Paint and coating producer Sherwin-Williams Co. is using the mobile channel for branding and customer acquisition.

The company teamed up with digital agency Resource Interactive to create an iPhone application that lets users isolate a color within any photo taken on their iPhone and get matching Sherwin-Williams paint colors along with a coordinating palette to complement their choice. The application is called ColorSnap.

"Our desire is to meet our consumers exactly where they are," said Ellen Moreau, vice president of marketing communication at Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland, OH. "ColorSnap helps them capture inspiration as it strikes.

"The app not only makes it simple to determine the color, but to bring it home by easily locating one of our 3,300 stores," she said.

ColorSnap was downloaded by thousands of users in more than 60 countries within the first week of its release. The application is ranked No. 35 out of 3,000 in the free utilities application category in the iPhone App Store.

The ColorSnap application is unique because it lets users capture a new photo the moment they feel inspired, whether within the application or using an image already stored in their iPhone photo library.

Then, consumers just user their finger to scroll around the image and locate the exact color they'd like to see matched.

ColorSnap immediately offers the closest matching Sherwin-Williams paint color and a coordinating palette.

"Choosing color is the hardest part of redecorating," Ms. Moreau said. "Inspiration can hit a consumer anywhere and we are helping them bring the colors that appeal to home from wherever they may be."

Users are able to find the nearest Sherwin-Williams store to begin their painting project. Or, they can save the color into "My Saved Colors" for continued reference.

Using iPhone GPS capability or ZIP code entry, users can find their local Sherwin-Williams store. Users can direct dial or map the Sherwin-Williams location all within the application.

Colors include RGB values for architectural design professionals and Photoshop fiends, making it easy to recreate the colors in renderings.

The application is geared towards home owners, architects and designers and painting contractors. Sherwin Williams chose mobile because the company is trying to reach a younger demographic.

"Mobile is the ideal channel for this type of offering because inspiration is anywhere," Ms. Moreau said. "We are trying to make it easy for customers to shop and buy paint."

Sherwin-Williams has tested mobile advertising in the past. However this is the company's first iPhone application.

"We're thrilled to create and launch the industry's first-ever application for the iPhone," said Kelly Mooney, president and chief experience officer at Resource Interactive. "Our research with consumers has shown a pent-up desire for this innovative utility and Sherwin-Williams delivered.

"Consumers are not just flipping through magazines," Ms. Mooney said. "Ideas come from anywhere and now they can get this wherever they are, on demand."