Color is a very important part of branding. It’s often the first thing someone will remember about a brand and can affect how they feel towards a company. There is a significant amount of thought and time that’s put into choosing the right brand colour. Keeping that colour consistent across both digital and print is crucial for brand recognition.

Maintaining consistency can be a difficult and often frustrating challenge. There are many factors that can affect colour. Relying on conversion tools and numbers alone won’t work. It takes a detailed eye, some colour matching, and lots of testing. Here are some helpful strategies to keep your colour consistent across print and digital materials.

Use a CYMK
Avoid picking a colour on your screen. What you see on your monitor is completely different than what comes out of the printer. This is because monitors use RGB (red, green, blue) and are much more vibrant than print. Printing uses a four-colour process known as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) which tends to be toned down. If you start with RGB first, finding a print equivalent will prove to be a nightmare.

Keeping a brand colour consistent doesn’t end with the designer. The client also needs to know when to use the appropriate files. Educate them on the difference between RGB, CMYK, and Pantone's so they understand when to use the appropriate files. Or better yet, the negative results if they use the wrong ones. The last thing you want is a client using an RGB file for a huge printing project.

There’s no perfect solution for keeping colour consistent across print and digital. It’s often a time-consuming process and a lot of trial and error. That being said, a great way to set your client up for success is by providing them with all the appropriate files for their logo.

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