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- PANTONE: Expanding Its Palette Through an Experiential Launch.
PANTONE: Expanding Its Palette Through an Experiential Launch.
When Pantone introduced its expanded Pantone Plus Series, we helped bring the launch to life through an immersive brand experience designed for the creative community. Built around the idea of “ExpandYour Palette,” the integrated campaign transformed a product launch into an engaging celebration of color, creativity and discovery.
The Challenge
Pantone® is the world-renowned “gold standard” for color matching systems that ensure brand consistency across all media (print, digital, experiential). Their Innovation Division developed an exciting new product line – Pantone Plus – that complements the current Pantone Matching System (e.g. PMS). Given how accepted the existing PMS system is, how do we entice and excite industry “regulars” (designers, printers, exhibitors, web developers, etc.) to embrace and use this new product line?
Our Approach
We determined that it would be strategically advantageous to introduce the Pantone Plus line to local industry leaders in major producing metro regions, to immediately create converts and evangelistis for this breakthrough new product line.
Business Alignment:
- We partnered with the Production Club of Metropolitan DC to draw a crowd of “heavy users” designers in the Nation’s association space accustomed to maintaining brand consistency through use of tried-and-true PMS color chips, regional printers, web developers keen to find Hex color equivalents to print-based products, and experiential exhibit designers.
- Award-winning Creative Solutions Group, a subsidiary of IQ Solutions helmed by Chief Creative Officer Bryan Daniels, was tapped to provide pro-bono concept and creative development for the launch.
Brand Strategy:
- We leveraged the classic Pantone brand by both harkening back to its classic PMS (Pantone Matching System) via its color chips, while simultaneously promoting the new line, Pantone plus.
- Additionally, we enticed attendance with a grand prize giveaway of a weekend stay at the Pantone Hotel.
Holistic Communications:
- We developed the event message “Expand Your Palette” as a double entendre, gently prodding industry insiders to embrace expanding their color palette with the new Pantone Plus line, while also enjoying the tastes, sights and sounds that this immersive launch event offered.
- Throughout the event, Word-Of-Mouth Marketing was emphasized as an effective means to inform industry colleagues about Pantone’s new extension to its well-revered color system.
Digital Marketing:
- We created a digital tool kit that hyped the message “Expand Your Palette”, distributed through the Production Club of DC’s email, Twitter and web channels.
- Custom name tags were generated in the spirit of the universally renowned PMS chip design.
Creative Storytelling:
- Creative message abounded! We capitalized on the venue’s address (1336 U Street), which serendipitously lent itself to creating promotions that were fashioned like PMS chips, using 1336 U as a wink to the actual venue address.
- Custom cocktails were developed to reflect Pantone colors – many a patron were heard calling for a “Pantone 298” or a “Pantone 185”.
The Results
The representatives of Pantone reported increased orders for their new swatch books of the Pantone Plus line. Industry-insiders laudited the event as an awareness success for Pantone. Additionally, the integrated promotions campaign won a DC Gold Addy ward.
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- Pantone®
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