Ivan – Leadership Program
By Ivan Mora, CEO, Screaming Color Group & The Koolture Group
I opened Screaming Color Group with nothing but work ethic and a stubborn belief that results matter more than explanations. In wide-format, results start with a simple rule I use every day:
If your graphic can’t be understood from 20 feet away, it won’t sell.
Fancy ideas are nice. Awards are nice. But your buyer is moving, the lights are harsh, and the aisle is busy. At 20 feet, you either win attention or you don’t. Below is the simple system my team and I use to make wide-format work in the real world.
The 20/5/2 Rule (design to distance)
- 20 feet — Promise: In seven words or less, say what you do or why it matters. Big type. High contrast. One image. No clutter.
- 5 feet — Proof: Give me one fact that earns a stop. A number, a recognizable use case, or a single benefit.
- 2 feet — Path: Tell me exactly what to do. “Scan to book,” “Pick up a sample,” “See finish options.”
When you design for all three distances, you guide the buyer from notice → consider → act.
Now let’s talk about color you can trust (not just “close enough”)
I’m proud of our color discipline because it prevents waste. Here’s the plain-English version:
- Calibrate everything. Printers, profiles, light booths—measure, don’t guess.
- Proof where it will live. Retail lux, show hall glare, daylight spill—it all changes how color reads.
- Document tolerances. Your brand red should be your brand red—every city, every shop.
“Close enough” turns into reprints and delays. Consistency protects your brand and your timeline.
Now remember that the finish is a message
Finish is not decoration; it changes how fast people can read your message and how long it looks new.
- Matte / low-glare: Easy to read in bright spaces.
- Soft-touch: Premium feel; handle with clean design because it shows fingerprints.
- Acrylic / face-mount: Depth and “gallery” presence.
- SEG fabric: Big impact, reusable, ships light.
Pick finish for function first, then style.
Engineering the install. In my humble opinion, a quiet profit center.
I grew up understanding that the back-of-house decides if the front-of-house succeeds. Same here.
- Kitting & labels: Plain language, accurate counts, QR code to a 60-second build guide.
- Hardware discipline: Fewer fasteners, repeatable motions, safe edges.
- Path planning: Doors, elevators, power, staff traffic—remove the surprises.
Every preventable delay is lost revenue and tired teams.
Sustainability or “reusability” that actually works
I like to help brands with solutions that help the planet and the P&L:
- Weight down, reuse up. Engineered cardboard/mono-material frames with premium skins.
- Right-size shipping. Less air, fewer emergency reprints.
- End-of-life clarity. Put recycling info on the crate and the work order.
If it doesn’t survive use, it isn’t sustainable.
“Ahora” the three questions I ask before any big print
- Behavior: What do we want the shopper to do next? Stop, scan, sample, buy?
- Physics: Where does this live? Light, distance, glare, touch risk?
- Ops: Who installs it, how fast, and with what tools?
Simple questions. Big difference. Think about it.
Quick checklist (save this, please!)
- 7-word promise at 20 feet
- One proof at 5 feet
- One clear path at 2 feet
- Finish chosen for the light you have
- Color proofed in final lighting
- Labeled kits + QR build guide
- End-of-life note on packing slip
I learned by doing. Wide-format wins when we respect distance, light, and people. If you want help, send me a photo of your space and your goal. I’ll mark it up and show you a better path. Simple, practical, fast.
Want a quick win? Share specs and deadline. My team can scope options and proofs fast