Pantone (code) is a system used to match colours for print purposes. It provides the universal language of color that enables color-critical decisions through every stage of the workflow for brands and manufacturers.

The Pantone Color System (Code), or PMS, is a standardized color matching system, which is widely used around the world. It was devised to help printers and designers to specify and control colors for printing projects. The Pantone Color System allows you to specify colors that cannot be mixed in traditional CMYK.

Pantone has provided a standardised system for designers to reproduce colours accurately on paper. The Pantone colour matching system includes more than 1,000 colours, which are assigned their own names and reference numbers. It was developed to make spot printing more accurate, and is still the best and most vibrant method of printing in colour, while printing in digital CMYK offers a cheaper alternative.

CMYK refers to the four ink plates used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and black

If you have a company logo, it is good to know its exact Pantone reference or code so that all of your branded materials look the same and maintain consistency across different assets such as business cards, brochures or signage. One colour mistake can lead to the crashing of a 20years business.

For individuals, a design agency will already have decided what your logo’s pantone is if they have created it, so they can guide you on the exact colour number, so you can use the same colour for different collateral.

The Pantone Matching System is comprised of 1,867 colors that are created by combining 13 base pigments.

Pantone colors are described by their allocated number, for example, PMS 205, is pink colour, yellow is 012 C while the Nigeria flag green pantone is PMS 355 C.

Pantone provides designers with security.

Pantone doesn’t combine any colors during the printing process; it is the color being used in the process. It’s much more pure than CMYK, and the difference is noticeable.

With over one thousand pure colors to choose from, Pantone provides the world with the type of consistency that designers once only dreamt of. Pantone is like a promise: the color you choose in the beginning is the color you get in the end.

Below are the Top 20 Nigerian Companies and their Pantone Colour Code:

MTN NIGERIA – There are four colours on the MTN logo. MTN’s main colour is Yellow and its code is Pantone 123 C . Others are:

Blue – MTN interchanges between Pantone 2738 U and Pantone 2171 C

White – matte white, and

Red – Pantone 2035 U

GLO Nigeria – the green is Pantone 2427 C

AIRTEL – The airtel red color code is 032 C

9MOBILE – uses to greens, dark and light with PMS 349 and Pantone 382 C respectively.

DHL – DHL colours yellow and red, therefore PMS 116 C and PMS 2035 C, respectively.

DANGOTE – The primary colours of Dangote Cement are Rainbow indigo – PMS 2756 C and Carmine pink – PMS 2027 C. They represent trustworthy and sophistication.

OANDO – There are 5 colours in the Oando logo, and their codes are – Pantone 123, Pantone 137, Pantone 1795, Pantone 2756 and Metallic Silver.

Stanbic IBTC Holdings – code is Pantone Dark Blue C

BUA Cement – codes are Lobster Red pantone 187, Classic Blue Pantone 19-4052 and Harvest Gold Yellow Pantone 16-0948

Nestlé Nigeria – code is Pantone 2738 U

Nigerian Breweries – codes are USAFA Blue Pantone 2945 C, Hex Pantone 417 C and Half Baked Pantone 542 C

Zenith Bank – their main colour is red Pantone 179 C; others are white and Gray Flannel of pantone 17-4016

Ecobank – they exchange between Navy Blue pantone 19-3832 TCX and Marine Blue pantone 15-4712 TCX

First Bank – their main colours are Blue C100 M82 Y41 K39 of Pantone 295C and Gold Yellow C0 M24 Y86 K7
C100 M82 Y41 K39 of Pantone 124 C

LAFARGE – their official colours are Green PMS 348 or PMS 347 and Black 6 C

SEPLAT – colour code are Red pantone 032 C and Royal Blue pantone 19-3955 TCX

Access Bank plc – Royal Blue pantone 19-3955 TCX, Green Pantone 15-0343 TCX and Orange Gold of Pantone 15-1051 TCX

Union Bank – colour code is Blue of PMS 2925

OKOMU OIL PALM CO PLC – their colour code is Green PMS 355 C and Bright Orange Panton 15-1164 TCX

NOTORE – is Green PMS 355 C

Note: One of the biggest advantages in using specific Pantone colors in your digital files is the color reproduction will be identical every time you print. This is how a company such as coca cola can produce the exact red (PMS 75-1) in their logo for example, no matter which printing company they use.

So the main reasons why these companies use pantone are because:

• Colour reproduction will be identical regardless of who prints it. Standardisation ensures professionalism.
• It ensures consistency
• It also ensures that ensures the colour is smooth.

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