Fundraising, Non-Profit & Cause Awareness Promos

When a brand has a story to tell (and every brand does), promotional products can make the tale tangible and real. The American Red Cross is a perfect example. The organization is brilliantly using promotional products to turn people who have needed the Red Cross into storytellers for the brand.

After all, who better to tell the story than people who have been helped by the Red Cross?

Through its “Stories Project,” the organization is using promo items to help people tell their tales. Each storyteller receives a kit containing a video camera, a promotional lapel pin, a custom journal and some pens to hand write their story.

Dozens of stories have filtered in since the project began in May. They’re heartbreaking, inspirational and captivating. There’s no director and no script—just real people sharing their story about the Red Cross. You can see the Red Cross stories and make a donation here.

What an outstanding campaign: Give people promotional items and turn them into brand storytellers. It’s a powerful, believable, tangible way to show the good works of the Red Cross and bring the brand story to life.

Promo know-how tip:

When sharing your brand story, make sure your promotional giveaways tie into your brand in some way. Our Promotions Specialists can help.

We know promotional keychains are great marketing tools, but sometimes they can be a real gem when promoting a message. Case in point? Mattel’s giveaway of logo key chains to urge people not to drink and drive.

The toy company partnered with an ad agency, a popular pub, and a driver service to create a powerful visual of just what can happen if you get behind the wheel intoxicated. It smashed Hot Wheels cars featuring the message, “Even a small drink is enough” on each car.

When car owners handed over their keys to the valet, the keychains were attached, plus the number to the driver service. At the end of the night, car owners received their keys and the message. The shocking visual was enough to prompt many pub goers to call the service or a buddy for a ride home.

These custom keychains aren’t just for promoting the driver service: They’re tangible, in-your-face reminders of the impact of driving under the influence of alcohol. And because they’re attached to car owners’ keys, they make a long-lasting, visible plea: Don’t drink and drive.

Promo know-how tip:

Turn your custom keychains into keepers with interesting features such as an included LED light, safety whistle or ice scraper.

Silicone bracelets have been hugely effective at raising awareness for various causes. You know those yellow Livestrong bracelets that hit the scene back in 2004? A report from Livestrong shows that 72% of people have worn the organization’s wristbands, and 44% have donated to Livestrong. The organization is approaching $500 million in fundraising as it approaches its 15th year.

So, what’s following in the fundraising footsteps of silicone bracelets? Promotional watches.

They have all the appeal of silicone bracelets, but with more functionality. And they can be customized to fit any cause, as Flex Watches, a charitable timepiece label based in San Diego, creatively shows.

We love the philanthropic angle Flex is taking with its custom silicone watches. Every color in its watch line—11 total—represents the partnership it has with different charities. At the end of the year, Flex donates 10% of profits evenly among these charities.

The company is on a mission to raise awareness about noble causes through colorful, custom watches. People can wear these timepieces to proclaim their support for organizations such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) (shown), a nonprofit that empowers war veterans, and Nika Water, an organization that brings clean water to kids in Kenya.

Flex shows that watches don’t just tell time—they tell stories. When you use promotional watches in a fundraising program, you’re connecting with people on a personal level. It’s then that a watch becomes more than a watch—it becomes a tool that sparks emotion and drives action. That’s smart marketing.

Promo know-how tip: Our promotions specialists can help you create your own fundraising promotion just like Flex Watches is doing. Give us a call today and start raising money for your cause.

You don’t have to invite us to a pool party twice—especially one that’s stocked with promotional sunglasses and custom beach balls. Pool + promo products = a guaranteed good time.

Case in point: The poolside bash hosted by Wine Awesomeness, a charitable-minded wine company, at the Solé East Resort in Montauk, New York. Guests received vibrant, electric-blue shades upon arrival, and the pool was packed with solid-white beach balls bearing the company’s logo in brilliant blue.

These promo giveaways—no doubt pool-party must-haves—set the stage for attendees to “drink, party and do good,” which, incidentally, happened to be the event’s theme.

Attendees spent the day sipping drinks, wearing their promotional sunglasses and bopping around custom beach balls while raising money for Malaria No More, a nonprofit dedicated to ridding the world of malaria. Half the proceeds of select cocktails went to the nonprofit.

Well done, Wine Awesomeness. Your promotional giveaways ramped up the fun of this pool-party-for-a-cause.

Promo know-how tip: Hand out themed promotional items at your next event—whether it’s a wine tasting or a grand opening—to extend the visibility of your company name.

ePromos was pleased to sponsor the United States Army Special Forces Association’s 2012 Convention.

Here at ePromos, we love it when custom pens go to work for good causes. That’s why we were happy to donate custom pens for the United States Army Special Forces Association (SFA) Convention earlier this summer.

The SFA celebrated its 60^th anniversary with five days of special tributes and events in Fayetteville, North Carolina. We were honored to be a sponsor and provide custom pens to commemorate the big celebration.

Do you have a special event on the horizon? We’d love to help you select some custom pens for the big occasion. Promotional pens are useful, popular and they get passed along, getting your company name and logo some valuable exposure.

Promo know-how tip: Custom pens aren’t just for inexpensive giveaways—they’re also perfectly gift-worthy. Add a custom gift box to elevate the presentation.

Last week, some of ePromos’ Minnesota staffers showed up in downtown St. Cloud wielding custom yoga mats—and lots of them. It was all part of our sponsorship of a downtown walk about to promote healthy living.

The event, essentially an open-air festival, was smack in the middle of downtown St. Cloud. This “urban playground” included more than 30 activities ranging from hula-hooping to CrossFit as a way to educate residents about healthful lifestyles.

ePromos brought some healthy motivation with a donation of 75 custom yoga mats. Seven were used as door prizes, and the St. Cloud Downtown Council, the event’s organizer, used the rest as sponsor gifts.

Recipients can use these custom yoga mats for exercise or to zen out, which makes them the perfect promotional giveaway at a walk about.

Promo know-how tip: Walk abouts are the hot new trend. If your business participates in one, be sure to have promotional products to promote your brand and amuse or educate attendees. Since walk abouts take place outdoors, consider promotional items such as custom sunglasses or custom flyers.