Colour themes

When to use

When designing email campaigns within the NSW Government brand system, colour choices must reflect the brand theme – Masterbrand, Co-brand, or Independent – and support readability, accessibility, and compatibility across email platforms.

• Masterbrand emails typically use the corporate palette is typically used to reinforce NSW Government identity. Deep blues (Blue 01) and core reds (Red 02) should be prominent in headers, buttons and key messaging areas to ensure brand recognition. Use neutrals such as greys (Grey 01–04) and white to provide structure and create a clean, professional layout. In more engaging or campaign–driven emails, you can introduce colours from the non-corporate palette – including teals, greens, purples and oranges – to highlight programs or services while staying within the system.
• Co-brand and Independent emails can draw from the full NSW palette. When partnering with another organisation, ensure the email design visually balances both brands. NSW colours should remain prominent in key areas such as headers, logos and calls to action. Co–brand colours may appear in supporting areas like imagery, accent lines or content blocks. The result should feel cohesive, not split, and all colour combinations must meet accessibility standards.

Email-specific considerations include:

• Avoid background colours or gradients that reduce text contrast.
• Ensure links and button colours stand out clearly.
• Test colours in dark mode, on mobile devices and in Outlook to ensure consistent rendering.

The goal is always clarity, consistency and a strong visual connection to the relevant brand tier.