Admin

Oct

2009

Marketing, Muggles and How to Cast a Promotional Spell

Happy International Magic Month! In this day and age, what better manifestation of the word “magic” exists than the fictional book character Harry Potter and his bewitching peers?

In 2003, due to the immense popularity of author J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the word “muggle” first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary with the definition “a person without magical powers.” In the Harry Potter books, wizards consider themselves to be superior to muggles, but the fact of the matter is that potions and wizardry are not always the best solution to tough problems.

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry and his friends often fall prey to clever marketing gimmicks targeted at young, green wizards. If only they had been informed about the mesmerizing power encompassed by promotional products when properly utilized! Keep reading to find out which alternatives make the grade…

Invisibility Cloak: For Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the gang, the Invisibility Cloak is a handy tool to catch their enemies off guard. But is this sneaky tool really the best way to communicate their strength of character and determination?

Grade: B+

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Logo Apparel: To truly make a statement and belittle their enemies, Harry and his friends could opt for customized shirts or jackets to present a unified front when battling against the forces of evil. They could even market themselves as an organized team devoted to protecting the integrity of the wizarding community!

Grade: A

Nimbus 2000 Broomstick: Harry’s natural affinity for the sport of Quidditch means that his choice of broomstick is absolutely crucial. This state-of-the-art broomstick helps him soar above the opposing team and find the Golden Snitch time and time again to win the match for his school. The speed and accuracy achieved by the Nimbus 2000 are impossible to beat… Or are they???

Grade: A-

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Pinnacle Promotions’ RocketShip 24-Hour Express Service™: In the Muggle world, efficiency is highly valued, especially when trusting a company to deliver a product or service. Pinnacle does not have the ability to ship products via broomstick (yet…), but our unique RocketShip™ delivery option ensures that orders will arrive at your doorstep as soon as humanly possible. Broomsticks are not 100% reliable, as they can be broken or in need of repairs, but the Pinnacle Platinum Guarantee™ stands behind every single order.

Grade: A+

Quills: The stubborn wizarding world refuses to adopt the use of Muggles’ pens and paper, and sticks to the traditional quills instead. Some of these quills have magical powers, such as Auto-Answer Quills, which provide the correct answers to exam questions, Spell-Check Quills, which automatically correct misspelled words written by a writer, and Self-Inking Quills, which refill their own ink when needbe. Still, quills present challenges when it comes to portability and longevity.

Grade: B- (for ordinary quills); A (for enchanted quills, especially the Auto-Answer and Spell-Check quills!)

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Unique Pens: Magical powers are great, but Muggles are accustomed to everyday, standard promotional pens. To add some excitement and pizzazz to a basic pen, Harry and his pals could opt for unique promotional pens instead of their usual quills. This way, whenever they were required to cross over into the Muggle world, they could share their writing instruments with non-wizards and manage to receive similar responses of awe and admiration.

Grade: A+

Tri-Wizard Tournament Cup: This award is a shining cup that is bestowed upon the winner of this rigorous competition, and it is kept by the winning school until the next tournament takes place. In the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory reach the cup at the same time, and grab hold of it simultaneously. Unbeknownst to the champions, the cup is a secret portkey that transports them to a graveyard to battle Lord Voldemort. Diggory is killed by Voldemort and Harry escapes back to Hogwarts alone, leaving a furious Voldemort in his wake. He receives the promised 1,000 galleon (wizarding currency) prize, and gives the galleons to Fred and George Weasley to start a joke shop.

Grade: F

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Crystal Awards: In retrospect, the enchanted Tournament Cup was probably not the best way for student wizards to be recognized for their victories. The competing schools would have been much better off by choosing crystal awards to customize instead, as winners could hold onto them for eternity as a reminder of their exceptional accomplishments. Also, these awards are affordable enough to award to more than one winner, and second and third place entrants could be honored for their efforts as well.

Grade: A+

Overall, the magical product options didn’t fare so badly, but for all of the Muggles reading this entry in hopes of gaining valuable marketing advice, I would definitely recommend acquiring the latter item in each pair from Pinnacle Promotions!

Oct

2009

6 mildly scary films about promotional products that never made it past storyboarding

1. The Cinchpack of Notre Dame

The pitch: A String-A-Sling backpack sold to tourists at the Notre Dame Cathedral is hired to kidnap the beautiful Esmeralda. The cinch pack ends up falling in love with Esmeralda and attempts to save her from her captors, at his own risk…

Why the film was never made: Producers claimed cinch packs weren’t pitiful enough to inspire sympathy in audiences.

2. The Hills Have Ice

The pitch: Deranged ice scrapers descend from the hills to attack and cannibalize a family of innocent tourists. In the end, however, the ice scrapers feel remorse and decide to help the tourists by clearing the frost from their car windshield.

Why the film was never made: Producers argued that the ending was too postmodern for a box-office slasher.

3. Pirates of the Carabiner

The pitch: Keychain thieves hijack a college bookstore and take a pretty co-ed hostage, in hopes that her magic carabiner will free them from an ancient curse.

Why the film was never made: Studios felt the college football tailgating crowd was too small of a target audience.

4. Kites of the Living Dead

The pitch: Hordes of the undead wreak havoc on post-apocalyptic suburbia. After successfully turning all human survivors into zombies, they organize a worldwide day of kite flying that unites zombies in global peace… until the sequel.

Why the film was never made: Studios couldn’t predict that in 2009 zombies would rival even vampires in popularity.

5. The Fan-tom of the Opera

The pitch: After her father dies, a singer at the Paris Opera House hears the sound of whirring fans when she sings. Finally, a ghostly figure of a fan emerges from the shadows and declares its love for her.

Why the film was never made: Producers were unable to cast a fan with a decent singing voice.

6. Poltermice
The pitch: Promotional mice begin communicating with a five-year-old girl in suburban California through static on the computer screen. Eventually they travel through the computer monitor and into the house. “They’re here…”

Why the film was never made: Studios felt the story would be too traumatic for post-9/11 audiences. Maybe in 2010.

Oct

2009

Promotional Products Take a Trip to the Wilderness

Although I am far from what you might consider “outdoorsy,” last weekend I ventured into the wilderness and went camping. As I was sitting around the campfire- surrounded by trees, water, and insects rather than cubicles, advertisements and televisions- I realized that in spite of the natural surroundings I was accompanied by many brands.

From my flashlight to the collapsible can cooler and of course the Swiss Army knife, many of the items I brought had been given to me by a corporation. I started thinking about how these promotional products successfully traveled all that way with us, and came to the conclusion that functional promotional items are key to building any brand.

Functional products, including drinkware, blankets, chairs and other outdoors products, can be imprinted with a company name and logo for increased brand exposure. Giving a product that is not only practical, but also small and easily compactable for easy travel, ensures that your company goes everywhere recipients go. Here are some camping tips to help you incorporate useful items into your next marketing campaign and some activities to inspire a trip to the outdoors.

-Hiking: This is not only a fun activity, but also a way to get to know the area where you will be staying and to tire yourself out before a night of sleeping on the ground. For kids or less active individuals, a leisurely nature walk is also a good afternoon pursuit. Stay hydrated and healthy with promotional sports bottles.

-Grilling: Plan ahead and make sure to pack food that can be cooked outdoors on a grill or open campfire. It’s also a good idea to bring items that won’t leave a mess, to ensure that pesky animals don’t bother you. And don’t forget to keep items fresh in a personalized cooler until you are ready to cook

-S’more making: Making S’mores is delicious and a good way to stay warm around the campfire. Carry a promotional flashlight with you if you venture into the woods to look for the perfect sticks. And always take a buddy, too.

-Camp songs and ghost stories: Singing songs and telling stories are great pre-bedtime activities. Don’t forget to write down your favorite tunes and spooky narratives in promotional jotters so you can remember them for next year’s trip to the wilderness.

Oct

2009

Promotional Products and Proposition 65

We all know California tends to be a bit on the progressive side compared to the rest of our nation – having been the first state to legalize gay marriage, the first to ban the distribution of plastic bags, and, perhaps a bit lesser known, the first to initiate a law requiring businesses to include warning labels on all products containing hazardous chemicals (a list of more than 700), as well as prohibit companies from discharging these substances into drinking water sources. This law, commonly termed Proposition 65, and formally titled the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, came about from growing public dissatisfaction in the 1980s regarding what they perceived as a lack of effort on the part of the state government to protect its citizens from exposure to certain toxics, in particular from those companies who knowingly produced products that included an unsafe amount of these chemicals.

While the Act has good intentions, seeking to protect consumers, it is important to note the use of many of the chemicals that it deems are hazardous to our health is not prohibited by national government agencies including the FDA. Additionally, though it cited that the chemicals listed are those that are “known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity,” in reality, many of those listed only have the potential to pose these risks under certain circumstances and based upon certain interpretations of scientific data. An example of this is one prominent case that occurred in 2006 when California Attorney General Bill Lockyer and Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo sued Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, alleging it used lead-based paint on bottle labels imported from Mexico. In reality, the lead content present in those bottles was negligible. Dr. F. Jay Murray, a toxicologist and a founding member of the Proposition 65 Science Advisory Board even stated regarding the lead content in the Coca-Cola bottles, “In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency says you could drink 10 times as much lead in drinking water and be safe. Many consumers in Los Angeles and around the state actually drink tap water with higher levels of lead than are in these beverages.”

Regardless, the law has made a big impact on business, including within the realms of the promotional products industry, and beyond just within the borders of the State of California. Companies throughout the country that manufacture promotional products are either being met with high costs of reformulating products or repackaging them to include the proper warning labels, and those that do not contain the proper warning labels have the potential to receive penalties as high as $2,500 per violation per day, or facing serious threats to the future public perception of their company in the midst of media-frenzied lawsuits – hundreds of which, like the Coca-Cola suit, have been brought about by private consumers throughout the past two decades. Due to a combination of fear of these possible consequences, a lack of monetary funding needed to make the necessary changes to products, and concern that customers outside the state of California who are not aware of the details of Proposition 65 will be led to believe that their products are truly unsafe based upon the warning labels, many promotional products companies have decided to stop distributing their products to California altogether.

At Pinnacle Promotions, we offer many custom printed promotional items that are Proposition 65 compliant, such as our promotional BPA-free bottles. If you are a company in California, or a company that will be distributing any of your purchases to the state of California, simply let your Account Manager know and they will make sure the products you choose adhere to all Proposition 65 guidelines.

For more information about Proposition 65, and to see the entire list of prohibited chemicals, you can visit the State of California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment website at http://www.oehha.org/prop65.html.

Oct

2009

Using Promotional Products to Spice Up the Season

With only one week left in my favorite month of all, I have big plans this weekend. I am determined to find the best pumpkin and show the world my unparalleled pumpkin carving skills! Okay. So that’s an exaggeration. There’s usually not too much more to my Jack-O’-Lantern than three triangles and a very crooked smile. But it is definitely one of my favorite ways to spend a chilly fall evening.

If you’ve read any of my past blogs, you know how partial I am to the cool weather, and (as the ladies in our department know) pumpkin flavored anything! So as October comes quickly to an end, I’d like to focus on a few simple pleasures that I would encourage everyone to participate in during the all-to-brief fall season.

Activity #1: Bake!
Anything with the spicy and fresh flavors of the fall. Apple Crisp and Pumpkin Muffins are two of my all time favorites. For a fun office event, hold an afternoon Halloween party. Encourage employees to bring in their favorite fall treats to share. Give kitchen utensils to all participants for an extra branding boost.

Activity #2: Take a hike…
Or a walk. Or even a stroll. The cool weather and soft sunlight are great times to get a little fresh air and a little extra exercise. And don’t forget to clip on your pedometer to see how far your stroll takes you.

Activity #3: Host a backyard bonfire
Take it outside! Break out the coolers and collapsible chairs and toast marshmallows over an open fire. Of course make sure that starting a contained fire is legal in your city. You wouldn’t want to risk that getting out of hand!

Activity #4: Carve pumpkins
Whether you break out the pumpkin carving equipment for the kids, or just for fun, pumpkin carving is a fun and creative break from the normal day-to-day routine.

Activity #5: Stock up on tasty treats
You want to be prepared for Trick-or-Treaters on the 31st! And a tip for parents, grocery bags are excellent for collecting the treats and goodies your little Ghosts and Goblins will amass Halloween night!

No matter what activities you choose to participate in this season, remember to incorporate promotional products into your marketing promotions and events. Hosting team events and activities is a great way to increase employee loyalty and morale. Take a break from the day and use Halloween and fun fall events as opportunities to bond with your team.

Enjoy!

Kim
Marketing Coordinator

Oct

2009

Information Overload: Why Buyers of Promotional Products Should Care

As a newbie in the world of marketing, it is hard for me to imagine how the industry functioned before the introductions of the Internet, TV, and cell phones. It must have been much simpler for marketers to communicate their messages to their target audiences, but they also lacked the extent of efficiency and information available to marketers in today’s society. But has some of the value of that information diminished in importance because of what author Guy Kawasaki refers to as, “information obesity?” When I came across an online article written by Kem Meyer and edited by Kawasaki the other day, I knew I had to dedicate a blog post to Meyer’s topic of discussion.

The premise of the article is that NONE of us are immune to the presence of information overload. Alvin Toffler coined the phrase, “information overload” to explain the phenomenon which occurs when individuals are presented with an excess amount of information and lose sight of the task(s) that they were originally trying to complete.

People are exposed to hundreds of thousands of marketing messages daily, so as a marketer, it has become increasingly tougher to break through the clutter and get your voice heard. There is a fine line between “over-selling”, which runs the risk of potentially offending end users and invading their personal space, and not being aggressive enough, which may cause a campaign to be ineffective and quickly forgotten.

Meyer provides valuable information about how marketers can maintain a happy medium, and I have taken the liberty of adapting a few of her recommendations to apply to the more specific marketing subset of promotional products.

1. Stick to the facts. Provide the necessary information to enable consumers to make a decision. In the promotional products industry, this can be applied by limiting the amount of text imprinted on a given item. For example, customizing a promotional pen with the name of your organization, phone number, and website address may be sufficient to drive sales.

2. Stick to the point. In my experience, this step cannot be emphasized enough. Meyer states, “Start with the end in mind before you take action.” As marketers, it is our job to inspire people to think and act in accordance with our desired objectives. If you are unsure of what you hope to achieve by executing a promotional products campaign, how can you expect your audience to follow through on your call to action?

3. Deflate your self-importance. There is a time and place for a sales pitch, and generally, promotional products are not appropriate vehicles on which to deliver lengthy monologues stuffed with industry-specific terminology. As Meyer eloquently explains, “Work hard to think like your audience to find ways to connect.” In the Healthcare industry, maybe this means tailoring a promotional healthcare products campaign to the needs of nurses, whose job descriptions and equipment often differ greatly from those of physicians or other medical providers. Take on a tone that demonstrates a clear understanding of these professionals and they are likely to appreciate the individual attention paid to them by your brand.

Oct

2009

Promotional Products “Write It Down”

I’m sorry, but I’m not finished talking about Mad Men yet. This week, Paul and Peggy — it doesn’t matter that you don’t know them — are trying to come up with an ad campaign for Western Union. Paul feels outshone by Peggy, and is determined to impress Don. All night before the big meeting he stays in his office, drinking and brainstorming to little success until suddenly, while grabbing some leftovers from the break room refrigerator, it comes to him: the perfect idea. Satisfied, he returns to his office, pours himself another glass, and passes out on the couch.

The next morning Paul is awakened by his secretary (the same one who drove the lawn mower over someone’s foot last month), and after searching his office up and down for last night’s light bulb moment he realizes the terrible truth: He didn’t write it down. Somebody at Sterling Cooper should have ordered some promotional jotters. Paul could have slipped one in his jacket pocket on the way to the break room and saved his idea.

Fortunately, when Don hears the news he commiserates with Paul — “I hate when that happens” — and inspires Peggy to wax that “the faintest ink is better than the best memory.” Hey, couldn’t that apply to Western Union too? Then Don produces the perfect tagline for selling telegrams: “You can’t frame a phone call.”

So take a lesson from Mad Men, and make sure your company’s next big idea doesn’t fall by the wayside. Write it down with promotional jotters.

Oct

2009

Motivate and Reward Employees With Promotional Awards!

While salary and benefits certainly are factors in regards to motivation for employee productivity, research has shown that a personal sense of accomplishment and being rewarded for hard work are more powerful motivators when it comes to output in the workplace. In fact, the Wall Street Journal found that 4 out of every 5 employees stated they would switch companies for the same salary if they knew that they would receive praise and recognition for their work in the new company. Thus, companies today are beginning to create corporate awards programs for their companies as they realize the magnitude of the effects recognizing and rewarding employees has on their performance.

Awards can be presented to employees for a range of purposes from simple recognition or appreciation awards, awards for service or anniversaries, incentive or achievement awards, and even awards for the attainment of specific goals like those relating sales. When giving these awards to employees, companies just need to make sure they maintain fairness and consistency regarding the efforts that delineate receiving such honors. Each person who makes the same or similar contributions should have equal opportunity to receive an award for these efforts. Each month at Pinnacle Promotions for example, we give out beautiful glass awards for the “Employee of the Month,” a worker nominated by their peers for the hard work and dedication, as well as a “You’re So Money” Award to the sales employee with the highest gross margin for the month and an “ABC – Always Be Closing” Award to that employee with the highest total monthly sales. (Katie Barnes, this month’s “Employee of the Month” is pictured with her glass award above!)

Additionally, companies should also consider giving awards that acknowledge certain groups of employees or even the entire company, as it is the dedication of all employees that contributes to a business’ success. At Pinnacle Promotions, in addition to our monthly individual awards, we have a monthly sales contest that sets goals for the company to achieve as a whole. If we meet these particular objectives, we are all awarded with a company-wide prize that ranges from a catered breakfast, to a cash grab bag drawing, to a balloon popping contest like we had last Friday for attaining our September goals! Pinnacle employees gathered to the front of the office and chose a balloon to pop. Inside each balloon was a gift certificate with a variety of offerings. In this way, the company created a fun, motivating event and everyone was a winner!

Oct

2009

Promotional Products: Recipes for Successful Marketing Campaigns

I adore October. Yes, I like that the leaves begin to change and the temperature drops, but mostly I love October because it is National Dessert Month. And while I have never become a cooking aficionado, I have loved desserts since I was two and lived across the street from a TCBY. Although I couldn’t even pronounce the word “yogurt,” my noises and hand gestures were enough to communicate my nightly need for the tasty treat, and the unsightly yogurt stains on all my clothes proved my dedication. I still love yogurt and devote a lot (perhaps too much) of my spare time to trying the latest soft-serve stores, but I have also grown to love baking and all other forms of dessert.

Aside from being delicious, dessert is great because it brings people together. How many memories involve sharing pumpkin pie with family on Thanksgiving or indulging in giant ice cream sundaes at childhood slumber parties? And, dessert plays a major role in popular culture from its presence in songs and movies to the old maxim “life’s uncertain, eat dessert first!”

That’s why promotional kitchen utensils, including ice cream scoopers and measuring cups, are ideal ways to incorporate your brand into everyday use. Because one thing is for certain: in today’s media-cluttered world, becoming a valued part of any home provides great exposure for your company.

And, in case this blog posting has made you hungry for more than just tips on how to effectively utilize promotional products, here’s a recipe for my fall favorite- zucchini bread:

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

Enjoy!

Sarah
Creative Writing Intern

Oct

2009

Building Business Relationships with Promotional Products

I was driving to work the other day when I noticed a billboard featuring an advertisement for a popular company. It (not surprisingly) boasted how much money I could save by switching to their company. I couldn’t help but think about this statement and wonder what it is that makes these advertisements so common. Simply because you attract a new customer based on price doesn’t mean that you have secured a life-long business relationship.

I know that times have been tight, but I greatly value and respect the long-standing relationships I have with some of my service providers. Take my car insurance provider for example. I’ve been faithfully with the same company since I was old enough to insure my own car. We have a relationship. I know whom I can call if I’m in an accident – or if say a tree falls on my car. I wouldn’t trust my car, home and most prized possessions to just anyone. I want a dependable and trusted ally to fight for me. The same principle is applied to all of my service providers all the way down to our pest control company – Larry and I are on a first name basis. My dog, Sadie, greets him warmly every time he comes to spray around the house. Even my favorite shoe and clothing stores keep me hooked with specials “just for me” and free gifts with purchase. I wouldn’t switch from these companies just to save a buck or two.

Now, when it comes down to it, I’ll admit that money is important. But when it’s a dollar difference – and it isn’t in your favor as the product or service provider – what have you done to insure that that additional dollar won’t cost you your business? This is where relationship building comes into play. When you nurture your relationships with your current customers, you have a greater chance at overcoming the smaller obstacles when they arise.

One of the best, and easiest, means of building business relationships it to express your gratitude to your customers. When you thank a client after the close of a sale or simply for being your customer for another year, you show them that you are more than just another company. You reinforce a personal connection that is oftentimes stronger than a business association with a foundation based only on price. Distribute promotional products to your clients after the close of a sale. Or send out a promotional giveaway to all of your customers as the year winds down. You give them a tangible reminder of who you are, what you sell and what service you provide. And don’t forget to give corporate holiday gifts to your top customers (and employees of course). No matter how large or small the gesture may be, helping to reinforce that connection with your clients helps keep your business strong enough to weather the tough times.

Admin

Marketing, Muggles and How to Cast a Promotional Spell

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6 mildly scary films about promotional products that never made it past storyboarding

Promotional Products Take a Trip to the Wilderness

Promotional Products and Proposition 65

Using Promotional Products to Spice Up the Season

Information Overload: Why Buyers of Promotional Products Should Care

Promotional Products “Write It Down”

Motivate and Reward Employees With Promotional Awards!

Promotional Products: Recipes for Successful Marketing Campaigns

Building Business Relationships with Promotional Products

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