The Silverfish catalogue is a landmark piece for work for Shred each year. We’ve been doing these catalogues for years and every year the company’s range of brands extends a little, the timescale seems to shrink a little and the demand for something really stunning increases. This suits us fine, every creative agency needs something awesome to hold up in the air and say “We did this!” and the Silverfish catalogue is one of those pieces.

The wider discussion that takes place in this digital era (and I am glad we have it) is why even do a catalogue at all? Well the answer is simple, to sell your products. Making sales for any business is about engaging with your audience, sure a website engages and sure an emailed PDF or spreadsheet gets the information across but does it engage your potential audience, and perhaps more importantly your existing audience?

Having a tactile print in your hand, being able to work through it face-to-face with a client and explain your product range is the cornerstone of a good sell. It turns a piece of reference material into an embodiment of your business, it gives your products a showcase and with good, creative design and print you can bring those products to life. It offers consistency, reliability and gives you a physical presence.

Sure a website is great, you need both, but don’t ever think that a catalogue is a waste of money – it’s your extra sales person available 24/7 and carrying more information that most human brains can cram in.