Between 2012 and 2020, I produced a series of technical product catalogues for Audio Visual Material (AVM), one of the country’s leading audio visual distribution companies.
The publications were usually around 120 pages in length, and due to the fast moving nature of the industry it was usually necessary to produce two issues per year.
The challenge was to deliver a colourful, glossy, and commercial looking publication, from products that were generally technical and had a lot of spec. It also had to feature a lot of products and information whilst being easy to understand and navigate. Frequently, only black and white product shots and illustrations were available.
I liaised with the company’s marketing and PR manager Karen O’Mahoney, who would provide edited text and a rough flat plan, along with manufacturer’s ads which I would drop into place. She also provided staff headshots and intro pieces from relevant employees, as AVM are very much a company that provided their customers with the personal touch.
AVM are very much a company that provided their customers with the personal touch
Over the years, the catalogue evolved through various design templates, but for this issue I went for a three column grid with technical spec and logos on the left-hand coloured column. This allowed for colour coding of the sections, and was versatile enough to accommodate the variation in the type and number of items on each page. The images were from a multitude of manufacturers, so there were a lot of variations in style. For consistency, we decided they should be cutouts wherever possible, and that colourful pictures be added to screens to add vibrancy.
Frequently, products would be introduced or discontinued whilst the project was ongoing, so there was a lot of rejigging and redesign right up until the deadline.
It was the company’s primary sales tool, and the Managing Director was very happy with the results. I produced various other brochures, data sheets, print, and online promotional materials for the company.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend James to any company looking for creative design services.
Mark Nisbet – Managing Director, AVM
Originally designed on Quark Express. Latterly, designed on InDesign and Photoshop as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
J Everard Design 