When selling a product such as children’s apparel, warmth is key. And the warmth of Hanna Andersson’s spring ’99 edition really won over the Annual Catalog Award judges.
The warm fuzzies begin on the cover, with an engaging photo of a mother and child. Inside, there’s a full-page explanation of the Hannadowns program, in which outgrown Hanna Andersson apparel is donated to charity. Then there’s the enthusiastic customer testimonial about the durability of a Hanna Andersson dress. In fact, most of the judges criticized the catalog for not including more testimonials throughout to reinforce brand authority, especially for prospects who may not be familiar with the brand.
When it comes to communicating emotion, marketers of children’s products have an edge: They can feature lots of photos of kids. Hanna Andersson takes advantage of this benefit. “The pictures of these happy kids make the copy almost unnecessary,” said a panelist. “The catalog makes readers want to dress their kids in these clothes – not because they are stylish and durable but because there is a sense that the kids will be happier in them.”
The copy does enhance the cozy image, however. Said one judge, “The use of the first person throughout makes the copy sound sincere.” The product descriptions are helpful as well, providing a wealth of detail about the fabrics, the patterns, and the various snaps and other closures. “The features are carefully explained but are also quite readable, not tedious,” noted a judge.
The depth of the product descriptions shows that Hanna Andersson is well aware of the concerns and requirements of its audience – primarily mothers. The cataloger has leveraged that knowledge by expanding its merchandise line beyond durable, comfortable children’s clothing to include high-quality women’s apparel. In the words of one panelist, “The concept of marrying women’s and kids’ clothes is a winner.”
One judge, however, felt that the catalog could have stressed its service offerings more effectively. “The busy order form is confusing,” said the panelist, “and nothing jumps out in the book to say `customer service.'”
Overall, though, the panel agreed that, to quote one judge, “This catalog distinguishes itself by making readers feel great about their purchases.”