Communicate. Evoke emotions. Enhance brand identity. Drive behavior. When you sit down and really evaluate the inherent power that color can add to the printed product, Jeff Hernandez says the takeaways can be, at times, iconic.
- Coca-Cola’s red reinforces brand identity, making the brand instantly recognizable.
- Tiffany & Co.’s blue symbolizes luxury and exclusivity, making materials instantly identifiable.
- Target’s red and white grabs attention, tapping into consumer urgency.
- Home Depot’s orange reinforces the brand as the go-to for DIY and home improvement.
- Starbucks’ green symbolizes growth, sustainability, and building trust.
- McDonalds’ red and yellow evokes hunger and excitement, driving urgency in promotions.
- FedEx’s purple and orange symbolizes speed and reliability in logistics.
Hernandez, VP at Classic Color in Broadview, Illinois, is never surprised by the impact of color—not just in helping brands stand out in competitive, crowded markets, but in shaping their identity and elevating their stature. “Strategic use of color strengthens brand identity, influences behavior and enhances marketing effectiveness. Color works more effectively than black-and-white or standard 4-color printing, and makes printed materials more engaging and memorable, directly impacting campaign success.”
For printers seeking to further help their clients embolden the initiatives or campaigns they are creating, the options for strategically utilizing high-impact color abound. It also helps in bolstering the ROI. Hernandez breaks down six ROI advantages, including:
- Increased Engagement & Conversion Rates
For print businesses: High-impact color services attract premium clients, boosting revenue.
For clients: High-impact boosts engagement, leading to higher sales. - Premium Pricing for Value-Added Services
For print businesses: Offering premium services enhances profitability and market differentiation.
For clients: Specialty printing increases perceived value and ROI. - Stronger Brand Identity & Loyalty
For print businesses: Satisfied clients return, providing steady revenue and reducing acquisition costs.
For clients: Consistent color strengthens brand recognition and loyalty. - More Effective Marketing Campaigns
For print businesses: Color-driven campaigns encourage clients to increase print budgets.
For clients: High-impact improves message retention, driving successful campaigns. - Faster Decision-Making & Brand Recall
For print businesses: Expertise in color management opens new revenue streams.
For clients: Color shortens the sales cycle by influencing faster decisions.
“Color printing enhances ROI for clients by improving outcomes, while print businesses benefit from increased profitability and client retention,” Hernandez says.
From a sales and marketing perspective, the power of color also effectively helps communicate their messages (see sidebar, 10 Ways Color Wins Clients and Influences Campaigns), particularly since printers can communicate the value of color by focusing on its tangible benefits to marketing, brand visibility and engagement.
“Recent advancements in color printing make it more accessible and cost-effective while delivering high-quality results,” Hernandez says. “These innovations offer financial advantages by reducing costs, improving speed and enhancing marketing impact.”
In print’s ever-evolving landscape, technology continues to make its presence felt, especially in the world of color. For example, eco-friendly inks help lower waste and energy costs. In the area of high-definition (HD) printing, technologies in color have given end products sharper, more accurate colors, while Extended Color Gamut (ECG) has helped expand color possibilities without custom inks, reducing costs.
In addition, advancements in inkjet and laser are offering more support for more spot colors, and enable vivid, accurate color reproduction while maintaining speed and quality.
The technological edge
The advancements in a printer’s ability to be more creative in their client presentations remains an advantage for Thysse, the third-generation, family-owned commercial printer and brand experience provider.
President Dean Bott says that each relationship and project the Oregon, Wisconsin, company approaches begins with the understanding that visual brand elements create connection, inspire action and transform spaces.
“Color printing is the only printing we know here,” Bott says. “Yes, there are some occasional monochrome pieces we produce as a convenience for our customers, but the real value in the services we provide is wrapped tightly around our brand promise to our clients—’We value your brand in everything we do.’ And while that is easy to say, it is more difficult to accomplish. As we all know, the marquee brands are as easily recognizable from their brand colors as they are their logos or taglines.”
Bott says that faithfully maintaining the integrity of those brand colors requires printing processes that embody the science of color, dedication to color management, defined standards, quality control and a commitment from all levels of the organization. “Maintaining that commitment across multiple devices (from copiers to presses to wide-format printers and everything in between), multiple technologies (toner, offset, inkjet, latex, dye sublimation, etc.) and never-ending myriad substrates can be excruciating.”
The upside, and the one that Bott and his team strive for with each project, is that when all the pieces come together, it truly is a sight to behold. “There is a recognized and appreciated reproduction of brand standards across substrates, devices and even campaigns that ensure continuity, and a consistency that passes both the eye and value test.”
In a changing industry, the power of color remains a constant force, shaping perceptions and driving brand impact. With technological advancements making vibrant, precise color printing more accessible and sustainable, today’s printers have an unprecedented opportunity to help their clients create memorable, impactful campaigns, truly embracing the money of color.
The ‘Money of Color’
What it means and why it matters
If you have not heard it, ‘The Money in Color’ presentation by Fujifilm’s Don Schroeder and Ben Lubin speaks to the transformative power of color in today’s print industry. More importantly, the presentation shows how color directly impacts a company’s bottom line.
Schroeder, Senior Director Solutions Development and Professional Services, and Lubin, Solutions Development Analyst, paint a picture of the evolution from traditional print processes to a more automated, data-driven environment. Their analysis emphasizes the importance of cloud-based solutions and automation in streamlining workflows, reducing costs and improving overall productivity.
One of ‘The Money of Color’s’ key takeaways is the financial value that efficient color management can bring to printers and brand owners alike. By optimizing color workflows, Schroeder and Lubin show how it not only enhances the quality of printed products, but also shortens the time to market, reduces waste and increases customer satisfaction. The added—and most prevalent—factor is how by maintaining consistent color standards across different platforms and substrates, everybody wins.
You will find how standards such as G7 and ISO help ensure consistency and accuracy in color reproduction—standards that allow companies to meet client expectations with fewer errors and reprints. You will find how these standards play a crucial role in building trust with clients, providing reliable and repeatable color results, regardless of the printing equipment or process used.
Their presentation also underscores the significance of automating color management processes. By adopting cloud-based tools, companies can centralize color management, making it easier to store, access, and share color data across various locations and departments. This helps eliminate the traditional reliance on a single “color expert” in the shop and creates a system where the entire team can ensure color accuracy, even when that expert is unavailable.
‘The Money of Color’ also touches on how automation and AI can help mitigate labor shortages and reduce reliance on skilled technicians. Automated workflows can handle repetitive tasks, allowing staff to focus on more value-added work, improving both job satisfaction and overall efficiency.
In an ultra-competitive print landscape, by learning to embrace the tools and technologies Schroeder and Lubin discuss, today’s printers can future-proof their operations, ensuring they stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry.
10 ways color wins clients and influences campaigns
- Consumer Behavior
Point: Color boosts brand recognition by 80% and increases retention.
How: Use data and compare high-impact vs. normal color or monochrome campaigns to highlight effectiveness. - Emotional Connection
Point: Colors evoke emotions that influence purchasing, e.g., blue for trust, red for urgency.
How: Align specific colors with client branding to maximize impact. - Increased ROI
Point: Color printing leads to higher response rates, boosting ROI.
How: Use case studies to show how color increases sales and provide ROI calculators. - Brand Consistency
Point: Consistent color builds recognition and loyalty.
How: Offer color management services to ensure accurate reproduction. - Psychological & Marketing Power
Point: Colors guide attention and drive purchases.
How: Use visuals to demonstrate how color highlights key messages. - Differentiation in Competitive Markets
Point: Color helps brands stand out.
How: Highlight how premium color printing adds exclusivity. - Premium Specialty Applications
Point: Specialty treatments (e.g., metallic inks, UV coatings) elevate materials.
How: Offer samples showcasing luxury finishes. - Environmental Considerations
Point: Eco-friendly printing appeals to sustainability-focused businesses.
How: Highlight green options that align with corporate responsibility goals. - Personalized & Data-Driven Solutions
Point: Personalized color strategies improve engagement.
How: Offer customization options based on recipient data. - Samples & Visual Proof
Point: Seeing is believing—samples prove the impact of high-impact printing.
How: Provide vibrant portfolios and mock-ups to showcase quality.
