For 70 years, Ikea produced a printed brochure featuring the mega furniture store’s catalogue of products. Its popularity had grown so much that it even rivalled the Bible as the most widely-produced book. In 2016, 200 million copies were produced, with the book being translated into 32 different languages and distributed around the world.
But in 2021, Ikea decided it was time to retire the catalogue and the printing presses were shut down for the final time. Demand for the printed catalogue had been in decline for a number of years. Driven by the introduction of more advanced digital tools that gave greater flexibility and control to customers, the printed counterpart was being left behind.
One of Ikea’s managers described the brochure as one of Ikea’s “best-known and best-loved products for 70 years”. It’s clear that the brochure was recognised and celebrated for the part it had played in Ikea’s successes over such an extended period. But all good things must come to an end, and Ikea recognised that with better alternatives now available, the catalogue was now best left in the past.
We didn’t build Prospectus+ because we want to see the death of print. Quite the opposite. We love print! Key members of our team even trained in design for print. But we think there’s a better way. A way to serve prospects more effectively, with relevant, personalised content. And the beauty is that you can simply adjust what you print, and the volumes of what you produce to fit around a new digital-first strategy fit for 2022 and beyond.
