Business Specialty Products

SILVER: Print Channel

L.L. Bean, Direct to Business, Holiday 2008

The venerable L.L. Bean is a legend when it comes to consumer catalog marketing. The outdoor gear and apparel merchant is also making quite a splash in the business-to-business market with this Silver-Award-winning holiday catalog.

WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: L.L. Bean has selected a nice cross-section of its huge product line for b-to-b personalization, said one judge. “Apparel is conservative, which I would expect is a good match for the corporate buyer.” In fact, said another panelist, “I would show clothing on the cover,” rather than the personalized canvas totebag featured, “since that is the thrust of the catalog.”

Then there's Bean's high service standards. On the inside front cover, is the order form, and in multiple locations inside the book, “Bean finds ways to make it look easy to order personalized products,” said one judge .

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD AWARD: Judges were not in love with the covers. Both front and back photos are dark and murky, pointed out a panelist. “The apparel on the back cover lacked detail because of this.” — MD

Designer: Vivian Page

Creative directors: Jenna Klein Jonsson, Marcia Minter

Associate creative director: Christopher Seid

Marketing director: Nancy Dynan-Fischman

Print/production director: Jason Kendeigh

Merchandiser: Amy Steenstra

Copywriter: Kristen Stewart

Art directors: Betty Fuller, Greg Gorman

Printer/color separator/prepress provider: Quad Graphics

List broker: MeritDirect

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