Keeping Your Brand Consistent
By understanding how people react to colors, images and papers you can positively influence reaction to your brand. Gloss coated papers provide a slick, mainstream corporate feel and reflective surfaces, making ink seem brighter and more vibrant. Uncoated stocks offer a more subtle feel to your printing that can make your company’s logo and message seem less mainstream and more independent. Ink coverage is denser on an uncoated paper, which means you will want to use color wisely. (Tip: If you have a large black solid, talk to your printer about creating a rich black ink mix. For best results, consider a coated paper stock.)
The ways people react to printed images provide ample subject matter for speculation in literally thousands of books, articles and discussions. Does black inspire confidence or depression? Is yellow cheerful or irritating? Red can be viewed as an angry color or a romantic color. What do different colors make you feel? How does paper type affect color? All of these questions and many more have been the source of many theories and ideas.
I recently printed for a company that sells high-end linens for children’s bedrooms. Their graphics were colorful but simple in design; they stuck with simple shapes and three main colors which were neither too bright nor too babyish. The colors were chosen for their appeal to the parents of a child transitioning from a crib to a bed. The bedding company chose an uncoated paper stock that provided a homey, almost comforting feel in the hand. They printed sales literature, pocket folders and business cards to distribute at a trade show. Their ability to create a homogenous look to their marketing material contributed to their success at the show.
All these things should be taken into consideration when creating marketing collateral for your business. Carefully consider the image your piece is projecting to recipients and buyers. This image is not only your brand, it is ultimately a reflection of you and your business. Inspire confidence and familiarity with your brand through consistency. Design all your color brochures, booklets and business cards with a look and feel that is true to your brand. Establish logo criteria to which all your printing must adhere. For example, is any text in your logo always black? If your logo contains more than one word, does it always print in one line or two? If there are graphic elements in your logo, decide if they can be printed with or without the text. Most major corporations have strict guides regarding logo usage; this enables them to maintain a consistent image throughout any marketing campaign. Decide for your own business how you want to convey that you are a company with the expertise and experience your customers seek.
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