Colour deviations in magazine advertisements can adversely affect the impression that readers form about the product and the brand. Also the design of an advertisement can increase its vulnerability to colour deviations, shows a study conducted by M-real,the University of Helsinki and United Magazines in collaboration with L'Oréal and Marimekko, whose advertisements were used to simulate colour deviations.

The colours in an advertisement can deviate from those intended by the designer for reasons including excessive dot gain in printing. Colour deviation also arises from shade differences between pages when an advertisement is printed as a double-page spread across the inside front cover and text page, and a different paper is used for the cover and text.

Katja Ahonen, brand manager at L'Oréal in Finland, comments on the study: "Quality is a key issue when talking about luxury cosmetics and in planning advertising for Lancôme, every small detail is taken into consideration. Because of this, it is essential to gain understanding of how the quality of local realisation of international ads affects the impression of the brand and the products."

The survey results show that process control and correct colour management in the whole process are essential for accurate colour reproduction and in generating the desired response from consumers.

The study is part of M-real's Reader Preference Research, a joint research programme between M-real and the University of Helsinki started in 1998.

The Ad Colour Deviation study will also be published in the autumn issue of M-real's Galerie Papers customer magazine./ins


Notes to editors:

Note to editors: Employing over 14,000 people, M-real is one of the leading paper companies in Europe. Through its worldwide sales network, M-real serves customers who mostly comprise publishers, printers, paper merchants, offices and carton printers and well-known consumer product companies M-real provides excellent wood fibre-based solutions for consumer packaging, communications and advertising end-uses. Together with its customers and partners, M-real develops solutions for demanding end-use, such as magazines, art books, brochures, direct mail, office papers, as well as packages for beauty and healthcare products, cigarettes, branded food and consumer electronics.

Headquartered in Finland, M-real Corporation is listed on the OMX Helsinki Stock Exchange. Sales of the company in 2006 were EUR 5.6 billion. M-real is part of the Metsäliitto Group. With sales of EUR 8.5 billion, Metsäliitto Group is the eighth largest forest industry group in the world.
www.m-real.com

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For more information:

Marika Koskenkanto

M-real Research Executive
marika.koskenkanto@m-real.com
Tel. +358-50-3819080

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