marcom language

Brand. A brand is not a thing, a product, a company or an organisation. A brand does not exist in the physical world - it is a mental construct. Best be described as the sum total of all experiences, perceptions and feelings about a particular thing, product or organisation. Like a reputation, brands can take years to build, but can be destroyed in a moment.

Browser. Short for web browser, a software application used to locate and display Web pages. Web pages will look different depending on the type of browser used and whether they are viewed on a PC or a Mac. imageseven tests all Web projects in all the common browsers and their different versions.

Colour separation. The technically precise job of preparing colour photography or artwork for printing by separating and balancing the four process colours and creating film for each.

Communication. The process of passing an idea or message from one person to another or more usually, many others. imageseven's business is creating your success through effective communication.

Communication brief. A communication brief is developed after the initial meeting(s) and outlines the background, target market, objectives, strategy, key messages and mandatory elements/details of the project. The communication brief is agreed upon prior to the concept development stage to ensure we're all on the same page.

Concept. A rough layout used to present the general concept of a communications piece.

Content Management System. A Content Management System is a software system behind your website which allows you and your staff to make changes in a user-friendly format (often similar like Microsoft Word) to ensure content can be updated whenever required - this helps in ensuring your website is up to date and relevant.

Digital printing. A generic term for "filmless" printing. The offset form is called computer-to-plate (CTP) where a digital image is transmitted directly from a computer to a plate used on a press. It eliminates the need for producing film (or negatives), stripping and shooting plates. The technology reduces costs, increases productivity and offers better consistency and higher quality. Another type of digital printing is toner-based. It is often used when personalisation is necessary, however it does not provide the highest level of print quality.

Exhibit graphics. These are the images that appear in your trade show booth. Exhibit graphics require super-high-resolution digital files which contain a very large amount of digitized data. The time and cost required to manipulate these large files is greater than with the smaller photos used in regular sized print communications.

For position only (FPO). A term used in layouts when a non-finished photo or illustration is dropped in to give the viewer a concept of what the finished product will look like.

Four-colour printing. The printing process used to produce a full-colour piece. The paper is run through four separate cylinders of a printing press, each with a different process ink colour. As they are combined, a full-spectrum colour image is created. Also called process colour.

Layout. The basic rendering of a proposed piece.

Lorem impsum. Latin placeholder text which you may see in some proofs or concepts. Placing this text helps us visualise what the final product may look like when the actual written content is not available yet.

Marcom. An abbreviation for "marketing communications" or "marketing and communications".

Offset printing. is a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface.

PDF. Short for Portable Document Format, a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient's monitor or printer as they were intended. To view a file in PDF format you will need Adobe Reader, a free application distributed by Adobe Systems.

Press check. Our team review the printed piece at the printer for colour and make the necessary adjustments.

Process ink colours. Four standard transparent ink colours are used to create full-colour printing. Also known as CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black).

Proof. Once final artwork is created and before we print, imageseven reviews a "proof" (sometimes called a printer's proof) to check that the colour balance of images, type and positioning is correct. This is the file you will approve. On smaller communication projects, this may be delivered to you as a PDF file.

Proposal. A proposal outlines the brief we have received from you, a detailed explanation with all relevant specifications of the product or service that is delivered and a tabled overview of the hours required to complete the project.

Stock photography. These images are not shot for your exclusive use, but are purchased for specific uses. Your usage rights and the costs of the images are negotiated with the owners. imageseven has license agreements with all the world's major stock libraries and news agencies as well as many specialist niche photo libraries.

Testimonial. The use of first person reports by opinion leaders or satisfied customers endorsing a product, service or company.