Sporting Goods

GOLD: PRINT CHANNEL

L.L. Bean | Outdoor, Summer 2005

Packing a variety of products into a slim catalog, L.L. Bean proves itself a source for just about every summer activity from hiking to biking. Bean also proves it's a leader among catalogers with hundreds of new products, an iron-clad guarantee, and multiple ways to shop. Best-of-class marketing, photography, copy, and design guarantee it a spot on the winner's stand.

Why it won a Gold Award

If L.L. Bean's unique cover shot of a man canoeing in a lake doesn't entice you to open its summer catalog, the headline proclaiming the company as “Your trusted guide for summer fun” probably will. Inside, the multichannel merchant lays out its promise to satisfy customers: Buyers can return any product at any time if they are less than 100% satisfied in any way. One judge commended Bean for calling out this guarantee in its opening spread, as well as for using the valuable real estate for a table of contents and Web callouts.

A call for stories from customers about trips they've taken with their L.L. Bean gear and apparel is certain to make shoppers feel like a vital part of the company, if not like a member of an exclusive club. Bean's Outdoor Discovery Schools get a plug as well: “Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve an existing skill, our programs make it easy to learn — with expert instructors in a relaxing environment.”

Lifestyle shots on nearly every page show the products in use. In one photo a mother demonstrates to her son the proper way to hold a canoe paddle; in another a man uses an LED headlamp to read a book after dark. Product call-outs near the photographs explain why L.L. Bean's products are top of the line.

Several judges praised the cataloger's product copy and headlines. By detailing the product specifications and key benefits, the copy not only provides reasons to buy but also reinforces the overall brand credibility.

Take this headline, for a Katadyn Exstream Water Purifier: “The only water bottle available today with a virus-removing purifier built in.” Or this snippet of copy, for the Teva Ricochet Pro Shoes: “Whether you're exploring coves or hiking your favorite trail, the ventilated mesh upper of these amphibious shoes will keep your feet cool and comfortable. Wraparound webbing and quick-drying sock liner provide a secure fit. 360° drainage system lets water escape.”

Throughout the catalog, Bean leverages classic catalog layout and page flow to guide readers through each product category. “The catalog makes excellent use of pagination to take consumers through the categories — water to cycling to backpacking to camping to outerwear. Consumers can page through and buy all of their accessories,” said one of the panelists.

The judging panel also hailed the catalog for its airy design, which made the book easy to browse. “Great use of white space to isolate product attributes,” said one judge. Another summed up the creative in two words: “Very nice.”

Idea to steal

L.L. Bean includes “Tested in the Field” sections throughout the catalog to explain where and how it tested a particular product, such as its Buzz Off line of clothing with an insect shield built in. By making readers aware of Bean's stringent focus on merchandise quality, the sections work to sell not only the products but also the brand as a whole. — HR

Creative directors: Don Oakes, Marcia Minter, Jim Hauptman
Copywriters: Chris Seid, Ming Linsley
Designer: Vivian Page
Photo/art director: Elise Plakke
Merchandiser: Stephen Whitworth
Photography: Steve Mason, Macomber Photography
Printer: Quebecor World
Color separator/prepress: Vertis
Cover paper: 60 lb., IP Velocity
Text paper: 38 lb., IP Advocate
Trim size: 8" × 10"
Number of pages: 116

GOLD: PRINT CHANNEL

L.L. Bean | Outdoor, Winter 2005

In its winter Outdoor catalog, L.L. Bean reminds consumers that winter is about more than sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace. It's also the season to bundle up in a warm fleece pullover, pull on a ski hat, and hit the slopes or don the snowshoes. From the front cover — depicting a laughing family sledding down a hill covered with pristine snow — to the comprehensive product mix, L.L. Bean proves itself to be the outfitter for all your winter wonderland needs.

Why it won a Gold Award

There are many things that L.L. Bean does well, but perhaps the most notable is its iron-clad guarantee. Of the cataloger's customer service and ease of ordering, one judge said, “Come on, it's L.L. Bean. Of course they have all of these bases covered.” Indeed, Bean offers a branded Visa credit card, gift certificates, gift boxing, free alterations, international shipping, guidelines on choosing the correct size clothing, monogramming…the list goes on.

The catalog emphasizes that there is more to winter than just downhill skiing; it's also about snowshoeing, Nordic walking, and camping. L.L. Bean comes through with apparel and gear for all these activities. “The book is well organized and is a resource for winter outdoor fun and activities,” noted a panelist.

L.L. Bean's marketing goal of making winter fun was definitely accomplished, said one judge, adding that the action photography played a huge role in accomplishing that. Smiles abound in pictures of children and their parents clad in Bean gear and experiencing the great outdoors.

The company's brand is reinforced unobtrusively at the bottom of each page with listings for its Website and 800-number. Bean further encourages cross-channel shopping by touting its Website throughout the catalog as a way to find a wider assortment of merchandise. For instance, “With hundreds of Thule products at your fingertips and the help of our interactive Fit Guide, outfitting your vehicle is fast and easy,” reads one blurb. What's more, the URLs are category specific, sending customers to particular sections of the Website such as outerwear, outdoors, or gear.

Product copy goes well beyond the basic, providing extra information such as the best use and terrain for various types of snowshoes. And the introductory copy accompanying the item descriptions is consumer friendly and evocative, as in this example, introducing the Turtle Fur Superlight Accessories: “The ultimate layer for taking the edge off brisk winter air.”

“It's hard to find fault with these guys,” said one panelist about L.L. Bean's pagination. One page flows to the next without so much as a hiccup between a spread featuring ski luggage to a spread of winter camping gear. Add to that spreads that are neither too airy nor too cramped, and you've got yet another reason that Bean deserves to skate home with a Gold Award.

Idea to steal

If your product descriptions need to include myriad product details in order to sell effectively, you risk producing overwhelmingly dense copy blocks. L.L. Bean avoids that by using mini-snapshots to show some of these additional product details. For its Glad Gore-Tex Soft-Shell Jacket, for instance, Bean uses the copy block to tell consumers how the item will keep them dry even in a torrential downpour and displays small photos to showcase the jacket's goggle pocket, removable snow skirt, and fleece lining. — HR

Creative directors: Don Oakes, Marcia Minter, Jim Hauptman
Copywriters: Chris Seid, Ming Linsley
Designer: Vivian Page
Photo/art director: Elise Plakke
Merchandiser: Stephen Whitworth
Photography: Steve Mason, Macomber Photography
Printer: Quebecor World
Color separator/prepress: Vertis
Cover paper: 60 lb., IP Velocity
Text paper: 38 lb., IP Advocate
Trim size: 8" × 10"
Number of pages: 100

SILVER: PRINT CHANNEL

The Orvis Co. | Fly Fishing, Spring 2005

Zip. Shhh. Plop. That's the sound of the fly reel on the front cover of Orvis's spring Fly Fishing catalog. You can practically hear the sound of the water lapping and the fish biting in the striking photograph of a man scanning a flat for a bonefish in southern Belize. Orvis follows through on that image with solution-driven copy, glowing testimonials, and a rich product assortment.

Why it won a Silver Award

As a cataloger/retailer of outdoor sporting goods and apparel, Orvis knows how to deliver what its customers want. Judges were impressed with the catalog's range of new and carry-over product geared to the serious angler. “Wow! What a great selection of merchandise. What else could you need? Luckily they have a table of contents to get you where you need to go,” one panelist said. The table guides customers from performance apparel to polarized sunglasses to waders to fly lines.

Orvis excels at presenting technical information in an interesting and easy to read way. The catalog brims with charts detailing rod specifications and what type of line to use for particular species of fish. There's even the Orvis Flex Index (“For the first time in the history of fly-rod manufacturing, we can take a fly rod and compare it numerically and precisely to any other fly rod in terms of its action…”). Despite this wealth of information, however, the catalog is still easy to browse. “Each spread has personality,” said a judge. “It makes you want to linger with this catalog.”

And every judge was in agreement with the cataloger's use of problem/solution boxes, in which the company's experts resolve fly-fishing dilemmas. To the query “My old fly reel and line don't sing like they used to,” Orvis recommended reel reconditioning and new line loading. Orvis just happens to offer such services, promising to overhaul equipment and return it ready in one week (during the off-season) or two weeks (during peak season).

By promoting this affordable service ($15.95 for basic cleaning and refurbishing) rather than trying to sell new equipment to resolve the issue, Orvis positions itself as a resource and helpmate rather than as merely another retailer. And by offering the service in the first place, Orvis also reinforces its credibility as an expert in the sport.

Why it didn't win a Gold Award

The catalog includes customer testimonials praising Orvis's service, but very little space in the book is dedicated to its service offerings themselves. The judges noted that Orvis does include a telephone number and e-mail address for technical questons, but they felt some of its other services, including its promise of “100% satisfaction guaranteed,” could have been promoted better. They also thought the lack of an order form was a mistake.

In addition, a few panelists pointed out that all the catalog's technical information and quotes from experts could be intimidating for someone just starting in the sport. “Does it scare away novices?” one panelist wondered. Offering some editorial tailored to newbies could help. (In fact, Orvis does have a “Beginner's Corner” on its Website, with articles such as “How to Successfully Sharpen a Hook.”) — HR

Creative/advertising director: Bill Eyre
Art director: Tim Achor-Hoch
Marketing director: John Rogers
Marketing managers: Jon Mori, Joan Nash
Merchandise directors: Mike Gawtry, Jim Lepage
Production director: Meg Cassin
Production manager: Victoria Woodruff
Customer service director: Angela Wolfe
Copywriters: Tom Murray; Eric Rickstad
Photo producer: Mary Allen
Photography: Macomber Photography
Printer/color separator: Quad/Graphics
List broker: Millard Group
Cover paper: 80 lb., #3 Escanable Encore
Text paper: 34 lb., #5 UPM Cote
Trim size: 7-15/16" × 10-1/2"
Number of pages: 168