Country Walkers always makes a splash with its beautiful, aspirational vacations catalog, and its 2010 edition is no different. A breathtaking cover photograph depicts the crystal blue waters and dramatic cliffs of the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and sets the tone for the plethora of exotic destination trips inside the book. It also helped this edition win a Silver Award in the Consumer Specialty Products Under $20 Million category.
Why it won Silver:
The catalog nails the basics – design, copy, marketing execution – and then some. “A winner! Great job of making the customer want to be on a Country Walkers adventure!” a judge said. “This catalog does not sell products. It sells experiences.”
The catalog copy is crucial in this book, one panelist remarked, since “no one chooses to do one of these trips lightly.” Prospective travelers need lots of reassurance that the company has thought of everything, the judge said. “The many pages of details at the start and the end of the catalog help tremendously.”
The trip descriptions will have you ready to sign up immediately. The copy for a Country Walkers Italian adventure promises “Gondolas floating down romantic canals, striking Renaissance architecture at every turn, historic museums and renowned works of art – our Venice getaway has great options for the most discerning traveler.”
Need more information? The catalog encourages readers to call or use the Website for more details. “Placing the 800-number and Web address on each spread works well,” one judge said.
Why it didn’t win a Gold:
The catalog’s trip schedule is a “huge deficiency” in that it’s hard to read, said one judge. “This must be one of the most viewed pages in the book–it has pricing, dates, schedules–but the type is tiny! Make it easy for people to determine this information.”
Another panelist thought the book could benefit from hero shots to play up specific vacations. Every trip is given the same weight or presentation, the judge said. “They all can’t be equal.”