Cornell University's Official Colors: A Symbol of Identity and Tradition
Cornell University, a distinguished Ivy League research university situated in Ithaca, New York, boasts a rich history and a strong visual identity, deeply rooted in its official colors. These colors, more than mere aesthetics, serve as a powerful symbol of the university's heritage, traditions, and spirit. The Cornell Big Red colors are Carnelian, brown, light brown, black, and white.
The Core Palette: Carnelian and White
In 1869 or 1870, Cornell students made a defining choice: carnelian and white would represent their institution. The selection of carnelian was no accident. It served as a clever play on the university's name, "Cornell," sometimes even playfully written as "cornelian" to further emphasize the connection. This carnelian, a translucent clear red variety of quartz or chalcedony, is the primary brand color of Cornell.
The team's colors impressed Herberton L. Williams, and the story is that Williams was impressed by the brilliance of Cornell's red and white uniforms and later insisted that the company adopt those colors for the labels on its cans.
Defining Carnelian: A Shade Between Scarlet and Crimson
The Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume (IBAC) played a crucial role in standardizing academic regalia, including the colors used in university hoods. By the mid-1920s, the IBAC described carnelian as a cardinal shade, clarifying it as "somewhere between scarlet and crimson." This distinction was important to avoid overlap with other institutions like Dickinson College (cardinal with a white chevron) and Boston University (scarlet with a white chevron). Thus, Cornell's hood was defined as carnelian (or cardinal) with two white chevrons.
The Carnelian color code for the Cornell Big Red logo is Pantone: PMS 187 C, Hex Color: #B31B1B, RGB: (166, 25, 46), CMYK: (0, 100, 79, 20).
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Secondary and Accent Colors: Expanding the Visual Landscape
While carnelian red holds the primary position, Cornell's brand guidelines also incorporate a range of secondary and accent colors. These hues complement the core color, offering flexibility in design and visual communication while maintaining a cohesive brand identity. These neutral hues pair perfectly with the primary palette.
The Cornell Big Red Logo: Colors in Action
The Cornell Big Red logo embodies the university's colors. This logo features a big letter ‘C’ object with a fierce bear clasping it with its two paws.
The brown color code for the Cornell Big Red logo is Pantone: PMS 161 C, Hex Color: #5E3920, RGB: (94, 57, 32), CMYK: (42, 69, 87, 49). The light brown color code for the Cornell Big Red logo is Pantone: PMS 7567 C, Hex Color: #89572E, RGB: (137, 87, 46), CMYK: (35, 64, 90, 26). The black color code for the Cornell Big Red logo is Pantone: PMS Black 6 C, Hex Color: #000000, RGB: (0, 0, 0), CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 100).
Typeface and Visual Consistency
Cornell's brand guidelines extend beyond color, encompassing typography and other visual elements. Cornell AAP’s primary serif typeface is called NaN Serf, an old-style serif that has been optimized for print and digital use. There are three optical sizes. Each has a distinct role in our type system when used at the correct size. Lateral is Cornell AAP’s modernist sans-serif typeface, to be used in contrast to NaN Serf. Replica is ILR’s primary typeface. It is featured in the wordmark and should be used in all visual assets, both printed and on screen.
Historical Context: Inauguration Day and Early Traditions
The significance of Cornell's colors dates back to the university's Inauguration Day on October 7, 1868. The New York Times described Library Hall decorated with the motto of the new university blazoned in evergreen letters, and behind the speakers the illustrious names of CORNELL and WHITE appeared in large white letters against artistically draped red flannel, on which stars cut out of silver paper were pinned at pleasing intervals.
Read also: Cornell University Semester Guide
Athletics and the "Big Red" Nickname
The nickname "Big Red" for Cornell teams originated in 1905. The late Romeyn Berry '04, then a recent Cornell graduate, was writing the lyrics for a new football song. Since Cornell had no nickname at the time, Berry simply referred to Cornell as the "big red team" and it caught on. The first live Cornell bear mascot appeared in 1915 during Cornell's undefeated and national championship football season.
Brand Guidelines and Usage
All use of the university seal and related branding elements must follow Cornell’s official guidelines and policies for colleges, schools, and units. Departmental wordmarks should never appear directly next to the Cornell seal. Only the university and its colleges may use lockups that include the seal. The way we use type embodies our personality.
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