At Quartier, we’ve made investments that offer our clients the truest color reproduction possible. Our high-definition, G7-calibrated printers deliver consistent, proof-to-press/press-to-press color-matched pieces, and we’re the only printer in Central New York whose staff, equipment, and procedures have earned a G7 Master Printer certificate from IDEAlliance.
Why does this matter? How can you be sure that the additional investment in choosing and reproducing the right colors is worth it? Used correctly, color has a long track record of increasing the effectiveness of print.
Consider this: Color Communications, Inc. has found that consumers make a subconscious judgment about people, their environment, or products within 90 seconds of initially viewing them—and that between 62% and 90% of decision-making is based on color alone.
Additionally, a University of Loyola, MD study found that color increases brand recognition by up to 80%. And 92.6% of survey respondents told the 2004 Seoul International Color Expo secretariat that visual factors were most important when purchasing products.
Why is color so powerful?
- Total Recall—According to the American Psychological Association, by hanging an extra “tag” of data on visual scenes, color helps people process and store images more efficiently.
- Emotional Shades—Color taps into emotions. That’s why mega-brands guard their look closely (try to think of McDonalds without thinking of yellow and red). And that’s why major brands such as Cheerios and Tide revive retro packaging, using mid-20th century styles and colors deeply familiar to consumers and tapping into happy childhood memories and positive associations.
The power of color to influence purchases can be seen in a recent addition to the venerable Heinz brand. Millions of dollars were invested into what seems like a crazy idea—green ketchup.
But the brand managers and food psychologists did their homework and knew the wacky color would be a hit with kids. More than 10 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt Blastin’ Green ketchup were sold in the first seven months following its introduction in 2011, leading to $23 million in sales—the highest sales increase in the brand’s history.
So, what can you do to tap into the power of color?
- Make Color a Priority—Think about the power and meaning of various colors when planning your next campaign (red = strength; orange = joy; green = growth; blue = stability/depth.) If you need help, Quartier’s graphic designers and print experts can guide you and build you a brand or campaign palette.
- Compliment Color with Great Graphics—It’s worth spending a little extra money on artwork, photographs, and design to really make your colors pop. Quartier can provide photographers for custom work and graphic designers for matching artwork, colors, fonts, and design.
- Manage Color Carefully—Work with Quartier to manage your color all the way through the printing process. We’ll help you submit images in the right color space (and explain what CMYK really means!), use the most exacting standards to set color profiles, and optimize your color with our state-of-the-art proofing system.
You’ll be surprised! These steps will go a long way toward maximizing your brand image and selling power—taking your marketing pieces from “ho, hum” to “yum, yum!” Just like that green ketchup!