[GPSCC-chat] Color in Green Party Literature

[Spencer Graves]

Hello, All:


       I've spent a fair amount of money and time over the past 6 weeks 
making copies for the Green Party and Occupy San Jose, considering 
different options.


       If anyone wants black and white copies of anything, Brian Good 
has volunteered to print perhaps 40,000 copies for the Green Party


BRIAN:  IF I'VE MISUNDERSTOOD, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.


       Hector Schneider with Occupy San Jose has agreed to get material 
printed for us at cost, which runs roughly 4 cents per page double 
sided, color, 2.5 cents black and white.  By contrast, The Copy Factory 
in Palo Alto wants 75 cents each for 100 single sheets, color both 
sides, 82 cents folded.  I don't know, but I suspect that FedEx Office, 
Office Depot, Office Max, and Staples are probably closer to $1 per 
page.  Brian thinks we can get the old HP currently in Warner's garage 
working again.  If yes, then using that could reduce the per page charge 
to something close to what Hector thinks he can get them for.


       QUESTIONS:  What is the impact of color on the rates at which 
people (a) take our literature and (b) do something positive as a 
result?  The only data I have on this is the subjective reactions of 
people with whom I speak.  Some want the master so they can print 
black-and-white copies to hand to their friends.  That's great.  We 
probably don't need color in any context where the literature will be 
delivered to friends and relatives.  However, Caroline and Merriam are 
pretty adamant that color increases substantially the rate at which 
people accept literature.


       Both Brian and Cameron suggested using a highlighter to add color 
to black-and-white originals.  There was a fair amount of hand coloring 
of black-and-white printing in the 19th century, and this is perhaps 
reasonable if you are tabling when most of the time you are sitting 
waiting for someone to approach your table.  However, especially if we 
can get real color copies for under 10 cents per page, this doesn't make 
sense to me.


       I distributed literature today at BoA across from Cesar Chavez 
Park with Merriam, Caroline, and Tian.  I observed the following 
reactions (with guestimated percentages):


             *  (1%) A few were close to hostile, e.g, "The media is 
liberal:  All I hear is Obama, Obama."


             * (10%) Some went out of their way to avoid me.


             * (15%) Some didn't seem to change their walking 
trajectory, but tried hard to avoid looking at me.


             * (15%) Some looked at the flier for a second or so before 
deciding not to take it.


             * (25%) Some accepted the flier and kept walking -- no time 
to exchange comments.


             * (10%) Some paused or slowed enough that I made a comment 
or two as they accepted the literature.


             * (3%) A couple asked questions.


             * (20%) Several said they were already in Credit Unions or 
had otherwise already moved their money.


             *  (1%) One even said he was distributing my z-folds for 
Occupy!


       Just guessing, I will speculate that the color may have doubled 
our acceptance rate to 1 in 4 from 1 in 8 (or maybe even 1 in 12).


       Comments?
       Beset Wishes,
       Spencer


On 11/26/2011 3:59 PM, Cameron L. Spitzer wrote:
> It seems to me the cheapest way to make color copies is
> to make black and white copies then highlight them
> with a little color after.  Can we design our artwork to
> work in black and white with a few strokes from
> a highlighter?
>


-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:  www.structuremonitoring.com