Magazine B – Issue 46 (Pantone)

Magazine B Issue 46 (Pantone) is available now on loremnotipsum.com. The rich and colorful history of Pantone dates back to 1963, when the young Lawrence Herbert created the Pantone Matching System (PMS) after buying out a small commercial printing company in New Jersey, USA. By assigning a number to each color, anyone could achieve accurate and consistently repeatable color results, and this system catapulted Pantone into becoming the standard language for color communication for color-critical industries. While its roots are in the graphic arts community, Pantone expanded its system concept across a variety of industries and proved that ‘color’ can indeed become a brand.

After being acquired by Lawrence Herbert, a former printing company employee, Pantone developed into the leading color expert it is today. In 1963, the company developed the Pantone Matching System, a sort of “color standard” that assigns a serial number to every conceivable shade within each family of colors. For example, the designers might fail to use a certain gray that they wanted, due to the monitor or printing conditions,— but if they all use the same serial number associated with a specific Pantone color chip, they can all achieve the same gray. Recognizing the need for perfect color agreement—for the ability to render a color in such a way that it is not influenced or altered by the surrounding environment—industry experts have likened Pantone’s system to a universal language. Quite frankly, Pantone’s current products do not appeal to the average consumer. That’s because they are designed for professional use; it is rare to meet someone outside the graphic design field who is familiar with Pantone. Unsatisfied with the status quo, however, the people at Pantone are seeking to collaborate with other brands to develop products for everyday use.

When a product is not an everyday consumergood, people are unaccustomed to viewing it from a “brand” perspective. However, in diverse sectors within the business world, strategies with potential often reveal themselves. This is how the so-called “branding perspective” begins.

Colors have played various roles throughout human history. They were used in ancient times for purposes of categorization and classification, and modern humans have also used them as a means of self-expression. Fashion designers have become synonymous with their favorite colors, while film directors employ certain colors to impart their own aesthetic sense to the films they create. So what about the world of corporate branding?

In the face of fierce competition, where those who survive are those who set themselves apart, companies are starting to pay closer attention to color. It is becoming increasingly common for companies to consider color as early as the initial brand-planning stage and strategically apply it throughout all subsequent stages of branding as an integral part of their business models. Expressing a brand identity through color is a way to surpass language barriers along the journey to becoming a global enterprise.

Ultimately, all humans strive to distinguish themselves. When asked about the advantages of color compared with writing and other tools of self-expression, one interviewee noted that color was timeless—it is not restricted to a particular time period, style or artistic zeitgeist, and it conveys messages in an emotional and personal manner. Furthermore, the subjective nature of interpretation means that color takes on new meaning for each individual, making color an ideal medium for increasing brand awareness. This issue features a variety of colors portrayed against a number of temporal and spatial backgrounds. As everything in nature has an origin, we hope this issue inspires readers to reflect on the origin of every color.

Discover Magazine B – Issue 46 (Pantone).

Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue. Between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B attempts to discover truly good brands from today’s market where countless brand-named products are overflowing. Magazine B pursues its quest for true value of a printed medium by becoming a magazine that would be worth possessing, not affected by advertisements since it receives no financial support from the brand, and maintains a unique and independent perspective which is increasingly disappearing due to overflowing information mingled among different media outlets.

Magazine B dedicates each issue to the story of one specific brand, which is one of the well-balanced brands that JOH. discovers from around the world based on four standards: beauty, practicality, price, and philosophy. And each issue is packed with B’s unique insights and in-depth analysis. Magazine B will continue to search brands that it pursues to introduce cover-to-cover, such as Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag and Japanese camping gear maker Snow Peak.

Details: Magazine B – Issue 46 (Pantone)

240 x 170 mm, 160 pages