AA digital catalog paired with its printed version can elevate a Brand’s identity. I’ve executed similar strategies at Spiegel Brands, The Home Depot , and for Harry & David while at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, INC.. Here’s what I found…

A catalog (print or digital) often conveys a brand image more effectively than a website due to its curated, immersive, and tactile qualities. Beyond the home page, a brand is often surrendered to row upon row of thumbnail photos reminiscent of a Sunday newspaper insert from JC Penney or Sears & Roebuck. Cost-effectiveness is achieved, but the romance and aspirational feel of a brand are often lost. Have a flip below and see for yourself.Play

Catalogs and their digital siblings enable brand strategies that can unlock a stronger connection between customer and brand.

1. Curated Storytelling and Narrative Flow: Carefully designed with a sequential flow, guiding customers through a thoughtfully crafted story that embodies the brand’s essence.
2. Elevated Visual Experience: A focused, high-touch design with a more aspirational feel using color palettes, and layouts that create an artistic, experience through visual storytelling.
3. Tactile Connection and Emotional Impact: A tangible connection to the brand, often evoking a sense of anticipation and personalization that strengthens brand loyalty and emotional connection.
4. Intentional Product Pairing and Cross-Selling: An ideal medium for showcasing curated product pairings, helping customers imagine complete looks or collections in a way that feels organic.

Together, these qualities enable digital and print catalogs to convey brand image through a curated, sensory-rich, and story-driven format that often feels more personal and memorable than a digital experience alone.

Today, I received the Holiday Catalog Gift Guide from Dunning Golf in my email inbox. I was drawn into the collections on each page, yearning for one more warm day to embrace my high handicap golf game. I was confident that the innovative Penrose 2.0 Performance fleece on page 21, which had been upgraded for comfort and playability, was sure to improve my game—that and maybe the purchase of JUST ONE MORE CLUB. Sadly, while writing this as the sun set at 4:39 pm, I knew it was unlikely that late fall and the coming winter would yield another good day to play with my regular golf partners Kevin Twitchell and Jeff Blee.

Developing a digital catalog alongside a print catalog and sending it to customers via email can yield several strategic benefits. Using smart segmentation, you can better target this offering and call out key collections to customers whom you may not be able to afford to ship the paper version of the catalog. Here are five reasons to consider a digital catalog for your next big peak season:

1. Enhanced Customer Engagement: A digital catalog is interactive and can include features like clickable product links, videos, and product customization options, which increase engagement. Customers can easily explore more products and enjoy an enriched shopping experience, leading to higher purchase intent.
2. Increased Reach and Accessibility: A digital catalog makes it easy for customers to shop on the go or share products with friends and family. Unlike print, it’s accessible from any device, reaching a broader audience and allowing them to browse at their convenience.
3. Real-Time Updates and Personalization: Digital catalogs can be quickly updated to reflect new offers, popular items, or inventory changes. Additionally, email segmentation allows for personalized catalog links, tailored to customer preferences and purchase history, creating a more relevant shopping experience.
4. Reduced Costs and Improved Segmentation: Digital catalogs reduce production and distribution costs compared to print, especially at scale. They free up the budget for other seasonal campaigns and more easily allow contact to customers with lower LTV.
5. Better Data Collection and Analytics: Digital catalogs provide data on customer interaction, like which pages are most visited or which items have high click-through rates. This data can inform marketing strategies, enabling real-time adjustments to promotions and highlighting popular products for the holiday rush.

By combining print and digital catalogs with email, SMS, social media, and other e-commerce tactics, brands offer a comprehensive shopping experience, balancing traditional appeal with the flexibility and data insights of digital channels.

Check out Dunning Golf for the perfect gift for the golfers in your life. Check out their Digital Catalog and, remember to sign up for their Player Rewards loyalty program.