Rochester's digital color palette

The digital color palette is the backbone of our visual identity across all digital platforms. It’s what ties together everything from our websites to social media posts, ensuring that no matter where someone interacts with the University of Rochester online, they immediately recognize us. By sticking to these colors, we’re presenting a united, professional, and polished image to the world—something that benefits all of us.

Interactive Blue is a special color in our palette, and it has a very specific job: to help users know where to click! Whether it’s a hyperlink, a button, or another navigational element, this blue tells people, “Hey, I’m interactive!” Because it’s so important for usability, we ask that you avoid using it for anything else—no backgrounds, non-linked text, or decorative elements. Let Interactive Blue do its thing!

Bright colors like Dandelion Yellow can be eye-catching, but when overused, they can overwhelm your audience and make your design look unprofessional or chaotic. A well-designed website balances bold colors with neutral tones to create a polished, harmonious look that’s easy on the eyes.

The University of Rochester digital color palette is carefully crafted to help you strike that balance. Bright colors like Dandelion Yellow are great for drawing attention to key elements, but they work best when paired with neutral tones like Rochester Blue, Charcoal, or Medium Gray. This approach ensures that your content stands out without overpowering your audience.

When designing, think about how your colors support the message you want to convey. Use bright colors sparingly for emphasis, and let neutral tones provide a solid, professional foundation. If you’re unsure, consult with our team or check out the templates for guidance on achieving a polished and effective design.

We get it—sometimes it’s tempting to tweak a color to make it just a little brighter or darker to fit a design. But trust us, the colors in the University of Rochester digital color palette are carefully chosen to work together beautifully. Adjusting shades not only disrupts this harmony but can also cause accessibility issues. Stick to the approved colors—they’re designed to make your job easier and keep our brand strong.

Yes, and they’re pretty straightforward! Interactive Blue is strictly for clickable elements like links and buttons—it’s a functional color, not a decorative one. For other colors, you have a lot more flexibility. However, always make sure your designs meet accessibility standards (an Accessibility Checker tool can help with this). A good rule of thumb is to use darker colors for text and lighter colors for backgrounds.

Accessibility is a big deal—it’s about making sure everyone, regardless of ability, can use and enjoy our digital content. To check your designs, use an Accessibility Checker tool. It will let you know if your color combinations have enough contrast for readability.

We know there are millions of colors out there, but our digital palette is designed to represent the University in the best possible way. Adding random colors to the mix can dilute our brand and create inconsistencies across platforms. Stick with the approved colors—they’re versatile enough to suit almost any project.

We’re here for you! Whether you’re unsure about which colors to use or how to apply them in your project, our Marketing and Communications team is just a message away. Don’t hesitate to reach out—we love collaborating with our Rochester community.

Absolutely! The University of Rochester’s Rochester Core WordPress Theme is designed to make it easy for you to create on-brand digital content. This theme incorporates the official digital color palette, ensuring your webpages align with the University’s branding standards right out of the box.

Rochester Core also includes pre-styled templates for webpages, making it a breeze to build professional, visually consistent designs. Want to see it in action or learn how to get started? Check out the theme demo and training page.