SECAUCUS, N.J., March 13 -- Panasonic Digital Document Company (PDDC), a unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today announced four colorful new additions to its award-winning line of networked C3 copy/print/scan/fax/email multifunction products. Available in an array of colors including red, blue, yellow, and black, the new C3s are designed to improve worker productivity and morale by enhancing and enlivening today's typically bland office environments.

"Many offices and work environments and equipment are monochromatic grays, beiges, and whites, all of which lack the stimulating properties of, say, red or yellow and can be perceived by some workers as depressing," says leading corporate workflow consultant, Dr. Debra Davenport, CEO of the "Because color affects the brain, it makes perfect sense to inject color into work environments where productivity, morale, creativity and efficiency can be enhanced with the infusion of various hues. Color is a powerful communicator, mood changer and behavior influencer.

"Introducing Panasonic's colorful and innovative MFPs into a workplace will not only communicate to employees and customers that a business is fresh and forward-thinking, it will also likely make a positive impact on performance and productivity," Dr. Davenport added. "As renowned American color expert, Faber Birren, said over 50 years ago, 'Color's role in all forms of life is too evident to be either denied or ignored.' "

Dr. Davenport's conclusions are echoed by recent research, published in the journal 360, which suggests that "color can stimulate a culture of creativity and drive performance through the flow of ideas and information in the workplace ... and can help stimulate a culture of innovation, collaboration, communication and learning."

"It's no secret that our society's working-class heroes spend more time in their offices than they do at home with their families," comments Steve Mullin, President of Panasonic Digital Document Company. "Many are confined to cubicles surrounded by drab walls and uninspiring office decors. This fact, this realization that office workers exist in enclosed spaces -- usually without even a window to break the monotonous view -- has inspired us at Panasonic to try and create equipment that will help infuse the workspace with visually pleasing, spirit-lifting and energy-stimulating color."

"Organic color that will help relieve the boredom that accompanies so many office tasks. With our new stylish, colorful C3 MFPs making copies or picking- up printed documents becomes a visit to a dazzling oasis of color instead of just another stop in a mundane, predictable office routine." Mullin noted that Panasonic office products have already proven themselves to provide workhorse reliability as exemplified by first-place customer- service rankings from J.D. Power and Associates and other prestigious industry associations.

"Since a major selling point of our products has always been best-in-class color reproduction, we decided that the next logical step was to make their exterior colors equally superior to those of our competitors," said Mullin. "In a universe of offices where dull, drab, plain vanilla products rule, we're offering products with a very positive point of differentiation. Now Panasonic products are not only smarter, they're brighter."