Retailers including major supermarkets have rolled out in-store literature such as Christmas catalogues, gift guides and seasonal food offers, with some – such as Aldi, which inserted a luxe perfect bound Christmas brochure into the Sunday Times – also using additional routes to market for their print promos.
Other brands have used catalogue mailings, doordrops, and magazine inserts to reach customers and potential customers in their homes, in a year when many people have been required to spend more time at home than ever before.
Paragon Customer Communications chief executive Jeremy Walters said that print had remained an important feature of many seasonal marketing plans.
“While it’s understandable that our digital communications business is growing, we are delighted to still be producing print and supplying a large amount of brands for their Christmas promotions,” he said.
“With something like a seasonal food catalogue, it allows families to sit down and have a good look through it – print can help bring it alive.”
Although Argos announced over the summer that it would stop printing its annual ‘big book’ catalogue, the retailer used its fabled ‘Book of Dreams’ Christmas Gift Guide as the centrepiece of its Christmas advertising campaign, and also sent out personalised mini versions of the Book of Dreams via direct mail.
It’s never too early to start circling your Christmas wishes 💫#Argos #BookOfDreams pic.twitter.com/ehHdHcioOo
— Argos (@Argos_Online) November 17, 2020
Parry Jones, chief operating officer at The Specialist Works, commented: “Although consumers find it easier to buy online they are still browsing using catalogues – the kids are drawing on it, putting stars on it, all of that.
“In a world that’s changed rapidly this year, printed matter offers a bit of normality. If you look at proper consumer behaviour, none of that changes.”
Normal Revill, group sales director at YM Group, said that despite an “extremely challenging year for everyone, not just print”, a significant number of the group’s customers had stuck with their printed promotional plans.
“There’s been a good response from a lot of retailers who are looking to win footfall back into their stores by using print,” he said.
