Best Practices in Cover Design 2011

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SUBJECT MATTER: PRODUCT, PRODUCTS, PERSON, PLACE OR PROMOTION?

There are no universally right or wrong answers to what to put on the cover; it depends on your positioning and brand, the look within your catalog, the purpose of the catalog and your points of differentiation. Here are some things you want to keep in mind.

• When to use models on the cover

  If you're a men's or women's fashion catalog and use models in the catalog, you probably want to use them on the cover. (But if you don't use models inside the catalog, you probably don't want the disconnect of having one on the cover.)

  If you are considering a model shot for the cover, remember this: You'd better do a stellar job. That means allocating time to the shoot and talent to the casting, hair and make-up, styling, photography and art direction. While interior shots are smaller, less important and therefore somewhat forgiving, a bad cover shot can carry a lot of negative communication.

• Portraying still-life on the cover

  Many catalogers prefer product-focused covers. That's certainly fine — and if that's the case, the same rule for allocating time, resources and talent applies to a still-life cover. Since you don't have the attitude of the model to reflect brand, it's even more important that you make sure that the styling, style of photography, props, etc. support your unique positioning and achieve differentiation.

• Can no product on the cover be effective?

  If you are considering a no-product cover, such as a landscape or location (a la Territory Ahead, Coldwater Creek or Garnet Hill) it should directly support your desired brand and it should be carried throughout the book in some manner.

• Should prospecting covers be different?

  If you are mailing a prospect version of the catalog, consider putting multiple products on the cover. Experience indicates that prospects respond better when they see a wider breadth of merchandise on a front cover. This can be accomplished in a group shot, grid or inset shots.

• When to use an all-type cover

  All type covers can be very effective on sale catalogs. Type becomes the art and the more drama (and color), the better.

• Critical elements of an effective catalog cover

  An effective cover results from a thoughtful and strategic combination of multiple factors. It includes the treatment of the logo, type, photography, color, seasonality, offer, language, design and copy. Here's some advice for some of those areas.

• The logo

  It's imperative that the logo be prominent and easy to read. It needs to be the first thing a recipient sees and for that reason it should appear at the top of the catalog. Ask yourself: Could you be missing customers because they don't recognize your company or can't see your logo at a glance? (Especially in a pile of mail!)

  When it comes to logo design, simple is better. Think of J. Crew, Lands' End, Victoria's Secret, L.L. Bean. If your logo is hard to read, over-designed or weak in any way, maybe it's time to rethink or modify it. And while all lower-case lettering may be a favorite of the art department, it's usually a weak and understated treatment for a logo.

• The tagline

  One of the hardest groupings of words to agree upon, taglines are nevertheless a great way to state your positioning (promise to the customer) in a succinct fashion. One of my long-time favorites is Levenger's “Tools for Serious Readers.” It describes the promise and the customer's lifestyle, and is broad enough to include merchandise categories that are related to literate people. All in a four words.

• Information and offers

  A hard-working front cover contains copy with the goal of further motivating the recipient to open the catalog. The challenges are:

  • Make sure all copy is readable (especially on complicated covers).

  • Prioritize the messages! For example, make sure Free Shipping and Handling gets more prominence than Look Inside for Great Father's Day Gifts.

  • Design messages to “look like” what they are. Offers such as percent or dollars off, or Free Shipping & Handling should be in dot-whacks, banners or bursts in a very prominent location, such as the upper-right-hand corner; that's where the customer expects to find it. Information such as number of new products in a catalog or a new designer could go in bold type in a somewhat prominent location. Supporting information, such as what to find inside, can be in more simple black type in a less prominent spot.

• The use of color

  There's a big opportunity for most catalogers to use color more strategically — and nowhere makes more sense than on the front cover. Color can be a big indicator of seasonality, which can be an amazing shopping motivator. It's also a technique to build brand recognition: Doesn't it seem crazy for the logo to change color for each catalog because creative wants to make it match or aesthetically pleasing? I'll take the consistent use of thoughtfully selected color(s) as a brand reminder any day! Look how effective companies like Tiffany and Godiva have been with their use of color.

• Phone number and web address

  While it's a sure bet your phone number and website appear on almost every spread of the catalog on the footer (at least they should) this information should also be on the cover: It's an immediate signal that the catalog is asking for an order.

PLAN YOUR COVERS AS A CAMPAIGN!

Since all customers and most prospects will receive many catalogs from you over time, it's important to look at your covers as a campaign. It can be very helpful to step back and plan an annual cover contact strategy that takes into account seasonality, holiday, events and outside factors.

While merchandise needn't be selected and your plans can always change, this process increases the probability that you'll be identifying the consistent factors that improve brand, while at the same time planning the development of differentiated catalogs.

glenda@sjdirect.com, is a consultant in the direct marketing industry. She specializes in improving performance and branding through creative applications.