Super Bowl teams have super-similar Pantones

Pantone Super Bowl
(Image credit: Pantone)

The Super Bowl is nearly here, and this year is extra exciting in terms of colour, because it's the first time that two primarily red teams are going head to head. And to celebrate this potentially quite confusing colour clash, colour experts Pantone are even getting involved.

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are only one official Pantone hue apart, with the Kansas team represented by a slightly lighter tone – Pantone 186 C to be exact – and the San Francisco 49ers playing in Pantone 187 C. 

This is the first time such colour synergy has happened in Super Bowl history, and Pantone is so excited that it's decided to live tweet the game. 

Learn how you can live-stream the Super Bowl, wherever you are in the world, and brush up on colour theory with our dedicated post.

See more

And of course, almost identical team colours also means almost identical branding colours across the board. Check out the teams' logos below:

See more

We quite like the idea of having a Super Bowl commentary that solely consists of comments on colour (not colourful comments, you understand). It'll definitely be worth following Pantone on Twitter to see what it comes up with. What shade is the ball exactly? And will the account be analysing any bloody noses in terms of their Pantone hue? We hope not.

For more colour geekery, see our posts on the colour trends to watch in 2020, and our essential guide to colour correction.

And as for the Super Bowl, the phrase 'Come on you reds!' has never been more appropriate. May the best team win, or at least the best colour (we prefer the scarlet tones of 187 C, sorry Kansas City Chiefs).

Read more:

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Rosie Hilder

Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where her blogging prowess led her to become Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on art and design magazines, including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw, and got the 'Apple bug' when working on US title, Mac|Life. In 2018, she left the world of print behind and moved to Creative Bloq, where she helps take care of the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach through trying to please the Google Gods, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure its content serves its readers as best it can. Her interests lie in branding and illustration, tech and sexism, and plenty more in-between.