To achieve a well-designed product catalogue for a company, it is essential to clearly define the objective behind its creation. For any business, a catalogue is an indispensable tool for presenting its services and/or products.
What is the purpose of a product catalogue?
Once this question has been answered, we can begin planning the format and type of document we need. A catalogue is usually designed either to attract the attention of new clients or to present new products and/or services along with their descriptions.
For this reason, it is important to have a distinctive visual element that immediately communicates what the catalogue is about. From there, the communication can be adapted into different formats: flyers, videos, printed catalogues, digital catalogues, or even interactive digital catalogues that make navigation easier.
With this in mind, here are some useful tips for creating an effective product catalogue.
The product catalogue should reflect the company’s brand identity
Whether through colours, typography, or the way the company communicates, the brand identity should be present throughout the entire catalogue. All graphic elements should follow a consistent style so that the reader feels comfortable and the catalogue remains visually coherent.
Use typography effectively
When starting a product catalogue project, it is important to establish the typographic system from the beginning — ideally no more than two typefaces. You should also define how headings and body text will differ.
This creates a clear hierarchy and helps organise the content according to its level of importance.
Maintain visual consistency between catalogue images
When designing a product catalogue, there are generally two main ways to present products: photographs on a white background to create a clear and easily comparable product list, or contextual photographs showing the product in use.
Both approaches are valid — the key is knowing when to use each one.
For example, if a page displays the different finishes of a product, the photographs should be identical for each finish. This allows the customer to focus only on choosing the finish they prefer, rather than wondering why some finishes are shown in perspective, others from above, some on a white background, and others in context. Otherwise, they might assume that some options are better than others — which would be a mistake.
As mentioned, both styles are valid. In fact, many modern catalogues combine the two approaches.
For instance, Ikea often uses contextual photographs where several products appear together and prices are displayed directly within the image. (See Ikea catalogues and brochures.)
Other examples, such as Leroy Merlin, display products on a white background so customers can easily compare different finishes of the same product. (See Leroy Merlin catalogues and brochures.)
Export the file according to the publication format
At the end of the catalogue design process, it is common to forget that exporting files for print and for digital use requires different settings.
If the catalogue will be printed, it should be exported in print quality with images at 300 dpi. If it will be published digitally as a PDF, it is important to find the right balance between file size and image quality so that it does not become too heavy while still avoiding pixelation.
Our recommendation is usually to create two different versions: one for print and one for digital distribution. In our view, offline and online communication require different approaches — but we will talk about that in more detail another time.
In summary
We hope these tips help you begin creating your product catalogue.
As with any design project, it is important to pause and carefully define the key elements before starting. This includes establishing the typography, hierarchy and function of the text, preparing a clear photography brief that determines whether contextual or white-background images are needed — or both — and deciding how the catalogue will ultimately be presented.
If you need professionals to create a high-quality product catalogue, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. And if you would like to see examples of our work, you can also explore some of the projects we have already developed.