A catalog is junk mail — a stack of ads that go right in the trash.
A well-written, interesting catalog is an entirely different story. It becomes a magazine.
A magazine is something that people anticipate, enjoy, re-read, and buy from.
Legendary catalogs that people covet included J. Peterman, Miles Kimball, and the Nieman Marcus holiday issue. Lego is the current champion. Kids beg for a new copy of the “Lego Magazine.”
The cost of great writers is a heck of a lot less than the cost of printing and mailing. If you’re going to send a catalog to thousands of people — do it right. Considering the investment, the environmental impact, and the rare opportunity to do something meaningful to a big audience — you have an obligation to do it right.