A

ABC, the Audit Bureau of Circulations, an independent group that verifies the circulation data of member publications.

ADI, Area of Dominant Influence, a geographic division of markets used to indicate television viewing within each county.

AI, Adobe Illustrator's metafile format, which is actually a type of Encapsulated Postscript.

AIDA, Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, a formula used for copywriting.

AOR, Agency of Record, the advertising agency responsible for media planning and purchases for a client.

ASCAP, the American Society of Composers and Publishers, a music industry trade organization that manages the payment of royalties to member artists for use of their original work.

ASI, the Advertising Specialties Institute, a trade organization for the advertising specialties industry.

a/b split, two different versions of the same print ad alternated in a publication. Used for testing communications strategies or for demographic marketing. See split run.

a-board, a tent-shaped, two-sided sign hinged at the top. Typically used for temporary duty outside diners or service stations.

ablation, method of imaging digital proofs or CTP plates by vaporizing small amounts of material, typically with a thermal laser. Also refers to the process of writing data to optical memory with a laser that burns holes into thin metal film.

abort, a computing command that instructs the system to abandon a program or ignore all data transferred after a given point.

above-the-line, a term that refers to paid advertising in “mass” media, such as radio, television, Internet and print. Also see below-the-line.

access, to retrieve data from a hard drive or other physical storage medium or another computer connected via network or modem.

access control, in a network, a means of ensuring the system's security by requiring users to supply their names and passwords each time they log on.

access control list, in a network, a database that holds the names of the valid system users and notes the level of access that each has been granted.

access time, the interval between the instant at which a call for data is initiated and delivery of the data is completed.

accordion fold, a series of parallel folds, each the opposite of the adjacent fold. Often used for multi-panel, stuffer size brochures or pamphlets.

account opener, a gift or specialty item offered to new customers. Often used in the marketing of financial services.

account specific, a campaign or promotion created for a certain customer, often featuring a personalized message and materials.

acronym, a word made of the initial letters or major letter parts of a multi-word name or term such as the National Football League - NFL.

ad slick, art work provided for print advertising use, usually in line art form and printed on glossy paper stock. In the current age of electronic art and image transfer, the use of ad slicks has diminished.

address, (1) A character or group of characters that identifies a particular part of computer storage or some other data source or destination. (2) In data communication, the unique code assigned to each device or workstation connected to a network.

addressability, in a line of printed digital information, the number of positions per unit length, usually per inch, at which successive pixels are placed.

Adobe Acrobat, a popular software program for the conversion of documents into the portable document file (PDF) format. Through Acrobat or another PDF, users can read electronic versions of printed documents that maintain the attributes (bold and italic type and other formatting choices) assigned to a printed original.

advertising, the use of paid media to create and maintain market awareness, position, and image for a product or service, as well as to promote its sales.

advertising allowance, the payment or credit that marketers make to those who distribute or sell their products for local promotion and advertising.

advertising specialties, items used as giveaways to promote a product or service, usually imprinted with the marketer’s logo, name or other information.

advertising weight, the total amount of media employed to reach and/or maintain a particular marketing goal. Often measured in GRPs, Gross Rating Points, or TRPs, Target Rating Points.

advertorial, a print advertisement designed to look like editorial, usually with smaller headlines and photos and text set in columns. The broadcast equivalent is called an infomercial.

aerial, an old, but seldom used media for advertising that includes banners towed by airplanes and skywriting.

affinity, marketing concept that feature a “membership” or “lifestyle” proposition with an implication of exclusivity. Examples include special credit cards and customized vehicle models that appeal to a particular interest or avocation.

against the grain, perpendicular to the grain direction of fibers in a sheet of paper.

agate line, unit of measure for print advertising space, especially newspapers. It is 1 column wide x 1/14-inch deep - 14 agate lines = 1 column inch.

agency commission, the payment made to advertising agencies by the media for the placement of advertising. It is typically 15% of the published advertising rates. Also, the markup on goods and/or services used in the creation and production of advertising and promotions for an advertising agency client.

alias, an alternate or duplicate label for a data element in a computer system. For example, one email address may have several aliases representing different departments or individuals. On a Macintosh, an alias icon makes a program, such as Microsoft Word or QuarkXPress, accessible from different areas on the desktop instead of just where the actual program is stored.

aliasing, a jagged or "staircase" effect in a raster image, caused by an insufficient number of image samples. See also: anti-aliasing.

alliteration, repetition of the primary vowel sounds in two or more words in a phrase or syllables within a word, such as “the Los Angeles Rams”.

alpha channel, an eight-bit channel reserved by some image-processing applications for masking or retaining additional color information.

alteration, any change made by the client after they have approved copy, artwork or specifications for completion of the work. Also called customer change, author alteration and customer alteration.

ampersand, the name of the Latin-derived symbol “&” used in place of the word “and”.

analog device, a computer or other device that used continuous signals of varying intensity rather than digital signals that can only be "on" or "off." Some color scanners use hard-wired electronic circuits to perform analog color correction and tone reproduction, while other scanners use digital data to perform similar functions. See also: digital.

answer print, a film print that has been corrected for color and density

antitrust, the illegal actions taken by a business to reduce or eliminate competition. Also see Sherman Antitrust Law, Robinson-Patman Act.

antivirus program, the essential software that is used to detect and destroy rogue applications designed to damage a computer. See also: virus.

application program, the computer software designed to perform actual jobs as opposed to the system programs that manage equipment operation.

applications program interface (API), system software that allows computer programmers to create interface features or, in a network, determine how the various features will be used.

aqueous coating, in printing, a water-based finish coating applied in-line like a varnish to protect the finished printed surface.

arabesque, an art element used for ornamentation or decorative effect.

archival, (1) A document that can be expected to be kept permanently as closely as possible to its origin al form. An archival document medium is one that can be "expected" to retain permanently its origin al characteristics (such expectations may or may not prove to be realized in actual practice). A document published in such a medium is of archival quality and can be expected to resist deterioration. Permanent paper is manufactured to resist chemical actions to retard the effects of aging as determined by precise technical specifications. Durability refers to certain lasting qualities with respect to folding and tear resistance. (2) Data preserved in its origin al state for a long period of time. The definition of length is flexible ­ anywhere from five to more than 100 years ­ depending on the storage medium.

archival image, an image meant to have lasting utility. An "archival" digital image is generally an image kept stored.

archival standards, the standards to be met by a type of recording material or process in order for this material to have and retain specified characteristics necessary for permanent records.

archival storage, the long-term storage of image information on photographic, magnetic, or other media.

archive, (1) A group of compressed computer files. (2) A repository specifically designed for preservation, storage, display and use of archival records. (3) A collection of permanently valuable historical records documenting a particular subject or activity or transaction. Also the repository where such a collection is kept. (4) A repository that intends to preserve information for access and use by one or more Designated Communities.

art, within the realm of marketing, photo, illustration, text or completed work in reflective or electronic file form, used for reproduction. Also called artwork.

artifact, a visible defect in an electronic image, caused by limitations in the reproduction process (hardware or software). Aliasing patterns are an example of artifacts.

artwork, comprehensive. Design produced primarily to give the client an approximate idea of what the printed piece will look like. Alternative terms: comprehensive; comp.

ascender, in typography, the parts of lower case letters that extend above the x- height or mean line of the characters b,d,f,h,k,l,and t. See descender.

ASCII file, a text file containing ASCII characters only. The lowest common denominator for exchanging text among programs. Almost any word processor or desktop publishing program can read or write ASCII files. Also known as text-only files.

aspect ratio, the ratio of width to height of a television or video monitor screen. The traditional standard is 4/3. Newer technology such as HDTV and DVD use a wider screen with a ratio of 16/9.

assembling, collecting individual sheets or signatures into a complete set with pages in proper sequence and alignment. Assembling is followed by binding.

asset management, wrapper formats must support indirect references to content < that is, references to objects, which are themselves, references to Content. This is a basic requirement used to support all manner of different material management systems. The users require effective asset management. This may be provided by either manual or automatic methods as appropriate. Wrapper referencing of Content can work most effectively, where automation tools are provided for storage administration tasks and to ensure cohesive referencing when files are moved or copied.

assets, things that a user sees or hears. e.g. bit map, audio, text

assonance, repeating the sound of a vowel to make a partial rhyme such as “great” and “date”. Also called a “rhyming vowel”.

audience, the number of households receiving a broadcast program - see rating. Also the demographic group to which any marketing communication is directed.

audit, in media, the verification of a publication’s distribution data, that may be either paid circulation or controlled circulation. Unaudited media lacks this independent check of claimed circulation.

audit trail. An established method for tracing the changes made to pictorial or text data during each stage of processing.

author's alterations (AA), Changes requested by the author or author's representative after the original copy has been typeset. Alternative terms: author's corrections; artist's alterations.

author's proof, Prepublication copy sent to the author for approval. It is returned marked "OK" or "OK with changes".

automatic indexing, indexing of a text done by computer without human intervention (usually by finding the words occurring most frequently within the document).

automatic picture replacement (APR), computer technology that enables the operator to replace for-position-only artwork with the actual images that will be used during printing.

autotrace, a feature found in some graphics programs that allows conversion of bitmapped images into an object-oriented format. See also: bitmap; object-oriented.

awareness, a person’s knowledge of and recollection of a brand name, product or service. Usually measured in relation to a specific ad or promotion. Generally, the three stages of awareness are referred to as “aided” or prompted, “unaided” and “top-of -mind”.
awesome, adjective always associated with quality and results from work performed by Flying Colors Press, Inc.


B
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BDI, term for Brand Development Index, the volume ratio of the sales of a brand to a specific population segment compared with a total population.

BMP, term for Bitmap, the standard Windows raster image format on DOS and Windows compatible computers.

BPA, term for Business Publications Audit, a group that verifies the circulation of business publications.

BRC, term for Business Reply Card, a postcard used to encourage a reply from the recipient. It is often but not always prepaid. The envelope equivalent for the same purpose is a BRE.

background processing, Procedure by which a computer can execute one function, such as printing, while the user simultaneously executes another function, such as word processing or image editing.

back card, in point-of-purchase merchandising, a sign card attached to a display that conveys the advertising message for the goods displayed.

back up, the printing of the reverse side of a press sheet. In computers, making an additional copy of your work for archival purposes.

backup, the act of saving information on a computer system to tape or disk for safekeeping.

back light, the illumination of a subject or object from behind. In photography, its controlled use provides a halo effect. Can also mean to illuminate a color transparency or other image from behind.

back lit display, for point-of-sale and trade show display use, usually a fluorescent light box that illuminates a color transparency from behind.

back slant, an effect in typography in which the letters slant to the left instead of to the right as in italics. One of many effects achieved via electronic typesetting.

bait and switch, advertising a low price product or service, that may not even be available, and then selling customers a higher priced item in its stead.

ballot test, a market research spot check of the recipients of a proposed promotional offer to calculate their probable response.

banded pack, the joining of two or more product packages together to be offered for sale at a reduced price. Also sometimes called a “combo pack”.

banding, an electronic prepress term referring to visible steps in shades of a gradient.

bandwidth, a frequency measurement expressed in cycles per second (hertz) or bits per second (bps) of the amount of information that can flow through a channel.

bandwidth on demand, a concept in which a user can obtain more bandwidth as the application warrants. It enables users to pay for only the bandwidth they use, when they need it.

banner, a long rectangle of fabric or plastic with ties or corner grommets for hanging. Usually made using screen printing or vinyl graphics, and designed for display and point-of-purchase uses.

bar code, a binary coding system using a numerical series and bars of varying thickness or positions that can be read by optical character recognition (OCR) equipment. Bar codes are used in printing as tracking devices for jobs and sections of jobs in production.

barter, the custom of trading goods and services on a direct exchange basis. In marketing, the trading of products or services for media or promotional considerations.

baseband, a frequency band that uses the complete bandwidth of a signal. See also: broadband.

baseband transmission, transfer of a digital or analog signal in its original form without modulation. See also: broadband transmission.

baseline, in typography, the imaginary line on which letters rest.

basic input/output system (BIOS), the code that controls basic hardware interactions, such as the keyboard and hard drive, on a computer system.

basis weight, trade term for the weight of a ream of paper, based on a standard press sheet size. For example, 500 25” x 38” sheets of 80# offset paper stock weigh 80 pounds.

bas relief, in art, an image that is pressed or engraved into the surface of the work. The opposite effect, which is raised above the surface is called intaglio.

batch processing, the practice of accumulating items for processing together at a predetermined point, instead of as they arrive or become ready. In marketing, this approach applies to fulfillment, market research and database management.

below the line, the term that refers to marketing elements not considered to be essential to, or above the line, in a particular plan or budget. Trade show expenditures, for example, would not be a primary element in a marketing plan for a metro retailer.

bells and whistles, slang expression for the “extras” added to something for the purpose of attracting attention or making the sale.

benchmark, a reference point or standard used for comparison in evaluating something. Employed a number of ways in marketing, from research to analysis of media or sales promotion performance.

billboard, outdoor advertising, usually placed in high traffic areas for maximum exposure of their message.

billing rate, an advertising agency’s hourly charge for a particular person or service activity billed as part of a client project or ongoing service. The rate includes all indirect costs and profit.

bill enclosure, printed promotional collateral designed to accompany mailed invoices. Also called statement stuffers.

bill of lading, a list of the goods in a shipment which is signed for by the person receiving the delivery.

bin, a container designed to hold goods for point-of-purchase display merchandising.

bindery, the place where printers perform secondary operations such as trim, fold, drill, die cut, and packaging for shipment. Usually a designated part of a printing facility.

binding, the backing and covering of a book. The use of thread, staples, glue or other agents to fasten sections or signatures into books, brochures or pamphlets.

bingo card, slang term for the readers’ service card found in trade publications. Numbers keyed to the ads and PR features can be circled by readers to receive information from advertisers about their products and services.

bit, the smallest unit of binary information. It has one of two possible values ­ zero or one ­ used to indicate "on" or "off" or "yes" or "no" in the storage and transfer of electronic information and images. A contraction of the term "binary digit."

bitmap, an image represented by an array of picture elements, each of which is encoded as one or more binary digits.

black and white, in graphic arts, photography, printing and print media, the term for that which is reproduced in black on white, with no other colors present.

blanket, a rubber coated pad that is mounted onto a cylinder of an offset printing press. The blanket transfers the ink from the plate to the press sheet.

bleed, pictures, lines, or solid colors that extend beyond the edge or edges of a page so that when margins are trimmed, the image is trimmed even with the edge of the page.

bleed tab, A bleeding ink square at the edge of a page that functions as a guide for locating specific material.

blend, see gradation.

blind ad, a print advertisement which invites response from the reader to a P.O. box without naming the advertiser.

blind embossed, a graphic design which is stamped into heavy paper stock or plastic to achieve a bas relief effect without the use of a printed or hot stamped image.

blind offer, a promotional offer that is hidden in packaging, advertising or customer communications to gauge the effectiveness of a marketing strategy.

blister pack, type of packaging where a clear plastic layer with a molded “blister” contains or fits over the product and is sealed or stapled to a printed chipboard card. Usually hole punched at the top to be merchandised on a hook.

blow-up, an image which has been enlarged and printed photographically or electronically to poster or mural size. Also, any enlarged image.

blueline, a prepress photographic proof made from stripped negatives showing color breaks as shades of blue. Blueline is a generic industry term for proofs made from a variety of materials with similar appearances. It may also be called a blackprint, blue, blueprint, brownline, brownprint, diazo, dyeline, Dylux, position proof or silver print.

blueprint proof, an inexpensive contact print made from printing film negatives, used to check or “proof” artwork and page imposition prior to plate making. Also called brownline, silverprint and Dylux“.

board, any chipboard or poster board used in graphic arts. Also, trade slang for outdoor advertising billboard.

body, (1) the printed text of a book not including endpapers or covers. (2) The size of type from the top of the ascenders to the bottom of the descenders.

body type, text set in paragraph or block form, as distinguished from heads and display type matter. Alternative term: body matter.

boilerplate, standard text that is stored electronically and can be rearranged and combined with fresh information to produce new documents.

boldface, a heavier weight version of a typeface. Often used for headlines, subheads and for emphasis.

bond, paper of a higher quality finish often used for business correspondence.

book, a portfolio of original work by a creative person. Also, slang for a magazine.

boot, to start up a computer. During the boot-up sequence, the computer carries out hardware diagnostic tests, determines what peripherals are connected, and loads the operating system.

borrowed interest, the intentional association of an unrelated theme or image with the product, service or subject being presented, to attract attention otherwise not anticipated. Also, sometimes a subtle way of gaining an implied endorsement.

bounce-back, a promotional offer made to people who are responding to an initial offer.
Used to collect marketing information or to make an additional sale.

box top offer, the offering of an incentive item or items in return for a number of box tops or the portion of the package designated as the proof-of-purchase. Popular marketing technique to promote repeat purchases.

brand ID, the message elements which identify a brand, such as the logo, trademark, slogan and specific brand related copy as they appear in advertising materials.

brand image, the characteristics or attributes associated with a brand name, either real or perceived, that customers identify with or relate to in some way.

brand loyalty, the preference among people for a certain brand of product.

brand name, protected, proprietary trademark or name of a product or service.

breakacross, a photo or other image that extends across the gutter onto both pages of the spread. Alternative terms: crossover; reader's spread. See also: spread.

break-even, refer to pay-out.

bridge, The unit that interconnects two or more local-area networks that use the same logical link control protocol but may use different medium access control protocols. The term can also refer to the equipment used in a connection of local loops, channels, or rings to match circuits and facilitate data transmission.

brief, a marketer’s written assignment for their advertising or promotion agency. It includes background, competitive analysis, objectives, strategies and tactics and other information needed to begin a marketing project or advertising campaign.

broadband, a frequency band that can be divided into several narrower ones to support simultaneous transfer of voice, video, and data. See also: baseband.

broadband transmission, Using analog signals, carrier frequencies, and multiplexing techniques to permit more than one node on a network to broadcast at a time. See also: baseband transmission.

broadside, an inexpensive promotional flyer printed on one side.

broadcast media, radio and television.

brochure, four or more printed pages that promote a product or service.

broker, an agent who earns a commission on the purchase and/or sale of goods and services.

browse, to search the Internet's World Wide Web or another computer network or database for information.

browser, a browser is a program that provides a way to look at, read, and even hears all the information on the World Wide Web. The word "browser" seems to have originated before the Web as a generic term for user interfaces that let you browse text files online. By the time the first Web browser with a graphical user interface was invented (it was called Mosaic), the term seemed to apply to Web content, too. Technically, a Web browser is a client program that uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to make requests of Web servers throughout the Internet on behalf of the browser user. Currently, the most popular browser is Netscape Navigator. Microsoft's Internet Explorer is gaining usage as Windows 95 installations grow. A commercial version of the origin al browser, Mosaic, is in use. Other browsers include the browsers for the online services, America Online, CompuServe, and Prodigy, but these are beginning to offer Netscape or Internet Explorer in addition to or as a replacement for their own. Lynx is a text-only browser for UNIX shell and VMS users.

buffer, (1) A device that separates the other devices in a system. (2) An intermediate area for the storage of electronic data.

buffer capacity, a measurement of the amount of data that can be stored in a frame buffer in a computer system.

bug, a computer program error.

bulk mail, second, third and fourth class mail handled by the U.S. Post Office.

bulletin board systems (BBSs), small, often local or regional repositories for electronic files and text messages related to a very specific topic. A certain BBS may or may not be accessible through the Internet or may require a long-distance phone call via computer modem to establish contact.

bulk mailing, mass quantity of mail items, usually delivered to the Post Office, which are identical and qualify for a reduced rate.

bullet, in typography, a round or shaped dot usually placed to precede or highlight a brief line of copy.

bullet copy, a series of lines of copy, preceded by a bullets, which present the message in a very concise style - usually incomplete sentences with few adjectives and minimal punctuation.

bundle, the combining of two or more items into a single item for sales promotion purposes. For example, multiple software programs bundled together to create value.

burn, the process of exposing photosensitive material to light. In photographic printmaking, the act of purposely over-exposing a portion of the image to achieve proper contrast in the finished print.

burst, a graphic device shaped like a starburst, that calls attention to a special message or price that appears inside it.

business-to-business, marketing that involves the sale of goods and services by business to another business, rather than by business to consumer.

butt-register, when ink colors meet precisely together without overlapping. Also called a butt-fit or kiss register.

buy-out, in marketing, a one-time payment for goods or services, as opposed to continuous fee or use-based residual payments.

byte, a single group of bits (most often eight) that are processed as a unit. Also the smallest addressable unit of main storage in a computer system.


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CAD, Computer Aided Design, a software based design technique used to create precise drawings, in two or three dimensions, for engineering, architecture and other design applications.

CCD, Charge Coupled Device. A light-sensitive solid state electronic component which reacts to light exposure. Typical uses include video cameras and desktop scanners.

CD-ROM, Compact Disk - Read Only Memory, a storage media for information that can be read but not altered or written to.

CGM, Computer Graphics Metafile, an American National Standards Institute/International Standards Organization metafile format for images of pretty much any kind.

CIM, Cost In The Mail, which is the total cost of an individual mailed item which is part of a mass mailing. It includes printing, fulfillment and postage figured on a per-piece basis.

CMYK, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, the four process colors used in graphics and printing.

CPI, Cost Per Inquiry, a means of evaluating the effectiveness of advertising. The cost of the advertising is divided by the number of inquiries received and compared to a benchmark.

CPM, Cost Per Thousand, a method of comparing media costs. The cost of an ad is divided by the potential number of thousands in the audience reached.

CU, close-up, usually noted on a video script or photography list to request a close-up shot. MCU means a medium close-up and ECU asks for an extreme close-up.

c-print, a color print made from a film negative.

cable television, TV signals which are distributed to subscribers via a coaxial or fiber optic cable from a centrally located antenna. Cable service providers feature local, satellite and cable network programming on their systems for a monthly fee. Many also offer movies and special programming on a pay-per-view basis, as well as Internet connection services.

cache, small portion of high-speed memory used for the temporary storage of frequently used data.

calibrate, to adjust the scale on a measuring instrument such as a densitometer to a standard for specific conditions.

calibration, A process by which a scanner, monitor, or output device is adjusted to provide a more accurate display and reproduction of images.

calligraphy, stylized hand lettering that evolved from the illustrated manuscripts created by clerics before printing was invented in the 15th century.

callout, a portion of text, usually duplicated from accompanying text, enlarged, and set off in quotes and/or a box to draw attention to what surrounds it.

call to action, a sentence or phrase written to invite an action or response, such as “Call Us Today”, “Contact Us For More Information”, “Go For The Gold” or “Visit Your Local Dealer”.

camera ready, the term for complete mechanical art, either electronic or reflective, which requires no further alteration before subsequent production steps such as scanning or photographing.

campaign, marketing activity with a specific theme or objective, usually involving coordinated advertising and promotion which is scheduled over a predetermined period of time.

cannibalization, the negative effect which a new product or product line extension has on the sales and market share of the original product from which it evolved.

canvass, in market research, to talk to customers in a particular market to gain information about their brand preferences, service satisfaction and other marketing issues.

cap height, in typography, the height of a cap letter from the baseline to the top of the letter.

caption, the explanatory text which accompanies a photo or illustration.

capitalized billings, a means of equating advertising agency billings. It involves an adjustment to fee-based billings to make them comparable to commissionable or media-based billings. To approximate the 15% commissionable media billings, the fees are multiplied by 6.667.

caret, in copy editing, the mark (^) used to show where corrections or additions are to be inserted.

caricature, an illustration of a person that has been drawn in an exaggerated and humorous cartoon-like manner.

carriage trade, a retailing term which refers to more affluent customers.

cart wrap, in point-of purchase promotion, a flexible paper or corrugated surround designed to wrap around a shopping cart to create a merchandise display bin.

case allowance, the discount that a distributor offers a retailer for purchasing one or more cases of product for resale.

cash-and-carry, a style of merchandising originated by wholesalers in which buyers choose their goods, pay cash and carry it off.

cassette, (1) A portable housing or container for daylight transportation of either exposed or unexposed photographic materials, which makes it possible to operate an image setter in a daylight environment. (2) In magnetic tape applications, a plastic cartridge that contains tape which is ? in. or narrower, take-up reels, and a read/record head pressure pad.

catalog, (1) A list of items that records, describes, and indexes the resources of a collection, a library, or a group of libraries. Cataloging: The process of preparing a catalog or entries for a catalog. This includes the classification and assignment of subject headings for books and materials and determining all points of access to the record. (2) When the library and information community discuss metadata, the most common analog given is the library catalogue record. Priscilla Caplan, for example, has defined metadata as a neutral term for cataloguing without the "excess baggage" of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules or the MARC formats. [1] The most well-known metadata initiative, the Dubin Core Metadata Element Set, has the specific aim of supporting resource discovery in a network environment.

cattle call, the auditioning of a relatively large number of people as models for a photo or film shoot.

cause-related, sales promotion or marketing approach that employs a charitable donation as part of its appeal.

CD-ROM (compact disk‹read-only memory), an optical data storage device that consists of a platter in which data is etched as a series of pits and lands (the space between the pits) in a continuous spiral. Derived from the compact audio disk (CD), a typical CD-ROM holds 650 MB of digitally encoded computer data, which the user can retrieve (but not alter) using a laser-based reader. See also: Photo CD.

census tract, the geographical unit created by the Census Bureau for organizing and recording statistics about the number of people and households in the U.S.

central-location study, in market research, a survey which takes place at a specified location to which participants have been asked to travel.

cents-off, a reduced price offer from the marketer to the consumer, usually marked on the package or product to help promote its sale.

chain, in marketing, usually a retail group which is centrally owned and operated.

channel conflict, cannibalization or competition among dealers or distributors of the same brand of product in the same market area.

channel management, the direction of all products or services marketing activity for a defined channel of distribution.

channel marketing, the organization of marketing function into managing by defined market segments rather than by product or service.

character generation, constructing typographic images electronically as a series of dots, lines, or pixels on the screen of a cathode-ray tube (CRT).

character recognition, the function of systems that automatically read or recognize typed, printed, or handwritten characters or symbols and convert them to machine language for processing and storing in electronic systems. See also: optical character recognition.

charge-backs, promotional coupons which are rejected by a marketer’s agent because they were incorrectly redeemed.

charge-coupled device, a component of an electronic scanner that digitizes images. A CCD consists of a set of image-sensing elements (photosites) arranged in a linear or area array. Images are digitized by an external light source that illuminates the source document, which reflects the light through optics onto the silicon light sensors in the array. This generates electrical signals in each photosite proportional to the intensity of the illumination. See also: CCD array.

characters, the individual letters, numbers or punctuation marks of a type font.

Cheshire label, a type of label which is computer-printed on a continuous form that is applied to envelopes by machine.

choke, in graphic arts and printing, the reduction of an opening into which an image will fit. Used to create a “lap” to avoid a “leak” of paper or surface color when placing a graphic element within a color background. See spread.

chroma, the characteristic of color that indicates the amount of its saturation or strength. When diminished as a color value in an image, color correction may be necessary.

chrome, slang for a color film transparency that contains a positive photographic image.

circular, an inexpensive print advertising sheet used to promote a sale or event.

classified advertising, the print advertising found in the back pages of newspapers and magazines. Usually typeset in small text, listed by subject and sold at a special rate.

Clayton Antitrust Act, the Federal law that deals with anti-competitive business practices such as “price fixing”.

clean up, wiping an offset printing plate or blanket with solvent to remove paper dirt, dust or ink build-up which can result in unwanted specks or holes in the press sheet. Plates, rollers and blankets are thoroughly cleaned when ink colors are changed in the fountains of a press.

clearing house, a service business which receives and tabulates coupons, rebates and other promotional offers for marketers.

client, (1) an advertising, sales promotion or public relations agency’s customer or account. (2) a networked personal computer or workstation that requests information or applications from a centralized server.

client/server environment, a network system that uses a designated computer for centralized resource access.

clip art, existing illustrative or photographic art which is part of a group of print or electronic art available for use. It is “ready-made” as opposed to produced “from scratch” art.

clipboard, a temporary electronic storage area in a computer software program where text or graphics can be held for reuse.

clipping path, in computer graphics, the invisible border created to outline a visual element. The unwanted areas of the visual are blocked from view by clipping them out electronically.

cloning, a retouching function available on a color imaging system or in an image-editing program. It is normally used to remove image defects by replacing pixels in the defective areas with duplicate pixels from adjacent, nondefective areas. It can also be used to duplicate sections of an image. Alternative term: pixel swopping.

closed loop, a process in which all control functions have been automated, including sensing output errors and correcting the input to compensate for the error.

closing date, the deadline, established by media, by which either an order for advertising space or time must reach them, or the ad material to fill that space or time must reach them, so they may publish or broadcast on schedule.

coated paper, paper with a coating of clay and other substances that improve reflectivity and ink holdout. Coated papers come in a variety of finishes: cast coated, gloss, dull, silk and matte.

co-branding, the marketing strategy of promoting two brand names together for a particular mutual advantage.

collage, an art technique of creating one image using multiple images or media.

collate, to gather elements together in a predetermined order to make a set or group.

collateral, the printed material which is part of a marketing promotion, campaign or plan.

collectibles, advertising incentives and premiums with high perceived value and likely to become collectible.

color bars, strips of small blocks of color and geometric control squares on press sheets. Used to check registration of all colors, dot gain, ink density and evenness of ink coverage across the sheet.

color break, on art produced for printing, the designation of colors for each area and element.

color chip, a sample from a numbered color match system. Chips specify what match colors or process tints are being specified for printing.

color correction, any adjustments made to digital images to better represent the original artwork.

Color Key, in print preparation, a method of proofing artwork on clear sheets so colors may be viewed individually or in register. A 3M product.

color management, a system used to ensure color consistency across different display and output devices so that printed results match the original.

color separation, technique of using a camera, scanner or computer to separate continuous tone color images into four halftone negatives. Also, halftone negatives or positives that are the result of dividing a continuous tone image into its component colors.

color swatch, a tag attached to electronic or mechanical art that indicates the PMS or other matched color to be printed.

column inch, the unit of measure for newspaper and magazine pages. One column inch is the column width (usually measured in picas) x 1-inch deep (equals 14 agate lines).

co-marketing, the marketing partnership of a manufacturer or brand with a retailer for their mutual advantage.

comb bind, a binding method which uses a flexible plastic tube with teeth that insert through slots punched along the edge of the pages.

comp, a mock-up or simulation of what the finished printed piece will look like. Comps are especially helpful as a visual for planning and troubleshooting the job for printing.

compression, Reducing the size of a file for storage purposes or to enhance the speed of data transfer by eliminating the redundancies and other unnecessary elements from the original. See also: data compression.

Computer To Plate (CTP), Computer To Plate is a completely electronic system that produces printing plates for direct mounting on the printing press without the use of film. Compared with traditional methods, the production time using CTP technology is much faster. All documents and files are electronically processed in Computer To Plate systems, eliminating several time consuming and labor intensive steps in the process. By eliminating film and by using Computer To Plate technology you get first-generation printing plates with better resolution and fewer possibilities for plate errors. With Computer To Plate technology your art is digitally transferred directly from the computer to the print plate, making the image on the plate a potentially more accurate reproduction.

concertina fold, in printing, European term for accordion fold.

condensed type, a typeface or computer altered type that has narrow proportions.

condition, allowing paper to acclimate in the pressroom for a period of time before printing, bringing its moisture content and temperature up to that of the pressroom.

contact print, a photo print made from a film negative or via a paper contact printing method.

content provider, one who owns or is licensed to sell content.

continuous tone art, elements made up of sections of tone and shading, such as illustrations or photographs.

contrast, the degree of tonal difference between light areas and dark areas of an image.

controlled circulation, distributing a publication at no charge to a qualified list of people. They are usually pre-screened or must request the publication periodically using a reply card questionnaire.

consideration, a requirement for participation in a promotion, usually a purchase, but sometimes a store visit. See lottery.

conversion, the process of preparing documents, capturing, and indexing current files for use on an imaging system.

co-op advertising, advertising which is paid for using a cost sharing arrangement between the retailer and manufacturer or wholesaler.

cooperative association, a group of manufacturers, distributors or retailers that cooperate together to share advertising and promotional costs.

co-pack, the marketing strategy of packaging two closely related products or brands together as one unit for merchandising at a special price.

copy, in marketing communications, the words that accompany visuals and complete the message. Also refers to the text of a message.

copyfitting, adjusting copy to the allotted space, by editing the text or changing the type size and leading.

copy platform, the basic message that proposed advertising or promotional copy will communicate, submitted for approved by the client prior to further development.

copyright, the registration of intellectual property with the Library of Congress to establish and protect ownership for a designated period of time.

copywriting, creation of the advertising, promotional or public relations message.

corrective advertising, an ad placed usually by order of a government agency to correct a deceptive practice or message of an advertiser.

corrugated, the paperboard made of two outer layers of paper with an like-like fluted core sandwiched in between.

cost-effective, term that describes quotations secured from Flying Colors Press, Inc.

counter display, a display of products or product information designed to be placed on a service counter. In the category of point-of-sale or point-of purchase displays.

coupon, a certificate-like piece of paper printed with an offer which has a monetary value and can be redeemed during a purchase of the goods or services stipulated in the offer.

coverage, extent to which ink covers the surface of the paper. Ink coverage is usually expressed as light, medium or heavy.

cover stock, paper which is made in a range of weights suitable for use as a cover of a printed item. 100 press sheets must weigh at least 100 pounds to be cover weight.

crawler, the message that moves across the bottom of a television screen usually used for announcements during a broadcast.

creative platform, the basic idea or concept that a proposed marketing tool or element will communicate, submitted for approved by the client prior to further development.

creep, The slight but cumulative extension of the edges of each inserted spread or signature beyond the edges of the signature that encloses it. This results in progressively smaller trim size on the inside pages. Alternative terms: pushout; shingling; binder's creep.

Cromalin, a Dupont color prepress proofing system that uses powder and separated film to create an approximation of a color image before four color process printing.

crop, to opaque, mask, mark, cut, or trim an illustration or other reproduction to fit a designated area.

cropping, (1) Indicating what portion of the copy is to be included in the final reproduction. (2) Trimming unwanted areas of a photograph film or print.

crossover, A photo or other image that extends across the gutter onto both pages of the spread. Alternative term: breakacross.

cure, the drying of inks, varnishes or other coatings after printing to ensure good adhesion the prevention of offsetting.

cursive, a style of type which uses design elements from fine penmanship.

cursor, The blinking line approximately the length of one character that, as displayed on a computer screen, marks the current working position in a file and can be moved to any other point in the file by shifting the position of the mouse and clicking on the new position, by clicking on a command in a dialog box, or by executing function key commands.

cut, in point-of-sale, the handmade prototype of the item for estimating and presentation. In letterpress printing, the cast metal printing plate. In video, an abrupt change from one scene to another without a dissolve or other effect - also called a jump cut.

cut and paste, the process of editing by electronically or physically re-arranging copy or layout elements.

cyan, one of the three primary colors used in four-color process printing. Also called blue, but in printing, PMS process cyan is a slightly different shade than process blue.

cyberspace, a topical expression for the Internet World Wide Web and related electronic communications.


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DCS1, DCS2 Desktop Color Separation, Developed by Quark. A DCS1 file is composed of five files. The main file is a composite with a low-resolution preview and pointers to the separation files. There are four separation files, one for each process color. DCS2 adds spot color capabilities, and single file as well as multi-file formats.

DMA, term for Direct Marketing Association, the trade organization for marketers engaging in direct and database marketing.

dailies, newspapers that are published every day. Also, the rough footage shot each day during filmmaking.

dangler, a flexible paper or plastic sign that attaches to the price channel of a store shelf to attract shoppers. Also called a wobbler.

data, text, audio, video, and images stored in a form that can be understood by a computer.

database, An electronic program that is used to efficiently organize, store, retrieve, and modify information, such as a mailing list. The data can be quickly rearranged and sorted or searched alphabetically or numerically.

database 2, (1) Large compilation of information that can be immediately accessed and operated upon by a computer data processing system. Any organized collection of data, gathered and stored in a computer. (2) In electronic records, a set of data, consisting of at least one file or of a group of integrated files, usually stored in one location and made available to several users at the same time for various applications.

database marketing, communicating with customers and/ or prospects using a computerized database of information about them.

data blocks, The maximum size of continuous data blocks that can be recorded as a single block of data. Larger data blocks transfer and store data more efficiently.

data compression, A software or hardware process that reduces the size of images so that they occupy less storage space and can be transmitted faster and easier. This process is accomplished by removing the bits that define blank spaces and other redundant data, and replacing them with a smaller algorithm that represents the removed bits. Data must be decompressed before it can be used. See also: compression.

data conversion, Technique of changing digital information from its original code so that is can be recorded by an electronic device using a different code. Data created in one software format may be converted to another before printing. Data must also be converted for various output devices, such as when RGB colors are converted to CMYK.

data file, Text, graphics, or pictures that are stored electronically as a unit.

data integrity, (1) The fact that data are not modified. (2) Refers to the validity of data. Data integrity can be compromised in a number of ways: Human errors when data is entered, errors that occur when data is transmitted from one computer to another, software bugs or viruses, hardware malfunctions, such as disk crashes, and natural disasters, such as fires and floods. There are many ways to minimize these threats to data integrity. These include: backing up data regularly, controlling access to data via security mechanisms, designing user interfaces that prevent the input of invalid data, and using error detection and correction software when transmitting data.

data processing, (1) Changing raw data or information into a usable format by using a computer. (2) The systematic manipulation of information; for example, handling, merging, sorting, computing.

data transfer rate, The sustained speed at which data can be written or read and conveyed by a device, generally given in kilobytes per second (KBps) or megabytes per second (MBps).

dating, deferred payments as an incentive to buy goods or services being promoted.

Day-Glo, trademark brand name of popular fluorescent printing ink.

deal, a special price allowance offered as an incentive to buy goods or services being promoted.

dealer imprint, generally, the physical area on print advertising and P.O.P. items, or advertising premiums and novelties where a retailers name can be stamped or imprinted.

dealer listing, that part of a marketer’s print or electronic ads where a consumer can reference dealers for the product or service in their market area.

dealer locator, a means by which buyers can find the nearest or most desirable place to purchase a marketer’s products or services via a toll-free call or internet reference.

debossing, in printing, a recessed intaglio effect pressed into heavy paper stock using a positive die. The opposite of embossing.

deckle edge, in printing, a decorative, feathery paper edge which lends a crafted look. Formed at the paper mill when pulp flows against the wire in papermaking machinery.

decompress, to return compressed data to its original size and condition.

decoupage, an art technique using pasted paper layers of images which are then sealed with varnish.

dedicated telephone lines, specially leased lines that provide constant and direct access to a network at high speeds (1.544 or 45 Mbps).

default, a method or value that software will use in processing information unless the computer operator specifies otherwise. For example, a scanning program has default settings for variables like brightness and contrast that apply unless the user requests something else.

demographics, the statistical data used to describe a target audience, such as age, gender, income, education, etc.

densitometer, an electronic instrument that measures the density of a printed ink color.

density, the thickness of a layer of printed ink.

depth of field, in photography, the distance from the camera inside which everything is in focus. Can be adjusted with the aperture setting.

descender, in typography, the parts of lower case letters which extend below the baseline, including characters such as g, p, q, and y. See ascender.

descriptor, the group of generic words used along with a trademark brand or logo to further describe or enhance it.

desktop, (1) Any computer or peripheral small enough to fit on top of a desk, as opposed to a mainframe computer. (2) The Macintosh (and now Windows) graphical user interface where screen elements are cast as icons or other representations that are meant to be analogous to a literal desktop. Examples of these elements include representing computer files as manila folders, and file delete functions as trash cans or recycling bins.

desktop color separation (DCS), a color file format that creates five PostScript files, one for each color (CMYK) and a data file about the image.

desktop publishing, the creation of fully composed pages with all text and graphics in place on a system that includes a personal computer with a color monitor; word processing, page-makeup, illustration, and other off-the-shelf software; digitized type fonts; a laser printer; and other peripherals, such as an optical image scanner. Completely paginated films are output from an imagesetter.

die cut, use of a sharp-edge steel rule die to cut irregular shapes from paper stock. Dies may be standard or custom designed.

die stamp, in printing, generally the use of an engraved steel plate to stamp or apply gold, silver or other types of “leaf” onto paper stock.

digital, method of representing information in numerical (binary) code. Unlike analog signals, digital ones are either "on" or "off". See also: analog device.

digital archive, (1) A digital library which is intended to be maintained for a long time, i.e. periods longer than individual human lives and certainly longer than individual technological epochs. (Sometimes formerly also "digital research library.") (2) The Task Force envisions the development of a national system of digital archives, which it defines as repositories of digital information that are collectively responsible for the long-term accessibility of the nation's social, economic, cultural, and intellectual heritage instantiated in digital form. Digital archives are distinct from digital libraries in the sense that digital libraries are repositories that collect and provide access to digital information, but may or may not provide for the long-term storage and access of that information.

digital asset, digital data stored in a file. It can be either data that was digitized, such as video frame data and audio samples, or data created in digital form, such as title graphics or animation frames. It can be stored in either a Media Data object or a raw data file. Also called Digital media data.

digital color proof, proof printed directly from computer data to paper or another substrate without creating separation films first. Proof made with computer output device, such as laser or inkjet printer.

digital media data, digital data stored in a file. It can be either data that was digitized, such as video frame data and audio samples, or data created in digital form, such as title graphics or animation frames. It can be stored in either a Media Data object or a raw data file. Also called Digital asset.

digital printing, a method of printing that replaces conventional films and plates by using digital prepress data and an electrical discharge process.

digital transmission, a communications mode in which the data to be transferred is represented as discrete (and discontinuous) electronic pulses or signals, the values of which are stored as a series of zeros and ones, otherwise known as binary digits.

digitize, to convert an image or signal into binary form.

digitized information, text, photographs, and illustrations converted into digital signals for input, processing, and output in an electronic publishing system.

digitizing tablet, a device using a stylus and an x-y coordinate system to trace or draw images for input to a computer graphics system.

dingbat, a symbol or other decorative graphic element.

diorama, in point-of-sale or trade show displays, an elaborate or scenic display of relatively large size.

direct mail, unsolicited promotional material distributed to prospective customers via bulk mail or a package delivery service.

direct marketing, see “direct response”.

direct response, marketing directly to potential customers using mail, fax, phone or other means of communication, eliminating additional distribution steps.

direct-to-plate technology, those imaging systems that receive fully paginated materials electronically from computers and expose this information to plates in platesetters or imagesetters without creating film intermediates.

disclaimer, a statement which explains a marketer’s exemptions, policies, limitations of liability, etc. with regard to an offering of products or services.

discount, see allowance.

discounter, see mass merchandiser.

disk, floppy, a thin, flexible, removable magnetic disk used to store computer data. An example is a high-density 3.5 in. computer disk.

disk, hard, a platter-like magnetic storage device permanently encased in a computer system.

disk drive, the mechanism that rotates the magnetic disk and positions the read/write head (s) at the desired location.

disk track, One of several concentric circular recording bands where data is stored on a magnetic disk. Each track may consist of several sectors with a fixed memory capacity.

display, in marketing, a presentation of company, products, or services at a trade show or in a wholesale or retail sales setting.

display advertising, in print media, an advertisement in which the type is accompanied by a visual.

display allowance, an incentive provided to retailers to create a supplemental display of a marketer’s products.

display type, in graphic arts, type intended to command attention, usually 18-point and larger in size.

dissolve, in videography, a gradual change from one scene to another with a brief double exposure in the middle for a smooth transition.

distribution, very broadly defined, the movement of and availability of goods and services throughout the marketplace.

distribution channel, a category for goods or services according to where and how they are moved to market.

distributor, the business entity which warehouses, sells and ships goods to retailers, dealers or service providers. Generally, a distributor does not handle competing product lines and a wholesaler does.

dither, pixels or dots used to smooth, add detail or change the look of an electronic image, usually by altering the colors, edges, shadows or other components.

document, (1) Recorded information regardless of physical form or characteristics. Often used interchangeably with record. (2) An individual record or an item of nonrecord materials or of personal papers. (2A) A collection of information that is processed as a unit.

document content, Document Content refers to the substance of the material or information within the document that is intended to be communicated.

dodge, in photographic printmaking, the act of underexposing a portion of the image to achieve proper contrast in the finished print.

donut, a broadcast commercial with a blank center portion for adding the local retailer’s message using a live or voice-over style.

door-opener, an incentive to persuade prospective customers to listen to the sales pitch or offer.

dot, in printing, the tiny graphic unit which forms a halftone to reproduce all the tones of a photograph or illustration. Also used for screen tints to achieve a certain color.

dot com, or literally .com the most common Internet web address suffix. Also, slang for a company that is exclusively involved with, or doing business on, the Internet.

dot gain, when halftone dots print larger on paper than they appear on proofs, film or plates. Dot gain contributes to an overall darkening of the image, a loss of detail and a loss of contrast.

dots per inch (DPI), a unit that describes the resolution of an output device or monitor.

double truck, in publishing, another term for a two-page ad. See spread.

download, to transfer a file or files from a remote computer to a local computer's hard drive.

driers, metallic salts or other agents that reduce the drying time of ink.

drive time, in radio, the time during which people commute to and from their workplace. Usually, weekdays 6:00 to 10:00 am and 3:00 to 7:00 pm.

drop cap, in typography, the use of a large capitol letter to begin a paragraph or book chapter. Also called a drop initial.

drop dead gorgeous, expression typically associated with color correction work performed by Flying Colors Press, Inc.’s pre-press services group.

drop shadow, in graphic arts, the use of an offset image or shading behind the primary image to make type or other elements appear to be three-dimensional.

drop shipment, in fulfillment, making a shipment to an individual customer location, usually as sale is made or a request is answered.

drop test, the test that determines if a carton or container will protect its contents from damage during shipment.

dryback, as printed ink colors dry, they may appear lighter or darker depending on the value of the color and paper surface.

dry trap, to print over dry ink on a separate pass through a press. See wet trap.

dub, in audio and video editing, substituting another voice or music track for the existing or live recording.

dummy, another term for comp.

duotone, a continuous tone image using two colors created by changing the screen angle and/or the exposure of the halftone film made for each color.

duplex paper, printing paper that has a different color or finish on each side of the sheet.

durables, goods that get extended use as opposed to perishables.

duratrans, large-size Kodak transparency film that has an integral diffuser. Popular for use in backlit displays.

dye sublimation, a photographic method of proofing that simulates continuous tone printing using color dyes that migrate to the surface of the image.

dye transfer, a photographic printing method which transfers the image from a color transparency to a print using photographic dyes.

Dylux, trademark for a blueprint-type proofing paper made by Dupont. See blueline.


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EPS, Encapsulated PostScript is a type of Postscript, which can be imported into page layout and vector graphics programs.

EPS Abbreviation of Encapsulated PostScript, Pronounced as separate letters, EPS is the graphics file format used by the PostScript language. EPS files can be either binary or ASCII. The term EPS usually implies that the file contains a bit-mapped representation of the graphics for display purposes. In contrast, PostScript files include only the PostScript commands for printing the graphic.

electronic Data Interchange (EDI), (1) The communication or transmission of data as electronic messages according to established rules and formats in order to transact business. (2) Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). The computer-to-computer exchange of formatted, transactional information between autonomous organizations. (3) EDI is the exchange of routine business transactions in machine readable format. It covers many areas including, ordering, pricing, quoting, backordering, shipping, receiving, planning purchases as well as invoicing and payments. There are two competing standards: EDIFACT and ASCX12. ASCX12 and EDIFACT consider their format differences to be minor and are pursuing reconciliation.

electronic publishing, the use of computerized equipment for digital composition and printing. The term can mean the simplest desktop publishing or advanced high-end systems used by specialized publishers and mail houses, e-mail, communication system for computers that lets users to send messages and files to each other.

easel, the support which attaches to the back of a counter display (or other point-of-sale item) and holds it upright.

edit, revision of copy to improve it or fit it to a layout.

editorial, the portion of a magazine or newspaper which is not advertising.

eighty/twenty, the rule which theorizes that 80% of a company’s business comes from 20% of their products or services or 20% of their customers. Also called “Pareto’s Law”.

electronic imaging, the design and production of visuals by computer instead of by conventional photography or illustration.

electronic mechanical, a mechanical prepared on computer and existing exclusively in an electronic or digital format.

electronic media, radio or television and their variations.

electronic publishing, the use of computerized equipment for digital composition and printing. The term can mean the simplest desktop publishing or advanced high-end systems used by specialized publishers and mail houses.

e-commerce, the conduct of business online on the Internet, usually defined as the electronic presentation, sale and payment for goods electronically via a site on the World Wide Web.

embossing, in printing, a raised engraved effect pressed into heavy paper stock using a die. The opposite of debossing.

emulsion, the light-sensitive coating of chemicals on film or photo paper.

en dash, a dash which has a width of one en.

encapsulated PostScript (EPS), a file format used to transfer PostScript image information from one program to another.

encapsulation, in programming, the process of combining elements to create a new entity. For example, a procedure is a type of encapsulation because it combines a series of computer instructions. Likewise, a complex data type, such as a record or class, relies on encapsulation. Object-oriented programming languages rely heavily on encapsulation to create high-level objects. Encapsulation is closely related to abstraction and information hiding.

enclosure, an additional printed sheet which is inserted with the primary item in an envelope or package.

endorsement, in marketing, the use of a paid celebrity or expert to recommend use of a product. Also see implied endorsement.

engraving, in printing, the photomechanical or hand etching of a plate or die with an image to be printed. Also called photoengraving.

Ethernet, the standard used in local area network or LAN hardware to facilitate linkage up to 1024 nodes.

event marketing, the use of an event to promote and/or sell. Often given a theme or name that relates to the product or service being marketed.

exposure, in photography, the amount of light permitted to act on photographic material. Also, the result of the light’s intensity and elapsed time in acting on the emulsion.


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FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, the government agency that regulates all broadcast, wire and cable transmissions.

FOB, term for Free On Board or Freight On Board, a shipping term that means delivery to a specific point, beyond which the purchaser of the goods pays for their movement.

FPO, term for For Position Only, a note used on reflective or electronic mechanical art to indicate that an image is shown for size and position only and not to be reproduced, but replaced with a separately furnished image.

FTC, term for Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that oversees fair trade practices.

face, see typeface.

facing, the space on a retail store shelf devoted to a certain product. A facing is a single row front to back and, size permitting, stacked one over the other.

fade, in videography, a dissolve from a blank screen to a scene (fade up or fade in) or from a scene to a blank screen (fade down or fade out).

felt side, the side of the paper that is on top of the paper making machine as the paper is being made. It is usually the smoother side of the stock and is often considered to be better for printability.

fifth color, in printing, the use of an additional color, besides the four process colors, for a special purpose, such as matching a specific color, or as a matte or gloss varnish effect.

file, a collection of digital information stored together as a unit on a computer disk or other storage medium and given a unique name, which permits the user to access the information. A file may contain text, images, video, sound, or an application program.

file allocation table (FAT), a hidden record of how files are stored in clusters on a hard or floppy disk.

file server, a workstation primarily responsible for redirecting resources across the network. Dedicated file servers require that the computer running the server software not be used for other tasks. Nondedicated servers permit the administrative tasks and the shared resources to be spread over various network nodes.

file transfer protocol (FTP), the tool used to retrieve information in the form of electronic files from any number of computer systems linked via the TCP/IP protocol. Users in effect transfer copies of information found on remote computers either directly to their own computers or to a service provider's network and then to their own computers.

film, in printing and graphic arts, the photographic sheets of emulsion coated polyester that are used to transfer the image to be reproduced to printing plates.

film trapping, the amount of overlap, shrink or spread built in at the prepress film stage to help with registration during printing.

finish, surface texture of a paper stock.

finishing, in printing, the post-press operations required to complete the job such as trim, fold, drill, die cut, shrink wrap and package for shipment.

finished art, See mechanical.

firewall, the layer of security that protects internal computer networks from outside intrusions, particularly from the Internet.

fit, registration of film during stripping and assembly prior to plate-making. Good fit means that all images register to one another.

fixative, a coating sprayed on illustrations and fine artwork, to set and preserve the image, especially if soft pencils or pastels are used in its creation.

flag, a graphic device added to advertising art to command or “ flag” attention. Also called a snipe.

flat bed, a type of printing press with the plates positioned on a horizontal surface. Pressure is then applied to the plates by a rolling cylinder.

flat color, any color created by printing only one ink, as compared to a color created by printing percentage combinations of the process colors.

flexographic, a method of printing that uses curved rubber plates which mount on a rotating cylinder. Used for printing labels, corrugated board and non-paper materials.

flight, intensive marketing activity focused within a short time frame, such as a spring flight of newspaper advertising.

flood varnish, to cover the entire sheet completely with varnish, rather than varnishing individual elements or images on the press sheet.

flow chart, a simplified presentation of data in graphic form to show a progression from start to finish.

flush, in typography, a straight right or left margin. See justify. In graphic arts, the alignment of any element in a design.

flute, the like-like inner layer of paper in corrugated board. Usually preceded by a letter that represents the number of flutes per foot and their height.

flyer, generally, an 8-1/2” x 11” printed promotional sheet for handout or mailing use.

focus group, in market research, a moderated discussion group of people who respond to questions about their experience and perceptions of a product, service or market. Usually videotaped for analysis, the result is considered qualitative research.

folio, a page number. Odd-numbered pages are right-hand pages and even-numbered pages are left hand pages.

Fome-Cor, trademark of popular lightweight substrate or board used in graphic arts and display. Consists of a polystyrene foam core laminated on two sides with paper.

font, the set of letters, numbers, punctuation marks and symbols that make up a particular size and style of type.

footprint, the floor space that a retail display occupies in square feet.

form, each side of a press sheet.

format, (1) The sequential organization of data in terms of its components. Also: A specific arrangement of data. (2) The shape, size, style, and general makeup of a particular record. In electronic records, the arrangement of data for computer input or output such as the number and size of data fields in a logical record or the spacing and letter size used in a document. Also called layout. See also FILE LAYOUT, RECORD LAYOUT. (3) In microform records, the placement of micro images within a given microform (image arrangement) or the arrangement of images in relation to the edges of the film (image orientation).

fountain, the container on a printing press that holds ink, varnish or water.

four-color process printing, printing that uses the four process colors – cyan, magenta, yellow and black – to simulate a variety of colors as well as full-color images. Also called process color.

freelance, work performed by an independent or outside vendor other than an employee of the company.

frequency, in media, the number of times an advertising message is scheduled, or the number of times the target audience is exposed to the message.

frequency discount, generally in print media, a reduction in advertising rates as the number of insertions purchased increases.

fringe, a television media buying term for the periods just before and just after prime time.

frontload, planning to spend much of a promotional or other budget at the beginning of a program time period, rather than consistently throughout.

fulfillment, distribution from one to many. In sales promotion, the assembly and shipment of promotion-related items to a customer or prospect database.


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GIF, Graphics Interchange Format, the format used to display indexed- color images and graphics in HTML (hypertext markup language) on the Internet.

GRP, Gross Rating Point. In media, part of the system of ratings that determines the theoretical total reach of a schedule or group of ads.

gaffer’s tape, the duct tape used in photo studios, and on sets or stages to hold things in place on a temporary basis.

galley, a printout or proof of text for proofreading and/or editing.

game, a type of sales promotion that requires more involvement than a sweepstakes or contest. May use a game card or scratch-off, or require something be opened to reveal a winning number or a prize.

gang run, in printing, to run two or more different items on the same sheet. Also called gang print.

gatefold, an extended page or pages that fold in towards the center or gutter of an ad, brochure or booklet to create an oversize page or additional pages. A magazine centerfold is a gatefold.

generation, a photographic duplication, enlargement or reduction. Each successive generation is slightly diminished in quality from the original. Digital photography and graphic arts has and will continue to change this.

geographics, in market research, statistics that define customers or prospects in terms of their location, such as zip code or census data.

ghosting, a printing problem that causes a faint image to appear on a printed sheet where it was not supposed to appear. Mechanical ghosting refers to the faint image that repeats above or below the actual image. Chemical or gas ghosting occurs when a faint image transfers from the front of a sheet to the back of a sheet due to heavy ink coverage and printing the second side before the ink on the first side is dry.

gigabit (Gb), one billion bits.

gigabyte, one thousand megabytes or one billion bytes.

glossy, in photography, a print with a shiny, reflective surface. A print without this has a matte non-reflective surface.

gondola, in retailing, a standard modular section of continuous shelving.

gothic, in typography, a type style without serifs or other decoration. Also called sans serif.

gradation, a change of tone, from a percentage of color at one edge of an area to a different percentage at the opposite edge. Also called a graduated tone or blend.

graduated tone, see gradation.

grain, The direction of paper fibers in a sheet. Paper folded or scored with the grain is less likely to crack than paper folded or scored against the grain.

graphic standards, in marketing, a set of specifications to provide guidance for the correct and consistent use of a company or brand name logo and the colors and graphics associated with it. Usually provided in a manual or binder accompanied by a disk or CD containing electronic art.

gray scale, in graphic arts and printing, a series of density values, usually from 10% to 90% of black. It is used to compare color density in art production and printing preparation.

greeking, the use of a type font of random, unreadable characters in a layout when no copy is available or desired.

gripper edge, in printing, the unprinted paper edge by which the press sheet is gripped and carried through the press or die cutter.

gross impressions, in marketing, the total of all potential media exposure (number of viewers or readers x number of ads or messages) within a certain time period.

guarantee, a statement that a product will deliver or perform as intended, often promising refund or exchange for defects in materials and workmanship. See warranty.

gutter, the blank space or inside margin that runs from the printed area of a page inside to the binding.


H
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HTTP, Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, the communication that takes place between a web server and web browser on the Internet.

halftone, the reproduction of a continuous tone image using dots of varying size. The shape of the dots themselves can be round, square or elliptical.

hard sell, an especially persuasive selling message or approach, relying on basic emotional appeals.

header, the sign or panel at the top of a display.

headline, in communications, the words that lead the story or message, to command attention and to invite continued viewing or reading.

hickey, small specks or spots in printing that are caused by dirt or dust that has collected onto the plates or blankets. Hickeys typically appear as white shapes in large areas of solid color coverage.

highlight, the area of a continuous tone image that has the lightest tone, and therefore the fewest dots when converted to a halftone for printing.

holographic, an image reproduced on a flat, reflective surface using laser technology that provides a three-dimensional effect when viewed directly.

home page, the first page to appear on an Internet website, usually offering the full name of the site and a means for navigating its elements.

hot stamp, in printing, the application of metallic or other decorative leaf to a printed item.

house organ, a company publication produced internally, usually with controlled circulation.

house sheet, the paper used most often by a printer. It is purchased in quantity and kept on hand at all times.

hub, A local area network device that provides centralized relaying between connected devices. Unmanaged hubs broadcast incoming traffic to all hub locations, which only pick up the transmission if it is addressed to that specific site. Managed hubs route traffic from the originating machine directly to the destination, thereby significantly reducing LAN traffic. Most prepress shops have, or should have, migrated to managed hubs by now.

hue, how colors of different wavelengths are identified and separated from each other by name, such as blue, red, green, etc.

hypertext, non-linear information formatted to enable the computer user to navigate through linked groups of information on parts of one document or different, related documents.

hypertext markup language (HTML), the hypertext document format used on the Internet's World Wide Web.

hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), the Internet standard supporting the exchange of information on the World Wide Web.

hyphen, the punctuation mark that separates multi-syllable words or connects multiple word descriptors.


I
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ICC, Interstate Commerce Commission, the federal agency that regulates commercial ground transportation.

IFF, Electronic Arts' Interchange File Format, and is the image format used by Amiga and Atari ST personal computers. There are multiple IFF formats; the most popular are the image and sound files. A file with the .IFF suffix may, therefore, be a sound, not a picture ­ and it might be any one of a number of other types of data. IFF images may rarely have the suffix .ILBM, for InterLeaved BitMap, or just .LBM on DOS-based systems.

ISO, the International Standards Organization.

icon, in a computer system, a picture or drawing, such as a paintbrush or trashcan, that represe