The brief
Lakeland wanted a catalogue that did more than just 'catalogue' their gifts. They wanted something that had a premium, lifestyle feel, plus bags of personality. It needed to convey the central proposition that Lakeland delivers 'imaginative, quality gifts'. However both timescales and budgets were tight, which meant we had to be highly disciplined in our approach to the entire production process, without comprising a jot on standards.
The approach
Before we did anything else, we sat down with the client and talked through the brief, the objectives and all of the new products. In fact, our team spent three days with Lakeland's buying and catalogue teams, to gain a deep understanding of their broad range of giftware.
Having gleaned crucial insights, we then set about designing the look of the catalogue. Our designers opted to use an actual country cottage setting for the photography, rather than a studio. This gave the products a feeling of authenticity and a real personality, whilst clever lighting bestowed a summery feel - even though the weather outside was anything but! We also adopted an uncluttered layout with clear presentation of product information. This ensured every page evoked a relaxed style, while underlining the desirability of each gift.
The result
The client was delighted with the look of the new catalogue and the response it generated. They had always seen this as a test for us and we're pleased to say that we passed with flying colours. Much of the new look we designed has been incorporated into new catalogues, whilst the agency itself has now been entrusted with numerous other projects for Lakeland.