Guides 8 min read Updated 18 July 2026
Glossary of advertising production terms
The most common terms in printing, digital print, advertising production and branding, explained in plain language.
Advertising production comes with a long list of technical terms that can be confusing. This glossary explains, in plain language, the terms you will hear most often in printing, digital print, production and branding.
If you are preparing your first production project, words such as CMYK, bleed, foam board, aluminium composite panel or lamination may sound unfamiliar. You do not need to know them all to place an order, but understanding them makes the conversation easier and helps you avoid mistakes that cost time and money.
How to use this glossary
All terms are grouped in one searchable list. Type a word in the search field and you will instantly see what it means, where it is used and what we recommend from our production experience.
Glossary of terms
Bleed
Print Artwork
- What it means
- The extra area of artwork that extends past the final trim line, usually 3 mm on each side.
- Where it is used
- In offset and digital printing, on anything that is trimmed to size.
- Our recommendation
- Always add 3 mm of bleed to print files so no white edges appear after trimming.
Safe area
Print Artwork
- What it means
- The inner margin where no text or important element should be placed, because the cutter may reach it.
- Where it is used
- On any trimmed printed item: flyers, business cards, posters.
- Our recommendation
- Keep text and logos at least 5 mm away from the final trim line.
CMYK
Print Colour
- What it means
- The colour system used in printing, built from cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks.
- Where it is used
- In every file sent to offset or digital print.
- Our recommendation
- Send artwork already converted to CMYK to avoid colour surprises between screen and print.
RGB
Digital
- What it means
- The colour system used by screens, built from red, green and blue light. Its range is wider than CMYK.
- Where it is used
- In artwork for web, social media and presentations.
- Our recommendation
- Keep RGB for screens only. Very vivid RGB colours always look duller once printed.
Pantone
Branding Premium
- What it means
- A standardised colour system where every shade has a unique code and an exact ink recipe.
- Where it is used
- For brand colours that must look identical across every material.
- Our recommendation
- If your brand guidelines include a Pantone code, send it with the artwork so we can match it closely.
Resolution
Artwork
- What it means
- The amount of detail in an image, measured as the number of dots per unit of surface.
- Where it is used
- For photos and images used in printed materials.
- Our recommendation
- Use 300 dpi for small formats and 100 to 150 dpi for large formats, measured at final size.
DPI
Print Artwork
- What it means
- Dots per inch, the unit used to measure image resolution.
- Where it is used
- When checking image quality before printing.
- Our recommendation
- Always check dpi at the printed size, not at the original file size.
Vector
Artwork Branding
- What it means
- A file built from mathematical curves, which can be scaled to any size without losing sharpness.
- Where it is used
- For logos, type, signage and contour cutting.
- Our recommendation
- Send your logo as a vector file: AI, EPS, SVG or PDF with outlined type.
Raster
Artwork
- What it means
- A pixel based image that becomes blurry when enlarged beyond its real size.
- Where it is used
- For photographs and images edited in tools such as Photoshop.
- Our recommendation
- Never scale a raster image beyond its native size. Ask for the original high resolution photo.
Crop marks
Print Artwork
- What it means
- Trim marks placed in the corners of the file, showing the printer exactly where to cut.
- Where it is used
- In PDF files prepared for offset and digital printing.
- Our recommendation
- Export the PDF with crop marks and bleed enabled in one step.
Lamination
UV protection Print
- What it means
- A thin protective film applied over the printed sheet, in matt, gloss or soft touch finish.
- Where it is used
- On posters, menus, stickers, business cards and high traffic graphics.
- Our recommendation
- Choose matt for an elegant look and gloss when you want deep colours and strong contrast.
Mounting
Rigid Indoor
- What it means
- Bonding a printed sheet onto a rigid board for stiffness and a clean, finished look.
- Where it is used
- For posters and panels mounted on foam board, cardboard or aluminium composite.
- Our recommendation
- For indoor panels, mounting on foam board offers the best balance of price and durability.
Vinyl wrapping
Vehicles Branding
- What it means
- Applying self adhesive vinyl to a surface, either printed or coloured throughout.
- Where it is used
- On shop windows, walls, furniture, panels and vehicles.
- Our recommendation
- The surface must be cleaned and degreased before application, otherwise the vinyl lifts over time.
Monomeric vinyl
Budget Indoor
- What it means
- An affordable self adhesive film with a typical life of 2 to 3 years.
- Where it is used
- For short campaigns and flat surfaces such as windows and panels.
- Our recommendation
- Choose it for temporary campaigns where budget matters more than lifespan.
Polymeric vinyl
Outdoor Conformable
- What it means
- A more dimensionally stable film with a typical life of 5 to 7 years.
- Where it is used
- For signage, windows and slightly curved outdoor surfaces.
- Our recommendation
- This is the right choice for outdoor graphics that must last several years.
Cast vinyl
Vehicles Premium
- What it means
- A premium, very thin and conformable film that follows complex shapes without lifting.
- Where it is used
- For full and partial vehicle wraps and heavily curved surfaces.
- Our recommendation
- For a full vehicle wrap, cast vinyl is the only option that holds up long term.
PVC banner
Outdoor Flexible
- What it means
- A textile base coated with PVC, flexible and weather resistant.
- Where it is used
- For outdoor advertising, façades, fences and events.
- Our recommendation
- Ask for welded hems and eyelets every 50 cm so the installation resists wind.
Mesh
Outdoor Flexible
- What it means
- A perforated banner that lets air pass through the material.
- Where it is used
- On façades, scaffolding and fences exposed to strong wind.
- Our recommendation
- Use mesh on large surfaces and windy locations to reduce load on the structure.
Foam board (Forex)
Rigid Indoor
- What it means
- A rigid expanded PVC sheet that is light, easy to cut and easy to install.
- Where it is used
- For indoor panels, signage and temporary wayfinding.
- Our recommendation
- Use 3 mm for small panels and 5 or 10 mm for large surfaces that must stay flat.
Aluminium composite (Dibond)
Premium Outdoor
- What it means
- A panel made of two thin aluminium skins bonded to a polyethylene core.
- Where it is used
- For façades, built up letters and premium outdoor signage.
- Our recommendation
- It is the best choice for permanent projects that must look impeccable for years.
Acrylic (Plexiglas)
Premium Indoor
- What it means
- A clear or coloured acrylic sheet with a clean, glass like finish.
- Where it is used
- For logos, plaques, decorative panels and displays.
- Our recommendation
- Combined with metal standoffs it delivers the most premium effect in receptions and offices.
Canvas
Indoor Premium
- What it means
- A textile material with a woven look, used for decorative prints.
- Where it is used
- For wall art, interior decor and large photographic prints.
- Our recommendation
- Choose canvas on a wooden stretcher frame so the print stays taut over time.
UV print
Rigid Digital print
- What it means
- A printing technology where ink cures instantly under ultraviolet light.
- Where it is used
- On rigid substrates such as foam board, aluminium composite, acrylic, wood or glass.
- Our recommendation
- Choose UV print when you need vivid colour directly on a rigid board, with no mounting step.
Latex print
Eco friendly Indoor
- What it means
- A printing technology using water based inks, with no odour and no aggressive solvents.
- Where it is used
- For wallpaper, canvas, indoor stickers and banners.
- Our recommendation
- It is the right option for occupied spaces such as offices, schools and clinics.
Solvent print
Outdoor UV protection
- What it means
- A printing technology using solvent based inks with very high outdoor durability.
- Where it is used
- For banners, mesh and materials constantly exposed to sun and rain.
- Our recommendation
- Choose it for long lasting outdoor graphics installed in unprotected locations.
Eco solvent print
Digital print Outdoor
- What it means
- A more environmentally friendly version of solvent printing, with low odour and good durability.
- Where it is used
- For stickers, banners and window graphics.
- Our recommendation
- It offers the best balance between image quality, durability and environmental impact.
The terms you will hear most often
Artwork setup
Bleed, safe area, crop marks
Colour
CMYK, RGB, Pantone
Rigid materials
Foam board, aluminium composite, acrylic
Flexible materials
PVC banner, mesh, vinyl
Finishing
Lamination, mounting, wrapping
Technologies
UV, latex, solvent, eco solvent
Common mistakes
- Files sent in RGB, which print duller than they look on screen.
- A logo taken from a slide deck instead of the original vector file.
- Text placed against the edge, partly cut off during trimming.
- Photos enlarged beyond their real size, turning soft in large format.
- Monomeric vinyl chosen for a long term outdoor project.
Frequently asked questions
No. Tell us what you want to achieve and where the piece will be installed, and we will propose the right option and explain every step in plain words.
More useful resources
Came across a term you do not understand?
Tell us what you want to produce and we will explain, in plain words, which material, technology and finishing suit your project.