PRstore | Winston Salem

Let’s start with an example:

Prospect walks into PRstore

Prospect: Can you create a brochure that matches my shiny new website?

PRstore: Sure.  Let’s look at your website…do you have a hi-res logo file?

Prospect: You mean, like a JPEG?  Sure!

PRstore: Well…a JPEG is a small file.  It works well for the web and is great for email signatures, but if you are going to try to PRINT a JPEG file, it is going to look really distorted.  What you need is a VECTOR file…

This is usually where we get that glazed over look.  And they respond with a “what’s that” or “no one ever told me I needed that”.

This post will be a quick, simple guide to file types you need as a business owner to protect and preserve your brand over ALL mediums you use.

LOGO FILES NEEDED:

1. JPEG – Also know as .jpg.  This is a smaller file to be used in email, homemade inkjet style materials and on the web.  The size of these files are usually 25kb – 300kb and are considered low res logo files.
2. EPS - Also know as .eps or Encapsulated Post Script.  This file is a true VECTOR image that can be scaled infinitely.  This is the file choice for W I D E format printers and is highly accepted as a hi-res logo.  The size of these files are usually in the 2MB+ size range.
3. AI – Also know as .ai or Adobe Illustrator.  This is a high resolution file used by designers.  These are great for print, web or wide format printing.  In most cases, these files are hi-res unless you have a low res proof.  The hi-res version should hover around the 2MB+ size range.
4. TIFF – Also know as .TIFF or Tagged Image File Format.  This file format is widely accepted as a  photograph file standard in the printing business.  These are not as widely used in “normal” business situations, but are typically larger files than JPEG’s and are popular among desktop publishers.
5. BMP – Also know as .bmp or Windows bitmap file.  This is an uncompressed file that is usually rather large.  BMP files are made with a program similar to PC-Paintbrush.
6. PDF – Portable Document Format or .PDF.  These files are created in one of Adobe’s creative programs.  The file size of these can range from a low res proofing file that is compressed to smaller 300kb file so they can easily be emailed to hi-res larger print ready files.  The rule of thumb for hi-res PDF’s are in the 2MB+ range.

So, if you are a business owner what do you need?  I would ask for someone to design my logo and deliver it to me in as many formats as possible.  However, I would say the .EPS, hi-res .PDF, hi-res .AI and .JPG are the most important.  Once you get a copy of your logo, make a back up copy and file it away for safe keeping.

Your logo and brand should be valued.  You paid money for it at some point and don’t want to have it “recreated” all the time becuase it is very likely there will be very small changes.  You will also want to know the PMS colors used in your logo so you don’t just use “blue”, instead you can tell them you want PMS Blue 2738!

Now that’s artfiles.simplified.