LEO LIN & Elephant Room

The ad: Shifting focus from value to brand awareness and product desirability

This week, we have a catalog ad that stands out. Not just because it outperformed. And not only because it used strong visual fundamentals. But because it was built differently than many price led catalog ads we have featured before.

Created by LEO LIN & Elephant Room, this catalog ad does not include pricing or discount information. The design uses generous negative space to create a clean and premium visual expression, placing the spotlight on the brand, the models, and the high end fashion.

By shifting the focus away from monetary selling points, the ad changes how value is communicated. Instead of highlighting savings or cost, it communicates value through styling, quality, and brand presence.

Rather than operating as a bottom funnel conversion push built on urgency, this catalog ad works higher in the funnel. It builds awareness, trust, and product desirability. And that reframing of value proved highly effective for driving overall performance.

Why it won Catalog Ad of the week

The absence of pricing makes this catalog ad feel more refined than many sales driven alternatives. Removing discount cues does not remove value. It shifts where the value lives.

Instead of competing on cost, this catalog ad competes on perception.

Interestingly, the ad generated fewer clicks. But it achieved an +81 percent higher conversion rate and an +82 percent increase in ROAS.

This tells us something important. The people who clicked were more intentional. They were not reacting to a discount. They were responding to brand, product, and perceived quality.

This catalog ad demonstrates that value in catalog ads is not limited to price communication. Value can also be created through trust, desirability, and strong brand positioning. And in this case, that approach translated directly into stronger performance.

What makes this Catalog Ad great

Shifting the focus away from pricing and discount cues 

This ad stands out because it does not show pricing or discount badges. That immediately changes how we interpret it. But removing monetary cues does not mean removing value. It simply reframes it.

Instead of communicating value through cost or savings, the ad communicates value through brand, design, and product presentation.

The absence of pricing shifts the spotlight to the brand itself and its products. Viewers are given visual depth, styling context, and a clear sense of quality. That creates a different kind of value perception. One rooted in desirability and trust rather than discounts.

By removing price driven elements, the ad moves away from transactional signals and toward brand equity signals. It feels more luxurious, more exclusive, and more intentional.

This shift changes the role of the ad. Rather than acting as a final push based on savings, it works earlier in the journey. It builds brand awareness and strengthens perceived product value before the purchase decision is even made.

Prominent branding for boosting awareness and trust

Another standout feature in this catalog ad is how the branding is hard to ignore. By placing the brand name in a large, bold font in the top-left of the ad, and using a high-contrast font, it’s practically impossible to look at this ad without seeing the branding. 

This was another smart design choice that pushes brand awareness and trust, which are strong drivers of long-term performance. 

That branding helps anchor the entire visual composition and mirrors the way people naturally scan information. First, your attention is drawn to the big, bold brand name, and then, it’s naturally guided to the models, their outfits, and the CTA. 

This gives the composition a clean and premium look, which was a smart way to build a high-performing ad without putting the emphasis on price. 

Adaptability & using fashion editorial aesthetics

The layout is also a winner because it’s highly adaptable to various formats like 1:1, and 9:16. The full, vertical and centered placement of the products ensures the design is well-optimized for mobile viewing and cross-platform scalability.

This gives the ad the aesthetics of being a high-end fashion editorial. It more closely resembles a fashion lookbook instead of a promotional banner. And that matters because what an outfit looks like is often more important than the price. 

Furthermore, there are subtle variations between each visual which add dimension and multiple angles, showing how the products look in different contexts. This design choice helps the ad stand out because it looks different than other ads. 

This elevates the overall look and feel of the ad. It makes the brand and its product appear more premium and exclusive, which can be effective for increasing scroll-stop rates and captivating audience attention. 

Key Takeaways

This catalog ad proves that performance does not have to be driven by discounts or price communication. Instead, it shows how catalog ads can create value through perception, positioning, and brand strength.

👉 Value is not only about price

Removing pricing or discount badges does not remove value. It shifts how value is communicated. In this case, value is expressed through quality, styling, and brand presence rather than cost savings.

👉 Brand building strengthens perceived product value

When catalog ads lead with strong branding and visual storytelling, they reinforce trust and desirability. That builds long term value and increases the likelihood of high intent conversions.

👉 Premium presentation can outperform price led tactics

Catalog ads do not always need urgency or monetary incentives to perform. A clean, editorial layout that highlights product context and quality can elevate perceived value and drive stronger returns.