LEARN: What Is a Magalog?

It may look like gibberish, but a magalog is quickly becoming a very effective print marketing tool for companies to enhance brand identity and connect with customers in a more narrative-driven way.

Magalogs, which are a blend of magazines and catalogs, make it easier for designers and marketers to take the best of what each print form has to offer in service of creating long-form print that leverages storytelling and sales principles for a unique customer experience.

Here, we’ll take a look at some common elements of more effective magalogs, and then we’ll look at some benefits magalogs offer as a guide to help you utilize digital inkjet print to create your own magalog.

What are the common components of magalogs?

With a hybrid print form like magalogs, there aren’t really any hard and fast rules as to the shape, scope, or elements, but there are a handful of common components that brands across virtually every industry incorporate for the most effective mix of magazine and catalog.

For example, where traditional catalogs will lean on simple, short, or concise copy highlighting product specifications or pricing information, magalogs go bigger and longer on content. This can be in the form of editorial articles, how-to pieces, and even personal essays.

From a visual standpoint, magalogs often make use of high-quality, stylized photography that captures a specific mood — they also use photography that is specifically designed to transport readers to a specific time, place, or location.

One of the more important features of magalogs is that they don’t exist solely to sell a product or service. Instead, they use more conversational design and copy to build a connection and sense of trust with a target audience, guiding that audience through the buying journey in a softer, less overt manner.

This storytelling approach makes magalogs feel less like direct selling and more like valuable reading material.

Why is the popularity of magalogs on the rise?

In today’s competitive marketing landscape, magalogs have emerged as an interesting way for brands to differentiate themselves from competitors and create a unique, lasting impression for customers. Aside from giving consumers a fresh perspective on the products and services a company offers, magalogs have increased popularity for these reasons.

Magalogs break through marketing clutter

Just like the digital marketing space, the print arena has its own form of clutter. Brochures, sell sheets, and even catalogs are common, which makes magalogs a valuable print vehicle in helping brands stand out. The glossy, magazine-style look and feel and the use of more in-depth, engaging content encourages audiences to spend more time with the piece, increasing brand exposure and recall.

Magalogs are also more likely to be shared within professional and personal networks, increasing the chance that more consumers are exposed to your products. A little good word-of-mouth never hurts, right?

Magalogs focus more on creating a connection

Magalogs employ more of a "soft sell" strategy — a subtle, educational way to promote products by providing value through information. Today’s consumers want to feel more of a connection to brands — they’re seeking more than just a product listing with pricing and availability information. Magalogs resonate with consumers by acting as a guide or advisor, creating value through insight. While this can drive sales, it can also inculcate a stronger sense of customer loyalty.

Enhanced design opportunities

For designers, magalogs offer a rich canvas to showcase creative skills — and digital inkjet can be the ideal tool to make the most of this canvas. The magazine format enables the use of compelling layouts, eye-catching visuals, captivating headlines, and interactive or digital integrations like PURLs or QR codes. Plus, the magazine format allows designers to leverage multiple spreads in service of telling a more compelling visual story.

Flexibility across business models

From fashion and beauty to outdoor gear and health and wellness, magalogs are a flexible print marketing form that can be adapted to suit both B2B and B2C marketing strategies. Their ability to educate, entertain, and inform makes them highly versatile for brands working in either arena. Plus, because there’s no true definition of the format, brands in either space can tailor the magalog form to meet their specific needs.

Magalogs are a compelling print marketing format combining editorial flair with catalog functionality. Their rising popularity stems from their unique ability to captivate and acquire customers through engaging content and memorable design. And digital inkjet print technology can help designers and marketers print stunning, full-color magalogs that unlock new relevance and growth for brands across all industries.

What Is a Magalog?