SILVER: Print Channel
Shoes for Crews, Winter 2009-2010
Shoes For Crews specializes in slip-resistant footwear. The merchandising focus is evident throughout this award-winning catalog edition, and “product dominates, as it should,” a judge said. Pagination reflects product and occasion, such as casual, business, athletic, or a sturdy work shoe.
WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: The book is well designed and organized with features and subfeatures, bold type and price treatments that create a good flow. “Products stand out and are the hero,” a judge said, which adds “a warmth, interest and pacing.”
Customer testimonials are strong and meaningful, “with photos and names that pull the reader in and make the testimonials feel believable,” a judge said. Shoes For Crews also does a good job promoting its corporate price discounts.
WHY IT DIDN’T WIN A GOLD: The back cover “neither sells product nor communicates unique positioning strongly,” a judge said. The promotions on the catalog’s back cover should be on the front. “This would allow more product sales on the back cover.” — Jim Tierney
SILVER: Web Channel
ePromos.com
Shopping for promotional products could be a major headache, but the ePromos Website is user-friendly and guides customers through the ordering process. The copy format makes it easier for the user to understand product specs, customization and shipping details.
WHY IT WON A SILVER AWARD: Epromos did a great job building its robust site search, and judges were impressed that they could still find items such as business-card holders even when they deliberately misspelled the phrase. The judges also appreciated that it was easy to order customizable products on the site.
Epromos shows off its promotional prowess on its home page, with prominent placement of offers such as a “SAVE $50 Today” button, which links to a registration page. The site also clearly and efficiently presents ordering options and details on quantity discounts.
WHY IT DIDN’T WIN A GOLD: SEO terms associated with promotional marketing (like promotions, business promotions, tee promotions, pen promotions) didn’t rank well on Google. Category pages were fairly weak and, overall, there weren’t a lot of images. And when ePromos does use images, like in the “Staff Pick,” they weren’t clickable. — TP