A Refreshing Approach To Catalogs
Supplier Etching Industries crafts a catalog that functions as a stunning conversation piece
Few companies see the glass as half full the way that Etching Industries Corp. does. Established in 1979 as a promotional supplier of decorated wine and spirit bottles, Indianapolis, Indiana-based Etching Industries (UPIC: ETCH0001)—also known as Etching Wines—narrowed its focus to wine bottles and related products after it was acquired in 2013 by the St Regis Group of Companies, simultaneously expanding its portfolio of products.
To reflect the change in focus, Etching Industries leaders came together to discuss rebranding. “We looked at the whole brand and found it hadn’t changed in roughly a decade,” says Guy Malk, vice president of marketing at St Regis Crystal. “We had to take it from scratch, so we started with the catalog.”
To create the right aesthetic, the photography for Etching Wines’ product line needed to reflect the perception that customized wine gifts carry, Malk explains. “The challenge was to make the products shine on the page. I can’t tell you how many times we moved products around, trying to get the right look.”
The new catalog for Etching Industries also needed to capture the elegance and sophistication that give wine gifts their high-perceived value, so the team decided to create a piece that would also serve as a coffee table book.
“Our photographer spent nearly two months photographing each product in the catalog,” says Malk. “The gray mottled background was specifically chosen to showcase the clarity of our crystal while providing an interesting textured background to contrast with the products.”
The detail incorporated into the catalog/coffee table book didn’t end with photos. Details that were taken into great consideration included the font choices, sizes and colors—fonts for readability and timeless appeal, and colors to mirror the rich shades of Etching Industries’ cabernet.
As part of the effort to streamline Etching Industries’ new image, a website was developed and launched that included elements of the catalog, such as photography and color scheme. “The previous site had very little product information, pricing and additional fees were difficult to find and the overall style was very busy and chaotic,” says Malk. “The new site is much easier to navigate, and new filtering options were added to allow the user to narrow down a search.”
The rebrand included a new logo for Etching Wines, which Malk says was designed “to capture and embody the elegance and allure of wine. We decided on a logo that resembled a stylish, elegant label that could be found on a high-end vintage.”
The entire rebrand, from conception to launch, took approximately four months and launched in September 2015 with the shipment of the new Etching Industries catalog. Malk says the response has been fantastic. “We have had so many customers request art, catalogs and banners for their sites.”
In a surprising twist, the packaging Etching Wines offers with its custom products is also drawing more attention. “We always knew people liked to give wine bottles as gifts, but the focus has come to be on the presentation itself.”