After seventy years, IKEA that it will stop printing its product catalogue. The Yellow Pages will do the same following fifty years of releasing an annual printed version. What’s happening to these types of paper catalogues? Are they no longer relevant thanks to an increasingly digitalised society?
That might be one of the reasons behind this change. Saving money and a concern for sustainability, as well as the sophistication, reach, and possibilities that the digital space offers are some of the other reasons. Here at Connections By Finsa, we like to connect with different perspectives, so we are going to share some of our own thoughts on this subject.
What does a catalogue make you think of? It’s time to rethink the format
IKEA has transformed its 286-page catalogue into a “tour for the ears” by publishing it as an audiobook. The company released six chapters that described how its products improved the homes of six different families. You can listen to the prologue of the IKEA audiocatalogue here:
In addition to this interior design-related storytelling, the episodes offer advice and instructions for decorating, such as how to improve your sleep and how to express your individuality through the furniture you choose. You can listen to the whole audiocatalogue on YouTube and Spotify.
The paper resistance
And what role does paper play in all of this? Editor Christian Peters says that “A well-designed print ad conveys much more information through its haptics and aesthetics…Even watches for 25,000 euros get lost in the flood of images on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest”. We can hold it in our hands, and therefore it has more of an impact on us.
What are some of the paper strongholds still on the market? One of them is Kinfolk, a magazine that promotes quality of life with a focus on creative professionals, lifestyle, and culture.
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There is also Cereal, a biannual lifestyle and travel magazine. Each edition focuses on specific destinations and the design, art, and fashion that can be seen in those places.
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What do you think? Does paper still have a long life ahead of it? Or will we be listening to audio more and more? Leave us a comment on social media using #ConnectionsByFinsa. We read them all!
