22nd ANNUAL MULTICHANNEL MERCHANT AWARDS

Retail Traffic Driver

SILVER: PRINT CHANNEL

Relax the Back | Holiday 2006
If you're one of the millions of Americans suffering from back pain, you're probably familiar with Relax the Back. And if you're not familiar, your spine might appreciate it if you look the company up.

Having grown out of the company's store it opened in 1984, Relax The Back's catalog sells posture and back support products and self-care solutions to people seeking relief and prevention of back and neck pain.

Why it won a Silver Award
“The front cover is very engaging,” says one judge. The laser focus on products relieving back pain is wonderful,” as are the shots of people using the product. “It's very effective.”

“I found this catalog to be well done,” said a judge. In perhaps the ultimate compliment, the panelist added that “I found myself wanting to seek out one of the stores to purchase one of these products.”

There's good follow-through once you get beyond the catalog's cover. From special mattresses to ergonomic chairs, the merchandise offering is “surprisingly good and broad for a niche market,” a member of the panel commented.

The overall copy is effective, following the classic feature/benefit style. “The explanation of the benefits of massage chairs is excellent,” said one judge. “But the headlines need improving, and they could help initiate a “gift” purchase since this is for the holidays,” says one judge.

A second judge commented, “the casualness of the type treatment is a bit incongruent for the price point, but it does lend a bit of easiness to the shopping experience.”

Judges lauded Relax the Back's use of illustration to convey the message. “The message technology illustrations are exceedingly helpful in describing the chair action the customer can expect,” a judge said.

Why it didn't win a Gold Award
Relax the Back's back cover offers inexpensive products ancillary to the core product in the catalog, which are massage chairs, ergonomic office chairs and beds. “It's not what conveys the brand,” one judge said. “They should have a chair on the back. Selling a $40 product on the back cover makes no sense.”

Another judge noted that the company's disclaimer about product availability on the page footer is a real turn-off. “It is the anti-store driver. Items that are not available in stores should be marked as such.”
— MDF

Director: Leanne Mattes
Designer/creative director: David Ensz
Marketing director/list manager: Ty Manion
Print/production directors: Philip Korn, Lori Andrews
Merchandiser: J.D. Nespoli
Copywriter: Wayne Fauber
Photographer/illustrator: Joe Carlson Studios
Printer/color separator/prepress: Times Printing
List brokers: Abacus, I-Behavior, Next Action, Claritas
Cover paper: 60 lb., Influence, Verso Paper
Text paper: 50 lb., Liberty, Verso Paper
Trim size: 8-3/8" × 10-7/8"
Number of pages: 40

Small Catalog

SILVER: PRINT CHANNEL

Action Bag Co. | Holiday 2006
Action Bag may be a business-to-business cataloger targeting female-focused beauty businesses, but by carefully choosing colors and using large product images, it succeeds in making this book feel like it's made for a typical consumer. “I think the consumer feel of the catalog seems right for image-conscious customers,” one judge commented. And by offering breast cancer and heart health awareness specialty items, it further “conveys the impression that this cataloger is up to date on current trends that can help its customers.”

Why it won a Silver Award
Inside, Action Bag demonstrates that it understands its niche product by encompassing the scope of merchandise available — offering everything from paper and plastic bags, to gift baskets, to ribbon, to tissue paper, to display cases. Additionally, judges liked the amount of new and exclusive items the marketer offered, noting that it helps position Action Bag as a “one-stop shop for packaging promotions.

Benefit-driven copy targeted to beauty businesses is “clear” and “descriptive.” For example, product copy for the exclusive Awareness Tissue Paper reads: “Perfect accent for great causes! Choose from pink ribbon or red dress tissue. Add to any bag or gift set to create instant awareness. Small packs make it easy to use in any awareness program.”

“This catalog makes plastic bags seem chic,” said one panelist.” It does a good job of making packaging look attractive and even upscale for companies in the beauty business.”

Why it didn't win a Gold Award
Judges pointed out that although product shots were bold and beautiful, many spreads were cluttered with too many images. For example, one photo picture shows a selection of gift boxes. With 10 boxes, three spools of ribbon, additional “staging” products, tissue paper, and bows all in the same shot, matching product to item number is difficult.

Copy can be difficult to read when placed over an image or when it is too similar to surrounding copy. “Catalog design 101 is not being done,” said a judge.
— HR

Director/marketing director/print and production director/merchandiser: Jaimey Alumbaugh
Designer: Heidi Fornalsky
Creative director: Carol Worthington Levy
Copywriter: Carol Worthingon Levy
Photographer/illustrator: Chris Roche, Kris Knight
Printer: Quebecor World, Dallas
Color separator/prepress: Quebecor World Premedia
List manager/broker/consultant: Lenser
Cover paper: 70 lb., #3 Influence gloss
Text paper: 45 lb., #3 Bowmax 84 gloss
Trim size: 8-3/8" × 10-7/8"
Number of pages: 76