You've probably seen the cheeky cartoon commercials for Duluth Trading Company pants, underwear and shirts. At first glance, most men may not identify with them as they seem geared towards men in the trades. What sneaks into your psyche after watching the commercials a few times is that while you may not have the "plumber's butt" problem it sure would be nice to have some extra length in that shirt your wearing.
What
Duluth Trading Company has done, in both TV and Print is found a distinct position with men who are not suit wearers but need clothes that are more comfortable, fit their daily needs and will last. This position is laser focused with their catalog, and couldn't tell the story they tell without this printed piece.
While online media could relate the same information on a website page, Duluth Trading Company knows their audience; that audience reads printed material. The delivery media (a catalog) is what their customers want.
The magalog (catalog and magazine combined) showcases the problems "real men" face. The language and images are spot on. They use words that most men use (when not in mixed company) such as "
Big Ass ...," and they talk about "
our boys" in regards to our private parts. The images are cartoons (circa 1950 Boy's Life) instead of elegant photos.
The catalog speaks in a unique way that most other media channels can not; AND it's a perfect fit for the audience they are targeting. Their laser focused marketing and understanding of their audience shows in their media choices and how they portray their product.
If most company executives would spend more time learning about their target audience beyond superficial demographics, the marketing options will reveal themselves. Don't start your marketing strategy with a discussion about media, focus on the customer.