Red is an emotionally intense color that conjures up a range of feelings from passionate, lustful, and romantic to fiery, aggressive, and fervent. When people think of red, bright, bold shades likely come to mind first before deeper, darker hues. There are many different shades of red across the color spectrum, but bright reds specifically capture attention and evoke excitement. In the pantone color matching system, there are several bright reddish tones to choose from depending on the precise look you hope to achieve.
Defining Bright Red
First, to determine what qualifies as a bright red pantone color, it is helpful to characterize what makes a red shade “bright.” Bright reds are clear, highly saturated hues that lack any grayish or brownish tones that would mute or dirty the color. Bright reds appear striking, vivid, and intense. They make a bold visual impact when used in designs. Bright reds also have high value, meaning they reflect more light rather than absorbing light. You can tell a bright red by its fire engine, stop sign, or cherry soda pop appearance.
Key Bright Red Pantone Colors
Pantone 185
One of the quintessential bright reds in the pantone matching system is Pantone 185. This vibrant, attention-grabbing red contains mostly warm undertones along with some subtle cool notes. Pantone 185 first entered the Pantone Matching System in 1963 and has remained a popular choice for all types of graphic design and printing projects.
Pantone 485
Very similar to Pantone 185, Pantone 485 is another iconic, fire engine red shade. This bright red also features warm undertones verging slightly towards the orange/yellow side of the color wheel. Pantone 485 packs an intense, radiant red punch. When used at full strength, it instantly draws the eye. It became part of the Pantone Matching System in 1963.
Pantone Warm Red
For designers seeking a bright red with a bit more of a relaxed, inviting vibe compared to Pantone 185 and 485, Pantone Warm Red fits the bill. True to its name, this bright red contains extra warm orangey undertones. Pantone Warm Red first became available in the PMS system in 1990. It provides a softer but still vivid bright red choice.
Pantone 186
On the flip side from Pantone Warm Red lives Pantone 186. This bright red contains much cooler blue undertones compared to other options on this list. The vibrant color almost verges into fuchsia territory. Compared to Warm Red, Pantone 186 projects a bolder, edgier attitude. It entered the PMS color system in 1963.
Pantone Bright Red
In addition to Warm Red, the Pantone Matching System also includes a color simply called Bright Red. This is a neon-like red that basically maxes out chroma and value levels to create an eye-searing shade. Bright Red provides an extremely hot, intense scarlet option when designers want to make the most dramatic impression possible with the color red. It first appeared in the Pantone Matching System in 1990.
How Bright Reds Compare to Other Reds
Looking at the Pantone Matching System guide and swatch book helps illustrate how bright reds contrast with darker, deeper reds or reddish shades. For example:
- Pantone 200: A muted, brick red with brown tones
- Pantone 491: A medium-value red with purple tones
- Pantone 1955: A mid-tone burgundy red
- Pantone 7622: A dark maroon red
All of the above shades appear significantly duller, darker, and less vibrant than bright reds like Pantone 185, 485, and 186. Bright red pops off the page, while deeper reds recede more. However, both types of reds have their place depending on the mood and meaning design aim to convey. Bright reds suggest excitement, celebration, and urgency, while deeper reds imply richness, elegance, and ripeness.
How Bright Reds Are Used
Thanks to their eye-catching, stimulating nature, bright reds see widespread use across design and marketing for all types of brands and industries. Here are some typical applications of bright reds:
- Warning labels – Bright reds often alert people to hazards, caution, or important safety information.
- Fire trucks and emergency vehicles – The high visibility of bright reds makes them ideal for urgent situations.
- Fast food brands – Bright reds inject energy into fast food restaurant branding and packaging.
- Sales and clearance tags/stickers – Bright reds flag deals and bargains to shoppers.
- Food and beverage packaging – Bright reds decorate soda pop, candy, salsa jars, and more.
- Cosmetics packaging – Lipsticks, nail polishes, and makeup palettes often feature bright reds.
Basically any product, service, or message hoping to motivate urgent action, flag importance, or rev up excitement can benefit from leveraging a bright red color.
Cultural Meanings of Bright Red
Red carries important symbolism across cultures that bright, saturated reds strongly project. Here are some of the key symbolic associations connected to bright reds worldwide:
- Energy, passion, and action
- Love, romance, and sexuality
- Heat, fire, and danger
- Importance and power
- Strength, confidence, and courage
- Celebration, prosperity, and joy
Whether seen during Chinese New Year festivities, on Valentine’s Day, or at a vibrant Hindu wedding, bright reds captivate people and transport symbolic meaning across many cultures. Deeper reds can signify maturity, autumn ripeness, mourning, antiquity, or solemnity, but bright reds overwhelmingly embody vitality and vigor.
Conclusion
In summary, bright red as a vibrant, luminous shade captures attention like few other colors. When designers want to add visual excitement or amplify a message, bright reds like Pantone 185, 485, Warm Red, Bright Red, and 186 will do the trick. Just be aware of the potency of bright reds and avoid going overboard. But when used sparingly and intentionally, bright reds bring designs to life and catalyze audience reactions. The next time you hope to inject color power into a project targeting the western world or global audiences, turn to bright reds for their universal ability to energize, signify passion and importance, and motivate speedy action.
| Pantone | Name | Undertone | Year Added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pantone 185 | Pantone 185 | Warm | 1963 |
| Pantone 485 | Pantone 485 | Warm | 1963 |
| Pantone Warm Red | Pantone Warm Red | Warm | 1990 |
| Pantone 186 | Pantone 186 | Cool | 1963 |
| Pantone Bright Red | Pantone Bright Red | N/A | 1990 |
