Looking Back at the First Annual G7/G7+ Exchange

Before PRINTING United Expo opened it’s doors to a record number of attendees in late October, color experts first gathered to learn and network in the first annual G7/G7+ Exchange. The half-day event sold out ahead of time, with every seat claimed by those looking to level up their color game.

The free event was packed with information and chances to share tips and tricks with fellow attendees. Here are the top three highlights from the packed educational schedule; start making your plans now to attend next year in Las Vegas!

1. Standardization and consistency are critical.

One major point that was threaded through all the sessions was just how important it is to have a standard color language that speaks to every device a printer might own or use — no matter the manufacturer, the ink technology, or even the location. Consistent color starts with ensuring everyone is looking at the same thing.

“Setting and keeping standard practices is the best way to create repeatable results,” stressed Andy Bullock, partner at Portland, Oregon-based Spanner. “Everyone has to be on the same page. We're not talking about rules that will restrict your innovation, design, or your ability to create. Standard practices create results.”

That need for standardization across every segment and technology in the print industry was actually the driving force behind G7+ — while G7 continues to be a strong standard for those using traditional technologies, it wasn’t originally designed for the many different types of digital platforms and ink options we have today. G7+ expands on the original and revamps everything to ensure that no matter if a piece is printed on offset, inkjet, or toner, you’ll get consistent color every time.

2. Overcoming challenges means addressing the ‘human factor.’

Ron Ellis, owner of Ron Ellis Consulting in Stratham, New Hampshire, and GRACol Committee chair, noted that while technical standards, along with factors such as press conditions, workflow, and measurement tools can all impact how color is perceived and adjusted, at the end of the day, it’s the “X factor” — human involvement — that makes or breaks color.

He explained that even with precise standards, the way one operator works won’t necessarily be the same way another one does. So working to train everyone to use the same process every time, and finding people who are as passionate about color as you are to run the presses, is just as much a factor in getting high-quality consistent color as anything else. Once you have those people in place, then G7/G7+ can really shine — then they have a framework they can build around to make sure every operator on every shift running every press in the company can get the same color every time.

3. Education is critical.

On that note, one great panel was a frank conversation around “Aligning Brand, Design, and Print for Color Success.” In it, Jordan Gorski, vice president, Global Standards and Certifications, PRINTING United Alliance led the discussion with Tim Quinn, consultant, Nazdar; Michael Todryk, manager, Color Technical Support, IWCO; Paul Happ, O2D+ consultant, Ricoh USA; and Peter Possenti, image specialist — Prepress, Harry’s & Flamingo, Mammoth Brands.

Each panelist had great tips and tricks to share, but the overall message was that breakdowns happen when brands, agencies, and printers are all speaking different color languages.  Designers come in with expectations around what their final piece will look like that in many cases just isn’t feasible to hit on the print technology available.

To counter that, it’s not just educating the operators about G7/G7+ specifications that ensure great color every time, it’s educating designers and print buyers on color and how to ensure they get what they envision. Having frank, up-front conversations and giving them the tools to see what their beautiful screen rendering will look like once it’s on paper can help them make better decisions — and lead to less frustration.

Part of that conversation isn’t just about color gamut, but around things like how the substrate itself will change the color, and how they can and should compensate in their designs, as well as temper expectations if they have a campaign that spans multiple mediums. After all, G7/G7+ can help you get consistent color regardless of the substrate, but a corrugated board and a coated bright white sheet are just fundamentally different, for example. Making sure clients understand those limitations — and view them not as challenges to be overcome but as elements they can design with to get the best possible result — is the best outcome for everyone.

And that is just a taste of what attendees got to experience at the G7/G7+ Exchange this year. The event was also packed with more sessions, roundtables where participants could bring their color questions and challenges and talk to peers, and more. It was a great chance for everyone who loves color to come together. And next year will only be bigger and better, so mark your calendars now for PRINTING United Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, Sept. 23-25 — and the G7/G7+ Exchange that will surely precede it.