siemens-color-guidance

name: siemens-color-guidance description: Comprehensive Siemens brand color reference with full color system specifications (HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone, HKS, NCS, RAL) for all design contexts including presentations, infographics, UI/UX, illustrations, and print. Use this when the user asks about specific color values, color systems (Pantone, CMYK, etc.), skin/hair tones for illustrations, extended color tints, or needs detailed color specifications. For presentation-specific guidance (layouts, content strategy, slide types like Key Takeaways), use siemens-brandville.

Siemens Color Guidance Skill

Complete color specifications for Siemens brand compliance across all media and production contexts.

Related Skills

• siemens-color-guidance (this skill): Use for detailed color specifications including all color systems (CMYK, Pantone, HKS, NCS, RAL), skin tones, hair tones, extended tints, and color validation across contexts (digital, print, UI, illustrations).
• siemens-brandville: Use for presentation structure, slide layouts (Title, Two Columns, Key Takeaways, etc.), content strategy (SCQA, Pyramid Principle), typography sizing, and presentation workflows.

When recommending colors for any Siemens-related material, you MUST follow the official Siemens brand color guidelines.

Brand Principles

Always ground your recommendations in these three principles:

• Make change with clarity: The bold, clear palette differentiates Siemens externally and provides orientation internally.
• Make change with purpose: Colors create a technology-inspired feel — especially on Deep Blue backgrounds, which make Bold Green and Bold Blue pop on screen.
• Make change with impact: Individual colors are bold and powerful — built to stand out in a cluttered digital age.

Core Rules

1. Deep Blue (#000028) is always the first choice for background color across all media.
2. Siemens Petrol (#009999) is the signature color — the heart of the palette.
3. Bold Green (#00ffb9) and Bold Blue (#00e6dc) combine with Petrol to form the primary color scheme.
4. If Deep Blue is inappropriate as a background, the fallback is Light Sand (#f3f3f0) or White (#ffffff).
5. Secondary colors are used primarily in information graphics, illustrations, and tables — not as primary brand colors.
6. Dark appearance is the standard — Deep Blue is preferred over light backgrounds for digital/screen contexts.
7. Corporate gradients are for organic shapes, CTA elements, and UI linear gradients only — not for general backgrounds.

Color Palette

Primary Colors

...

Instructions

1. Identify the context of the user's design task (digital/screen, print, event/exhibition, illustration).
2. Determine the element type needing a color (background, headline, CTA, chart category, illustration character, etc.).
3. Apply the Core Rules above to select the appropriate color tier (primary → secondary → additional).
4. Always provide the color name and HEX code in your response.
5. Provide CMYK and Pantone codes when the context is print or physical production.
6. Add a brief brand rationale tied to one of the three brand principles when helpful.
7. For gradients, always confirm the use case is organic shape, CTA, or UI linear — never general backgrounds.
8. Direct the user to Brandville for official asset downloads when relevant.

Presentations

For presentation-specific guidance on:

• Slide layouts (Title, Two Columns, Key Takeaways, Way Forward, etc.)
• Content structure and storytelling (SCQA framework, Pyramid Principle)
• Typography sizing and title selection
• Mandatory slides and presentation workflows

→ Use the siemens-brandville skill instead. This skill provides the color specifications; siemens-brandville provides the presentation architecture.

Examples

Slide deck background Use Deep Blue #000028 as the background. Place headlines in Bold Green #00ffb9 or White. Use secondary colors for chart data series.

Primary CTA button on dark background Button fill: Bold Green #00ffb9. Button label: Deep Blue #000028 for maximum contrast. Hover state: Soft Green #00d7a0.

Print brochure with light background Background: Light Sand #f3f3f0. Accent: Siemens Petrol #009999 (CMYK: 100 0 40 0 / Pantone: 321 C). Avoid Bold Green and Bold Blue on light backgrounds — use Soft Green or Soft Blue instead.

Color Palette Reference

🎨 Primary Colors

The core Siemens brand colors. Use these first.

⭐ Siemens Petrol is the signature color. 🔲 Deep Blue is the primary background color.

🎨 Secondary Colors

Use primarily in information graphics, illustrations, and tables.

Sand Tones

Yellow Tones

Green Tones

Blue Tones

Purple Tones

Deep Blue Tints (Grays)

Accent Colors

🎨 Additional Colors — Deep Blue Tints (Extended)

For fine-grained layering and depth in complex layouts.

🎨 Corporate Gradients

Use only for organic shapes, CTA elements, and UI linear gradients. Not for general backgrounds.

📥 Download official gradient files: https://brandville.siemens.com/en/design-elements/color-new/#gradients

🎨 Skin Tones

For use in illustrations and people-centric visuals.

🎨 Hair Tones

For use in illustrations and people-centric visuals.

Decision Logic for Color Recommendations

Use this logic tree when recommending colors:

User needs a color recommendation
│
├─ Is it a BACKGROUND?
│   ├─ Digital/Screen → Deep Blue (#000028) ✅ [PRIMARY CHOICE]
│   ├─ Light context (print, accessibility exception) → Light Sand (#f3f3f0) or White (#ffffff)
│   └─ Layered depth → Deep Blue tints (95% → 8%)
│
├─ Is it a PRIMARY BRAND ELEMENT (hero, headline, CTA)?
│   ├─ On Deep Blue → Bold Green (#00ffb9) or Bold Blue (#00e6dc)
│   ├─ Signature/logo context → Siemens Petrol (#009999)
│   └─ Softer feel → Soft Green (#00d7a0) or Soft Blue (#00bedc)
│
├─ Is it an INFORMATION GRAPHIC, CHART, TABLE, or ILLUSTRATION?
│   └─ Use secondary colors (Yellows, Greens, Blues, Purples, Sands, Accents)
│
├─ Is it a GRADIENT (organic shape, CTA, UI linear)?
│   └─ Use corporate gradients (Bold Dynamic Petrol, Soft Dynamic Petrol, Deep Blue–Petrol)
│
├─ Is it a PERSON/ILLUSTRATION (skin or hair)?
│   ├─ Skin → Skin 1–6 + Shade 1–6
│   └─ Hair → Hair 1–8
│
└─ Is it NEUTRAL / SUPPORTING (borders, dividers, subtle backgrounds)?
    └─ Deep Blue tints (10%–50%) or Sand tones

Usage Examples

Example 1: Slide Deck Design

User: "What colors should I use for a Siemens presentation?"

Response guidance:

• Background: Deep Blue #000028
• Headline text: Bold Green #00ffb9 or White #ffffff
• Body text: Light Sand #f3f3f0
• Accent / CTA: Bold Blue #00e6dc
• Charts/data: Secondary colors (Yellow, Blue, Purple series)

Example 2: Infographic / Data Visualization

User: "I'm building a chart with 5 categories."

Response guidance:

• Use secondary colors for category differentiation:
  • Category 1: Siemens Petrol #009999
  • Category 2: Yellow #ffd732
  • Category 3: Blue #0087be
  • Category 4: Purple #805cff
  • Category 5: Green #00af8e
• Background: Deep Blue #000028 or Deep Blue 90% #19193d

Example 3: UI / Web Design

User: "What color should my primary button be on a dark background?"

Response guidance:

• Button background: Bold Green #00ffb9 (CTA standard on Deep Blue)
• Button text: Deep Blue #000028 (high contrast)
• Hover state: Soft Green #00d7a0
• Background: Deep Blue #000028

Example 4: Light Background Exception

User: "Our print brochure needs a light background."

Response guidance:

• Background: Light Sand #f3f3f0 (preferred) or White #ffffff
• Primary text: Deep Blue #000028
• Accent: Siemens Petrol #009999
• Note: Bold Green and Bold Blue are optimized for dark backgrounds — use Soft Green/Soft Blue instead on light backgrounds.

Response Format Guidelines

When providing color guidance, always:

1. State the color name (e.g., "Deep Blue")
2. Provide the HEX code (e.g., #000028)
3. Mention the use case (e.g., "primary background color")
4. Add a brief brand rationale when helpful (e.g., "This creates the technology-inspired feel central to Siemens' visual identity")
5. Offer print codes (CMYK/Pantone) when the user's context is print or physical production

Constraints & Guardrails

• ❌ Do not recommend colors outside the official Siemens palette for brand materials.
• ❌ Do not use Bold Green or Bold Blue as background colors — they are foreground/accent colors.
• ❌ Do not apply gradients to general backgrounds — gradients are restricted to organic shapes, CTAs, and UI linear elements.
• ❌ Do not recommend Light Sand or White as the primary background for digital/screen contexts unless explicitly justified.
• ✅ Always default to Deep Blue as the background unless the user specifies a light-mode or print context.
• ✅ Always recommend secondary colors for data visualization and infographics.
• ✅ Mention Brandville (https://brandville.siemens.com) for official asset downloads when relevant.

Source References