QR: It’s short for Quick Response, and these codes are taking the marketing world by storm. QR codes are a user-friendly alternative to bar codes. They’ve been around since the mid-1990s, but the surge in camera phone usage has thrust QR codes onto center stage.

Why? Because customers can use their camera phones to quickly scan a QR code that will lead them to more information about a product or company.

QR codes are being put on everything from magazine pages to billboards. One creative restaurant even made a scanable QR code waffle. Now that’s multi-tasking at breakfast.

 What does this have to do with the advertising specialties world? The short answer: everything. QR codes are incredibly versatile and can be placed on just about any imaginable promotional product. Just imagine the possibilities: your branded item could truly communicate with your customers via quick response. This capability bridges the all-important gap between brand visibility and brand interaction.

When we say that QR codes can be placed on just about anything, we mean it. In the apparel world, you could put QR codes on tees or jersey scarves. And why not consider QR codes on beach balls for summer? Other codeable items include: Bead Medallions, Leis, Booster Banners,  Drawstring Backpacks, Pint Glasses, Shot Glasses, Coasters, … and the list goes on and on.

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Get ready for a quick response from your customers.

What can we say – we love pop culture.

In this exclusive interview, IMC CEO, Shane Erickson shares his thoughts on the role of trends in promotional product development and how it all got started.  ___________________________________________________________________________________

What would you say is the number one factor that has kept IMC ahead of the game when it comes to promotional products and advertising specialties?
For us, it’s been our ability to continually come up with fresh ideas. We never get complacent and we’re always looking for the next product and the next trend. We are always on the lookout for things we think are cool. We spend a lot of time just brainstorming around the office about how we could translate things into a usable promotional product.

 How have pop culture trends affected your business?
We’ve been involved with trends since the start. When we started it was baseball cards or Beanie Babies or Pokémon, and tomorrow it’ll be something else. We’ve become good at identifying unique trends and turning them into effective tools for the promotional products industry. For example: Someone on the team came in wearing a molded silicone band that their kid was crazy about.  I looked at it and thought to myself “Hey, this could be big if we take it promotional.” My whole team got involved. We wanted to do something more – make a product that our client could really own.  It evolved into the fully custom solution we offer today.

What has been the biggest surprise for IMC over the last 20 years?
I’d say the sports-shaped and customized Mardi Gras beads. We’ve really become known for them. When they first came out we thought the trend would last perhaps one or two years, but they have lasted over 12 years. Today, we’re still known as “The Bead Guys.” We are proud of that. It goes to show how important translating a trend can be in the advertising specialties industry. When you put the time and energy into truly capturing the spirit of a trend, you can end up with a product that stands up to the test of time. I think that is what differentiates IMC from its competitors.

 What’s the hot trend right now?
The newest item is the ionic necklace. The ionic trend has been around for a while, but the necklace is a fresh new twist. You see quite a few people wearing them these days, including professional athletes and college players. Staying true to our mission, we wanted to do more than bring team color to promotional. We offer a completely customized product – from the imprinted decorative knobs to the logo imprinted directly on the strand. It is not enough for us to hop on a trend in a superficial way. We want to create a promotional product that is true to the trend. It brings an authenticity to the process that clients and end users appreciate.

We have been unearthing cool stuff since 1991 and now we’ve hit 20 years – two decades in the business! Time flies, and we’re having fun. We’re celebrating this anniversary by spilling all our secrets to success. In this exclusive interview, IMC CEO Shane Erickson shares how we’ve come this far and what lies ahead. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

How has IMC established a place in the market?
We don’t try to be everything to everybody. We focus our energy and attention on the areas we know best (sports, beverage, and casino promotions,) and that concerted effort allows us to be exceptional in those areas.

What has been the biggest change in the industry?
Definitely importing. A lot of people in the promotional products and advertising specialties field are now going direct overseas. Some execute better than others. There is a definite learning curve. Experience counts when developing promotional products abroad. There are a lot of nuances in the process. Our sourcing team is well seasoned and has great relationships. We started importing ten years ago and have learned a lot in a decade. We will continue to help our clients by bringing them the best possible value.

What’s the key to staying relevant and competitive in the future?
For us it’s staying true to our markets and understanding our clients better and better. Our clients are who we talk to every day – the people in the sports, beverage, and casino industries. We talk to them about how and why they use the products.  It gives us better insight to develop the right promotional product for them. We want to see positive results for our clients. We are highly interested how the products worked (or didn’t work) so we can source more strategically. We strive to bring them something that they want with a twist that will deliver more. This can mean a lot of customized development – a strong point for us. It’s really about an exchange of ideas and constantly moving forward. We’re always asking our customers, “What’s new for you guys?” or bringing them new ideas we come across to the table.

 When it comes down to it, we stay true to our passion – unearthing cool stuff to create a better promotional product for our clients.

The Craft Brewers Conference

We noticed a real focus on sustainability across the board. Not surprisingly, brewers with a passion for handcrafting beverages have a high interest in recycled products and sustainable prodution for their promotional needs.

The ability to reuse existing materials or produce in a facility that generates its own solar power is quite a positive. Then I started thinking about products in our industry in general. There is a whole lot of reuse going on out there. Here is a short list of promotional products that you wouldn’t normally think of as “green”.

Mardi Gras Beads
Can be made from reground plastic or corn plastic.

Bags and Totes
Made from recycled bottles (PET), bamboo or post-consumer waste.

Coasters
Can be made from a variety of reclaimed materials including recycled circut boards, vinyl LP’s, street signs, and blue jeans.

Mugs
Made from recycled blue jeans, yellow pages, or old money.

Lapel Pins
Made from post consumer recycled iron.

Combine this with water or solar powered technology and fast-growing renewable resources like bamboo,  and the advertising specialties industry is a bit greener at heart than you might have imagined.

Here are some fun findings from the Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study (released in 2010 by the Advertising Specialties Institute) that underscore the return on investment in promotional products.

#1  Affordable
At $0.005 in the United States and $0.004 in Canada, the cost per impression of promotional products was significantly less expensive than TV, National Magazines, and Spot Radio.

#2  Mindshare
83% of those surveyed indicated they could identify the advertiser on a promotional product they owned.

#3  Engagement
41% of respondents in the United States indicated that their opinion of the advertiser was more favorable after receiving a promotional product. 47% of Canadians thought more highly of the advertiser.

#4  Staying Power
The average length of time a respondent from the United States reported keeping an item was 5.4 months. Canadian respondents kept theirs slightly longer at 5.7 months.

#5  Usefulness
Respondents from the United States and Canada reported using their promotional products 18.2 times a month.

#6  Perceived Value
62% of respondent in the United States indicated that they will pass along a promotional item they do not intend to keep for themselves to others.

Still don’t buy it? Test the theory. Check your bag, cupboard, desk, or closet. Bet you discover that you have more promotional products than you knew!

Infusing your logo into a pop culture powerhouse is like an instant facelift for the brand. What brand can’t benefit from a jolt of on-trend freshness?

It’s a marketing no-brainer: When the market experiences a hot new pop culture trend, the public’s demand for the product has already been demonstrated. All a company has to do is introduce a well-conceived promotional product at the right time, through the right avenues and aimed at the right customers.

83% of people in the U.S indicated they can identify the advertiser on a promotional product they own, and 41% say their opinon of an advertiser is more favorable after receiving a promotional product.

Translating popular trends into unique advertising specialties is far from a new idea. Pop culture products have been successfully permeating the promotional marketing space for decades, and the industry’s getting better at it with every new craze.

Here are just a few examples of items with pop culture presence and promotional power:

     1997 – Beanie Babies

    1999 – Mardi Gras Beads

    2009 – Molded Silicone Bandz

    2011 – Ionic Sports Accessories

The best pop culture/promotional product crossovers don’t just grab attention; they make an indelible impression. When it comes to consumer recall rate, research shows that promotional products tower over TV, print and online advertising.

Promotional products generate a 15-50% higher consumer recall rate than TV, print and online advertising.

The key to success lies in recognizing an up-and-coming trend and knowing how to infuse your brand to maximize potential and resonate with the public. Find a skilled partner who has been through the process before and knows how to capitalize on a trend.

Why shouldn’t your brand be part of the next big trend?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

[i] Visnevsky, Jennifer “Promo Products Rule ROI” Advantages February, 2011 [http://advantages-digital.com/publication/?i=58573&p=109]

[ii] PPAI research via http://www.ppai.org/research and http://www.youtube.com/user/PPAIHeadquarters#p/u/29/8yjZF0d1Wny

Famous Groundhogs concur that 2011 will see an early spring but a later than usual

Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday falls on March 8th of 2011. In the United States we see Mardi Gras celebrated with lots of colorful beads – thrown from fantastical floats by costumed revellers.

One Groundhog (who asked to remain anonymous,) seen flaunting his throw beads was quoted saying “ Laissez les bons temps rouler!”  Let the good times roll . . .

Hiccups in the global supply chain have a wide reaching effect on the promotional products industry. Both domestic and direct import programs who source overseas will have to navigate a new series of challenges.

The global recession has also greatly affected our manufacturing partners in Asia. Asia is responsible for the manufacture of approximately 95% of ad specialty products. The net effect impacts price and deliverability. What are the issues and how do we proactively manage them?

The Issues

Inventory Shortages – In order to survive the recession, suppliers took a leaner inventory position. Subsequently, Asian manufacturers also took a leaner position in raw materials. Take cotton for example. There is now a worldwide shortage. The difficulty in obtaining yarns is causing production delays and increased material costs.

Fewer Factories – The global recession and subsequent lack of demand has resulted in a winnowing of production facilities. This may not have been obvious within the recent climate of curtailed need, but it is becoming increasingly evident as levels return to normal that there are fewer options out there.

Increased Cost of Labor – Manufacturing in Asia is simply becoming more expensive. Human rights issues have put pressure on governments to ensure better working conditions. Workers are beginning to organize and demand better wages and benefits. Populations are aging and younger workers are looking for higher status positions creating a labor shortage.

Lack of Container Space – The recession also hit shippers hard. With vessels still in dry-dock, it will take time for them to ramp back up. Upwards of 120 days on the water (if you can get your product on a vessel) is the new norm. The industry was previously at about 70-80 days.

Chinese New Year – It happens every year. The double whammy effect of Chinese New Year shuts down and causes major headaches for suppliers and Chinese manufacturing facilities alike.  The subsequent game of production catch up can be equally daunting. We have listed the schedule below for your review. The best way to avoid issues: plan ahead.

Proactive Management

Plan Ahead! – Your best protection against these issues is to give your supplier as much time as possible to position an order for success. End to end production will take longer. Allow enough time, particularly on the shipping side, to make in hands dates. A good vendor will tell you the reality of the situation not what you want to hear.

Expect Price Increases – There is a tremendous amount of pressure on price today. Between increases in raw material, labor, and shipping costs, product cost will rise. Some of this will inevitably be passed on. A good vendor will be solution focused and help you look for options or alternatives.

Lots of Communication on Both Sides – It is very important to stay abreast of fluctuations in the process. Make sure you are receiving good communication from your vendor regarding the status of your order. With good upfront planning, quality production art the factory can work with, and the luxury of additional time, vendors and clients can navigate current industry realities.

They really do tend to cut through clutter. I was at a Science Fair (yes, I am geeky) this weekend and was pleasantly surprised at the number of promotional products at the event. People were beside themselves to sign up for a variety of give-away items. The assortment went from jersey’s and plush, on down to small items like pens and magnets.

Too bad I forgot my flip video camera. It would have made a great “real life” interview opportunity. Instead you will have to make due with my second hand account of happy people glorying in thier good fortune of obtaining another promotional product.

I have to say, I was quite disappointed that I left empty handed and I am in this business. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Retention rates for promotional products are very high and people do use them in everyday life. See my previous blog post for some real life “open your purse” moments underscoring the power of promotional products.