Logo Asset Color Management — CMYK to RGB Conversion

Overview

When delivering logo assets to clients, color shifts can occur if files are exported from vector formats (EPS, AI) using CMYK color profiles and then converted to raster formats (PNG, JPEG) intended for digital use. The result is a visually different color than the original design — often subtle but noticeable enough to cause client complaints.

This article documents the standard practice for delivering logo assets to prevent this issue.

The Problem

Vector logo files are typically designed in CMYK color space (intended for print). When exported to raster formats for digital use, the conversion to RGB can shift colors — particularly blues and greens — in ways that differ from the designer's intent.

Example: A client reported that logo assets delivered as PNG/JPEG files had a noticeably different shade of blue compared to the original EPS source files. The issue was traced to a CMYK-to-RGB conversion during export. The client had flagged this months earlier but the task was created in their own ClickUp dashboard and never surfaced to the team.

Source: ^[1], Bluepoint ATM logo color shift incident.

Root Cause

• Logo designed in CMYK (print-ready color space)
• Exported to PNG/JPEG without locking hex color values
• RGB rendering of CMYK values produces a color shift
• Client receives files that don't match the intended brand color

Best Practice: Deliver Hex-Locked Raster Files

For any logo assets intended for digital use (websites, social media, email, digital ads):

1. Use hex color values as the source of truth, not CMYK or RGB approximations
2. Export locked raster files (PNG or JPEG) directly from the hex-specified color — do not convert from a CMYK EPS
3. Do not deliver editable vector files (EPS, AI, SVG) to clients unless explicitly requested — these can be modified or re-exported incorrectly
4. Deliver a complete asset package that includes:
   - PNG files for each logo variant (full color, white, black, reversed)
   - Transparent background versions where applicable
   - Files sized for common use cases (web header, social profile, favicon)

What to Avoid

Delivery Checklist

• [ ] Confirm all logo colors are specified in hex
• [ ] Export raster files directly from hex-locked source
• [ ] Verify exported files visually match the intended brand color on screen
• [ ] Package all variants (color, white, black) as PNG with transparent backgrounds
• [ ] Include a JPEG version for contexts that don't support transparency
• [ ] Do not include editable vector files unless the client specifically requests them for print use

Related

• ^[2] — logo color shift incident that prompted this practice
• ^[1]