Marketing Ideas

02
Jun
2011

Promotional Pet Products for Adopt-a-Cat Month

My cat can turn pretty much any promotional product (or even the packaging for any promotional product) into a promotional pet product. He’s like a five-year-old kid in the way he can keep himself entertained with the simplest of things: if you’re a cat, it seems, reusable grocery bags make a great playhouse, foil balls are pretty fun to chase around in circles, and there’s nothing more relaxing than scratching up a piece of corrugated cardboard.

June is Adopt-a-Cat Month, and if you’ve got an open heart, a steady cash flow, and a bunch of grocery totes and leftover foil lying around your house, you’re a perfect candidate for cat adoption. The American Humane Association reports on their website that springtime is “kitten season,” which means that thousands of kittens across the country have been placed in shelters, where they’re waiting to find a “forever home.”

When I adopted my cat, Pip, from PAWS Atlanta last summer, I loaded up on promotional pet products from the shelter. Every time I use these items I’m reminded of the life I saved by adopting a pet. In addition to custom pet items, the American Humane Association has created a checklist of things you might want to consider when you’re preparing to adopt a cat:

  1. If you’re thinking about adopting a cat, consider taking home two.
  2. Find a cat whose personality meches with yours.
  3. Pick out a veterinarian ahead of time and schedule a visit within the first few days following the adoption.
  4. Make sure everyone in the house is prepared to have a cat before it comes home.
  5. Budget for the short- and long-term costs of a cat.
  6. Stock up on supplies before the cat arrives.
  7. Cat-proof your home.
  8. Go slowly when introducing your cat to new friends and family.
  9. Be sure to include your new pet in your family’s emergency plan.
  10. If you’re considering giving a cat as a gift, make sure the recipient is an active participant in the adoption process.

As you can see, there are a few steps you’ll want to take to prepare your heart and home for a new pet, but it’s a commitment that is certainly worthwhile.

Learn more about Adopt-a-Cat Month and how to find a new friend in your area…

Posted by Admin in Cool Promotional Products We Love, Marketing Ideas, 1 comment
12
May
2011

Track Your Steps Toward Making a Difference With Promotional Pedometers

PedometerThis spring, the weekends in Atlanta have been full of various philanthropic and community fundraising races and walk-a-thons. Every week I come across another advertisement for the next big race, so when my neighborhood began advertising for our own local 5k fundraiser for our area elementary schools, I figured it was time for me to join in on the experience and make a difference.

Many individuals and companies continuously support and participate in these fundraising events, so as I signed up for my 5k, I thought wouldn’t it be interesting to track how many steps frequent participants take in their efforts to support these great causes? As I pondered more about this revelation, I came to the conclusion of promotional pedometers!

How neat would it be to say that I have taken one hundred thousand-something steps for a great cause? If sponsors or registration sites were to include promotional pedometers in their registration costs, everyone could track their “steps toward success.” Additionally, these promotional pedometers could potentially inspire participants to become proactive about their health.

However people choose to make use of their promotional pedometers, these tiny little objects have the potential to motivate and inspire individuals to take strides towards better living.

Posted by Admin in Cool Promotional Products We Love, Marketing Ideas, Promotional Products Around Town, 0 comments
21
Apr
2011

For Earth Day Promote Sustainability with Recycled Promotional Products

At eco-friendly festivals across the nation, screened exhibitors distribute recycled promotional products, teach natural living, and share the most recent developments in “green” technology.

In the past, these environmental groups and Earth Days alike have inspired changes in social behavior. Legislative acts such as The Clean Air Act and the Clean water Act were implemented as a result of community efforts. Therefore, it is important to draw awareness to events, businesses, and communities such as these. Every business and or individual can make one small change to promote sustainability. Whether it is distributing customized recycled promotional products, changing to energy efficient light bulbs, or recycling office papers, each act is a step toward an environmentally sustainable society.

In the spirit of Earth Day, consider promoting your environmental efforts to employees and clients. By distributing recycled promotional products customized to fit your brand, your company is helping to spread the sustainable word.

Posted by Admin in Current Events News, Marketing Ideas, Recycled Promotional Products and Green Initiatives, 0 comments
08
Apr
2011

Branded Houses: Unique Promotional Products Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

Mobile advertising company Adzookie recently announced that it is looking for homeowners who will allow the exterior of their houses to be branded in exchange for a monthly mortgage payment. The company received an overwhelming response: thousands of people are apparently ready and willing to live inside of unique promotional products in exchange for a little dough.

Adzookie’s recently-launched mobile advertising platform has gained momentum lately, and this publicity stunt is its boldest move yet as it takes on larger ad networks such as Google’s AdMob and Apple’s iAd network – though neither of these seem to have thought to market their services through the use of unique promotional products like Adzookie.

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Posted by Admin in Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
30
Mar
2011

Promotional Cameras Help Connect Individuals using “Skype in the Classroom”

With social interaction gaining prominence in today’s society, it is important to have the right promotional cameras to effectively contribute to this interactive realm. Whether you or your organization are interested in directly interacting with individuals through Face Time, Twitter, Facebook, or Foursquare to name a few, personalized promotional cameras can provide you with this opportunity all while promoting your organization!

Skype, the “real-time-face-time” software application has become a big hit in the educational world. Teachers are using this tool to connect with other educators and specialists around the world in order to bring guest speakers and field trips directly to the classroom. To help teachers network more easily, Skype launched its newest network for teachers, Skype in the Classroom, on Tuesday. Using this new platform, teachers create profiles centered around the subjects, language, and age groups they teach, allowing them to more efficiently search for relevant subjects.

Continue reading →

Posted by Admin in Current Events News, Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
24
Mar
2011

Get Creative With Mobile Marketing-Print QR Codes on Logo Apparel

If you’ve seen QR codes popping up on logo apparel, in magazines, or on retail windows, it’s because these distinct 2-D matrix bar codes are gaining lots of traction in the interactive and mobile marketing realm.

QR codes, also known as quick-response codes, are considered a convenience-oriented matrix that’s connecting the physical world to the digital world, instantly. Marketers have integrated QR codes into their campaigns because it’s engaging prospects. Now, by just scanning these codes with a web-enabled mobile phone, consumers on the go can instantly interact with their brand.

Through the codes, companies directly connect consumers to whatever information they wish to promote; whether it is a product page, a Facebook “like” page, coupons, or a campaign. Another attractive feature is the codes ability to measure response rates leading to a more accurate ROI calculation.

Now that QR codes are just beginning to gain traction in the U.S, you can still stay ahead of the creative marketing curve by incorporating QR codes with logo apparel. Promotional products such as shirts and hats last far longer than printed collateral such as flyers and direct mailers. Similarly, by printing a QR code on to logo apparel your company creates a walking marketing campaign! Continue reading →

Posted by Admin in Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
21
Mar
2011

Smithsonian Fans Illuminate History’s Hardcore Side with Promotional Items

When consumers begin to associate a brand with old age or the past, it might be time to rebrand – which companies have successfully done through strategically contemporary marketing campaigns (such as Old Spice’s social media campaign, which garnered over 23 million YouTube views in just 36 hours). Whether online videos or promotional items are the vehicle by which rebranding is achieved is irrelevant; what’s important is that it is possible, so executives don’t need to start applying for jobs as soon as surveys show that a brand has an antiquated connotation.

In an attempt to show off the cooler side of the Smithsonian Institute, a team of artists recently launched a campaign to illuminate some “Historically Hardcore” heroes, including Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Jackson, and Genghis Khan. Through a series of promotional items and posters, the artists attempt to appeal to a younger demographic’s interests by illustrating some of the biggest and baddest moments and figures in world history.

In addition to the 50 Cent/Teddy Roosevelt comparison featured here, the artists released two other promotional posters in the same vein: one comparing Ozzy Osbourne to Andrew Jackson, and another suggesting that Bret Michaels has got nothing on Genghis Khan when it comes to the ladies. Check them out here, and take note if your company is in need of its own rebranding strategy.

Kelsey
Manager – Social Media

Posted by Admin in Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
17
Mar
2011

360 Degree Images Makes Purchasing Promotional Products Easier

The process for purchasing promotional products for your marketing needs just got easier! PinnaclePromotions.com has launched 360-degree imaging for thousands of products. Customers can now interact with products before they decide to purchase them, taking the guessing out of buying promotional products.

By clicking on the “360 degree view” button on a product page, users can see the product spin in a 360-degree rotation, providing a full view of the promotional product. You can control the speed and direction of the spin by clicking on the image and dragging your mouse in the direction they desire. Continue reading →

Posted by Admin in Current Events News, Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
07
Mar
2011

Flaming Lips will Release New Songs on Promotional Flash Drives… Embedded in 7-lb. Gummi Skulls

The Flaming Lips aren’t exactly known for being conventional, which is why their new strategy for creating and disseminating music – while innovative – comes as no surprise to fans. Despite the fact that the Lips have been making music together since the early 1980s, they’re far from becoming obsolete: as frontman Wayne Coyne explains in a recent interview with Mashable, the band has embraced the changes that have troubled members of the music industry and are using social media, smartphone apps, and other new technologies to release their latest album as it’s built, one song at a time.

Coyne points out in the interview that yes, the Internet has made it virtually impossible for artists to prevent their music from being distributed widely and free of charge, a reality that has been a constant source of conflict since the days of Napster and P2P filesharing – but he also encourages musicians to use this to their advantage. The Lips’ recent release of a new single did just that: the song, which is split into twelve different YouTube videos meant to be played simultaneously, is meant to utilize multiple devices and thus encourages collective experience in a way that’s antithetical to the negative spin the music industry has always put on the term “filesharing.”

In addition to using social media, the Flaming Lips will make three upcoming songs tangible by putting them onto promotional flash drives that will be embedded in the gummi brains of some custom-made, 7-lb. gummi skulls. The promotional flash drives can only be accessed by chowing down on the sugary skulls, which will likely result in a huge tummyache that I assume will immobilize listeners by the time they get to the music itself.

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Posted by Admin in How to Reach a Target Audience, Marketing Ideas, 0 comments
04
Mar
2011

Lithuania’s Chocolate Room Inspires Promotional Chocolate Lovers Everywhere

John Loo

I. Love. Chocolate. Ask anyone around the office and they’ll be sure to tell you about my adoration for chocolate; a select few could probably even clue you in to my (until now) secret chocolate stash in the top drawer of my filing cabinet. I’ve even dreamed about having an entire cubicle made from the sweet treat. Now, with the development of an entire “chocolate room” in Lithuania, my dream may be closer than I ever thought possible.

Yes, you read that right. According to Bit Rebels, there is a 17 square meter room inside a Lithuanian shopping mall in which everything (and I do mean everything) is made from chocolate. Designed to look like any old dining room or living space, this room features a table, chairs, and even lettuce, all crafted from various types of chocolate. And anyone can claim a piece of it when the artists deconstruct the room next Tuesday.

However, if you’re concerned that the chocolate might be stale – or you simply think Lithuania is too far to travel – consider distributing promotional chocolate. Promotional chocolate is a great way to thank loyal clients and employees for their hard work. The sweet treat also makes a great gift or giveaway at a personal event, such as a wedding, milestone birthday party, or graduation event. In fact, I can’t think of an occasion where promotional chocolate wouldn’t be a great addition!

Click here for images

Posted by Admin in Marketing Ideas, 0 comments