Color is a crucial element of brand identity, and adopting a signature hue is one of the smartest things you can do for your organization. The effects are psychological, physiological and sociological. Signature colors attract attention, stick in your memory and carry positive or negative connotations that can make you feel happy or sad. Considering that the goal of most organizations is to attract and keep followers, the colors of your brand or logo are a powerful tool.

Consistency and repetition are supremely important to a powerful branding campaign. For optimal recognition, your logo should look exactly the same every time it's used (there are a few exceptions to this rule, and we will revisit the topic in a future post). With most everything being done on computers these days, consistency is easier said than done.

What you see on a computer monitor is rarely what the same image would look like printed. To eliminate misrepresentation, designers and printers rely on standardized color keys. The most widely-used standard is the Pantone Matching System (PMS).

Since it would be inefficient to stock thousands of ink colors, most specialty item printers carry a small set of standard colors and offer to custom mix specific PMS colors for an additional charge.

Is it an extra $30-50 out of your pocket? Yes.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

If your logo's colors are distinctive, consider a PMS-match and remember that a blue is not a blue is not a blue. Take it from Sonic; we just love to match.

Deciding how to decorate an item can take as much effort as forming the message itself. When you have an abundance of options, virtual models that show different design methods can help souse out the extraordinary from the blase. This week's Print This, Not That exemplifies how useful a virtual proof can be. While "debossed leather" might sound fancier than a "polyurethane dome", for these Sonic Promos High Sierra backpacks, the plastic sure struck gold.

Want to know a secret? Screen-printing pricing is based on the number of colors in your art, not the size of your design. Furthermore, half-tones are not counted as an additional color, and using them lends more depth and interest to your design. Both of these T-shirts would cost the same amount. Which one do you prefer?



Here's how the real shirt turned out...