Forcade Associates has over twenty years of experience designing, photographing, and producing direct mail brochures and catalogs. Over the past several years, Forcade Associates has carried this experience forward by designing and producing online selling tools which enable their clients to keep pace with the turn toward internet commerce. Forward thinking clients such as Footprints have realized the importance of leveraging both methods.

Since 1991, the Footprints footwear catalog has been direct mailed nation wide and has been recognized by the New York Times as one of the leading mail-order catalogs for its unique selling approach and quality. Designed for merchandising flexibility and maximum mailing economy, the catalog averages 24 4-color pages and displays a mix of footwear, clothing, and leather goods. Each catalog is designed around a unique theme based on Footprints' president Mick Raney's travels.

	Since 1991, Forcade Associates has designed and produced the Footprints mail order catalog and direct mail flyers

Project Scope
Since the beginning, Forcade Associates has worked closely with Footprints to maintain high quality standards from design concept & layout to final printed catalogs. Forcade Associates has provided all essential design and production services including studio photography, color correction/digital retouch, and film-ready digital files. Furthermore, we supervise color proofing, printing, binding, and imprinting with mailing indicia and recipient address inline. The 4-color catalog is also designed to accept a black and white sales insert.

Now that Internet commerce has become more popular, the next logical step for the Footprints mail order business was to make their products accessible over the net. With several years of experience in interactive software and website design, Forcade Associates was able to implement the Footprints website design on both a creative and technical level. The resulting website combines general product and contact information with a comprehensive online catalog which enables the customer to evaluate each selection for color, style and materials-prior to purchase.

Aimed at a market that is largely inexperienced with online shopping, the website is based on a design system that is simple yet effective as a merchandising tool. Furthermore, the online catalog provides step-by-step instructions for each key process from product search and selection to payment and shipping method.

	Forcade Associates provided design & technical support for the Footprints online catalog