MCM Awards 2008

Home and Gardening Products

	GOLD: Print Channel

	Jackson & Perkins, Wholesale Roses for 2008

April in Paris is beautiful; so is the other April in Paris — the pink hybrid tea rose on the cover of Jackson & Perkins' Wholesale Roses catalog. “Clear messaging and stopping-power creative,” observed one impressed judge.

WHY IT WON A GOLD AWARD: Sure, the photography is fabulous and the print quality is high. But it's the copy that drew the top marks. “Great copy — it's written as if each item is a piece of exquisite jewelry,” gushed a panelist. The intro for the aforementioned April in Paris: “The essence of pure romance, these whisper-pink porcelain blooms are among the most powerfully perfumed roses we've every grown.” Copy works hard, “explaining different types of roses, with clear descriptions of each type of flower,” said a judge.

IDEA TO STEAL: Here's an easy one: Make the point size of the font legible. “It's the first text where I didn't have to put on my glasses!” exclaimed one grateful judge, “and it's readable over images.” — MD

Director: Mara Oane

Designer: Steve Burns

Creative director: Estin B. Kiger

Marketing director: Charlie Anderson

Print/production director: Lisa Chang

Merchandiser: Greta Mikkelsen

Copywriter: Jill Thacker

Photographers: Ron Anderson, Rob Rebman

Printer: CDS Publications

Color separator/prepress provider: Shawk

List management/broker: ALC

	SILVER: Print Channel

	L.L. Bean Home, Summer 2007

Can you capture the feeling of summertime in Maine in a catalog? L.L. Bean Home manages to with the cover photo showing a croquet set in use against a lush green lawn. “Imagery and copy are aligned to reveal the outdoor summer vacation feeling of the East Coast,” said one judge.

WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: The copy is “wonderful,” said one judge, “and clearly outlines features and benefits of each product in a clear and concise style.” L.L. Bean writes in a style “that is clear, easy to read and understand, but not boring or monotonous.”

And the catalog's eyeflow is great: “As I flipped through, each page had something in the right spot to catch my eye!” a panelist proclaimed.

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD AWARD: Some members of the judging panel felt the production values weren't up to Bean's standards. “The pages are thin and sometimes stick together,” said one judge. Another was more blunt: “The paper looks dirty, and takes away from the vibrant photography.” — MD

Director: Don Oakes

Creative directors: Jim Hauptman, Marcia Minter

Print/production director: Jason Kendeigh

Merchandiser: Robin Sayre

Copywriter: Ruth Otterstein-Mueller

Art directors: Elizabeth Fuller, Sandra Wang

Editorial manager: Craig Fessler

Printer: Quebecor World

Color separator/prepress provider: Vertis

List broker/manager: Millard Group

	International

	GOLD: Print Channel

	New Pig Corp., U.K.

You might think that Pennsylvania-raised New Pig would be a fish out of water when the cataloger hits U.K. shores. Hardly. The chemical cleanup supplies marketer has a knack for turning its catalog efforts into pure gold, whether it's here or over there.

WHY IT WON A GOLD AWARD: “Excellent all round,” is how one judge described New Pig's U.K. catalog, while another commented, “My favorite in the b-to-b category.” In particular, the book drew high marks for merchandising, copy, customer service and overall print quality.

The covers work hard to sell, communicate brand, and convey ordering information. “A textbook example of benefit-related b-to-b cataloging,” said one panelist.

IDEA TO STEAL: It's okay to have a little fun when selling industrial supplies. For instance, New Pig's cartoon mascot assures customers that, “Our pallets and decks stand a hoof and snout above the competition!” — MD

Executive director: Mark Bryan

Marketing directors: Allyson Bryan, Allen de Koning

Creative directors: Stacie Fronk, Beth Love

Product manager: Darren Hamilton

Project manager: Edward Engle

Creative: Gina Baker, Geoff Corzine, Jennifer Harker, Brenda Kerr, Kevin Ludgate, Jeff Schiefer, Laura Shoup, Julie White

Photographer: McManus Studios

Printer: Wyndeham

List manager/broker: Edith Roman