Finding Common Ground in Color Communication

Recent research reflects that 51% of brand owners have color-related challenges that cost their companies $50,000 per year or more!

For printers and packaging converters, meeting brand owner expectations can be a challenge. Not only does everyone see color differently, but stakeholders are using a variety of ways to specify, measure and communicate color. And in production, color varies depending on printing technology, ink systems and substrates being used. These elements can vary from plant to plant across the supply chain, making consistent color even more challenging.

Here are 5 ways to improve the process to achieve Color As You Imagined It:

1. Use physical samples such as the newest Pantone books for inspiration and color communication with customers early in the design and specification process. Use digital drawdowns to ensure consistency once colors are finalized.


2. Make sure all color measurement instruments you and your customers use are properly calibrated. Instruments that are not properly calibrated will not deliver accurate, consistent data! Even if you and your customer are using different instruments – for example the i1Pro 2 and the X-Rite eXact – properly calibrated instruments will deliver closely aligned measurements.


3. Communicate color digitally with PantoneLIVE, taking into account the printing technology, inks and substrates that will be used for the final product.


4. Make sure specified colors are actually achievable in production. Using PantoneLIVE Dependent Standards to communicate color using standard spectral data ensures that everyone is speaking a common color language, across the plant and around the globe.


5. Always evaluate proofs and production output under controlled lighting conditions using a light booth such as X-Rite’s Judge QC. In print and packaging, this typically means using a light booth that complies with D50 daylight standards. By placing Pantone D50 lighting indicator stickers on proofs and production samples, you can quickly determine if lighting conditions are correct.

Have more questions or need advice on how to implement these recommendations?

Our Color Experts are standing by to help you. Contact us today!