Brand color management has a bright future

by JimRaffel on August 27, 2010

Let’s start by breaking down the title of this post. “bright future” implies that past brand color management practices have not delivered desired outcomes – true. “Brand color” refers to the precise color the brand owner is expecting to be reproduced regardless of substrate, print process or geographic location. “Management” is the meat of this post, I will show how to manage the expectations of the brand owner, so as to under promise and over deliver on color reproductions expectations.

Existing Color Systems = Fail

Existing categorization and naming systems have failed our industry and in fact created unmanageable brand owner expectations. Designers work with swatch books that may or may not be in good condition printed on a substrate that probably has no similarity to the substrate the printer will be asked to produce the work on. Worse yet, the designer calls up a “347 Red” in Photoshop and think it looks “just right” on their un-calibrated monitor. At some point downstream a printer will be asked to produce this completely unidentifiable color.

There’s a better way

Creation of a database produced on the correct substrate with ink for the desired printing process. In other words, a database of colors that are actually achievable on press. Creating a database of this magnitude is no small endeavor but it’s also no longer a pipe dream. With the support and sponsorship of a client just such a database is now a reality. It’s now easy for supply chain members to request a search of the database for an existing “real” color on the correct substrate with the correct ink.

ColorMAP sneak peak

The solution in a nut shell

A centralized database facilitates accurate communication throughout the supply chain. By utilizing internet technology the exact same color information is made available to brand owners, prepress vendors, printers and ink suppliers. Duplicates can be consolidated with search technologies, thus simplifying paperwork and job preparation. Such a system allows the brand owner to approve a color and then know that prepress vendors, ink suppliers and printers are all using the correct information. The ultimate goal of a centralized database is to provide the brand owner with piece of mind that the color information is being communicated correctly from design to finished product. In addition, ink savings are typically realized because fewer colors need to be maintained and there is less chance of the wrong ones making it to press with the entire supply chain looking at the same information.

While existing color measurement and verification tools “sort of” work there are problems. The lack of systems being able to use a single spectral reference value and then easily share color information (via API or applications programmers interface) back and forth diminishes the effectiveness. By utilizing cloud computing based systems these limitations can be overcome.

Please feel free to contact us for information on how we are delivering the future of brand color management today.

{ 0 comments }

Color & The State of the Printing Industry 2010

by ColorMetrix on June 21, 2010

Color & The State of Printing Industry 2010 was originally published on JimRaffel [dot] com on January 1st of this year. We are working on a private community where more content of this nature will be available exclusively for our customers. Sign up for our RSS feed to stay informed of the progress.

It never ceases to amaze me how integral color knowledge is to the graphic arts industry at large, yet how few people in the industry really understand the topic. The problem is that color, like the game of chess, is very easy to learn and almost impossible to master. I believe this is because true color knowledge requires solid math skills. Color Science, after all, is applied physics.

In 2010 and beyond, the printing companies that thrive (profit leaders) will be leaders in color knowledge and implementation. For example, the GRACoL G7 methodology is the practical application of color science to achieve a more consistent and predictable print result regardless of where the digital files are converted to ink on substrate. Gee, sounds like a Real, Authentic & Sustainable way to reduce waste and increase productivity.

A significant advantage ink on substrate has over other information delivery methods is color vibrancy and consistency. Sure my iPod Touch, my Blackberry, my computer screen, and my TV screen can all deliver amazing and eye catching visual messages, but how consistent is the color fidelity of the same message delivered to multiple devices? (It was a rhetorical question, but the answer is awful).

On the other hand, you can produce a corporate color like “Coke Red” on just about any substrate anywhere in the world if you choose to do so, and I wrote about it here. The printing industry also has the capability to create amazing color messages by utilizing interesting combinations of unique spot colors. The key again is you can control the color and consistency of these colors like no other medium that is delivered to the general public.

The color challenge I issue for 2010 is twofold. First, invest the resources necessary to become a high level practitioner of color science, or provide the means for someone in your organization to do so. Second, keep your eyes open for projects that benefit from the delivery of a high level of color fidelity and color consistency to the general public. Go after these projects with a vengeance selling the benefits that you as a printer can provide over any other message delivery method!

{ 1 comment }