Creative: Develop Solid Catalog Creative Through Open Communication

¥ Share competitive research with the creative team. Once a regular dialogue has been established between the merchandising and creative teams, analyze how your competitors offer the same products you do, says Syverson. What do you like about how your competitors display their products? Look to those competitors who are successful in your vertical, and create a positioning strategy that will set you apart. For example, if you sell turtlenecks, look at how J. Crew, Lands’ End and L.L. Bean sell turtlenecks, she says. Though you don’t want to mimic the competition, you should give the creative team visual feedback on the look of your competitors’ book.