I'm working with an exhibit house on our brand's trade show build. My manager insists we color-match in all places around the booth (LCD, LED wall, solid support structures, printed fabric, etc.). Can this be done? Is this something most exhibit houses can do? I'm struggling!

Matching colors across various mediums is incredibly difficult. In fact, some say it's unachievable. I'll explain why you're having such a hard time hitting the mark and share how to get the results your boss wants.

Understanding the Challenge
➤ Lost in Translation
Color scientists will inform you that achieving perfect color-matching across different mediums is an impossible feat – your color definitions don't even speak the same language. When it comes to solid color structural parts, the Pantone Matching System (PMS) reigns supreme. Electronic images displayed on LCD screens, LED walls, or projection screens use RGB color definitions, as the screens emit red, green, and blue to create colors. Printed fabrics or rolled goods (such as PVC or Lexan) rely on CMYK codes, because digital printers use cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (the "K") to produce colors. With very few exceptions, PMS, RGB, and CMYK cannot produce exact color matches, so the tangerine orange on your fabric graphic will not be the same tangerine orange on your LED wall.
➤ Limited Bandwidth
Every color model has its own range of reproducible colors, known as the gamut. The gamut of RGB colors, especially on high-quality displays, can be wider and more vibrant compared to the gamut of CMYK colors achievable through printing. This means that certain colors displayed on an LCD screen may fall outside the printable range, leading to a loss of color accuracy when translated to print or fabric.
➤ Light Source Differences
LCD screens are backlit and can appear brighter, while solid and fabric graphics rely on external lighting conditions such as the light level and color temperature in your exhibit. This contrast in lighting affects how colors are perceived, making it challenging to achieve consistent hues across different mediums.

Overcome and Adapt
While color scientists are technically correct when they say color matching across mediums cannot be done, there's a silver (#808080) lining: Your boss is not a color scientist.

Color scientists rely on their equipment instead of their eyes because the human body isn't a good tool for measuring things. On the other hand, the human mind is a great tool for experiencing things!

That means you can give your boss the cohesive color experience they demand without strictly adhering to what they asked for. Those looking at your booth will rely on their fallible eyes to assess your exhibit's visual impact, and you can trick them into thinking you have color consistency. So here are a few tips to ensure your cornflower-blue logo on your panel infill looks identical to the logo on your LCD wall.

➤ Color Definitions
Brand guidelines help for sure. If you don't already have established guidelines for your brand colors, get them from an expert. Good brand guidelines will define color in the "language" of CMYK, RGB, and PMS, which will help your suppliers get you what you need. And it's a good idea to have your marketing director and/or boss sign off on them before you move forward with those definitions.
➤ Avoid Same Color Seams
Most exhibit houses know this "trick," but it's still good to be aware of it. Remember, you cannot get an exact color match on two different mediums, and the slightest difference will be amplified by proximity. So create a little distance between mediums when you are trying to hit the same color so that the viewer's eye cannot perceive the slight difference. Remember you want them to experience the same color, even if it's not truly the same. By avoiding nearly identical colors on both sides of a seam, such as where a fabric graphic meets a solid plastic edge, you minimize the chances the viewer will notice the color difference. Rather, insert a contrasting color or neutral material, like steel or aluminum, between the two colors to create a more harmonious look. Or if your LED wall butts up to your matching fabric, put a different colored frame around the screen for separation.

By understanding the challenge of color matching and knowing the best ways to mitigate it, you'll be able to give your boss the consistent color experience he or she wants – even if those pesky color scientists argue that you didn't actually fulfill the request.