Inspiration

Our inspiration for our color palette is unique and not dissociative to the center of our brand, weather. The color selection is a system inspired by the atmosphere and naturally connects in its familiarity with audiences who experience us in an array of creative executions and marketing communication.

Primary colors

For consistency across our brand expressions, always prioritize our blue palette. Blue is our foundational color hue for a variety of reasons: it is the hue of all our brand identities including The Weather Company and The Weather Channel. Additionally, it is consistent in always being inclusive in where we draw our initial inspiration, the sky.

• Generally, only one color should be featured per brand expression. For long-form applications, complex illustrations, or experiences, it may make sense to use more colors up to 4 from our color pairings throughout to create rhythm and emphasis.
• Blue 80 may be used for the logotype, hero graphics and large typographic moments on these backgrounds. When working with a universal template, use Black.
• Blue 60 should be maintained as a standard highlight color for subheads, data, and buttons.
• Some production instances may demand adjustments to color value up or down one or 2 steps. Examples include video sequencing, printing substrates or merchandise material.

Secondary colors

White backgrounds are essential and should be used predominantly for long-form applications. Where necessary, use lighter values 20 and under as a secondary color for backgrounds in placements like presentations that require contrast. This treatment is useful for text-heavy applications, or to help organize information. Just as with primary colors, only one secondary color should be featured per brand expression. In some cases, such as for long-form applications or experiences, it may make sense to use two or three colors throughout to create rhythm and emphasis

Neutrals

White is a “neutral” but is essential and should be used predominantly for long-form applications. Neutrals are accessible when necessary to create emphasis or accent when there is a tendency to overuse the color palette but emphasis is needed. They can be useful in applications like title cards where a third tone is necessary in a graphic or text to create visual interest or emphasis.

Implementing colors

Color is a foundation of our brand, but it can also easily lose brand distinction if overused without identifiable branded color combinations. We identified recommended color combinations to be used for a visual consistency of the brand. We’ve listed when we foresee these combinations being applicable, but if there are any questions regarding their use, please reach out to the design team with questions.

2-Color combinations

Our color combinations are formulaic in the sense that we base them on a tonal differentiation of 3 steps (30%) and are created around our primary palette of blues (Blue 60, Blue 80, and Blue 100). Please default to our hero color combination whenever possible. We foresee these color combinations being utilized in: text on a color background, deck schematics, data visualization, illustration, email, and newsletters.

Hero 2-Color combination

3-Color combinations

Our 3-Color combinations are derivative of our 2 color combinations (see above), but take on an additional tonal value within the same color family to the complimenting secondary color. This way we keep consistent color palettes without arbitrary pairings that are harder to control and contribute to less brand association. We foresee these color combinations being utilized in: deck schematics, data visualization, illustration, email, and newsletters.

3-a

3-b

4-Color combinations

4-Color combinations are also derivative of our 2 and 3-Color combinations (see above), and take on an additional tonal values 3 steps (30% tonal value difference) within the same color family to keep within tonal distinction to serve purpose of depth when used in illustration. They have also been named to help identify them, but also to reveal the inspiration they hold in representing colors in the sky. The only other values added to the 4 colors to extend it are white (#ffffff) and black (#000000). Options we foresee these color combinations being utilized in: data visualization and illustration.

“Clear day” 4-Color combination

“Evening Sky” 4-Color combination

Color gradients

Using the color combinations provided, feel free to create gradients to create backgrounds that may feel more digital or ethereal. When creating a gradient it is imperative to keep colors relative to the brand colors.