What is a catalogue?

Electronic catalogues

Visual coherence of a catalogue

Catalogue printing

Catalogue types

Types of electronic catalogues

Catalogue business resources

Catalogues have three parts: the front cover, the content and the back cover. Each part has slightly different functions and demands special work. Even though the three parts are not too different from each other, it’s important that a catalogue make-up is separated into three parts, so that the information layout may be attractively arranged.

In order to have good ideas to develop a catalogue design project, you should know the different characteristics of each part. A right catalogue design knows how to make good use of the slight differences and functions of each part; and it uses this knowledge to benefit its persuasive power.

Front cover: the first page of a catalogue is called front cover. Your catalogue front cover is your business card. It must be eye-catching and attractive, but not overfilled with too much content. Furthermore, it must make it very clear that this catalogue belongs to your company by respecting the visual coherence and presenting the corporate log in a clearly visible way. The front cover shouldn’t be overfilled with many products; it must introduce your company in a clear way and it must let readers know they will find further products information. However, we don’t mean the front cover make-up shouldn’t include goods. On the contrary, it’s a good strategy to present a product which is in great demand or is characteristic of your company or, perhaps, is a remarkable offer. In conclusion, the front cover has two functions: first, to introduce your company to the public and, secondly, to be a gimmick to attract readers.
Content: the content is made up by the pages that are between the front and the back cover. The content is a sort of mall into your catalogue. Consumers can read through its pages looking for something to buy, prices and offers. The content can be divided into sections, into offers or into whatever you want, as long as an order criterion is taken into account. Order must be the main characteristic of a catalogue. Whereas the front cover shouldn’t be overfilled with products information, on the content you must take full advantage of this aspect. Here, information that may distract the attention of readers should be avoided, since our intention is to draw their attention to the products and, in some cases, to the written content which describes the goods basic characteristics. It’s highly important to be very careful when designing the content layout, since it not only must include as many products as possible, but it has to be easy reading as well.
Back cover: it’s the last page of a catalogue. The back cover may be either the content final part or it can have its own features. In case it is used as the content final part, the criterion applied will be the same as the one used for the rest of the content pages- that is to say, to present as many products as possible in the tidiest way. But, if you choose to attach to the back cover a particular style you can include additional data, such as methods of payment or the different ways to contact your company (address, phone number, e-mail, website, etc).

Catalogues can be compared to a shopping mall, where the front cover is the entrance door- it must make it clear what kind of place it is and who the people in charge are; at the same time, it must be aesthetically pleasing and with sober and professional appearance. The content represents the shelves where the products for sale are exhibited. Shelves must be situated all over the place, closely together, offering a new product as consumers walk past. In addition, they have to be arranged in a way that consumers do not skip any product and they don’t feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Finally, the back cover is the exit. It must make the public know goods presentation has finished; but it also has to be an invitation to consumers to come back and an answer to those questions come up while they were looking through the products. Don’t forget cash registers are found here.

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