from a supporting color to a primary color. The addition of gray as a primary color modernizes and connects the University’s logos and icons– Minerva and the Spartan, Spiro.  It also supports our efforts to better convey our relationship to the UNC System while highlighting our hometown, Greensboro, and our “G” identity.

To maintain visual consistency across mediums, the University’s color pantones and CMYK vary per color. The chart below details the proper color pantones and CMYK (coated and uncoated) to be used by medium below, i.e. web, print.

Brand marketing and communications shall use a bright, white design. This light design enables content and imagery to connect with the audience as color primarily is delivered through photography.

The new University mark features the three primary colors from the University Brand Guide: PMS 2767 (blue), PMS 1235 (gold), and Cool Grey 6 (grey). The single color versions of the mark may only be in black or navy.

University Communications completed the process of finalizing the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) color builds for the new brand colors. Navy, gold, and gray are the only colors updated with this new information. In this process, the CMYK numbers have been finalized for different print production equipment and different types of paper to ensure brand color consistency. Therefore, there are different CMYK color builds for offset and digital printing, as well as for coated and uncoated paper. Offset printing means conventional printing with a printing press that uses plates. Digital printing means a printing press that does not use plates, and is generally used for projects that require fewer quantities. These CMYK color builds provide our schools, colleges, and departments with better color consistency across vendors, printing equipment, and paper styles. Illustrated below is the breakdown for spot and CMYK printing as well as HEX and RGB for web applications.

Supporting Colors

To provide flexibility while maintaining a consistent look across the  marketing and communication materials, the University maintains a palette of complementary, bold, and neutral colors. The University’s supporting colors are to be used as design accent color options only.  Most work should heavily focus on and emphasize our primary colors, not our secondary ones.

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