Catalogers of the Year

Each product pitched by a vendor is screened by Eichinger and her staff, which includes former teachers, for both quality and relevance to the catalog’s theme.

Creative Decisions

Eichinger takes her layout and design cues from the museum atmosphere she hopes to evoke. Each spread is billed as either an individual museum or exhibit hall. Products are grouped together, for instance, based on whether they illustrate the principles of electricity, develop language skills or teach history. Browsing the catalog is like taking a tour through a museum, with similar products grouped together and described in the same way you’d find exhibits in a museum. Eichinger also uses creative to develop the relationship between parent and child. The catalog features what Eichinger calls “side-by-side products” — grown-up versions of many popular children’s products. The idea, she notes, is to provide items for adults so they can become an inspiration to their children and participate in lifelong learning. The most recent catalog, for instance, pictures an adult using a full-sized pottery wheel alongside a smaller-scale children’s version.