Creative Cut: Green Mountain Sticks to its Green Word

In the ever-improving world of coffee, the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters catalog has a clear focus, which is simply stated in the opening of the president’s letter: “Coffee is more than just something to drink; it’s a powerful connection to each other, and to the rest of the world.”

In this catalog, coffee is the world’s language. You read it in the letter. You see it in the merchandise selection. Green Mountains’ mission is to support the global community. Many businesses make this their intention, but with Green Mountain, it’s a reality, evidenced on every page of its catalog. From the onset, I felt emotionally programmed to like what I saw and to feel good about buying from this company. The merchandise is unique and the coffee offering is special.

Cover

The multiple-image front cover in grid format gives an overview of the catalog. It’s somewhat of a surprise merchandise gathering, given the name of the catalog. Appealing shades of butterscotch and coffee bean brown backgrounds serve as backdrops to the merchandise and recognizable logo.

The surprise is a giraffe breaking out the grid, simultaneously bringing your eyes to the Web site address. A free shipping message is not only a quick read; it’s a proven action device in direct marketing.

I recommend the following improvements:
■ crop the merchandise or rephotograph for a more cohesive merchandise presentation;
■ identify the page where the merchandise is sold;
■ downsize the oversized cup so it appears as a cup and not a pitcher; and
■ add the graphic symbol for Café Express to the existing “Save time” message so customers get the visual/copy impact from the beginning.

Opening Spread

A catalog’s opening spread has the all-important job of positioning a company and setting the copy tone. This is where the reader learns what’s special about the catalog — and what to expect inside.