Lock how many color codes and record color rules how?

The question about the number of color codes may sound technical, but it is actually a question about control: the more control you have, the more consistent the brand will be. An overly broad color palette, lacking clear rules, is a common reason why the same brand looks different across various publications.

You should lock how many colors.

There is no absolute number, but there is a concise framework that works for most small to medium brands:

• Primary color: one to two colors. This is the core identifying color, appearing most frequently and consistently across all touchpoints.
• Secondary color: two to three colors. Used to support, create variations, or establish content hierarchy, without competing with the primary color.
• Neutral color: two to three colors, typically white, black, gray, or earth tones. Used for backgrounds, body text, and breathing space.

If the brand has multiple product lines that need to be differentiated by color, the palette can be expanded, but even then, it must clearly specify which colors belong to which line and in what context they are used. The broader the palette, the stricter the rules must be, not the other way around.

Record color codes sufficient for both environments

The same color will appear differently on screen and in print because these two environments use different color systems. Screens use emitted light (RGB system), while printing uses mixed ink (CMYK system). Therefore, each color in the palette needs to record all three layers of codes:

• HEX and RGB: used for digital design, websites, social media, application interfaces.
• CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black, the four-color printing system): used for standard printing such as flyers, catalogs, and business cards.
• Pantone (standard global color matching system): needed when printing packaging, uniforms, signage, or any items requiring precise color matching across different print runs and suppliers.

Missing one of these codes, the design team will have to convert it themselves, and manual conversion results are often inconsistent.

The color palette should explain the emotional intent and how it can evolve as the brand grows, not just be a series of color codes. Color is a language, not a list.

Kedraco · The Brand Strategy Lab

Stating color law is more important than stating color codes.

Many standards stop at listing HEX codes. This is insufficient. Color codes indicate what the color is, but new color rules explain how to use the color. A usable color palette needs to include:

• The role of each color: which color is dominant, which is used as a support, and which appears only in specific contexts?
• Usage ratio: How much area is occupied by the primary color, and how is the accent color used sparingly. If the ratio is not recorded, the team will turn the accent color into a background color excessively.
• The law of text on a colored background: white or dark text placed on any colored background must ensure sufficient contrast for readability, especially important when the brand has a digital channel.
• Colors that should not be arbitrarily mixed: specify clearly to avoid teams creating intermediate shades that dilute the color palette.

Common errors when creating color palettes

• Only record HEX, without CMYK or Pantone. When printing is needed, the team converts it themselves, resulting in colors that differ from the screen, and no one knows what the standard is.
• Opening the scope too wide for flexibility. As a result, each person chooses their preferred tone, and the brand gradually becomes diluted over time.
• Not documenting ratios and roles, only names and codes. The team turns accent colors into the primary color, causing the brand to lose focus.
• The color palette should be detached from practical usage context: no examples of text on colored backgrounds, no examples in print or web contexts.

Sinh Vũ's viewpoint

When establishing color standards for clients, Sinh Vũ provides a complete set of codes for each color, suitable for both screen and print, so no one on the team has to convert or guess. For projects involving printed packaging or physical items, Sinh Vũ adds Pantone codes to ensure color consistency across different printers.

Sinh Vũ's perspective: keeping the palette concise and clearly defining the role of each color is more important than having many colors. A palette with fewer colors, each with sufficient codes, rules, and examples, will help the brand maintain consistency longer than a palette of twenty colors that no one knows how to use correctly.