“Grow with Us” JAFE Catalog
JAFE Decorating is a business-to-business that specializes in decorating glassware and other packaging accessories with paint applications and screen print processes.
JAFE’s largest customer base is the candle industry, mostly composed of small businesses. Over the years, new customers do not understand JAFE’s offered services or the processes involved: this hinders the customer from designing their unique product and reduces JAFE’s sales due to poor user experience.
To combat these difficulties, the JAFE team concluded that a catalog would attract new and current customers to JAFE services.
Project Outline
THE PROBLEM
JAFE’s ordering process and offered services can be confusing to customers. How does JAFE attract small business candle customers to their decoration services in an appealing and understandable way via a print catalog?
TARGET AUDIENCE
Small businesses of the candle industry.
PROJECT GOALS
Non-negotiables were determined by the JAFE team at the beginning of this project. This new catalog must ease the ordering process for new candle clients and help inspire creativity with visuals of offered services.
ROLE: ART DIRECTOR
I directed the Research and Development and Sales teams to develop copy and its contents for this catalog. I researched, strategized, photographed, designed and marketed this project via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Mailchimp.
TIMELINE
August 2019 – July 2020 (Delayed due to COVID-19).
Research
SECONDARY RESEARCH
The JAFE team studied how current customers market their products and brand on social media. I wanted to understand our customers' trending candle decorating designs and study keywords or phrases to see how candle companies represent themselves in the industry.
Every brand had a story to tell through their lifestyle photography on Instagram, Facebook, and on their websites. A persona could be found in each one, tying the candle brand and product back to its audience. This research helped define JAFE's goal more clearly: the catalog should appeal to new and current candle customers, but our lifestyle photography should visually show how consumers use the final, decorated product.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
I conducted a survey that asks candle consumers what they look for in a candle, what smells they prefer, colors they relate to and why, where they place their candles, as well as their demographics. 28 results from this survey revealed that candle consumers typically place candles in their kitchens, use candles daily, purchase candles for scent, and associate candles with feelings and nostalgia.
I interviewed nine candle consumers. These candle consumers supported the survey findings and helped further develop lifestyle photography ideas and develop personas. For example, an interviewee stated that she preferred orange citrus as a candle scent in her kitchen. JAFE used this feedback to relate to our customer’s candle brands.
PLAN OF ACTION
To create a catalog relating to JAFE’s customers’ consumers while utilizing top trending colors and life-style photography.
The Design Process
CATALOG SKETCHES
This sketching process created a visual experience of JAFE’s offered products. The goal is for customers to understand who JAFE is, its offerings, and who to contact through an easy flow.
CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY SKETCHES
JAFE needed to deliver its promise as #1 glass decorator in the industry. The goal of the catalog's lifestyle shots was to target their customers' consumers via the primary and secondary research gathered. I found photography field sites that matched the desire photography aesthetic via our photography style tiles, which dictated the persona, colors, ideal customer, and traits that space had to portray. Everything in the photography shots was intentional.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
JAFE’s “Grow with Us” catalog is a simple design that’s elevated through high quality photography that is relatable to their customers’ consumers. The catalog has an easy flow in which customers can easily find what they desire. JAFE’s professionalism is clear and easy to understand due to clear tone of voice and attractive calls to action. The catalog is online within JAFE’s website, social media, and Mailchimp newsletters.
Findings and Learnings
LEADERSHIP
A young, new designer leading a team of six experienced leaders in a different industry is a difficult task. I had to learn how to speak to this team by translating my design language to theirs. Communication and inclusion of all opinions were the most memorable takeaways during this process. Our team was able to create a catalog that communicates JAFE’s brand values, products, and goals in a highly efficient way to new candle customers due to different skill sets.
USER TESTING
This catalog has been successful so far. JAFE has had over 90 downloads, gained 70 Mailchimp subscribers, and has 80+ new follows on LinkedIn since the catalog’s digital release date.
Want to See More?
View the final JAFE catalog here.