Syndicated/Co-op

GOLD: PRINT CHANNEL

Catalyst Communication | David's World Cycle, 2005 Cycling Guide

Picturesque mountains rising above a line of fir trees are the backdrop for the front cover of the David's World Cycle 2005 Cycling Guide catalog. Completing the picture are two cyclists riding in the foreground, while below the logo reads the tagline: “It's All About The Experience.” At the bottom of the page, below the cyclists, another tagline reads: “Wherever You Ride, We Have The Bike For You.” All of which sums up the catalog, and the company, perfectly.

Why it won a Gold Award

This catalog draws in both avid cyclists and novices and never lets go. Merchandise coupons, advertisements for weeklong bike excursions, and cycling tips are among the elements that set this catalog apart. One sidebar, for example, discusses the pros and cons of aluminum, steel, titanium, and carbon fiber bike frames. Other topics covered in the tip sections include how to select a bike for a child and how to “pedal like the pros.”

“Excellent usage of cycling information to make David's World Cycle a trusted expert,” a judge declared. “Interesting use of personalized coupons and even a letter to a senator recommending approval of bike-related legislation. All of the additional information makes the catalog useful as a cycling equipment guide and makes the company come across as a source for serious cyclists.”

A serious cycling catalog wouldn't be complete without pictures of and references to seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. “Saddle up with the #1 Name in Bikes” a headline on page 3 says, accompanied by a picture of Armstrong. The subhead reads: “Trek road bikes: Lance-level performance for everyone.” The catalog also includes photos of three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. The references to these cycling celebrities solidify the catalog's own credibility.

“There's lots of information” in the book, noted a panelist, “but it's easy to read and follow, thanks in part to the placement of the product-specific benefits near images.” Silhouettes of bicycles, for instance, are accompanied by captionlike call-outs such as “Shorter crankarms for better acceleration” and “Stable handling and more upright position for comfort and control.”

In summation, one judge stated: “Copy excellence, category ownership, product shots that are enticing — everything about this catalog leaves you wanting to buy.”

Idea to steal

On the inside front cover, next to a brief president's letter and a few paragraphs detailing the benefits of buying from David's, is a column entitled “Ask David's World Cycle: Answers to common service questions.” There's no “sell” in the answers — other than the soft sell of David's expertise. — JT

Director/creative director: Leslie Bohm
Designers: Jason Poole, Scott Kronberg, Robb Deeter
Marketing director: Vanessa Curry
Print/production director: Theresa Regnier
Operations director: Gregg Thayer
Copywriter: Lee McCormack
Photography: Trek
Printer: Royle Printing
List manager: Kevin Stein
List broker: Jim Hall, Chilcutt
Cover paper: 80 lb., Influence gloss book
Text paper: 70 lb., Influence gloss book
Trim size: 9" × 10-7/8"
Number of pages: 28

SILVER: PRINT CHANNEL

Catalyst Communication | Black Creek Outfitters, Outdoor Guide, Fall/Winter 2005

As it says on the catalog's inside front cover, Black Creek Outfitters is “the First Coast's premier outdoor store.” The bottom of the short greeting is signed by the owners, the Butler family — Helen, Joe Jr., and Joe Sr. This homey flavor runs throughout the catalog.

Why it won a Silver Award

Besides the family greeting, the inside cover touches on topics such as the staff's knowledge of kayaking, hiking, and other outdoor activities; guaranteed special ordering (at no extra cost) of out-of-stock items; and a company history. It also mentions the company's pledge of 1% of net sales to the Red Cross for hurricane relief and has snapshots of grinning staffers. “It's a great page two,” enthused a judge.

The panelists thought that the mix of product copy and editorial features (tips on staying warm when engaging in winter sports, “Fun Foot Facts,” a listing of river conservation organizations, even a recipe for spicy hot chocolate) was solid as well. “Good use of supplemental information to a backpacking customer that is interested,” said one judge. “Great use of fun facts,” added another member of the panel.

Why it didn't win a Gold Award

“The cover design is too institutional for this market,” contended a judge. Said another: “The front cover is average at best, and there's no product featured on the back cover.”

The back cover featured virtually the only mention of Black Creek Outfitters' phone number and URL. Even though the catalog's primary purpose is to drive retail traffic, the judges felt that more cross-referencing of the Website in particular was in order, especially as the site includes such features as equipment checklists and events listings. — JT

Director/creative director: Leslie Bohm
Designers: Kristal Boni, Diane French
Print/production director: Theresa Regnier
Operations director: Gregg Thayer
Copywriter: Diane French
Photography: PatitucciPhoto, Jef Maion at Nomad's Land, JupiterImages
Printer: Times Printing
List manager: Vanessa Curry
List broker: Jim Hall, Chilcutt
Cover paper: 80 lb., Influence #2
Text paper: 70 lb., Influence #2
Trim size: 9-1/4" × 9-1/5"
Number of pages: 20

SILVER: WEB CHANNEL

Tessco | www.tessco.com

If you're in the market for wireless products and solutions, the Website of Tessco Technologies is a good place to start. The home page of the Silver Award-winning site includes such categories as Network Infrastructure Equipment, Mobile Devices & Accessories, and Installation, Test, Equipment & Supplies, all of which are no doubt valuable to shoppers of wireless equipment.

Why it won a Silver Award

You may have to be a wireless technology guru to truly appreciate the Tessco site. For instance, if you need mobile antennas, transmission lines and cables, or calibration tools, you should be able to find them here. The navigation labels are technical, noted one judge, but “they probably make sense to Tessco's customers.”

Same thing with the copy, which “contains bullets with highly technical language,” a panelist pointed out. For instance, the copy for a type of heat-shrink tubing states that “3M FP-301 is a heat shrinkable flexible polyolefin tubing that offers an outstanding balance of electrical, physical and chemical properties for a wide variety of industrial and military applications. Rated for 275°F (135°C) continuous operation. FP-301 tubing is typically used as a shrink-fit electrical insulation over cable splices and terminations. It is also used for lightweight wire harness covering, wire marking, wire bundling, component packaging and fire resistant covering….” While a layperson wouldn't understand much of this, Tessco's customers evidently do: The site boasts a high conversion rate that impressed the judging panel.

Onsite search provides relevant results and breaks them into categories. And with searches for popular categories, Tessco breaks down the results into subcategories, which is helpful, a judge said. Also, “the compare feature is nice,” said another.

Why it didn't win a Gold Award

“Tessco is assuming that their customers know exactly what they want and don't need any help deciding,” said one judge. “There is no merchandising on the site,” pointed out another. “The home page and category pages expose categories and don't merchandise products, and product pages hide categories and don't merchandise products. There are no cross-sells or upsells.”

And the ordering process is “incredibly confusing,” said a judge. “To add to their cart, customers need to click on an add button that triggers a JavaScript pop-up alert indicating that ‘the following SKU has been added to the worksheet.’” To then begin checkout, customers need to click on the “View worksheet” link. “The worksheet page is really the shopping cart, and the ‘confirm price’ link is analogous to ‘process to checkout,’” a judge said. — MD