Thunderbird color palette

Elements of Thunderbird brand

Primary colors

Thunderbird Blue, Gold, and Grey, along with Rich Black and White, are Thunderbird’s primary colors. Since becoming part of the ASU enterprise, Thunderbird has integrated its historic identity into the university’s brand architecture, evolving these colors to represent a unique global pillar within the ASU brand. These colors define our legacy as a premier global management institution. Consequently, all digital and multicolor print designs should lead with these primary brand colors to uphold our distinguished visual identity within the ASU community.

The palette is designed to feel both "Thunderbird-specific" and "ASU-aligned," signaling a modern era of global management education.

Thunderbird Blue

Pantone: 2955c

CMYK: 100/85/35/33

RGB: 0/46/95

Hex: #002e5f

Thunderbird Gold

Pantone: 129c

CMYK: 0/21/88/0

RGB: 255/198/39

Hex: #ffc627

Thunderbird Gray

Pantone: 443

CMYK: 43/35/35/1

RGB: 153/153/153

Hex: #999999

Deep navy blue symbolizes professionalism, trust and depth, reflecting Thunderbird's commitment to rigorous and comprehensive education in global management.

Vibrant gold ties Thunderbird to ASU, representing excellence, innovation and the dynamic spirit of the Thunderbird–ASU community.

Neutral gray conveys balance, neutrality and sophistication, enhancing the brand's modern and inclusive image.

See custom spot colors for print below.

Learn more

Secondary colors

The Thunderbird secondary palette—Twilight Blue, Dawn Blue, and Jade—provides a vibrant range of accents curated to complement our primary colors. Since joining the ASU enterprise, these tones have been used to add depth and versatility to our communications while remaining supporting elements to our core identity.

Twilight Blue

CMYK: 95/37/5/0

RGB: 0/121/183

Hex: #0179b7

Dawn Blue

CMYK: 25/2/0/0

RGB: 192/221/234

Hex: #c0ddea

Jade

CMYK: 60/0/100/0

RGB: 120/190/32

Hex: #78be20

Use of secondary colors

Secondary colors should be used sparingly and with intention to add meaning or clarity. They must never dominate a design or replace the primary palette of Thunderbird Blue, Gold, and Grey. While the primary colors, including Rich Black and White, should lead every project, the secondary palette is particularly effective for complex data visualizations—such as charts, graphs, and maps—where additional colors are necessary for clear reading and comprehension.

Secondary color application guide

Color	Recommended Use
Twilight and Dawn Blue	Best for tonal depth and layered data in charts.
Jade	Ideal for high-contrast callouts or action buttons.

Optional color palette

The Thunderbird optional color palette—Copper, Orange, Purple, Turquoise, and Pink—provides a vibrant range of accents curated to complement our primary colors. Since joining the ASU enterprise, these tones have been used to add depth and versatility to our communications while remaining supporting elements to our core identity.

Copper

CMYK: 0/69/100/47

RGB: 146/72/19

Hex: #924813

Orange

CMYK: 0/60/85/0

RGB: 255/127/50

Hex: #ff7f32

Purple

CMYK: 37/98/44/18

RGB: 124/35/86

Hex: #7c2356

ASU Turquoise

CMYK: 68/0/21-0

RGB: 74/183/196

Hex: #4AB7C4

ASU Pink

CMYK: 0/83/16/0

RGB: 231/73/115

Hex: #E74973

Use of optional color palette

Optional colors should be used sparingly and with intention to add meaning or clarity. They must never dominate a design or replace the primary palette of Thunderbird Blue, Gold, and Grey. While the primary colors, including Rich Black and White, should lead every project, the optional color palette is particularly effective for complex data visualizations—such as charts, graphs, and maps—where additional colors are necessary for clear reading and comprehension.

Optional color palette application guide

Color	Recommended Use
Copper, Orange	Ideal for high-contrast callouts or action buttons.
Purple, Turquoise, Pink	Use strictly as a small accent or to distinguish specific data sets.

Color usage guidelines

Digital applications

Use RGB or HEX values for all digital projects, including:

Websites and web applications
Email marketing and newsletters
Social media graphics
Digital presentations
Digital signage and displays
Mobile applications

Print applications

Use CMYK or Pantone (PMS) values for all print projects, including:

Brochures, flyers and posters
Business cards and stationery
Banners and signage
Publications and reports
Promotional materials
Apparel printing

Use the correct color formula for your project to ensure colors are accurately represented.

Accessibility and best practices

For all colors, be aware of accessibility when selecting background and text color combinations. Without strong contrast, many readers will struggle to read your text.

Test the contrast of your text and background color pairings using Hex codes; color combinations should meet or exceed WCAG AA level standards.

Common pairings to avoid:

Gold text on a white background, or white text on a gold background.
Thunderbird Blue text on a black background, or black text on Thunderbird Blue.
Dawn Blue text on a white background (insufficient contrast).

Thunderbird color palette

Primary colors

Quick links

Thunderbird Blue

Thunderbird Gold

Thunderbird Gray

See custom spot colors for print below.

Learn more

Secondary colors

Twilight Blue

Dawn Blue

Jade

Use of secondary colors

Secondary color application guide

Optional color palette

Copper

Orange

Purple

ASU Turquoise

ASU Pink

Use of optional color palette

Optional color palette application guide

Why Thunderbird

Worldwide Locations

Resources

Thunderbird color palette

On This Page:

Primary colors

Quick links

Thunderbird Blue

Thunderbird Gold

Thunderbird Gray

See custom spot colors for print below.

Learn more

Secondary colors

Twilight Blue

Dawn Blue

Jade

Use of secondary colors

Secondary color application guide

Optional color palette

Copper

Orange

Purple

ASU Turquoise

ASU Pink

Use of optional color palette

Optional color palette application guide

Color usage guidelines

Accessibility and best practices