MCM Awards 2008

SILVER: Print Channel

	New Pig Corp., Germany

Sprechen zie Deutsch? Neither do we — that's why we have international judges. But New Pig Corp. evidently does, as the industrial cleanup products merchant has snared a Silver Award for its German catalog edition.

WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: The merchandise is consistent with the marketing goal. “Product use is the hero,” said one judge. Merchandising is “fantastic,” said another panelist, noting that New Pig leaves no room for any competitor.

And just like New Pig's U.S. and U.K. versions, this catalog is very well organized. Pages are designed to help the customer move naturally from the picture though the copy.

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD AWARD: The language barrier may have tripped up the near-perfect New Pig. “The sales copy is not as good as its American counterpart,” said one judge. “And the photography is simply out of touch with the German target.” — 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, Jennifer Harker, Dustin Hess, Kevin Ludgate, Jeff Schiefer, Laura Shoup, Julie White, Stephanie Yingling

Photographer: McManus Studios

Printer: Druck Zentrum Essen

List manager/broker: Schober Direct

	International

	SILVER: Web Channel

	www.orvis.co.uk

The Web enables U.S. merchants to sell overseas with ease, but Orvis kicks it up a notch with its Silver-Award-winning U.K. site. The British site scores in transporting the emotional warmth of the catalog to the Web, while enhancing it with features, reviews and additional content.

WHY IT WON A SILVER: The site's search functionality is excellent, and copy is well written for the market. For instance, the copy for a waistcoat (vest) begins: “A great layering piece for transitional weather, our microfibre waistcoat has allover diamond quilting, a zip front, stand collar, two welt pockets, rounded vents at the hemline, and side tabs to adjust for fit…”

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD: The placement of potential cross-sell products is not ideal. “Orvis might want to take a look at ‘the fold,’ as the cross-sells might be below the bottom of the screen,” the judge said. “There are plenty of cross-sells, but not as much of a focus on upsells. Maybe there is an opportunity there?” — TP

* No information provided

	SILVER: Web Channel

	www.waspbarcode.co.uk

Shopping for barcode software and accessories can be awfully cumbersome — just ask “any warehouse manager in the mail order industry,” said one judge. But with its U.K. Website, “Wasp Barcode even makes it fun.”

WHY IT WON A SILVER: Judges felt that the Wasp Barcode U.K. Website was particularly well crafted for business-to-business selling. Why? It's clear, concise and effective, and it gives the user the feeling of being in control.

And like its U.S. counterpart, it uses streaming video in order to help people choose the right products.

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD: The art direction needs work. “There is too much empty space at the top, in between, and at the bottom, which makes the page somewhat unusable,” a judge said. And the navigation is weak when it comes to producing clickthroughs off the home page. “There just isn't enough stuff to click on,” said another panelist. — TP

Creative director: Brian Sutter

Marketing director: Grant Wickes

Webmaster/Website designer: Alana Duma

Copywriter: Bob Griswold

Consultant: Hugh Furness

	New Catalog

	SILVER: Print Channel

	Edmund Optics, 2007 Master Source Book

With its “extremely deep” coverage of optics, Edmund Optics is focused on its audience. The company's 2007 Master Source Book is a reference book “that no qualified customer would throw away,” according to one judge.

WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: The woman on the front cover seems odd at first, but “it does add warmth to an otherwise cold and sterile-looking product line,” a judge said. “And you're drawn to her eye, which relates to optics.”

The strength of the catalog is the breadth of product and “a great opening spread, which talks about the company and what they stand for,” said one judge. “The layout is very organized.”

WHY IT DIDN'T WIN A GOLD AWARD: The return and warranty policy seems convoluted, noted one judge, but it may just reflect the nature of the industry. One thing that did not work is the grayed-out text in the table of contents, said the same panelist. “I'm sure they've realized that by now.” — MD

Director: Gretchen Morris

Designer: Dawn Kozarski

Marketing director: Maris Edmund

Photographer/illustrator: Gary Mattie Studios

Adviser: Robert Edmund

Printer: R.R. Donnelley

List manager: Jeff Harvey

List broker: Edith Roman