Gallery
A selection of spreads from recent quarters. Links to full 2021 catalogs: 1st Quarter, 2nd Quarter, 3rd Quarter
Introduction of Tables
The introduction of tables as a line listing device came about at the request of an account manager who felt that sales of Air Compressors were underperforming to expectations. After discussion we arrived at the conclusion that customers would be making their purchase decisions based on technical specifications of individual models, which the current format made difficult to compare directly. Also, we realized that too much space was being dedicated to product photography, which was likely less important to customers.
We launched the redesign to Air Compressors in the 2nd Quarter 2019 catalog, and it was immediately met with a 50% boost in sales. The use of tables was implemented throughout the catalog moving forward. The charts significantly increase legibility and make direct comparison easy for similar products in contrast to long-form bullets which the customer may not read fully. Crucially for the Tools & Equipment, it also increases the number of items that can fit per page.
Below are a series of slides showing before and after pages for Air Compressors, Pliers, Diagnostic Tablets, and A/C Service Systems
Shop Equipment Redesign
The highest ticket items in the Tool & Equipment catalog are found in Shop Equipment: Machines installed in repair shops for use in routine service. In earlier iterations of the catalog, these products were shown at a larger size to better visualize their scale, and to allocate page space commensurate to their cost. However, this occasionally resulted in pushback from the suppliers, so we set up a meeting with one high-priority vendor to address their concerns. Their primary frustration points with our layout were that their products were spread across multiple pages, and that they often shared page space with competitors. They made it clear they would happily sacrifice the size of their product images, or even some detail in product descriptions to resolve those issues.
With this brief, I designed a new solution which made it much easier to group equipment into single-page or two-page formats, and allowed for greater control over which products appeared on which page. The majority of product images were reduced and moved to the outside edges of Shop Equipment spreads, but an interior column on each page could still be used to show new or otherwise interesting products at a larger scale. The new design increased the clarity and organization of products, while also providing a cleaner visual aesthetic. Starting in 3rd Quarter 2019 the new design resulted in a catalog-wide overhaul, affecting more than a quarter of all pages.
Below are before and after examples of two-page spreads showing Tire Service and for Alignment Service
Bundle Promotion Visual Treatment
Bundled product promotions are a more recent addition to the Tools & Equipment catalog. For their introduction, I created a full-page flier within the catalog, using “+” and “=” signs to clearly explain the included components. With the success of these bundles, they became a more common addition to the catalog. This necessitated a less intrusive and more space-efficient design in order to better integrate these promotions into a standard layout. This coincided with another request from account managers, to have a visual treatment to draw attention to products even if they were not new or did not have special offers such as rebates.
The solution I arrived at was the “Featured Offer” treatment (and later a “Featured Bundle Offer” variant). The Featured Offer blocking is derived from other callouts in the catalog, while still being distinct. The phrasing of “Featured” is intentionally more vague than our “New” or “Special Offer” callouts, allowing us the flexibility to call attention to any product in the catalog that the account managers or external vendors see as a sales opportunity.
Below is a series of pages showing the gradual development of design for Autel Diagnostic Tool Bundles, and the final treatment used for a different brand as well
