The Catalog Chronicles Blog

Despite the gloom and doom warranted by high fuel prices, $129/barrel oil and low conference attendance, generally Orlando seems a happy place this year. While no one wants to be quoted about attendance, the word is that the exhibitor list is smaller and few catalogers have sent squads of staffers to hear the latest circulation, merchandising and creative strategies.

My session on Social Media was, fortunately, SRO. My sense is that catalogers have realized that a new breed of customer wants to hear what other customers are saying about product and are on the brink of adopting some of these new media platforms.

Elsewhere, references to Catalog Choice are few and far between. I was recruited at the last minute to fill in for an ill panelist for the “by-invitation-only” Senior Executive Summit, sharing the podium with Jim Alexander (Alexander & Co, LLC) and John Lenser (LENSER). The reason I mention this is that only John mentioned Catalog Choice by name and spent a few minutes discussing the pro’s and con’s of working with them and against them. From my vantage point, this socially-green movement is inevitable, has gained critical mass and should be worked with.

On to the exhibit hall…