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May 30, 2006Lost Wallet Promos
Here's a clever promo: "lose" a bunch of wallets in public places where your target audience will find them...along with your advertising. I predict soon advertisers will be leaving free cell phones and telemarketing to the people who found them. (via the MIT Advertising Lab)
Posted by mark at 8:33 PM. Permalink: Lost Wallet Promos | Comments (0)
May 29, 2006One Man's Schwag...
| From the Whittier Daily News:
What do you do with your company-branded clothing and office supplies when your business changes its logo? "Indymac Bank and its employees take great pride in finding creative ways to help local organizations in our communities," said Grove Nichols, Indymac's executive vice president of corporate communications and culture. "We hope other companies will follow our lead by donating items when there's a change in corporate image instead of disposing of them." Indymac's donation included polo shirts, denim shirts, tank tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts and wind-shirts as well as a variety of office supplies and corporate gifts, including canvas tote bags, blankets, mugs, clocks, pens and picture frames. The promos were worth over $100,000 and went to various local charities. |  |
Posted by mark at 8:28 PM. Permalink: One Man's Schwag... | Comments (0)
May 28, 2006Personalized and Breathalyzed
| After kind of complaining about how people ask me "What are the cool, new promo products?" I actually have one for you: a personal breath alcohol detector. Perfect for when you're about to make that phone call you'll regret in the morning. |
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Posted by mark at 8:20 PM. Permalink: Personalized and Breathalyzed | Comments (0)
May 26, 2006I'm a Button
| What am I? Certain promotional products are basically designed to answer this question, like stickers, buttons and t-shirts. That's what makes these products ideal for creating a sense of community (like flickr or creative commons). These and other products also a good bet for organizations that are trying to raise awareness or helping people evangelize your brand (which is why a Macintosh always comes with a couple free Apple stickers). As for me, personally, I guess pencil pusher is pretty close. |
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Posted by mark at 8:00 AM. Permalink: I'm a Button | Comments (0)
May 25, 2006Pan Paper: It Ain't the Product, It's the Promotion
When I tell people what I do, the often ask me what cool products we have. This is a legitimate question, but in some ways, it misses the point of what we do. Sure, we have some unique products, but most promotional products are things you've probably already seen before. That's one reason why they're effective - people use them. The key to a great promotion is taking a product and turning it into an interesting piece of advertising that is relevant to your business and your customers. For example, the butcher paper below is literally just a piece of paper, but with a pan printed on it, it's also a clever piece of advertising that people will remember:
Posted by mark at 10:27 AM. Permalink: Pan Paper: It Ain't the Product, It's the Promotion | Comments (1)
May 24, 2006The Benefits of Being flickr
One of the cool things about being flicker is that people will take cool photos of your promotional products and post them online. Like this:
Previous coverage of flickr promos of various types.
Posted by mark at 10:52 AM. Permalink: The Benefits of Being flickr | Comments (0)
May 23, 2006Another Shot of the Da Vinci Code Cryptex
Here's another photo of the Cryptex that was sent out to the first 10,000 winners of the Google/Da Vinci Code game promoting the movie (previous cryptiness). This picture shows the custom packaging.
Posted by mark at 12:18 PM. Permalink: Another Shot of the Da Vinci Code Cryptex | Comments (0)
May 22, 2006Connect the Dots, Connect with Customers
If you make your promos interactive, like this connect the dots placemat, you'll increase the impact of the promotion. People like to have fun, and it's surprisingly easy to get them involved if you just provide an opportunity. This tactic works with drink coasters, too.
Posted by mark at 10:56 AM. Permalink: Connect the Dots, Connect with Customers | Comments (0)
May 21, 2006Frivolous Promo Lawsuit Begets Frivolous Lawsuit Promotion
Fox News brings some fair and balanced coverage to minor league baseball team the Altoona Curve. After a recent lawsuit was filed by a man who was denied a promotional Mother's Day tote at an Anaheim Angels game, the team created a promotion called "Frivolous Lawsuit Night." According the article:
In case they, too, are a little miffed about being denied any Mother痴 Day freebies, the first 137 guys at the park will be given a pink tote bag.
The first 137 thirsty but thermally unaware women in attendance will get burn-proof lukewarm coffee.
And the kiddos have a treat coming their way too. The first 137 inexplicably hungry children will get a beach ball, complete with a warning not to ingest it.
GO CURVES!
Posted by mark at 8:56 PM. Permalink: Frivolous Promo Lawsuit Begets Frivolous Lawsuit Promotion | Comments (0)
May 20, 2006Promo Know-How World Edition: Thailand vs. Malaysia
According to the Malaysian National News Agency, Malaysian businesses have the products, but not the promotion, to compete in international markets. According to the article:
Malaysian products, despite having all the qualities to make it big in the international market, are losing out due to poor and unattractive promotion tactics, according to a Thai businessman.
He said Malaysian companies have the capability to produce quality products and possess the technical expertise but are weak in sales and marketing, especially during international expos.
"They have good products of world standard but when it comes to soft approach, they don't seem to be improving on whatever marketing skills they have to keep up with technology and fast-changing market demand," said the businessmen who declined to be named.
Having vast experience dealing with Malaysian companies for the past 15 years, the businessman said attracting potential clients during international expos was important, citing the successful methods and approaches used by Thai businessmen.
He said Malaysian companies normally would put up well-structured booths, with technically competent people manning them but hardly able to pull in the crowd.
"It's like dead or static exhibition. Most of the time, company officials just sit and expect people to come and enquire about their products or services, or just hand out brochures," he noted.
The businessman said a good example are Thai companies which have been able to attract the crowd with their lively presenters using loudspeakers, free gifts and personal interaction.
"During expos, Thai companies normally hire presenters who will be calling out to the crowd to come to their booths. They will also introduce the company's products and hand out samples or free gifts or paper bags," he pointed out.
Looks like it's time to invest in some trade show giveaways
Posted by mark at 8:49 PM. Permalink: Promo Know-How World Edition: Thailand vs. Malaysia | Comments (0)
May 19, 2006The Karate Card
This is definitely the Ralph Macchio of business cards. We actually have a few interesting takes on the business card on our site, but not nearly enough karate stuff. We do have, however, everything you need to "wax on, wax off".
Posted by mark at 6:01 PM. Permalink: The Karate Card | Comments (0)
May 18, 2006We Must Be Doing Something Right
I haven't posted a testimonial here before, but this one was really good, so I'm posting it. It's from Jack Crumbley at Martin Randal, and he does a great job articulating some of the benefits of working with ePromos, and with account executive Nef Rivas in particular:
I don't do this as often as I should, but when I get great service from any business, I like to acknowledge it.
I'm a partner in an advertising agency in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Just last week a client of ours asked us to create a promotional mail piece, and after doing a little Web searching, I found what I wanted at ePromos. I telephoned and was connected to Nef Rivas in your customer service group. Ms. Rivas was terrific. Maybe it's because I had just come back from dealing with the dispirited and indifferent staff at the main post office in Boston, but Ms. Rivas's enthusiastic manner, her professionalism, and her follow-up after my inquiry were impressive. We eventually placed a small order, and Ms. Rivas has again been helpful and a pleasure to deal with.
We're not a large customer, and it may be some time before we have occasion to use your services again. But I thought I would take the time to let you know that Ms. Rivas delivered the kind of service that got me to bookmark epromos.com, and the next time we need anything you sell, I will check with you first. If someone that good is working for you, you must be doing something right.
Thank you--and best regards,
Jack
Posted by mark at 5:53 PM. Permalink: We Must Be Doing Something Right | Comments (0)
May 17, 2006Intra-company Promotion, a VC Perspective
Venture capitalist David Hornik recently wrote a great post about promotional products (schwag) on VentureBlog. I'm quoting a big chunk because it's so good, and because it's a perspective on promos that you don't really get all that often. Of course, you should visit VentureBlog and read the rest. Here's what he has to say about the value of branded apparel and products for employees, and how it both signifies and reinforces company culture:
But the schwag that I think really matters is the intra-company schwag. I am not a VC who minds his money being spent on t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts. In fact, I encourage it.
Teams that love what they池e working on, want to wear their company logos. They want to have the t-shirt or the hat or the polar fleece. And the act of wearing the shirt of the company you love is self-reinforcing. It makes you love the company all the more. I remember visiting Yahoo in the late nineties and being struck by the fact that about 3 out of every 4 people I passed in the cafeteria was wearing a Yahoo t-shirt of some kind or another. It wasn稚 a dress code. It was a testimony to the culture Jerry and Dave had created from the very outset of the company. The same is true of my portfolio companies. They celebrate successes with company t-shirts. They give company laptop bags for the holidays. Their employees wear company baseball hats to lunch. And I, their board member, proudly rotate through my portfolio company sweatshirts when walking in the morning.
Posted by mark at 12:17 PM. Permalink: Intra-company Promotion, a VC Perspective | Comments (0)
May 16, 2006Cryptex Is Crypty Times Two
I don't know how I totally missed this entire promotion, but Google sponsored a tie-in with the release of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" involving "a set of cryptic puzzles, hidden searches, and mind boggling mini games that ran for the past 3 1/2 weeks." Jason Murphy was one of 10,000 finalists and recieved this rather wicked cool looking cryptex. By dialing in the right word on the cryptex, you can open it and get a secret message that tells you where to go for the next step of the game. This is probably one of the most creative (and most crypty!) custom promos of all time.
Posted by mark at 3:04 PM. Permalink: Cryptex Is Crypty Times Two | Comments (1)
May 15, 2006Reklamepennens Venner
| People don't just collect reklamepenner, but they also have reklamepenner events to bring collectors together. Since I can't read Norwegian, I'm kinda guessing from these pictures that a reklamepenner conference involves getting together with reklamepenner collector friends, trading some reklamepenner, and maybe listening to speakers give talks about reklamepenner, which sounds pretty fun. Plus, they've got t-shirts! I'd love to learn more about reklamepenner collecting, so if you collect reklamepenner, email me: mark@epromos.com. |
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Posted by mark at 1:17 PM. Permalink: Reklamepennens Venner | Comments (0)
May 12, 2006\b[each] \b[al*]
| Safe enough for the server room, but beach balls are really most fun at the beach. |
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Posted by mark at 11:10 AM. Permalink: \b[each] \b[al*] | Comments (0)
May 11, 2006How High Can a Show Dog Jump?
| The associated press reports that "A man who was denied a red nylon tote bag during a Mother's Day promotion at an Angels baseball game has filed a sex and age discrimination lawsuit against the team." The man doing the suing, Alfred Rava, is a lawyer who had previously made $125,000 by suing San Diego nightclubs over their sexually discriminatory "Ladies' Night" promotions. According to his lawyer, the Anaheim Angels "claimed they didn't have any more bags, but my client said there was a mountain of bags stacked so high a show dog couldn't have jumped over them." That sounds pretty high, and I'll probably get sued for blogging about this. Happy Mother's Day! |
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Posted by mark at 8:10 PM. Permalink: How High Can a Show Dog Jump? | Comments (0)
May 10, 2006No Smiles in Smiley Face Battle
Wal-mart is currently in the courts battling Frenchman Franklin Loufrani over the rights to the smiley face, which Wal-mart has used for many years in their marketing and on promotional items from plush toys to Pez dispensers. Until the recent lawsuit, the smiley face has generally been considered to be public domain in the US. According to the BBC News, at least three people claim to have invented the smiley face logo in the 1960's. They also cite its varied uses: "It appears on number plates in the US state of Kentucky, has featured on an American postage stamp and was the unofficial symbol of the late 1980s acid house dance music movement."
Posted by mark at 8:48 AM. Permalink: No Smiles in Smiley Face Battle | Comments (0)
May 9, 2006Use promotional products...cleverly.
Entrepreneur magazine recently published a feature on five ways to get your logo noticed, including:
"Most people have plenty of pens and pads of paper imprinted with company logos. Almost anything you can think of can be personalized to promote your company, so be creative and put your logo on items that make sense for your product or service. Pest control? Think fly swatters. Sporting goods? Think Frisbees."
It's also worth noting that several of the other five ideas also involved imprinted promotional items sold in the promotional product industry, including sponsoring a sports team and getting your logo on theirteam uniforms and "Incorporate your logo into your packaging."
Posted by mark at 7:52 AM. Permalink: Use promotional products...cleverly. | Comments (0)
May 8, 2006Everybody Loves Free Stuff...(Part 2)
We recently noted that some people love free stuff so much they pay money for it, and today I am sad to say, some people love free stuff so much they steal it. According to The Nation Newspaper in Barbados: "Cricket officials are trying to get to the bottom of the disappearance of imprinted promotional items for the 2006 Digicel cricket series. On Friday and again yesterday, SUNDAY SUN was informed that several shirts and other items could not be accounted for as the series moved to Guyana." Unfortunately, this is also not the first time someone's decided to steal free stuff.
Posted by mark at 4:09 PM. Permalink: Everybody Loves Free Stuff...(Part 2) | Comments (0)
Don't Forget Your Sunscreen
This custom printed towel, designed to promote skin cancer awareness, is another good example of a promotional product that is designed to encourage a specific behavior (besides buying a product). It would also pair quite nicely with promotional sunscreen. (via How Advertising Spoiled Me)
Posted by mark at 9:47 AM. Permalink: Don't Forget Your Sunscreen | Comments (0)
May 4, 2006Beyond Branding: Promoting Behavior
Promotional products can be great branding tools, but they can be even more effective when used to promote a specific behavior in the recipient. That behavior could be buying something, filling out a survey or giving contact information, but there are plenty of uses beyond commerce. For example, you may want to encourage water conservation, which is what these stickers aim to do, improve workplace safety, or even get someone to plant a tree.
Posted by mark at 3:44 PM. Permalink: Beyond Branding: Promoting Behavior | Comments (0)
May 3, 2006Chicago Officials Okay with Rock, Not Roll
The alternative rock festival Lollapalooza made a dubious promotional decision and inflamed Chicago officials by handing out promotional rolling papers to journalists at a city-sanctioned press conference where parks officials were to receive a $400,000 donation from last year's concert proceeds to benefit city parks. Distribution of the promos was stopped and the concert promoter apologized for his mistake, saying that the event "very family friendly. . . . This is not what we're about.'' I'm guessing he'll be more careful next time, and it looks like the concert will go on as planned, potentially raising as much as $600,000 for Chicago parks this year. The rolling papers should be available on eBay any minute now.
Posted by mark at 11:33 AM. Permalink: Chicago Officials Okay with Rock, Not Roll | Comments (0)
May 2, 2006Everybody Loves Free Stuff...
...so much, in fact, that some are even willing to pay for it. Valley Schwag will send you a package full of free stuff every month for $14.95. According to them, "Web companies are the rock bands of our age, with schwag to match. Only it costs you $25 to get a t-shirt at a concert. So put the Belle and Sebastian t-shirt back in the drawer, and pull on your Odeo limited edition tweety bird." It just goes to show that in this world, nothing is free. Not even free stuff.
Posted by mark at 10:58 AM. Permalink: Everybody Loves Free Stuff... | Comments (0)
May 1, 2006What Is Reklamepenner?
Funny you should ask. Reklamepenner is actually Norwegian for "pen with advertising on it," and apparently they are a popular collector's item in Norway. For example, check out the this rather impressive collection of promotional pens, I mean, reklamepenner, that occupies an attic. If you can read Norwegian, you can find out more about it here.
Posted by mark at 1:28 PM. Permalink: What Is Reklamepenner? | Comments (0)
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