Breaking creative rules Oct 1, 1999 12:00 PM
, Jack Schmid and Lois Boyle
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Before you break the rules of catalog design, you need to understand what
they are - and why they work
Catalog design has come a long way from the industry's downscale origins
and the days of jam-packed "big books." In recent years we've seen more
avant-garde page design, as well as unusual use of typography and color to
make catalogs look different.
But as important as it is that catalogs stand out in today's ever-crowded
mailboxes, remember that "different" does not necessarily translate to
greater sales. Catalogers have long followed many of the established design
principles for one simple reason: They sell products. So before you embark
on an unusual or unconventional creative approach that breaks the rules,
make sure you and your designers know what the rules are.
Shown below are eight catalog creative rules generally accepted by
professional catalog managers and designers, rules that typically produce
decent, if not always spectacular, results. But with each creative rule, we
will show you exceptions that have boosted revenue and profits.
rule #1
Always place a best seller in the upper right corner of each spread.
As a rule, when readers glance at a catalog from front to back, their eyes
first fall to the upper right corner of a spread, so it makes sense to put
a strong product there. But best sellers are not always the most visually
compelling or attention-grabbing products. If that's the case, consider
placing in the upper right corner an unusual-looking product or photograph
that will impel readers to pause. Then by placing your best seller in
another prominent position on the spread, you will encourage readers to
view the entire catalog spread.
One of our clients, vitamins cataloger Healthy Directions, had much better
results after running a customer testimonial for a weight-loss food
supplement in the upper right corner, in lieu of just running a photo of
the item. Instead, the actual bottle of the weight loss product was
prominently placed near the top of the opposite page.
rule #2
Keep the typography simple, and limit the number of typefaces you use.
No matter how much information is necessary to close the sale, the copy has
to be legible - that means no reducing the type to 6 points to help you
cram in all the text. Still, sometimes some elements of the copy need to be
presented in type that's bolder or larger than the rest of the text to
communicate a special benefit or offer.
For instance, if you are selling men's pants that do not wrinkle, don't
bury this benefit in body copy. Instead, try a benefit headline with a
distinct type treatment to make sure it stands out. Casual apparel
cataloger Eddie Bauer, for instance, quickly communicates the advantage of
its trousers with the "defies wrinkles" head in a prominent location, using
bold type.
rule #3
A catalog must always have an order form.
When mail was the primary means of submitting orders, it was essential to
include a well-designed order form that was easy to fill out and mail,
usually with an attached envelope. But as telephone, fax, and the Web
continue to replace ordering by mail, many catalogers are rethinking this
creative tenet.
While fewer customers use the order form to mail orders, think twice before
you drop the form altogether. An order form in a catalog says "direct
selling" and sets it apart from information brochures and magazines. What's
more, many customers - both business and consumer - use the form as a
worksheet to organize their orders before calling or ordering via the
Internet.
As the ratio of mail to phone orders decreases, you may consider
eliminating the reply envelope, which is the most expensive part of the
order form. The envelope is also the creative element with the longest lead
time, often adding up to 15 days to the production cycle. If you're a
business mailer, you might replace the elaborate order form and preformed
envelope with a simple 8-1/2" x 11" one-color "telephone organizer and fax"
form.
rule #4
Consistent layouts are a mark of excellence.
Developing recognizable spreads, typographical elements, and icons is
important in creating a brand image. But if every spread looks the same and
follows the same rules of eye flow, customers will become bored and
probably choose not to peruse your entire book. Mixing up the spreads with
grids and "surprise" layouts encourages readers to spend more time
throughout your entire book. You can also improve pacing by creating
"stopper" spreads throughout the catalog using a series of planned layout
template changes.
For instance, you might use different colors, backgrounds, or layout
formats to break up the overall design of the catalog. The Electric Outlet
catalog, a client that sells household electrical items, uses the
occasional grid layout among mostly asymmetrical layouts to shake things
up, grab the readers' attention, and encourage them to stop and read the
spread.
rule #5
Standard catalog formats are more profitable.
You can gain many economies by working with your printer and the Postal
Service to determine an efficient trim size, but sometimes a unique format
will attract more attention or better enhance your brand than a standard
full-size, slim-jim, or digest-size catalog, which in turn can boost sales
and even the bottom line.
For instance, one of our clients, biking and walking travel tours mailer
Butterfield and Robinson, uses an oversize, coffee-table format to present
its trips and expeditions. Such an oversize format can add as much as 25%
to your paper and production costs, but some mailers trying to present a
certain image find it's worth the expense.
