“I’ll take one of each product, please,” said a judge while leafing through the Holiday 2001 edition of Orvis’s Men’s Traditions catalog. And it’s plain to see why looking at the catalog with Visa card in hand could be harmful to your credit rating. Not only are the products “outstanding and highly appropriate,” said another panelist, but they’re also presented “stunningly.”
Where to begin? How about the front cover, a photo of a lone hiker in the snow dwarfed amid a grove of Sequoia trees. Yes, the image is “compelling,” to quote a judge, but it also shows rather than tells what Orvis is all about: catering to rugged, outdoorsy, risk-taking men who are sophisticated enough to appreciate a soft sell.
The copy carries that theme throughout the catalog. “It’s highly persuasive in promoting benefits, romancing when appropriate, and giving ample description to allow a buying decision. Truly excellent,” praised a judge. Here’s just one description, of the Wing Chair Reader’s Cardigan and Vest, that exemplifies the mix of romance and benefit: “Designed specifically for the avid armchair reader. A pure cotton knit that keeps you comfortable for endless chapters of Dickens, Hemingway, or Joyce. A bit of extra length ensures warmth and prevents the sweater from riding up even when you’re fully reclined. Pockets hold spectacles, pens, pipe, and other essentials…”
The merchandise mix itself is a portfolio of apparel and accessories that Orvis’s target market might well consider essentials: leather jackets, hiking boots, tweed sports coats, oxford shirts, cargo pants, canvas satchels, safari hats, snow clogs…. One judge summed it up in two words: “Great stuff!”
The panelists were equally succinct in discussing the catalog design and production: “Superb!” “Elegant and clean.” Photos of models, action shots, and backgrounds of misty moors and snow-tipped evergreens energize the pristine pages of products silhouetted against white space.
Let’s not forget the customer service — because Orvis sure doesn’t. In addition to 24-hour ordering, overnight shipping, and gift packaging, Orvis offers an unlimited guarantee (“We will refund your money on any purchase that isn’t 100% satisfactory. Anytime. For any reason. It’s that simple.”). Plus product personalization options. Plus a toll-free phone number for Spanish-speakers. Plus another toll-free number for the hearing impaired.
Never mind where to begin — where do we end? How about with this summary by a panelist: “Top drawer all the way.”
The Orvis Co.
Historic Route 7A
Manchester, VT 05254
802-362-8687
www.orvis.com
Company founded: 1856
Catalog manager/merchandiser: Jim LePage
Art director: David Lindberg
Production manager: Susan Murphy
Advertising director: Bill Eyre
Acquisition manager: Lori Vilbrin
Copywriter: Tom Murray
Photographer: Loretta Hamera
Marketing directors: Eric Johnson, Mark Fagiano
Printer: Quad/Graphics
Color separator/prepress provider: Quad Imaging
List broker/manager: Millard Group
Cover paper: 55 lb.
Text paper: 34 lb.
Trim size: 7-15/16″ × 10-1/2″