Point-of-Purchasing Advertising International: Glossary of Industry Terms

Abbreviation	Abbreviations are the term given in typography to characters that are composed through the fusion of letters. One example of this is the character "&," which is a combination of the letters 'e' and 't' to form 'et' (Latin for 'and').
A-Board	A curb sign in which the two sides lean together at the top and are connected by a cross brace, forming an A.
Abrasion Resistance	Resisting rub/scuff/scratch or the ability to limit damage from rubbing against another surface.
Abrasion Tests	Tests designed to gauge abrasion resistance, e.g., Sutherland, Taber Abraser, and the GA-C.A.T.
Absorbency	Capable of absorbing, e.g. ink into paper.
Absorption	Penetration of one substance into another. In printing the selective absorption of some of the wavelengths of white produces colored light.
Acceptance Sampling	The evaluation of a definite lot of material or product that is already in existence to determine its acceptability within quality standards.
Accordion Fold	In binding, a term used for two or more parallel folds which form a pleated or accordion pattern.
Acetate	One of, or the family of, cellulose acetate films. A family of solvents also known as esters; example normal propyl acetate.
Achromatic Synthesis	A procedure for mixing colors when producing 4c color sets. All (equal) components of the three chromatic colors cyan, magenta and yellow in the CMYK color system—which in an ideal case generate a gray value—are replaced by appropriate components of the color black. This significantly reduces ink consumption, cuts costs and makes the printing process easier to control.
Acid	A chemical substance, when in solution with water forms hydrogen (H) ions. Acids are corrosive. (see pH).
Acid Corrosion	The term used to denote the gradual decay of paper containing aluminum sulfate, an acid-reacting salt, as a filler. Almost all books and other publications from the period 1860 to 1970 are affected. Today, major efforts are in progress to stabilize library stocks from this period by means of neutralization.
Ackerman-Johnson	A type of masonry fastener used in the installation of outdoor P-O-P advertising signs.
Across Web	Direction at an angle of 90 degrees to the grain or machine direction of a web or sheet of flexible material; also transverse direction (or TD); a cross grain lateral. Also known as Cross Web.
Acrylate	Chemical compounds containing a carbon - carbon double bond. Radiation cure monomer. A component of U.V. cured inks and coatings.
Acrylic	Transparent, thermoplastic polymeric resins based on acrylic acid or derivatives. Used in reference to water based coatings.
Acrylic Emulsion	A water based latex made of acrylic polymer that is used for coating and/or impregnations.
Acrylite	See Acrylic Emulsion.
Actual Weekly Reach	The audited actual number of people reached.
Ad Reprint Holder	A framing device containing reprints of advertisements, usually displayed on counters.
Added Value	See Value-added.
Additive Color	A color model associated with the RGB (red, green, and blue) method of representing color. Equal amounts of the primaries will combine to produce the perception of white light. This is normally used in video systems/monitors.
Additive Primaries	In color reproduction, red, green and blue (RGB). When lights of these colors are added together, they produce the sensation of white light.
Adhesion	Attraction which holds together the surface of substances in contact.
Adhesive	A substance capable of holding materials together by surface attachment. Adhesive is a general term that includes cement, glue mucilage, paste, etc. These terms are all essentially interchangeable. Various descriptive adjectives are often applied to the term adhesive to indicate certain characteristics, as for example: physical form e.g. liquid adhesive, tape adhesive; chemical form, e.g., silicate adhesive, epoxy adhesive; materials bonded, e.g., paper adhesive, metalplastic adhesive, can-label adhesive; conditions of use, e.g., cold setting adhesive, hot-setting adhesive.
Adobe	Adobe Systems Incorporated, headquartered in San José/California, is a leading software manufacturer in the field of graphics and image editing. Established in 1982, the company's products include the image editing program "Photoshop", the illustration program "Illustrator" and the desktop publication programs "InDesign" and "Pagemaker". Adobe is also the originator of the page description language "PostScript" and the device-independent data format "PDF" (Portable Document Format).
Adobe Acrobat Reader	A software program developed by Adobe Systems, Inc., used to view files in PDF format. The software is freely distributed and displays documents with the same layout and design as the original.
Advertised Brand	A brand advertised nationally to the consumer and the trade; distributed directly or by competing wholesalers.
Affixed Merchandise	Products glued or otherwise fastened to the display to keep the display intact.
Against The Grain	Folding or feeding paper at right angles to the grain direction of the paper. Also called cross grain.
Age Resistance	Shelf life. The resistance to deterioration by environmental factors such as; air borne ozone and oxygen, heat and light or by breakdowns internally.
Aided Recall	A research technique used in measuring the level of advertisement recall, in which the interviewer gives respondents a clue to refocus attention on the original exposure situation.
Air Knife	A high velocity or high pressure stream of (heated) air used to remove solvents from an ink or coating
Air Right Display	A display hanging from overhead above traffic or merchandise.
Airbrush	(Noun) A colorant sprayer, operating on compressed air, capable of producing subtle gradations of tone. Used in rendering various types of artwork, in retouching photographs and for smooth backgrounds. (Verb) A method of creating continuous tone artwork using an airbrush.
Airbrush Printer	A large, digital print machine (for printing billboards, etc.) that uses compressed air to drive inks through the print head.
Aisle Blocker	A display used to block off closed check out lanes. This type of display is typically on wheels in order to make it easy to move from one check out lane to another.
Aisle Jumper	An overhead wire that reaches from aisle to aisle, jumping the space between. Flags and pennants announcing advertising messages are draped over the wire. Differs from an arch in that it is just the frame.
Alcohol	A group of organic colorless, volatile solvents that contain hydroxyl groups (OH).
Alinea	"alineaî (from the Latin "a lineaî - of the line) is traditionally used in typography to designate the first line of a new paragraph. On a more general level, it also covers elements used for identifying a new section of text, e.g. ornamental characters.
Alkaline Paper	Paper made with a synthetic alkaline size and an alkaline filler like calcium carbonate which gives the paper over four times the life (200 years) of acid-sized papers (40-50 years).
All Commodity Volume (ACV)	Total store sales from all products. ACV is often expressed on an annual basis or average week.
Alligatoring	The cracking of a coating film into large segments which look like the hide of an alligator. (see crazing).
Alpha Numeric	A character set consisting of both letters and numbers.
Alpo®	Trade name for a hard, inexpensive, long-lasting, baked enamel, finish that gives the appearance of thousands of little "hammer marks" spread across the surface. "Hamrnerloid" and "Vidreo" are other trade names for this type of finish.
Altruistic Display	A display featuring additional products of other advertisers besides those of the advertiser who pays for the display. Also, a store-wide program featuring seasonal products that includes the advertiser's product but does not specifically name it.
Aluminum Sulfate	An aluminum salt of sulfuric acid. Its chemical formula is Al2(SO4)3. The water-soluble salt is used in a variety of ways in the chemical industry, the food industry (for firming and as raising agent in baking), and in water and wastewater treatment. In paper production, aluminum sulfate was formerly used as a filler. However, as aluminum sulfate reacts acid, it causes acid corrosion that gradually destroys the paper.
Ambient Conditions	A term used to describe the temperature, humidity and other conditions of the surrounding air.
Amplitude Modulated (AM) Screening	A halftone screening method in which an image is composed of dots of variable size with equal spacing between dot centers. Compare with Frequency Modulated (FM) Screening which uses dots of equal size with variable spacing between dot centers.
Analog	"Real world" information kept in a continuous, non-computerized form; some examples are 35 mm film transparencies, photographs, printed matter.
Analog Color Proof	Off-press color proof made from individual separation films.
Anchor Bolts	The large threaded steel rods used to secure a sign or display base to a concrete foundation.
Anchor Coat	A coating applied to the surface of a substrate to effect or increase the adhesion of subsequent coatings.
Anchoring (Printing Inks)	Flexographic term describing process of bonding or fusing inks to the material on which they are printed.
Aniline Printing	An old name for flexographic printing taking its name from the aniline-based inks employed. Printing presses using this process employ rubber rollers as letterpress forms and print with quick-drying, low-viscosity inks. The first presses of this type appeared on the market at the beginning of the 20th century. They were mainly used to print packaging material.
Anilox Inking	In flexography, two roll inking system with a smooth fountain roll that transfers inks to an etched metal or ceramic coated metal roll with cells of fixed size and depth that transfer the ink to the plate. Also used in keyless offset.
Anilox Roll	A mechanically, chemically, or laser engraved chromed metal or ceramic metering roll used to control the application of liquid inks, coatings and adhesives.
Animation	The use of motion in display. The ability to make electronic graphics appear to move.
Animation Function	A function on an electronic display that makes graphics move.
Annealed	The softest state of any material. Material is heated to a temperature above its critical range, for enough time to reach full crystallization and then slowly cooled. This process removes working strains and increases ductility.
Anodizing	An electrolytic oxidation process in which the surface of a metal, when anodic, is converted to a coating having desirable protective, decorative, or functional properties.
ANPA Color	A color scheme that is used primarily in newspaper printing. It originates from the American Newspaper Publishers Association (ANPA) which in the summer of 1992 became the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), headquartered in Vienna, Virginia. ANPA colors are defined using the CMYK color system and corresponding color samples can be found in the ANPA-Color ROP Newspaper Color Ink Book.
Anti-Foaming Agent	Additive that breaks foaming bubbles.
Antique Finish	A term describing the surface, usually on book and cover papers, that has a natural rough finish.
Anti-Skid	Describes increasing friction and preventing slip.
Antitrust	An area of law dealing with unlawful restraints of trade and other anti-competitive practices both domestically and internationally.
Antitrust Statutes, US	The Clayton Act, a major antitrust law; a civil statute which contemplates injunction actions by the government and damage suits. It declares as unlawful selling one's product on condition that the purchaser not buy from a competitor where the effect is substantial lessening of competition or creation of a monopoly; it also covers interlocking directorates of competing companies, mergers and other business acquisitions; and it impacts on exclusive dealing arrangements with customers. The Federal Trade Commission Act, prohibits unfair methods of competition and is used in effect, to supplement the provisions of both the Sherman and Clayton Acts. The Sherman Act, the basic antitrust law which prohibits every contract, combination or conspiracy which is in restraint of trade of commerce. It is applicable not only to commerce or trade among the states of the US, but also with foreign nations.
Aperature	In photography, lens opening or lens stop expressed as am f / no. such as f / 22.
Apochromatic	In photography, color-corrected lenses which focus the three colors, blue, green and red, in the same plane.
Applicator Roll	Roller that applies and meters a coating.
APR	(Automatic Picture Replacement) The replacement of a low resolution image by a high resolution image.
Apron	The open area of a filing station or other retail outlet where displays and/or merchandise is sold.
Aquatint	Invented by the French artist Jean Baptiste Leprince (1734-1781) around 1765 to 1768, aquatint is an early screening process for producing gravure plates. The metal plate (generally copper) is firstly given a coating of finely distributed resin or asphalt grains. This is generally done by melting a fine powder onto the plate, though a number of other methods are also known. In the case of Craquelure aquatint, for example, a solution of colophonium resin in alcohol is applied to the plate. The resin is deposited when the alcohol dries and forms numerous fine, branch-like cracks. Those elements of the image which are not to be printed are then covered with an acid-resistant coating. Only those areas of the metal which are not covered with a coating are attacked during the subsequent acid treatment process. These are then able to accept ink during the subsequent printing process. This produces a screened contone area. By repeatedly masking further sections of the image and repeating the acid treatment, the etching process can be continued to achieve darker color tones.
Aqueous Coating	A clear water soluble coating applied over ink in the offset print process to keep inks from smudging when handled.
Arch	A display designed to go from one gondola to another, over and above the aisle.
Areometer	A device, also knows as a scale areometer, hydrometer, or spindle, for determining the density of liquids, is used in printing technology to measure the concentration of alcohol in water-containing process liquids. The device consists of a sealed glass tube filled with air with a weight at one end. Once the areometer is placed in the liquid being tested, it floats either higher or lower, depending on the density of the liquid. The density can then be read off using a scale. This scale is graduated in special units (Bé after Baumé or Brix), or in the case of specialist areometers directly in the concentration being measured (alcohol concentration in the case of alcometers, sugar concentration with saccharimeters, etc.). Because the density of liquids changes with temperature, the scale of an areometer is always relative to a specific temperature. To make correct measurements easier to obtain, some areometers also feature a thermometer.
Armchair Book	A large-format book with high-quality images and graphic illustrations. These books generally cover subjects of relatively broad interest and use an entertaining approach and relatively little theory to ensure a "relaxed readî. Armchair books are also known as fireside books and coffee table books.
Aromatic Hydrocarbons-Solvents	Volatile organic solvents, e.g., toluol and xylol common ion solvent liquid ink/varnish. Aromatic in the sense that they are so volatile you can smell them.
Art	All illustrations, copy and photographs used in preparing a job for printing. Also referred to as artwork.
Art Printing Paper	A premium-grade stock coated on both sides (C2S), preferable for the high-quality reproduction of color prints. Art printing papers usually have a very smooth, glossy surface, though some have a matte or semi-matte finish. They allow illustrations to be reproduced by offset or letterpress in much finer halftone screens.
Artist Proof	Prints normally produced at the time of the initial printing of an edition and are outside the numbered series. Artists Proofs frequently sell for more than prints from an edition.
Artwork	The original design, including drawings and text, produced by the artist. All elements of the design from which the black and white art and printing plates are made; also refers to all of the black and white production art.
Ascender	The part of a lower case letter which rises above the main body, as in "bî.
ASCII	The American Standard Code for Information Interchange, or ASCII for short, was standardized in the USA and is used to encode letters and numbers in digital form for electronic storage and processing. This was originally done using binary numbers with seven digits (seven bits), making it possible to represent a total of 128 characters. The use of 8-bit numbers was later introduced, increasing the total to 256 characters. Unicode notation based on 16-bit numbers has been gaining increasing acceptance in recent years. It can be used to represent 65,536 different characters.
Ash Content	The quantity of inorganic substances in paper stock that converts to ash when burned.
ASN	(Advance Shipment Notification) A notification (typically in the form of an email), to the receiving party from the shipper, that a specified quantity of specific sku's are being shipped via a specified carrier. The A.S.N. also provides an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) of the shipment along with necessary tracking numbers for use in tracing the shipment if necessary.
Assembly	The process of erecting display component parts into a single, integrated display unit. A group of materials or parts that have been placed together for bonding or that have been bonded together.
Assembly Time	The time interval (either necessary or permissible) between spreading the adhesive to the surfaces and the application of pressure, heat, or both, to assemble. The open assembly time is the optimum time interval after applying the adhesive when surfaces should be joined.
Assortment Display	A display designed to offer the customer a choice of size, color, types of item, etc. Also, a display offered with the purchase of a product assortment.
ASTM	(American Society for Testing Materials)
ASTM	The American Society for Testing Materials.
Attach-To-Merchandise Display	A display that may be larger or smaller than the merchandise that it advertises, usually giving some informational copy, and attached directly to the product or to a group of products.
Audience	The total number of people or impressions for a specific media vehicle during a defined time-period, e.g., store-week.
Audio Shelf Talker	A device that attaches to shelf and attracts attention to the product through graphics as well as a custom audio message. The message can be push button activated or motion sensing activated.
Audio Still Frame	The commentary, music or sound effects accompanying a single still image (artwork or slide). The soundtrack may be recorded using some version of compressed audio for greater economy.
Audio Video Display	Custom display that utilizes computer electronics to convey audio and or video messages to the consumer.
Audiovisual	A display using sound as well as sight to convey its advertising message. Also the hardware used for that purpose.
Authoring	The preparation of a computer program, often using a structured "authoring language" or "authoring system" that allows people without formal training in computer programming to prepare applications for computer-based systems.
Author's Alterations	In art composition, changes and additions to the copy after it has already been prepared for printing. Also known as A.A.'s (additions and alterations).
Autoclave	A type of oven used to provide heat during or upon conclusion of a manufacturing process.
Autoclave Molding	A modification of pressure bag molding in which the entire assembly is placed in a steam autoclave at 50-100 psi after lay-up.
Autolock Style	A carton or tray that, when erected, forms a bottom automatically without requiring manual locking, gluing, or taping.
Automatic Mold	A mold for injection or compression molding that repeatedly goes through the entire cycle, including ejection, without human assistance.