Consistency with your brand colors
Do you know that what we see on screen may not always translate to print? This means your packaging or print materials can look entirely different from what is seen on your website if you use the wrong color modes. It can be a costly and time-consuming problem to fix. In order to avoid this mistake, it is essential that you understand the right color modes to use for digital and print.
There are three most common color modes: RGB, CMYK, and Pantone. Fundamentally, RGB is best for anything that is digital, while CMYK is for anything that is printed. Let’s break it down further, shall we?
RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. It is an additive color mode and created with light (like your screen). You started off with a black screen (no light) and add different amounts of red, green, and blue to make any color imaginable. When added all together, you will get white color. We often refer to a specific RGB color as HEX (#) code, a 6 numeric character-based reference of RGB numbers. So, the white color on a screen is R:255 G:255 and B:255, or simply #FFFFFF.
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (or Black). It is a subtractive color mode and is created with ink. You started off with white (usually paper) and add a mix of cyan, magenta, yellow and black to produce your desired color. Mixing CMYK inks gives you process color and the mix ratio is often called Process Color Formula. When you add all the inks together, you will get black. The same white color you see on the screen will be translated to CMYK mode as C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:0.
Now the big question is… Can we match and see the desired color output before committing to high-volume commercial printing?
This is where Pantone comes in. Pantone is an ink company known for its precision color matching. Pantone colors are pre-mixed (also called spot color) and coded, so it is universal and consistent. We use Pantone Guides as physical references for matching and reproducing process colors. The guides help us get a sense of how the actual print color result should look like and achieve better consistency for your brand.
So, can you tell me which color code do I need for my small business?
As a brand owner, you'll want to have the codes for all three color modes. Knowing which color code to use for which purpose will allow you to stay consistent and reproduce the right colors across all platforms and media. Here’s a quick summary for you:
RGB or HEX Code: You’ll need this whenever you’re working on your website or creating graphics for social media or digital marketing purposes.
CMYK or Process Color Formula: You’ll need this for small print runs like your brand collaterals (note cards, brochures, etc) or when you want to keep printing costs low.
Pantone Color Code: You’ll need this for larger print runs or when color consistency is a priority, like manufacturing a custom product packaging or brand merchandise. Most commercial printers use Pantone as their color matching standard, so it would be very helpful if we can all "speak the same language", a.k.a in Pantone code language.
Remember, brand consistency is key here. Showing up with a consistent color palette across all platforms helps you build trust and familiarity with your audience, which will help you go far with your business! If you do not have a Brand Palette, you could use Pantone's Online Color Tool to build one or reach out and let’s work together to create a robust and cohesive color palette for your brand!
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