About 29 years ago, Innovative Learning Concepts developed a multi-sensory math teaching approach designed for Kindergarten through 3rd grade students. Since then, the company has earned a widespread reputation among educators for its signature TouchMath teaching system.

The primary marketing vehicle for the company is a colorful catalog, mailed twice annually to over a million teachers and school districts. However, the company owners became quite dissatisfied with catalog performance in 2001.

Brent Green and his team analyzed the situation and concluded that the 2001 catalog, while being well designed, had lost its soul.

As you can see here, the 2001 catalog is clean and neat but, except for the cover, fails to focus on children and teachers. It's just too product oriented...

Consequently, we recommended a complete catalog overhaul and a transformation of the catalog into a catazine. In a nutshell, the 2002 catalog introduces editorial stories about teachers and children: personal successes, anecdotes, and testimonials.

The results? The 2002 catalog dramatically increased sales, even with an across-the-board product price increase and a recessional economy.

The 2003 catalog did the same:

So did the 2004 catalog:

All three catalogs also won Gold Key Awards from the Business Marketing Association. The 2004 catalog prevailed against catalogs submitted from BMA chapters throughout the country ... in other words, a nationally award-winning catalog.