🎄 Christmas in July: The Digital Catalogue Project Timeline For 2025

When marketers talk about Christmas in July, they’re not referring to sales or novelty decorations — at least not in the context of digital catalogue production. Instead, it's an important milestone: the point in the year when retailers and publishers should begin preparing their Christmas catalogues.

With long lead times for content, interactive builds, QA testing, and multi-channel promotion, waiting until autumn to get started will almost certainly put you on the back foot. By starting in July, you give your team the runway they need to build a beautifully branded, conversion-ready experience that cuts through the festive noise.

Here’s a month-by-month project timeline to guide your digital Christmas catalogue production, whether you’re using YUDU Publisher or another interactive catalogue platform.

July — Planning & Kickoff

“Christmas in July” isn’t about holiday spirit — it’s about serious project planning.

The moment July arrives, your Christmas campaign clock starts ticking. This is the ideal time to get strategic and build the foundation for your digital catalogue.

Checklist:

◊ Set clear objectives:
Are you looking to drive e-commerce sales, support retail partners, or build brand engagement? Define your KPIs now — clicks, time on page, conversions, AOV, etc.

◊ Build your project timeline:
Identify key milestones for content, photography, design, QA, and launch. Assign responsibilities to stakeholders from marketing, sales, design, and IT.

◊ Select featured products:
Curate a product list in partnership with your buying or merchandising teams. Highlight bestsellers, bundles, and seasonal exclusives.

◊ Plan your interactive elements:
Think beyond flat PDFs. Will you include pop-up overlays, clickable menus, embedded video, a shopping cart, or accessibility tools? Now’s the time to scope this.

◊ Decide on hosting preferences:
Will your catalogue live on a custom domain? Will you embed it within your main site or host it via a platform like YUDU Publisher?

August — Content & Design Development

The decisions you make this month will define the tone, clarity, and quality of your final catalogue.

With the plan in place, August is about content production and visual design.

Checklist:

◊ Write product descriptions:
Draft all necessary copy — product names, benefits, pricing, callouts — ensuring consistent tone of voice and SEO-conscious phrasing.

◊ Gather and approve visuals:
Finalise product photography or schedule a photoshoot. Make sure images are high-res and formatted for both desktop and mobile experiences.

◊ Design your catalogue layout:
Begin building your page flow: front cover, introduction, contents, category spreads, product features, and back page CTAs.

◊ Plan for digital engagement:
Consider embedding remarketing pixels (Google, Meta, LinkedIn) and Google Analytics to capture behavioural data once the catalogue is live.

September — Build & Test

This is your core build window. Don’t rush it - detail matters.

Now it’s time to build the digital catalogue itself, layering in the interactive functionality and responsive structure that sets it apart from a print version.

Checklist:

◊ Complete the digital build:
Upload assets to your platform. Apply interactive overlays, clickable menus, and dynamic navigation. Test embedded links and video/audio playback.

◊ Optimise for mobile with Reflowable Mode:
If using YUDU Publisher, Reflowable Mode ensures a responsive, mobile-first version of your catalogue for on-the-go browsing and increased engagement.

◊ Add accessibility features:
Include screen reader support, keyboard navigation, and alt-text where appropriate. Accessibility isn't just ethical — it's good for reach and SEO.

◊ Apply smart linking:
Use SmartCat overlays to tag products with SKUs, URLs, and UTM codes, allowing seamless integration with your e-commerce platform.

◊ Conduct first-round QA testing:
Review catalogue performance on all major browsers and devices. Get internal feedback on design, copy, and functionality.

October — QA Round 2 & Marketing Preparation

You’re almost ready — but a sloppy launch now would undo months of effort.

October is your opportunity to tighten the screws and prepare for a coordinated promotional launch.

Checklist:

◊ Finalise and lock content:
Implement feedback from the September QA round. Ensure everything is polished, functional, and properly branded.

◊ Build marketing assets:
Create banners, email headers, social ads, landing pages, and press copy to drive traffic to your catalogue.

◊ Add campaign tracking:
Embed analytics and remarketing pixels so you can track ROI across your email, social, and paid campaigns.

◊ Preview and sign off:
Share the final version internally with all stakeholders for approval. If you’re using a platform like YUDU, you can preview on both desktop and Reflowable Mode.

November — Launch

The festive season is here. Time to go live.

Your digital catalogue is ready to make its debut. A well-timed, well-promoted launch now gives you maximum exposure ahead of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and peak gifting season.

Checklist:

◊ Publish the catalogue:
Go live on your custom domain, microsite, or embedded section of your main site. Ensure everything renders properly.

◊ Promote across channels:
Send email campaigns to segmented lists. Launch paid social ads. Update your homepage banners and include CTAs in blog posts and newsletters.

◊ Monitor performance:
Track views, click-throughs, and heatmaps to see how users interact. Use insights to adjust CTAs or drive urgency with flash offers.

Optional Enhancements

If you want to elevate your digital catalogue even further, consider:

◊ Creating an app version:
With YUDU, you can publish your catalogue to a branded app with offline access and push notifications.

◊ Running a “12 Days of Christmas” campaign:
Embed countdowns or timed content reveals within your catalogue to keep audiences returning.

◊ Layering in ecommerce functionality:
Add a shopping cart directly inside your catalogue, making it a seamless purchasing experience.

Final Thoughts

“Christmas in July” isn’t a cliché — it’s a professional cue for digital teams to get ahead of one of the most competitive and commercially important seasons of the year.

With a structured project timeline and a platform built for interactive publishing, you can ensure that your Christmas catalogue doesn’t just look good — it performs.

Talk to a member of the YUDU Publisher Team to get started on planning your Christmas Catalogue.