How Paper Catalogs Remain Relevant in a Digital Age

The audience for catalogues is growing, even as the pandemic subsides. The emerging remote/hybrid work culture and consumers’ increased screen time will make analogue experiences such as catalogues increasingly appealing and effective. 

Just photos Vs Photos with text: While both designs are effective compared to not receiving the catalogues, designs with photos and textual narratives are 40% more effective in sales and customer engagement than designs with only photos and product names.

Catalogues featuring hedonic products have 120% higher marketing ROI than utilitarian products, consistent with psychological theories. Higher-priced products also achieved 50% higher marketing ROI compared to lower-priced products.

The finding that the catalogue’s effectiveness is product-type dependent can help explain why while many hedonic and experiential brands such as Birchbox and Lego are implementing catalogue strategies, many traditional utilitarian brands such as Ikea have discontinued them.

As retailers and brands increasingly compete beyond mere performance attributes to win the hearts and minds of consumers, they ought to think carefully about the aesthetic design aspects of their marketing programs. High-quality physical catalogues with stunning imagery combined with compelling narratives can create the sensory awe that would be hard to replicate on a digital screen.

These sensory experiences can then lead to long-lasting impressions and stronger relationships with customers, and translate competitive advantage for the company.