Catalogue and letterbox marketing remains a dominant force for reaching audiences, with 19.8 million Australians receiving promotional material in FY15, according to an industry report.

“This has been another incredible year for catalogues and letterbox marketing with strong positioning of the channel from audience reach, to consumer group insights and the multiple distribution windows available to marketers to increase engagement, range and results for each campaign,” said Australian Catalogue Association (ACA) CEO, Kellie Northwood.

The latest ACA Industry Insight paper found catalogues, leaflets and brochures delivered inside newspapers produce strong campaign results, particularly for retailers who focus on delivering content on high quality paper. A nationally representative survey of 500 consumers commissioned by The Newspaper Works, shows that direct marketers enhance campaigns reach by adding collateral to newspapers.

“A strong trend that we are consistently finding is that catalogues trigger consumer action, driving them to point of purchase, either instore or online, encouraging enquiries and prompting word of mouth,” said Northwood.

“Catalogues delivered via newspapers are consistent with this and further leverage from the publication brand equity also.”

Roy Morgan’s analysis of catalogue content highlights their appeal across multiple segments of Australian society. Using psychographic and behavioural data to classify the Australian population into 56 personas and seven communities, Roy Morgan’s helix personas show the country’s highest circulating catalogues such as Coles and Woolworth’s have reach across all consumer segmentations.

Lifestyle consumer groups connect with the brand equity publications from Myer, David Jones and Domayne while metrotechs connect with the informative and instructional Ikea, Vintage Cellars and National Pharmacies catalogues. Today’s families consumer group is committed to the savings and sales-centric catalogue promotions held within Big W, Coles, Woolworths and Kmart catalogues.

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