Lauren Ackerman, Digital Strategist
Last week Toys R Us closed their remaining stores, bringing a sad end to a 70-year old brand. In the final days of the store closings, for a brief time the top link on Reddit was a strangely poignant image of Geoffrey the Giraffe standing next to empty store shelves, waving goodbye.
In the comments section there were some surprising tidbits, namely evidence of something studies have told us for a great while: catalogs create memories.
“Getting the catalog right before Christmas then going through it and making your list was the best,” was the top voted comment, courtesy of reddit user u/TX_Devil.
As catalog marketers, we frequently see stats and studies that prove that print makes a much bigger impression, and makes longer lasting memories than digital. But here, unprompted, is a great real-world example. From there, the top conversation thread turned into a mini-sharefest of happy memories of browsing catalogs – especially toy catalogs at Christmas.
“The Toys R Us big book! I remember spending hours looking through it and making sure I didn’t forget to put a sticker on something I really needed.” – u/ISmokeIrit
And there was more…
“I was a Penny’s catalog kid. I loved getting the new catalog and flipping to the back to look at the toys….” – u/ohmy1027
And more…
“I remember when the 2” thick JCP catalog arrived at Xmas time. It has probably 20-30 pages of toys. Every year I would mentally select one item from each page as my dream wishlist. I still want that clear working engine model, mom.” – u/teetertodder
This is a stark reminder that there are some ways in which catalogs are just irreplaceable. The tangibility, the slight weight in your hands, the sheen of the paper, the ability to take a pen and “…circle so vigorously that the pen tears through the paper ever so slightly.” (u/Sgt_Peppper)
As a digital marketer who also works in catalog, I’ve spent a decent chunk of time pondering the differences in shopping experiences between the two media. But, I feel like this conversation thread helped pull it into focus a bit. Imagine spending hours browsing a shopping website. I mean, mostly, that sounds AWFUL.
I go to a website when I have a pretty good idea of what I want. In contrast, I open a catalog when I don’t know what I want; I’m looking for something to want. So, what does that mean?
- Digital marketing is not a replacement for catalog marketing. Full stop.
- Your catalog should be a well-curated collection of popular items presented to create desire.
- Your website should infuse your brand but never get in the way of the transaction.
In order to be operating at the highest level, we need to create desire, and we need a way to fulfill that desire. Turns out, Digital Marketers and Catalogers can live in harmony after all.
Before you even think about cutting the catalog from the marketing mix, do one thing for me: Try to dog-ear the page of your Amazon wish list. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Do you have fond memories of catalogs, or heck, are you a lunatic for banner ads? What medium drives desire for your product? Comment below or shoot me a note! laurena@jschmid.com.
P.S. Toys R Us is still alive and well in Canada, so take heart that our young ones won’t be the last generation to know Geoffrey.
