Gary Wohlfeill, creative director for Moosejaw, offers these tips to make an augmented reality direct mail catalog more appealing and engaging to consumers:

Have a stated goal. Augmented reality is definitely a fun new space, but I think it’s important to have a clear goal when using it. For Moosejaw, we are kind of making a statement about the company and our brand when we decide to use the technology to see through people’s clothes in X-Ray or spray down a model. We make it a priority to always push the brand in everything we do, so it’s no different when we use AR.

Be notable and different. We’ve found the most successful direct mail has always been the pieces that really surprised people (and maybe confused a few.) Something unexpected, crazy and irreverent is always our goal. Those are the only campaigns that people tell 10 friends about.

Make it an extension of the company. Direct mail and catalogs have to be looked at as an extension of the brand, not as a separate channel. If you give an impression in your catalog of what a call to customer service would be like, then an actual call better live up to that. You can have an amazing looking and executed catalog, but once customers hit your website — if it doesn’t make sense — then you’ve shattered the experience and it won’t perform.

Have impact. A well-executed direct mail catalog has been in our marketing mix for some time. It’s great for the stuff that we do because it has lasting power. I still know people who have copies of old catalogs lying out on their coffee tables, and I remember a customer who requested 100 “No Pants” catalogs to pass out at his office. It’s a tangible thing that you can hold in your hand, so you really are able to make the experience that much more impactful.

See another way Moosejaw has been creative with its direct marketing.