Shoes For Crews specializes in slip-resistant footwear, and according to its tagline, it’s been around “25 years and still gripping.” The company’s Winter 2010 catalog edition left a lasting impression on the MCM Awards judges and earned it Silver Award in the Business Specialty Products category.
Why it won a Silver:
Shoes For Crews gets off on the right foot starting with its arresting front cover. The photo depicts the index finger of a man’s left hand gently lifting the small loop on the back of the cataloger’s Evolution shoe, revealing the slip-resistant tread on the bottom.
The cover is “very dramatic and reflective of the positioning, both in terms of product and copy,” said one judge.
The merchandising focus is evident throughout the catalog and “product dominates, as it should,” a judge said. Pagination reflects product and occasion, such as casual, business, athletic, or a sturdy work shoe. And the cataloger does a good job promoting its corporate price discounts.
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 and add “a warmth, interest and pacing.”
The introduction of color backgrounds and occasional shots of customers greatly adds to the pacing, a panelist noted. And 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 overcomes a major challenge: “It manages to take on a boring product, available in only one color, shot only with silhouettes and creates a very impactful and effective presentation,” a judge said.
Why it didn’t win a Gold:
Shoes For Crews hit the skids with its back cover, which according to one panelist, “neither sells product nor communicates unique positioning strongly.”
The promotions on the catalog’s back cover should be on the front, the judge said. “This would allow more product sales on the back cover.”