The Book Report: A Quick-Guide to Commercial Book Printing

For countless readers, there is nothing that can replace the feeling of turning the pages of your favorite book. However, in today’s digital age, many authors risk losing readers by relying solely on audio books or e-books. With eyes strained from extended screen time and endless scrolling, a well-crafted book is the tangible escape readers are craving to ease digital fatigue and rekindle the joy of reading.
Printed materials are making a comeback and Preferred Direct is here to help.

So, what “chapters” of print and bindery services are available to bring your next project to life? Enter The Book Report — a quick guide to Preferred Direct’s book printing and bindery services for modern day authors, publishers and beyond.

Preferred Direct Book Binding

The two main types of book printing applications used for most books are perfect bound and saddle stitch printing. At Preferred Direct, we have the latest technologies in stitch and binding machinery for fast, high-quality book printing. Request an Estimate to get started.

Perfect Bound Books

What is perfect bound printing? It is a method of binding printed sheets to a thick, flexible spine, giving a professional and sleek appearance. Perfect bound is the standard when it comes to book options over 200 pages. The sturdy spine offers holds a large amount of pages together and is great real estate for promotional design. You can continue your cover graphics seamlessly across it, and/or add titles, logos, and other text to add to your book appeal on shelf.

Common perfect bound book types include

• Published Books
• Yearbooks
• Large Company Catalogs
• Textbooks, Workbooks and Manuals

Saddle Stitch Books

Saddle stitch books consist of folded papers nested within each other with wire staples (a.k.a “stitches”) through the spine to neatly secure everything together. It is an economical and polished option for projects up to 120 pages. This lightweight, cost-effective, and professional bindery method is ideal for projects meant to be distributed widely and quickly. It is the go-to bindery option for authors and publishers looking for an efficient, economic application for a limited number of pages.

Common saddle stitch book types include:

• Magazines & Catalogs
• Booklets & Brochures
• Handbooks
• Guides & More

Preferred Direct Print Options

Once you have decided on your preferred binding style, it’s time to choose the colors and print type. From various colors to paper size options, Preferred Direct has countless ways to make the book uniquely yours.

Full Color vs. Black & White:

• Black & White: Best for text-heavy projects like author books or training manuals.
• Full Color: Best for graphic heavy pages, images, or bold covers like textbooks.

Coated vs Uncoated Paper:

• Coated Paper: Creates vibrant and high-impact images. Great for catalogs, promo materials and projects with lower page counts.
• Uncoated paper: Creates a more natural feel and is ideal for writing/text heavy projects, higher page counts, and projects that want the classic book feel.

Paper Sizes:

Preferred Direct offers a wide range of sizes for both binding options from as small as 4”x 6” up to 9”x12”, with custom options available upon request. Choosing the right size for your project depends on many factors such as page count, portability, cost, text, and shipping.

Fun Fact: Many women’s clothing catalogs now use 5.5 x 8.5 sizing to fit neatly in a purse and also to qualify for the USPS letter rate, keeping distribution costs down.

Finishing & Fulfillment Services:

Preferred Direct goes beyond printing with full-service finishing and fulfillment options to simplify every stage of your book project. We offer:

• Design & Pagination – Professional assistance to ensure your book files are clean, polished, and print-ready.
• Print-on-Demand – Order small runs or scale up to 50,000+ copies to optimize your inventory according to book sales and projected demand.
• Inventory Management & Shrink Wrapping – Secure storage, protection, and tracking of your printed pieces.
• Shipping & Distribution – Bulk or direct-to-consumer delivery, managed on your schedule.
• Fulfillment Services – End-to-end handling, with services such as shrink wrapping, so your books arrive on time and in top condition.

The Closing Chapter

No matter the size, style, or story you want to share through your book project, Preferred Direct is here to help you create the perfect ending. From professional catalogs and author books to academic books and manuals, our print and bindery services ensure your materials don’t just inform—they leave a lasting impression. Let us help you bind your ideas into something unforgettable.

Contact our team today to start writing your perfect story.

What is an Explanation of Benefits (EOB)?

Health insurance companies provide EOB’s or Explanation of Benefits statements after individuals receive their health care services. While it may look like a bill, it isn’t —though it can contain important cost-related information that affects what the patient may ultimately owe.

Let’s break down what an EOB is, how it works, and how Preferred Direct helps insurers deliver them clearly, securely, and efficiently.

What is an EOB?

An Explanation of Benefits is a document issued by a health insurer to explain how a specific medical service claims were or is currently being processed. It details the services provided, the cost of services, how much of the insurance claim was paid by the insurance company and how much is outstanding, based upon the costs of the care provided and the individual’s health insurance plan.

The EOB usually includes a clear disclaimer at the top: “This is Not a Bill.” Despite this, the EOB can often resemble a bill, making it easy for the patient to confuse the two. All patients should carefully review the EOB before making any payments, as the amounts may differ once the insurer’s portion has been processed.

What’s Included in an EOB?

A standard EOB includes the following key information:

• Date and type of service provided
• Provider’s name and contact information
• Amount billed by the provider
• Amount allowed by the insurer
• Amount paid by the insurer
• Patient’s remaining responsibility (co-pay, deductible, coinsurance)
• Policy-specific details, such as the patient’s deductible status or annual out-of-pocket expenses

To illustrate with an example, consider an allergy screening. The allergist charges a set fee for service, and a health insurer pays a certain amount of that, which is dictated by the individual policy, deductible amounts, and other variables. Individuals usually pay a co-pay at the time of appointment but may owe more money later once the insurer processes the claim if there’s a difference in the service cost and what the insurer will cover.

Medical vs. Dental EOBs

EOBs generally come after any medical or dental service is provided. Dental EOBs are similar to medical EOBs in form and function and have the same requirements. However, since dental insurance is limited in its coverage, patients who need extensive dental procedures may owe far more than they would for medical care.

Why do EOBs Matter to Patients?

An EOB is more than some administrative paperwork received in the mail —they provide important transparency for patients managing their care and finances.

Reviewing them helps patients to:

• Confirm the correct services were billed
• Verify that the services were billed at the correct amount
• See how their benefits are being applied
• Track their deductible and any out-of-pocket limits
• Identify any potential errors or unauthorized claims

The information included in the EOB helps the insured to better understand the full scope of what was covered, and what they owe. While EOBs help explain medical billing information to the insured, they can be challenging to understand, and errors can happen. Many patients need to call their insurer to ask targeted questions, so they can better understand both the EOB form and any subsequent medical bills that arrive.

How Preferred Direct Supports EOB Delivery?

Preferred Direct helps insurers generate and deliver EOB statements that are clear, timely, and tailored to the needs of each recipient.

We offer:

• Statement Generation – Our systems turn health data into professional, policy-specific EOB documents.
• Print-on-Demand – We print EOBs quickly and accurately as claims are processed, reducing turnaround time.
• Variable Data Printing– We ensure each patient receives a personalized and easy-to-follow statement to better understand their services and coverage.
• Data Security – We maintain HITRUST certification and keep up to date with all HIPAA requirements so that we can serve our insurance industry customers.

Our services make the EOB process simple, secure, and efficient—so your internal team can stay focused on serving members and managing claims.

Conclusion

An Explanation of Benefits is a vital communication tool for both the insurers and the insured. It helps provide transparency in healthcare billing and claims as well as tracking annual deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

Preferred Direct specializes in generating personalized EOBs that help your patients understand their insurance claims with speed, accuracy, and professionalism. Ready to learn more? Read our “Do You Know Your Explanation of Benefits Mailing Requirements?” blog to understand specific mailing requirements or contact our team to get started on a project estimate.

Do You Know Your Explanation of Benefits Mailing Requirements?

Health insurance providers are required to send Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements after a patient receives health care services. These forms detail how a claim was processed, including what portion was covered by the insurer and what amount, if any, remains the patient’s responsibility—based on the individual’s healthcare plan and the cost of care. Because EOBs contain sensitive medical and financial information, they are protected under HIPAA regulations. As a result, insurers must follow strict guidelines regarding how EOBs are generated, delivered, and stored—balancing compliance with patient privacy and communication preferences.

EOB Mailing Requirements

HIPAA Compliance & Mailing EOB’s

While some patients choose to view their Explanation of Benefits online, many patients are reluctant to view sensitive information online and would prefer to receive a hard copy by mail.

Our  Statement Generation  or  print on demand services make it simple to create and mail personalized EOB statements to users as the need arises. HIPAA’s privacy rule affects statement generation and EOB mailing requirements.

Key EOB Mailing Requirements

• Protected Health Information (PHI) must be secured during all stages of handling—printing, storage, transport, and delivery. PHI includes any data that identifies a patient and relates to their health conditions, treatments, demographic information, or payment.
• Mailings must comply with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. HIPAA does not mandate how EOBs are delivered (paper vs. digital), but it does require that delivery methods safeguard patient privacy.
• Patients must be given the option to receive paper EOBs, unless they have explicitly opted for electronic delivery. This is reinforced by recent rules under the 21st Century Cures Act.
• Mailings must be addressed to the correct individual or authorized party. Variable data printing should be used to ensure personalization and prevent mismailing.
• Adolescent privacy protections apply. In some cases, insurers may be required to send EOBs confidentially for minors or dependents (especially regarding sensitive services), depending on state law.
• Mail vendors must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with the health plan or provider if they handle PHI. This is a legal requirement under HIPAA.

Given that your medical organization must comply with HIPAA, any direct mail or electronic service you work with must have a thorough understanding of HIPAA and its privacy laws, and be able to send out confidential medical information in an appropriate manner. Knowing your EOBs is important. Preferred Direct complies with all HIPAA requirements.

An insurer cannot be held liable if a patient’s confidential information is disclosed when all proper measures are taken. However, if an insurer does not take proper steps to preserve the integrity of private information, and they are found to be negligent, they will face fines that range from $100 to $50,000 for every violation.

Protected vs Non-Protected Healthcare Mailings

Direct communication companies, like Preferred Direct, provide insurers with a range of medical statements, including EOBs, medical bills, plan benefits, and other healthcare forms, electronically or hard copies. While healthcare marketing materials may not have any private patient information, thus be exempt from HIPAA.  An individual’s sensitive medical forms must have their confidentiality protected.

Sending EOB Statements

Preferred Direct is a knowledgeable partner for insurers who want to outsource their billing to a third party who can provide fast, accurate, and HIPPA-Compliant statement generation or electronic communication services. Since direct communication companies specialize in printing and sending campaigns, hard copies, or electronically, they can do it efficiently.

Outsourcing EOB Mailings

Outsourcing this service also saves time while allowing employees to focus on mission-critical tasks. Patients enjoy receiving accurate materials promptly.  Preferred Direct’s communication services generally accept health data in a variety of formats, including .csv, .xls, or .txt. Direct communication companies using the supplied data will generate an accurate Explanation of Benefits statement.

Preferred Direct also offers e-billing services, in which medical bills and EOB statements can be generated and electronically transmitted through patient online portals or emailed, streamlining the EOB mail process for insurers.

Key Outsourcing Considerations

Confidential Personalization. Since forms must be addressed to individual patients as part of HIPAA compliance, look for a direct mail shop that offers variable data printing, in which patients’ names and other unique data can be included in the mailings for customized, meaningful communication.

Compliance & Certifications. To ensure security and confidentiality protection, insist upon a direct mail provider that has a HITRUST certification and maintains HIPAA compliance, which is the most common security framework for healthcare data in the U.S.

Preferred Direct has HITRUST certification and keeps up to date with all HIPAA requirements so that we can serve our insurance industry customers.

Industry Mailing Experience. Not only are we attentive to the healthcare industry requirements, but we also offer highly efficient direct mail services. Since we use match mailing and postage automation services, we can efficiently process and send an Explanation of Benefits statement to thousands of members while saving money.

Inventory & Product Diversification We create and maintain customized printing products for our customers, and we update our in-house stock with measures for inventory control. This way, we’re always ready for your next mailing. Whether you’re looking to outsource all of your medical statements, marketing collateral, member handbooks and more, look for a printer that is an all-in-one source to streamline communications and order management.

Conclusion

When you are dealing with Explanation of Benefits you must be certain that all HIPAA rules are met.  Be especially careful with any and all information relative to the person, and that information should be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

There are savings to be had by outsourcing the EOB statements to a competent print and mail production house. Consider Preferred Direct, the preferred print and mailing partner for health and insurance enterprises nationwide. Request a project estimate or receive some samples to get started.

Preferred Direct Invests in New Stitcher, Expanding Binding Capacity

June 2025, Norfolk, VA – Preferred Direct, a family-owned commercial print and mail provider, has successfully installed a second stitch liner. This investment boosts booklet production capacity and enhances stitching efficiency, leading to faster turnaround times for customers.

Preferred Direct offers saddle stitching services for a variety of commercial print materials including books, magazines, newsletters, prospectuses, and booklets. The addition of the new stitcher unit allows the company to produce a greater volume of high-quality saddle-stitched booklets to meet rising customer demand.

“With this expansion, we’re better equipped to deliver fast, professional stitching services,” says CEO, Bill Nee. Chris Nee, President, adds, “Investments like this are how we keep our promise of quality, speed, and reliability.”

To discover more about Preferred Direct’s print and binding services, please visit www.preferreddirect.com.

What is a Corporate Social Responsibility Report and How Should You Share it?

As consumer demand for corporate transparency and responsibility continues to rise, companies have responded with a variety of reporting strategies to share their impact with customers, employees and investors. One way for companies to communicate this information is through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting, sometimes also referred to as Corporate Sustainability Reporting.

CSR reports are documents that outline the social and environmental impact of a business, often organized into four main categories—environmental, ethical, philanthropic and economic. These documents serve as a framework to measure and report company performance against long- and short-term goals in a digestible format for internal and external stakeholders.

In some countries CSR reporting is mandatory and follows a standard outline. Although there are currently no standards or regulations for CSR reports in the US, 92% of S&P 500 companies published one in 2020.

How to create a Corporate Social Responsibility report

Since there are no set rules for CSR reporting in the US, companies have the flexibility to report what makes the most sense for their business. Typically, corporations use their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) or GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) models to generate the outline and expand as they see fit. No matter which sustainability framework your company aligns with, the main body of the document serves to inform the audience of company goals related to societal and environmental impact, and report on progress.

For example, a CSR report outline may look something like this:

• Letter from the CEO
• Company values & messaging
• Company statistics, locations & leadership
• Summary of your CSR approach
• How it aligns with ESG guidelines
• Key goals and performance metrics
• Outlook for the future

How to share your CSR report

Once you’ve gathered your data and crafted an easy-to-read report, it’s time to share your hard work with stakeholders. Some companies choose to print them, some go fully digital and others choose a combination of the two. Your audience will likely have different preferences for reading the report, so we recommend producing both a digital-native version and a tangible printed copy. As full reports can get quite lengthy (some over 100 pages), it can also be helpful to provide a summary version, which sums up the highlights of your report into a skimmable booklet.

CSR sharing options:

• Publish a CSR section as part of your annual report or company newsletter
• Print a postcard or brochure with your CSR highlights, include instructions for how to access the full report online
• Use transpromo marketing in your transactional mail to highlight CSR initiatives with a QR code or custom link leading to the digital report
• Announce your CSR report with a direct mail campaign, use a QR code to lead recipients to a landing page with a summary of results and the full digital report download

How can Preferred Direct help

Whether you choose to publish your Corporate Social Responsibility results in an annual report, company newsletter, or a direct mail campaign, you can trust us as your premium print partner to get the job done. Contact the Preferred Direct team to learn more about our design, print and distribution capabilities and get started with your CSR report today!

Elevate Your Postcard Campaign with Specialty Print Effects

Postcards can be a powerful, direct marketing tool, but standing out in a crowded mailbox requires more than just great design. Adding specialty print effects to your postcards can transform your direct mail campaign into a high-end, tactile experience that converts.

Preferred Direct offers a variety of specialty print finishes that can add a premium feel to your direct mail postcard campaigns. Let’s take a look at some of the options available to enhance your next print campaign.

Metallic Inks – The Budget-Friendly Option to Foiling

Metallic inks contain reflective particles that mimic the look of foil without the need for expensive substrates or foil stamping methods.

These shimmering inks can enhance your premium postcard campaigns, providing an upscale, polished look. We suggest pairing metallic inks with rich, jewel-toned colors like navy, burgundy or black. It helps the metallic effect POP off the background and creates a more luxury feel.

Design inspiration:

• High-end product promotions (jewelry, luxury fashion, automotive)
• Elegant event invitations or VIP offers
• Exclusive club memberships and premium service announcements

Fluorescent Inks – A Bright Way to Catch Attention

Fluorescent inks are formulated with specialized pigments, which absorb and emit UV light to provide a glowing, neon effect.

We suggest using these inks sparingly to draw the viewers’ eyes to important information or call-to-actions (CTA’s). These bright colors are especially useful for sales advertisements or limited time offers and can give the appearance of a personalized, hand-written postcard.

Design inspiration:

• Limited-edition or limited time offers for dealerships and realtors
• High-end fitness or beauty brands with a vibrant, energetic brand voice
• Informational finance and legal postcards for clients

Tactile Coatings – A Touch of Luxury

Tactile coatings provide a textured finish to a print surface, such as soft touch coatings, grit coatings, matte varnish, embossing, and more. The most popular option is soft-touch, which creates a velvety feel across the postcard.

Add this as a flood coating to stand out immediately when recipients handle their mail pieces or add as a spot coating to draw attention to details like car leather.

Design inspiration:

• Luxury fashion, cosmetics, and high-end electronics
• Premium real estate listings
• Special event invitations

Specialty Coatings – Add Contrast and Shine

Specialty coatings are used to give visual interest to printed pieces. Popular choices include high-gloss and matte, used alone or together to create visual depth in high contrast designs.

Our favorite approach to specialty coating is giving rich, vibrant images a boost with gloss coatings and create a striking contrast with a super matte coating in non-image areas. This will add a sheen over key visuals to grab attention, while leaving the key text areas easy to read.

Design inspiration:

• Premium travel and hospitality promotions
• Upscale real estate and interior design showcases
• Gourmet food and beverage branding

A successful direct mail campaign starts with reaching your audience, but the real success lies in capturing their attention and inspiring action. Specialty print effects are a great way to add memorable details that elevate your postcards and improve your campaign ROI. Preferred Direct is proud to have recently installed a new HP Digital Press capable of running high-end, specialty printing inks and coatings for your next luxury campaign. Contact our team today for expert advice on your next campaign and explore our specialty print and postcard options.

Preferred Direct Achieves SOC 2 Type 1 Certification for Information Security

Committed to the highest standard of data protection

March 17, 2025, Norfolk, VA – Preferred Direct, a family-owned commercial print and mail provider, is proud to announce it has achieved SOC 2 Type 1 certification for information security. This milestone underscores the company’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data protection, a critical priority for clients in industries such as healthcare and finance.

The SOC 2 Type 1 certification, developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), evaluates an organization’s controls related to information security, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Achieving this certification demonstrates that Preferred Direct has implemented robust systems and processes to safeguard sensitive client data, meeting rigorous industry benchmarks.

“We’re thrilled to earn this certification, which reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting client information,” says Bill Nee, CEO for Preferred Direct. “For over 38 years, we’ve provided tailored print and mail solutions to industries where data security isn’t just a priority—it’s a necessity. This achievement reinforces the trust our clients place in us every day.”

Preferred Direct specializes in delivering high-quality, secure print and mail services, including statements, invoices, and personalized communications. This certification, in addition to HITRUST and HIPAA compliance, illustrates Preferred Direct’s commitment to ensuring peace of mind for clients who depend on secure, seamless communication solutions.

To discover more about Preferred Direct, please visit www.preferreddirect.com.

What is Transpromo Marketing?

Transpromo marketing, short for “transactional-promotional” marketing, is the practice of merging transactional documents (like bills, invoices, or account statements) with promotional content. These documents are already being sent to customers as part of regular business operations, making them a cost-effective channel for adding marketing messages. When done strategically, using billing documents as a dual-purpose tool to both inform customers and drive revenue has massive potential to increase ROI.

Transform Billing into a Revenue Driver

By combining billing with carefully crafted promotional content, businesses can transform routine mailings into a powerful marketing tool. For example, a billing statement could include a promotion for a new referral program, or a utility bill might highlight discounts for energy-efficient lighting and power cords.

By integrating advertisements, cross-sell offers, or informative content into billing documents, you leverage the high open and read rates of transactional mail. Viewers are more likely to open a bill, than they are to open unknown promotional mail.

The key lies in personalizing these promotions. Using customer data and variable data printing (VDP), businesses can tailor the message, piece by piece, to align with the recipient’s known needs, demographics or habits.

Why Does Transpromo Work?

Transactional documents boast some of the highest engagement rates in the direct mail space. Customers are known to likely to open, review, and retain them. Incorporating promotional content into these documents helps your message reach a highly attentive audience.

Additionally, this approach eliminates the need to send separate promotional mailers, reducing marketing costs while maximizing impact. This dual-purpose format is especially effective for financial institutions, business and home services, universities, utilities, healthcare providers, and subscription-based services.

How Preferred Direct Marketing Maximizes Transpromo Potential

Preferred Direct Marketing specializes in creating customized financial documents that seamlessly combine essential transactional information with eye-catching promotional content. With expertise in secure data management, advanced printing techniques, and integrated direct mail strategies, PDM ensures that every piece of transpromo material delivers measurable results.

Leveraging financial documents as a marketing channel is a low-cost, high-impact way for businesses to reach their customers. Utilizing personalization techniques such as variable data printing can help boost billing ROI by connecting essential customer information with promotional messages that resonate with their needs.

Contact PDM today to get started with your own transpromo marketing campaign and see the ROI for yourself!

Color Psychology in Marketing: Choosing the Right Palette for Your Brand

Selecting the best color palette for a brand or print marketing campaign is more than a visual choice—it’s a strategic decision. Consumer studies have shown that color can increase brand recognition by up to 80% and over 90% of people make purchasing decisions based on your brand visuals. Colors have the power to evoke emotions, shape perceptions, and influence behavior. As a leading commercial printer, we know that understanding color psychology can help you connect with your audience and achieve your marketing goals.

Let’s explore the emotional and psychological impact of different colors and how they can be used effectively in your marketing efforts.

For a visual illustration, check out our color psychology chart.

Blue

Fun Fact: Blue is the most popular color worldwide–57% of men and 35% of women citing it as their favorite.

• Positive Emotions: Trustworthy, loyal, secure, serene, professional
• Negative Emotions: Cold, emotionless, appetite-suppressing, sad
• Associations: Sky, water, calmness

Blue is often used by social media platforms, healthcare organizations and insurance companies to convey trust and reliability. Different shades of blue can convey different messages such as soft blues for wellness, bold blues for innovation, and dark blues for professionalism. Blue’s versatility and trustworthiness makes it a great color to place throughout any branded print and marketing pieces.

Purple

Fun Fact: Purple’s rarity in nature has historically linked it with royalty and luxury. From Roman emperors to Queen Elizabeth, it has been a color of choice for the elite.

• Positive Emotions: Regal, wise, sophisticated, imaginative
• Negative Emotions: Excessive, moody, indulgent
• Associations: Royalty, religion, chocolates

Purple is less common in brand logos, which helps it stand out. Hallmark leverages purple to appeal to its predominantly female audience, whereas Yahoo! uses purple to stand out from the standard blue often used by tech companies. Purple’s sophistication and uniqueness can be used to call attention to specific messages or to set your branding apart.

Orange

Fun Fact: Orange is one of the least favorite colors globally, with 29% of people listing it as their least favorite.

• Positive Emotions: Confident, creative, courageous, enthusiastic
• Negative Emotions: Immature, frustrating, ignorant, warning
• Associations: Affordable products, innovation, traffic & construction.

Nickelodeon embraces orange’s playful and creative qualities to resonate with children and families. Orange is a highly visible color, often used for traffic cones, construction signs and work wear. You can use orange’s visibility and playfulness to call attention to important messages in your marketing.

Red

Fun Fact: Red has physiological effects, including increasing heart rate and stimulating appetite.

• Positive Emotions: Passionate, energetic, adventurous, strong
• Negative Emotions: Angry, aggressive, dangerous
• Associations: Urgency, hunger, action

As one of the most eye-catching colors in the visible spectrum, red is widely used in food branding to stimulate appetite and calls-to-action , like sale signs and stop signs, to drive engagement. Be careful, too much red can be overwhelming and can lose the color’s impact. Use red as a contrast to neutral colors and it will bring attention directly where you need it.

Green

Fun Fact: Green is another fan favorite, chosen by 14% of people across all demographics.

• Positive Emotions: Healthy, fresh, hopeful, harmonious
• Negative Emotions: Envious, toxic, disgust, wicked
• Associations: Nature, health, wellness, growth

Grocery stores and wellness brands often use green to promote health and freshness, emphasizing their connection to natural products. The color promotes focus, concentration and productivity and can even reduce stress levels. In Western cultures, green is also associated with money. Lately, green has been the iconic color and name of the sustainability movement, promoting a “green” economy.

Yellow

Fun Fact: Yellow’s eye-catching nature makes it a popular choice for warning signs and marketing elements designed to create urgency.

• Positive Emotions: Optimistic, happy, warm, extroverted
• Negative Emotions: Impulsive, irrational, anxiety-inducing
• Associations: Sunshine, warmth, caution

Brands use yellow sparingly to draw attention and encourage quick decision-making. Yellow can bring a happy pop of color to your print marketing or highlight important details that the viewers must see.

Pink

Fun Fact: Certain shades of pink have been shown to have calming effects, even reducing aggression.

• Positive Emotions: Imaginative, creative, quirky, soft
• Negative Emotions: Childish, excessive, moody
• Associations: Femininity, love

T-Mobile and Barbie use pink effectively to stand out and appeal to specific audiences. It is often a very feminine color, though can help your brand or print pieces stand out when implemented strategically.

Black

Fun Fact: Nearly 28% of the most recognizable brands incorporate black or gray in their logos.

• Positive Emotions: Sophisticated, sleek, powerful, elegant
• Negative Emotions: Oppressive, cold, mourning, dark
• Associations: Luxury, high-end products, mystery

Black is a bold color, often used in fashion and luxury industries. The dark emotions associated with black make it less suitable for healthcare, wellness, childcare, and care-related branding.

White

Fun Fact: White symbolizes purity in Western cultures but is linked to mourning in many Eastern traditions.

• Positive Emotions: Clean, pure, innocent, simple
• Negative Emotions: Sterile, plain, distant
• Associations: Simplicity, new beginnings

Technology companies use white to convey a clean, modern aesthetic. White space is extremely important to incorporate into your print marketing to ensure your designs are clean, organized and readable. A lack of white space in your print could create a jumbled message that your audience struggles to read.

Fluorescents and Metallics

Fluorescent Colors: These vibrant shades amplify the characteristics of their base colors, adding energy and urgency. Use them sparingly to highlight key elements without overwhelming your design.

Metallic Colors:

• Gold: Power, wealth, prestige
• Silver: Elegance, balance, sophistication
• Bronze: Maturity, earthiness, stability

Metallics can add a sense of luxury and value to your branding when used thoughtfully.

Preferred Direct Marketing offers specialty printing options, including fluorescent inks and metallic finishes, to make your designs unforgettable.

Partner with Preferred Direct Marketing

Whether you aim to build trust, evoke excitement, or convey luxury, understanding color psychology will ensure your design decisions support your goals. Choosing the right colors is just the beginning of an effective marketing campaign. Preferred Direct Marketing combines innovative design expertise with high-quality full-color printing services to help you bring your vision to life.

Ready to transform your ideas into impactful marketing materials? Let us help you create a visually compelling marketing campaign that connects with your audience. Contact Preferred Direct Marketing today to get started!