When Jenny and Dan Mulligan formed YellowDog in 2005—naming the company after their yellow Labrador Retriever—the idea was to serve the need for printing in the Denver, Colorado, market. As YellowDog earned the trust and loyalty of business and nonprofit clients, they grew organically to meet demand for creative support that could seamlessly integrate with quality printing.
Over the years, YellowDog garnered recognition beyond print, such as adding the title of Best Graphic Designer to their 10-year run as CoBiz Magazine’s Best Printer in Colorado. The YellowDog team of 19 is 79% women with an average tenure of nine years. Dan Mulligan says that while most of the printers in the Denver market offer prepress services, YellowDog uniquely combines graphic design and printing as integrated, coordinated functions, producing a better product for the print buyer.
In the 20+ years since YellowDog opened its doors, printing technology has changed dramatically, and the Mulligans have made YellowDog more digital every step of the way.
Technology Solution
The biggest advancement yet in their specialty printing capabilities, though, came about two years ago with the switch to a Sharp BP-1200S 6-color production press, complete with Color-Logic Metallic Color and Touch7 Neon Color systems. These products gave YellowDog a new edge in enhancing designs for clients.
Says Mulligan: “With the Color-Logic products, YellowDog can now seamlessly include metallics and the subtle tones of fluorescent spot colors in clients’ designs. The range available with these modern digital capabilities is fantastic, and they let us create samples that absolutely awe clients. We can enhance fashion photos by putting more color in models’ eyes, and make it seem like they wink at you. Today, many people regard metallics solely as postpress foiling, but not as a fundamental element of their design for print. Having six or eight colors that can be quickly and easily added to a print means the client can imagine their brochures going in an entirely new direction.”
Proven Results
Asked about the perception that embellishments seem incredibly difficult for graphic designers to comprehend and execute, Mulligan says: “Metallics and related embellishments are not difficult, they are just different. The ability to integrate Color-Logic and Touch7 takes our design capabilities to the next level.”
Looking to the future, Mulligan says: “In five years, CMYK will be just one component of a broader color palette. The world of color is evolving quickly, and the printer that thinks only in terms of CMYK will be left behind. Embellishments and new design techniques are already becoming accepted and sought by discerning customers.”
“In five years, CMYK will be just one component of a broader color palette. The world of color is evolving quickly, and the printer that thinks only in terms of CMYK will be left behind. Embellishments and new design techniques are already becoming accepted and sought by discerning customers.”