The Catalog Comeback – How and Why Brands Are Returning to Print
Brands are rediscovering the power of catalogs as leaner, smarter, and more engaging tools for connecting with customers. From luxury retailers to direct-to-consumer start-ups, catalogs are being embraced as a way to cut through digital clutter, inspire brand loyalty, and drive measurable sales.
Why catalogs are thriving
The average inbox is flooded daily, making it easy for even loyal customers to miss brand messages. A catalog, on the other hand, is tactile, visual, and lasting. It sits on a coffee table or counter, gets flipped through at leisure, and sparks inspiration.
Retail giants such as Amazon and J.Crew have reintroduced or reimagined print catalogs—not as nostalgic relics, but as engaging, sensory marketing channels that enhance emotional connection and drive sales. When combined with digital marketing, physical catalogs deliver a tangible experience that captures attention and significantly boosts customer engagement.
Narrative-driven catalogs in particular—those that tell a story about the brand, lifestyle, or seasonal themes—tend to be kept longer and revisited more often than simple product booklets. Creativity and flexibility in style and format are key.
Catalogs are evolving. Try out these trends:
- Retailers are shrinking catalogs to save costs. Many brands—including Lands’ End and Duluth Trading—are opting for more compact formats to reduce postage and paper expenses, while still grabbing attention with QR codes and promo offers.
- Catalogs are bridging print and digital. Brands like J.Crew, Patagonia, and others are releasing catalogs with shoppable QR codes, editorial storytelling, and interactive touches that bring analog elegance to digital engagement.
- Luxury and lifestyle brands lean into analog aesthetics. Consumers seem to value ‘slow’ consumption—feeling nostalgia, tactile quality, and deep brand connections through well-crafted catalogs.
- Brands are using catalogs to reinforce their sustainability story. By printing on certified paper and highlighting responsible sourcing, companies can demonstrate to customers that print doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment.
- Catalogs showcase creativity. Unlike digital banners constrained to pixels and sizes, a catalog page can immerse readers in a full-bleed photograph, a feature story, or a product spread that feels curated rather than cluttered.
- Print gets personal and smart. Trends like hyperpersonalization via variable data printing, AI-assisted design, eco-friendly materials, and on-demand small runs are reshaping print catalogs into compelling, dynamic tools.
How postal promotions are expanding opportunities
New postal incentives are an encouraging development for catalog marketers. The USPS Catalog Incentive Program offers rebates for qualifying mailers. While the savings might only be fractions of a cent per piece, they add up quickly at scale. For a company mailing hundreds of thousands of catalogs, the incentive can offset the cost of testing new sizes, paper weights, or formats.
This flexibility encourages brands to experiment. A marketer could test a heavier paper stock for a premium version aimed at high-value customers while using lighter paper for broader distribution. Another might expand circulation to a new region or demographic group, using
the postal rebate to balance the added cost.
USPS promotions also support innovation. Catalogs that incorporate interactive elements such as QR codes, AR features, or even video-in-print can sometimes qualify for additional postal discounts under integrated technology promotions. This creates an added incentive to merge physical and digital engagement in creative ways.
For many businesses, these discounts turn catalogs from a “nice to have” into a strategic growth tool. Rather than worrying about postage eating up the budget, companies can treat catalogs as an adaptable part of their marketing mix—testing new approaches, scaling what works, and measuring results with confidence.
Looking Ahead
The global catalog market is growing rapidly, with projections reaching into the hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade. What’s driving this growth is not a return to the bulky “big books” of the past, but a wave of innovation. Marketers are blending storytelling, personalization, sustainability, and interactivity in ways that make catalogs as relevant as ever.
For businesses weighing whether to invest in print, the message is clear: catalogs work, and the opportunities to use them strategically are only expanding. Between postal discounts, new formats, and consumer appetite for tangible experiences, the time has never been better to add catalogs to the marketing mix.
Port Hawkesbury Paper: A Trusted Partner
At the center of this resurgence is paper quality, and Port Hawkesbury Paper (PHP) is proud to be a trusted partner for catalog publishers. PHP offers a range of supercalendered paper grades designed specifically for catalog performance:
- SCA+ Prominence Plus: Bright, smooth paper ideal for routine catalog runs
- SCA++ Artisan: A higher-impact stock that delivers vibrant imagery and a premium look
- SCA+++ Altitude: An 80-bright paper when you want a catalog that really pops!
- Sustainable certifications (FSC®, SFI®, PEFC™) available across all grades
- Book & Offset Elevation: An uncoated thermomechanical pulp (TMP) paper engineered for text and image clarity
With PHP’s consistent quality and efficient production, brands can confidently explore new catalog strategies—whether that means experimenting with smaller formats, scaling circulation, or creating a premium edition for select audiences. Combined with the latest USPS incentives, PHP papers help catalog marketers innovate affordably while delivering a memorable brand experience.
Strategic Playbook: How Brands Can Leap Ahead with Catalogs
Tell Stories, Don’t Just List Products.
Narrative catalogs outperform minimalist ones. Think lifestyle scenes, emotional messaging, and storytelling that invite customers into your world—and keep their attention longer.
Experiment with Format and Size.
Trimmed-down catalogs reduce postage and paper costs, without sacrificing visibility. Try varying formats and sizes that still direct users online via QR codes or promos.
Go Personal—Really Personal.
Use personalization smartly. Variable data printing lets you tailor not just names, but images, offers, and messaging based on past behavior or segment data.
Layer in Sustainability.
Consumers, especially younger ones, appreciate eco-friendly options. Use recycled or certified papers and showcase your green credentials right in your catalog.
Add Interaction.
Blend physical and digital with QR codes, AR, or video in print. These give your printed page a second life by linking to web content, try-ons, or shoppable experiences.
Test & Measure.
Use size and format variations in small test runs before scaling. Track response, engagement, and sales lift to inform future editions and optimize ROI.
Looking for inspiration? Here is a list of premium brands that have opted for the printed catalog. 76 Popular Digital Retailers Who Will Send You Snail-Mail Catalogs in 2025