Convention Tote Bags: Warner Brothers & Comic Con 2010
Out of the many uses businesses have found for promotional products, building brand awareness seems to be the most common. After all, a brand that is easily recognized and well-liked doesn't have to sell itself over and over again. Once people trust your brand, all of your subsequent sales and marketing efforts become easier and more effective.
Warner Brothers is one example of an elite brand that understands the importance of maintaining their renowned corporate image. That's why they worked hard for the opportunity to provide the custom convention tote bags for Comic Con 2010, one of the largest and most successful trade shows in the world. In recent years Comic Con attendance has consistently eclipsed 120,000 attendees!
With the amount of media attention that the convention receives, businesses in the industry know there are golden brand-building opportunities everywhere. This year, Warner Brothers is ramping up their promotional efforts and has agreed to provide every single attendee with a special personalized tote bag featuring 1 of 11 collectible bag designs. One side of the bag features official full-color Comic Con artwork, while the other side is dedicated to putting major Warner Brothers Entertainment titles in the spotlight.
The 11 different bag designs are: The Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Fringe, Human Target, Nikita, The Vampire Diaries, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, The Looney Tunes Show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame, Brightest Daym, and Clash of the Titans.
Trade show tote bags are an ideal brand-building tool in this scenario. Not only will these bags be the center of attention (Entertainment Weekly called the bags the show’s “ubiquitous accessory") throughout the 4-day event, but Warner Brothers will continue to reap the benefits of quality brand exposure long after Comic Con 2010 is over!
Posted by josh at 1:20 PM. Permalink: Convention Tote Bags: Warner Brothers & Comic Con 2010
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Promotional Calendar: McDonald's Napkin Dispenser
In 2009, calendars were #4 on PPAI's list of the best-selling promotional products - an impressive spot considering they are mostly given out once a year! The widespread popularity of custom calendars has led many companies to invent their own creative calendars in an attempt to stand out from traditional designs.
Check out this recent promotional calendar put together for McDonald's. The calendar is designed to resemble the same napkin dispensers used in McDonald's restaurants, and each napkin is imprinted with the date and a German phrase that translates into both "Have a good day" and "Enjoy your meal." The calendars were given to franchise owners in Germany for display in their business offices.
Posted by josh at 12:54 PM. Permalink: Promotional Calendar: McDonald's Napkin Dispenser
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Attention Direct Mail Marketers: USPS Proposes Rate Increases
Last week, the United States Postal Service proposed sweeping rate increases that would help the cash-strapped organization regain its financial footing. The agency faces a $7 billion deficit this year and hopes the proposed increases will raise as much as $2.3 billion through Q3 of 2011.
If the Postal Regulatory Commission approves the new pricing, businesses relying on direct mail marketing will face slimmer profit margins and less room for error. If you target your audience via USPS mail, it's time to start thinking about ways to improve the efficiency of your campaigns in order to counteract rising costs.
In the past, studies have shown that promotional products consistently improve direct mail open and response rates - sometimes by as much as 50%! By including a simple direct mail giveaway in your package you can ensure that recipients give your marketing message their undivided attention.
You don't have to spend a fortune on promotional products that boost the performance of your direct mail campaigns. Even inexpensive promo classics like custom pens, keychains, or koozies can double or even triple response rates. Try testing a few different items and tracking the results to see what delivers the best return on your investment!
Posted by josh at 9:00 AM. Permalink: Attention Direct Mail Marketers: USPS Proposes Rate Increases
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World Cup Apparel: Weighted Brazillian Shirt
| Check out this creative guerrilla campaign from Centauro, the largest sporting goods retail chain in Brazil. To boost sales of team Brazil's iconic yellow football jersey during the World Cup, the store created a promotion based on "the weight of the shirt" - a phrase used by many Brazilians to express the celebrated history of the team and its 5 world championship victories.
For this campaign, Centauro sourced custom clothes hangers with a special 2 kg (4.5 lbs) weight attached to them. When customers picked up the jersey on the hanger, they were surprised to find that "the weight of the shirt" was no longer just a catchphrase! Centauro ran this promotion in 120 stores and reported a 15% increase in sales of custom sports apparel during the 2-week campaign. |
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Posted by josh at 9:44 AM. Permalink: World Cup Apparel: Weighted Brazillian Shirt
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CBS2: Heat Wave Water Bottle Giveaway
A good promotional marketer is always on the lookout for new opportunities. Even a seemingly innocent event like the current east coast heat wave is fair game! With everyone talking about stifling temperatures, at least one business recognized their chance to get the most out of the buzz.
Late last night our local CBS station here in New York ran a TV spot encouraging viewers to stop by Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn to pick up free bottled water (with custom CBS labeling). Will people really line up for free water? Judging by the amount of weather-related complaints I've heard in the last 72 hours, I'd say there's a good chance!
That's some smart, quick work by the CBS team to get branded bottle water on hand for a promotional campaign before temperatures go back to normal. Will you be ready the next time an opportunity like this one comes along?
Posted by josh at 12:50 PM. Permalink: CBS2: Heat Wave Water Bottle Giveaway
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Employee Motivation Gone Terribly Wrong
Motivating employees and helping them overcome their fears is an admirable goal. Making them walk on a bed of hot coals to achieve this goal - not so much. This week's Promo No-No lesson comes from Tecnocasa, one of Italy's biggest real estate agencies. The company's well-intentioned "Motivation Day" ended in tears when nine salespeople were sent to the hospital after burning their feet during a "face your fears" firewalking event!
What happened to employee motivation gifts of the room-temperature variety? There are plenty of imprinted team-building promos that can boost morale and spice up company events without requiring an overnight stay in the burn ward. I think the Tecnocasa Agency should set the bar a little lower for their next employee event, and stick to the promotional products that work!
Posted by josh at 12:30 PM. Permalink: Employee Motivation Gone Terribly Wrong
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Talk Show Logo Mugs
When you create a successful promotional product campaign, you shouldn't have to worry about a supplier keeping up with demand for your items.
In 2010 lightning fast production times and expedited rush shipping have become the norm. Once your artwork is received and the order is approved, you can have many products at your doorstep in as little as 48 hours! So why are some companies okay with waiting weeks for their re-orders to arrive?
Case in point: CNBC's "Squawk Box" is a popular morning talk show that focuses on important financial news. The program has a loyal viewership that tunes in every day, so when they offer promotional Squawk Box schwag for sale, the demand is certainly there. In the screen-grab below you can see one of their most popular promotional items - custom coffee mugs imprinted with caricatures of the show's hosts.
Since these mugs get constant exposure on the show, demand is always high. How do I know? The mug has been unavailable in the company's online store for weeks now! At the time of this post, CNBC's site informs customers that they'll have to wait at least another 5 days before they'll have more promotional mugs to ship out. This stock issue has been a problem for weeks now.
On the other hand, a quick look at our custom coffee mug inventory shows dozens of mugs that can be produced, packed, and shipped in less than a week - some in less than a day or two. Hey CNBC, maybe you should give us a call!
In tangentially related talk show coffee mug news, thanks to Kevin Pollak for showing off his new ePromos coffee mug in the latest episode of his online chat show. We hope you and your staff are enjoying them!
Posted by josh at 8:58 AM. Permalink: Talk Show Logo Mugs
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Alzheimer's New Zealand: Promotional USB Memory Drives
This has to be one of the most creative and hard-hitting uses of promotional USB drives I've seen. Alzheimer's New Zealand used these items for a promotion designed to raise awareness about Alzheimer's, a disease commonly characterized by severe memory loss. What better to way to drive the point home than with a memory stick that also doubles as an eraser?
Each drive is imprinted with the slogan "Alzheimer's erasers your memories. Save them." This simple yet strong message ties in perfectly with the dual-functionality of the item. The result is something that is much more than just a promotional giveaway. It's a tool that really gets people to stop and think about the disease and inspires them to learn more.
The flip side of these customized USB drives features the organization's logo and a web address where they can find more information about getting involved. It would've been nice if the group had loaded some information directly onto the drive before distributing them, but overall, I think this is an excellent promotion.
Posted by josh at 1:27 PM. Permalink: Alzheimer's New Zealand: Promotional USB Memory Drives
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Houlihan Lawerence: Logo Soccer Ball Giveaway
What I really like about promotional products is the way that they benefit both the company giving them and the people getting them. Everybody wins! Here's one of thousands of examples I've found:
To score some points with the community, real estate brokerage firm Houlihan Lawerence gave away branded soccer balls featuring the company's logo and colors. Kids may not be in the market for real estate, but their parents are a different story. Kudos to the company for finding this indirect yet effective way to reach their target audience.
The kids get a free soccer ball and Houlihan Lawerence gets a reputation boost in the eyes of grateful parents. They also get free on-field advertising for the remainder of the soccer season and beyond! That sounds like a true win-win promotion to me.
Want some on-field exposure of your own? Promotional soccer gifts are especially hot with the World Cup in full swing.
Posted by josh at 3:33 PM. Permalink: Houlihan Lawerence: Logo Soccer Ball Giveaway
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Walking Billboards: Promotional T-Shirts
It looks like online advertisers are catching on to what some of us have known for years - t-shirts are the perfect billboard for a marketing message!
Just look at this car insurance advertisement I saw on Weather.com. The product being sold has absolutely nothing to do with clothing or apparel, so why did LowerMyBills.com decide to put their message on a t-shirt?
Well, t-shirts are so popular that people have formed the habit of automatically reading whatever is printed on them!
If t-shirts can grab attention in online ads like this one, just think how effective a physical shirt can be. If you're in need of a "billboard" with potential for high-visibility and quality exposure, you can't go wrong with promotional t-shirts.
Posted by josh at 9:54 AM. Permalink: Walking Billboards: Promotional T-Shirts
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Using Promotional Products To Encourage Dealers
When most people think of promotional products, they think trade show giveaways, business gifts, and employee incentives. While these are certainly tried-and-true uses, I'm always happy to see creative applications that demonstrate just how versatile promo items can be.
Take a look at this campaign from Caremail, a company that manufactures eco-friendly packaging products. In order to incentivize dealers in their distribution network, Caremail created a rebate offer for a free 30 oz. Nalgene® water bottle for any retail customers that order $30 worth of Caremail products from dealers.
This campaign is a win-win-win situation for Caremail, official resellers, and customers. Customers are obviously happy to receive a brand-name custom water bottle for free, while Caremail and it's dealers benefit from the increase in sales that result.
Posted by josh at 9:27 AM. Permalink: Using Promotional Products To Encourage Dealers
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Promotional Wall Calendar: EIZO Medical
If someone came to me and told me they wanted to create a sensual pin-up girl calendar for doctor's offices and hospitals, I'd politely recommend they go with a different theme....until I saw this great promotional wall calendar from EIZO Medical.
EIZO manufactures the high-precision x-ray displays used in the medical industry. To create a lasting impression with their clients, they wanted something that would not only be useful, but creative and entertaining. They came up with this ingenious custom calendar which features x-rays of pin-up girls in modelesque poses.
Posted by josh at 4:28 PM. Permalink: Promotional Wall Calendar: EIZO Medical
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Promo No-No: Creative Salt
In my last post I praised the creativity of companies that find ways to put a unique spin on common promotional products. Today I'd like to share an example of what happens when people get a little too creative for their own good!
This creative agency wanted a direct mail product that would remind customers about their ability to bring brands to the surface of the market. The product they chose to communicate this message? A jar of salt.
The logic behind using salt is pretty sound in a scientific context (salt increases the density of water, also increasing the buoyancy of objects in it, causing them to float to the surface)...but how many people are going to make this association right off the bat?
The jar's imprint reads "Add some creative salt to your strategy and your brand is unsinkable!" I'm sorry, but this is just too much of a stretch. Creativity and unique products are great, but when your message is obscured by the medium, you've gone too far!
Posted by josh at 11:11 AM. Permalink: Promo No-No: Creative Salt
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Custom Shopping Tote: Lipton Green Tea
It's not hard to engage people when you're using promotional products. Armed with some specific marketing goals and a good idea of who your audience is, tangible promo items can easily make a bigger impact than traditional marketing mediums (I'm looking at you, TV and print!).
What really impresses me is when companies take a common promotional product and find a way to put a unique spin on it. Here's a great example from Lipton. To promote their new green tea, they took a traditional custom shopping bag - a pretty basic product - and turned it into something that has people doing double-takes when they see them on the street!
Posted by josh at 9:35 AM. Permalink: Custom Shopping Tote: Lipton Green Tea
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The King of Pens: Skilcraft US Government Edition
At first glance, these simple black pens appear humble and unassuming. Only a silver imprint reading "Skilcraft U.S. Government" hints at their storied history.
For more than 40 years these infamous government-issue pens have served as the official writing instrument for government employees in every sector. They've been used everywhere from active war zones to post offices, yet most people aren't aware they even exist!
These infamous Skilcraft ballpoint pens are manufactured by blind workers in accordance with 16 pages of rigorous government specifications, including demands such as the ability to write for a continuous mile without generating blobs, skipping, or losing color intensity. The ink itself can withstand 48 hours of exposure to water and will remain legible even after two applications of chemical bleach. The pen's tungsten carbine-cobalt ball is corrosion resistant and the plastic barrel won't warp or degrade even at temperatures ranging from 160 degrees to -40 degrees. This truly is the king of all pens.
The cost? Sixty cents each.
A pen rumored to double as a two-inch explosive fuse and an emergency tracheotomy scalpel may sound like part of the plot synopsis for a new spy comedy movie, but these pens are the real deal. About 4 million are manufactured every year, and demand remains consistent despite the fact that their design hasn't been upgraded in 4 decades.
You may not be able to imprint your logo on an authentic Skilcraft government-issue pen, but there are plenty of durable custom ballpoint pens that serve as worthy substitutes. The next time you are tempted to think that writing instruments don't have the staying power of other promotional products, remember the Skilcraft's 40 year legacy!
Posted by josh at 8:57 AM. Permalink: The King of Pens: Skilcraft US Government Edition
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World Cup 2010 Schwag: Custom T-Shirt
With the World Cup kickoff only two days away, soccer fans are rejoicing and World Cup schwag is popping up everywhere. Check out this fun custom t-shirt, which has the first internal imprint I've ever seen!
For those who don't watch much soccer, a common player (and fan) celebration is to lift their jerseys over their heads following a goal. This shirt has a face imprinted for exactly this occasion.
Stay tuned for more quality World Cup schwag throughout the tournament!
Posted by josh at 12:41 PM. Permalink: World Cup 2010 Schwag: Custom T-Shirt
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