Weekend newspapers always feel like such a steal, don’t they? You get a thick, heavy bundle of news, supplements, pull outs, and of course, catalogues. From supermarket deals and camping gear steals to even the latest range of tiles and carpets for your upcoming renovations, catalogues were the online shopping of yesteryear, where you should browse, compare and tear up from the comfort of your own house.

But rather than being out-dated, according to the Australia Catalogue Association (ACA), 80% of consumers make a visit to a retailer as a direct result of reading a catalogue, making the medium still highly relevant.

In fact, ACA’s research has revealed that more than half of Australians believe catalogues are a ‘fun and relaxing read’.

Around $1.5 billion, or 60% of total print advertising spend is invested by Australia’s retailers in catalogues.

Ken Bishop, CEO of the ACA tells Marketing: “Despite prolonged economic uncertainty, [catalogue providers] and their clients continue to see the benefits of investing in catalogue design and production”.

According to Bishop, the industry continues to experience healthy annual growth. “Catalogues have immediate cut through and speak directly to the readers. Despite the digital platforms we now have, its just another way of receiving information, and people still like something tactile and interactive”.

“Catalogues can be read at the consumer’s leisure and taken anywhere”.

Bishop advises that effective catalogue usage happens when the message is targeted towards a specific demographic, an event or selling a particular product.

“With our annual ACA awards, we judge on standout factor, relevancy and perhaps most importantly, style and consistency that is synonymous with the brand. Retailers develop a brand that suits their demographic and their catalogues must reflect that”.

Bishop believes that the popularity of catalogues being used in retailers’ marketing strategies can be attributed to cost-effectiveness and high level of coverage.