From the serious to the silly – silicone wristbands are hot again. Check out these two new trends from opposite ends of the spectrum. Both are great promotional items and are an innovative twist on this popular ad specialties product.

Performance Technology

These bands tout the ability to give you better balance or increase strength and flexibility. Pro athletes are wearing them across a wide variety of sports disciplines. In terms of promotion, these are great tie-ins to promote organizational stability, flexibility, and strength. The novelty factor infuses an underlying message of innovation, out-of-the-box thinking and cutting-edge awareness.

One of our graphics team brought one out with him one night for some night life field testing. The wristband was designed to help with physical balance. Results showed that, indeed, it was harder to push someone off balance when wearing one. Fun and functional, this item is interactive and creates a lot of buzz.

Silly and Successful

Who would have thought that the molded silicone version of a rubber band would be an overnight collectible. Kids across the nation are colleting these and wearing them by the dozens. Numbers, letters, objects, animal and people sillhouetes in bright colors adorn the wrists like spongey gauntlets.

This collectible craze is not only limited to children. The all important adult demographic has been spotted sporting these super cool wristbands. Once only available in stock shapes, the silicone wristband is now available to promotional marketers as a custom molded product. Custom packaging solutions are also offered to further underscore brand messaging.

Who knew such a silly idea would end up as a promotional powerhouse?

Scarves come in all shapes and sizes including, knitting, tatting, and sateen applique. The promotional applications are possible with the growing sophistication of knitting technique. Great item for sponsorships too!

We found this cool little innovation that is perfect for an American pasttime – tailgating. Check out The Car Scarf! Suction cups adhere to car windows giving you a huge live area to display your brandmark or team logo.

Who knew a winter accessory could be so versitile? 

One event involves a motorcycle parade around Pikeville. Part of their awareness building campaign was a terry cloth wristband give-away.

Kudos to event organizers for coming up with such a perfect promotional idea for the event. Choosing a product that reflects the spirit of the event will drive engagement with the brand.

What can spur higher levels of engagement?
    – Pride in belonging to a group, organization, or cause
    – Novelty in the way that pride is expressed (the coolness factor)
    – Usefulness to the recipient

Ability to achieve the sponsor’s objectives is the end game of any promotional outreach. Just throwing something out there with a brand label on it does not always serve the greater purpose. Thoughtful reflection can make a whole lot of difference in the return on your promotional investment.

For more information regarding this event, visit the website at hillbillychristmasinjuly.org.

Headwear is a popular accessory that can be fun and functional!

According to a recent PPAI study 69% of respondents would pick up a promotional product if they found it to be useful. 

In fact, usability is the #1 reason for recipients to keep a promotional product. Pop-up Hats provide portable shade in a fun and festive product. 

For access to the complete 10 page study conducted by PPAI and fielded through MarketTools, Inc., Effectiveness of Promotional Products as an Advertising Medium, visit www.ppai.org.

CLICK HERE for more information about Pop-up Hats.

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.

Our application was submitted through our association with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a global network of more than 7,300 business owners in 42 countries. It is very satisfying, albeit humbling, to be selected by a panel of your peers. We thank them for their trust in our ability to represent and develop American business relationships overseas.

What was really cool about this concept is that it underscores the value of the human connection in business development. Accounts are not just names or numbers on a spreadsheet. True innovation comes from a meeting of the minds and an exploration of the needs of others. We are very excited to be part of this outreach initiative.

It hit me today that this is why social media has been embraced so quickly, by so many. Particularly in the B-to-B space. According to a recent www.counselor.com poll of distributors, use of social networking has more than doubled over the last year. Sage software/AMI-Partners “North American Small Business Social Networking Study” revealed that use of social networking for customer service (answering customers questions) was the top activity at 61% of respondents polled, with networking activities coming in second. The promotional products industry is changing the way it conducts business as we speak.

People are reaching out and leveraging communications technology to simulate the face-to-face experience. The virtual social community may be the closest to a warm handshake we can get in an environment of tightening budgets and scarce resources.

Post written by Linda Whitteaker-Hanson

According to Counselor magazine, advertising specialties industry revenues have fallen 17.6% for the first quarter of 2009 – a net decrease of $700 million in sales compared to one year ago. Large distributors (revenues over $1 million) are feeling the greater pinch, due to larger clients experiencing budget freeze or suspension of marketing as usual for first quarter. Smaller distributors (revenues under $250,000) are more optimistic about the future and do not seem to be as affected at this time.

The promotional industry has been further rocked by filings for bankruptcy protection by leading suppliers, business closures, and production slow downs in response to lowered demand.

Falling revenues should be no surprise, considering the dynamics of the current market environment. The drop in revenues can be attributed not only to fragile economic conditions but to new regulatory issues such as adjustments to the PhRMA Code and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

Adjustments to the PhRMA Code and a more recent bill the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, S. 301, put those who focus on healthcare channel promotions in a quandary. This once lucrative channel of distribution has been seriously impacted by the new regulations stance on promotional products.

The CPSIA is continuing to redefine itself, the consequence of legislation too broadly written. In a statement Monday, The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said that that the vast majority of pens are “not likely” to be considered children’s products and would not be subject to related safety requirements under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This would be a welcome reprieve for a product line that makes up about 9% of industry product sales. The net effect on the industry as a whole is still to be determined.

New Strategies for a New Environment

All is not lost. Companies, in order to assure their own survival, are beginning to market again. Some advertising specialty providers, including IMC, are reporting glimmers of hope as companies are re-engaging. Budgets are opening up and more normal marketing activity is beginning to occur. While things are looking better, there will not be any short-term turn around to challenging market conditions. Industry projections do not anticipate any real return to “normal” until the second half of 2010. 

In the meantime, what strategies are promotional products companies employing to navigate these turbulent times? Two strategies that I see making the biggest difference in the advertising specialties landscape are the shift to social media as a primary marketing medium and use of merger and acquisition as a tool for expansion. 

As customer purchasing habits become more conservative, the demand for new customers is growing. While customer retention is still paramount, the revenue gap must be bridged through the development of new customers. Budget limitations and a stronger emphasis on ROI favor a shift to online marketing tactics over more traditional efforts like direct mail. Particularly significant is the increased use of social media to drive customer acquisition. According to a 2009 Social Media Marketing Industry Report 88% of marketers surveyed are using social media to market their businesses, but 72% have only been doing so for a few months or less. If done well, social media (as part of an integrated marketing plan) has proven to be an incredibly cost-effective way to drive inbound lead generation.

Some advertising specialty companies are employing merger and acquisition as strategies to build business opportunities. Smaller companies, whose purchase offers market-ready solutions, are most attractive to potential buyers. These include enhanced production capabilities, line extension, and extended distribution networks. New entities will emerge as both the economy and industry continue to consolidate and evolve.

What trends are you seeing in the promotional products industry?

1. Branded blinking pint glass on strand promoting a specific St. Patrick’s day beverage
2. Bead strand with FDA approved branded shot glass stimulating on-premise trial
3. Bead strand with non-removable inline medallion advertising call sign for radio station - implemented like a bumper sticker “sighting” program
4. Custom bead strand tradeshow give-away for event attendees – creating roving billboards, word-of-mouth activitiy, and increased impression rate
5. Used in conjuction with Peel & Win decals as a contest “winning number” delivery method – keeps customers on-premise longer.
6. Used in conjunction with Peel & Win decals to create a medallion with a hidden “fortune” or message - branding with a sense of fun.
7. Used in conjuction with Peel & Win decals to play a social “matching” contest at an event
8. Festive beads for company event promoting new products, safety issues or mission awareness
9. Dual usage – stadium beads promote team spirit and deliver contact information for interactive mobile platforms
10. Branded beads for a messaging tool used to drive traffic to online promotional efforts

Do you have any innovative ways that you have used beads over the past year? Let us know!

The modest bag.

Simple, utilitarian and, according to results from the latest ASI Advertising Specialties Impressions study, a promotional powerhouse.

“Among wearables, bags were reported to be used most frequently with respondents indicating that they used their bags an average of nine times per month. They also deliver the most impressions: Each bag averages 1,038 impressions per month.”

The survey of 465 business people,mainly between the ages of 21 and 44, was conducted in June and July of 2008. Respondents had all received promotional products within the past 12 months. 8 out of 10 could recall the advertisers of the products they had received.

Bags were seen 30% more of the time, beating out old standbys like shirts and caps in the wearables category. Bags were held onto longer, with a whopping 42% being kept over a year. Shirts at 10% and caps at 15%, lagged well behind.

Bags were also considered 14% more useful than thier shirt and cap counterparts.

In ability to identify the advertiser, bags again led the wearables category with a 94% brand retention rate. Respondents reported having a better impression and higher likelihood of doing business with the advertiser after receiving a promotional bag item.

It’s nice to see the modest bag coming into its own. Quietly and resourcefully it has taken on the competition and emerged victorious. Innovations making them more interesting and relevant are abounding. Try one for your next promotional project.

IMC Marketer – Promotional Products – Promotional Product Consulting -  www.imcsuccess.com