Promote Your Brand

PR Panda Promotions

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

On February 4, 2010, FedEx Express donated its logistical services to transport two giant pandas from the United States to China. Tai-Shan, a four-and-a-half-year-old male panda, and Mei Lan, a three-year-old female panda, traveled onboard a custom-decaled FedEx Express Freighter known as the “FedEx Panda Express.”

FedEx wanted to promote the event and was looking for apparel that would be very visible on television, in addition to items that it could give to the general public who came to say goodbye to the pandas. They produced jackets for ramp workers that had “FedEx Panda Team” imprinted in large letters on the back. These items were front and center in television news stories. They also provided T-shirts, buttons and stuffed panda bears. There was even a Chinese newscaster holding one of the plush pandas reporting the big event in China.

Fed Ex knows a good PR event when they see it. They also know to use high-visibility promotional items when it absolutely, positively has to get attention.

Intrinsic or Extrinsic?

2011-11-30T08:05:00.001-05:00

Managers and business owners have to be concerned with motivation. Succesful businesses depend on a motivated work force and managers must figure out how best to motivate their employees. Ironically, many of these leaders are intrisically motivated. Intrinsic motivation is the drive we get from inside. The desire from within to accomplish without any external reward. This is a form of fulfillment gained from pursuing and accomplishing a goal that has little to do with a paycheck. Many leaders are intrisically motivated.

Extrinsic motivation on the other hand is doing something in exchange for a reward. Our society is drenched with extrinsic motivation. From a young age, we are given rewards and punishments for wanted and unwanted behavior respectively. Unfortunately, research is showing us that extrinsic motivation does not necessarily produce the results that we would expect. Research shows that intrinsic or self-motivation is more effective for long term results.

However, if planned and handled appropriately, rewards programs can produce intrinsic motivation. Research has found that rewards create the most enduring benefits when they make an emotional connection, and that such intrinsic factors are mostly addressed by the choice of the reward and the way it’s presented. In other words, when carefully selected and personally presented, noncash rewards actually are a form of intrinsic, not extrinsic, motivation, and therefore provide the ideal complement to cash compensation as an overall motivation strategy.

Not all rewards programs are built to get the best results, but it seems that well-designed programs can work for the long term.

Virtually Promoted

2011-11-08T16:08:00.001-05:00

In the virtual world, you can do anything that you would normally do in the "real" world and then some. Now the brilliant marketers at Sony and Fast Company have teamed up to offer a Fast Company branded t-shirt on Sony's new PlayStation Home virtual world.

As in the real world, people like to associate with cool, forward thinking companies. They are happy to promote your brand by utilizing fun and useful products emblazoned with your message. It is a natural progression for promotional items to migrate to the virtual world along with many of the other effective advertising mediums.

Pinhead Promotions

2011-10-28T09:52:00.000-04:00

Bill O'Reilly wants to get his message out and make it stick. Naturally, he turns to a campaign using the most effective form of stickiness - promotional products. O'Reilly has trademarked the phrases "Don't be a pinhead", "Bold and Fresh" and "Restore the USA" for use on a variety of promotional items including key chains, coffee mugs and t-shirts. And that's the news...We report you decide.

8 Tips to Increase Your Brand Value

2011-10-18T09:30:00.003-04:00

Here are 8 tips on what you can do to have an immediate impact on adding value to your brand:

1. Stay on top of your customer needs – Be “high touch” with your A-level customers, build solid relationships, and keep tabs on their problems.

Visit customers regularly not only when they need something, and attend network events are great ways to strengthen the relationship and expand your reach at the same time.

2. Be visible to your customers - Make sure they’re aware of your value continuously; try to remind them of your value strategically.

Offering an updated version of your product or tagging on a free service are good ways of letting your customer know you are constantly improving.

Convince your customer that your existence makes their lives easier, better, happier by providing them with information they value and care for.

3. Know your competition – Always be on the lookout for what others are doing out there. Be ready to explain your value proposition versus your competitors’.

You must be able to provide the facts to back up your claims.

It will make you more competitive if you can level the playing field just like how all the restaurants are offering smaller portion meals in their own way.

4. Go the extra mile – Do things that are outside the scope of your business. Go above and beyond your normal routine by solving their “other” problems.

This will help you stand out from the competition.

5. Reward loyalty – Similar to the rewards program, give your customer something more for sticking with you or using your products and services.

It could be a gift like a cup / tumbler, gift certificates or discounts for doing business with you in the future. You want to build a relationship that extends as long as possible so focus on customers life time value.

6. Try new ideas – If you’re in a highly commoditized market, you need to think about where you make your profits. Most of times there is no point in competing on price or service alone.

Try new ideas like the “freemium model” where it may be worth it to give some of your products or services away for free and charge for value-adds or premium account later in exchange for maintaining the relationship.

7. Improve experience – The entire experience in doing business with your company should be present from start to finish.

Try to make every step as frictionless as possible and think from your customer’s perspective.

They should know that they can contact you with their concerns with the expectation that you will respond quickly and effectively.

This also creates great leverage for word-of-mouth marketing.

8. Include a human element – Many companies don’t focus enough on humanizing their brand. As a result, customers can feel out of touch.

They need to feel like they are more than customers.

Logos, slogans, tag lines and websites are just references, they’re marketing vehicles.

Besides receiving your newsletters, brochures, emails and phone calls, allowing your customer to reach you in other engaging ways can help your company grow.

Goodwill Hunting

2011-03-15T11:11:00.000-04:00

Building Customer Goodwill

Now that the economy is starting to revive, it’s more important than ever to create goodwill with customers. This will help you stand out from the competition and strengthen brand loyalty.
Studies have shown that promotional products are a very effective way to increase customer goodwill. Here are some ways you can use promotional products to build a more positive attitude about your company:

• As thanks for repeat business or referrals. A restaurant, for example, can make customers happy (and gain free brand exposure) by giving valued customers t-shirts, hoodies and hats. A high-visibility item like a desk clock or calendar is a good way to say thanks for referrals.

• As a sales leave-behind. After your meetings, leave an item related to thesolution you offer. One company uses calculators to help add up the increased sales they can bring in; another provides memo boards to record the creative ideas they will provide.

• To show support for social causes. Many customers look for businesses that support local, social or environmental causes. If your company sponsors a team or a cause, promote it with silicone wristbands
or lapel pins.

• In direct mail campaigns. Boost open rates by including an item like ahighlighter set or ruler. Increase response by offering a gift such as a wireless mouse or business card holder.

• To win back inactive customers. Get them thinking about you again with a gift such as a plant in a logo’d container or a box of chocolates.

Contact us for more ideas on building a positive image of your company!

New and Unique Products

Jerry Brown bobbleheads half price

2011-02-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

In a move that is sure to save the state of California from its epic budget catastrophe, Gov Brown has banned all state agencies from purchasing promotional products. A whopping $7.5 million was spent by the state on these items between 2007 and 2010. This should make Californians sleep easy knowing the $25 billion deficit is being seriously attacked.

The fact that Brown is raising Californians ridiculously high taxes and fails to cut the state's exorbitant entitlements and regulations is enough to lose confidence in the Governor. But the way he referred to promotional products as "plastic gewgaws" shows me he is ill-informed and only worried about symbolic measures.

Promotional items have been used in the state to promote health and wellness, to promote environmental issues and to raise awareness for public initiatives. I don't hear the Governor banning the purchase of brochures, signs or posters that will certainly "end up in a landfill" as the governor glibly stated.

It's also quite enlightening to notice how many "Elect Brown for Governor" promotional products you can find by a quick google search. He or someone in his campaign obviously didn't feel the items were "useless" when the message was about capturing political power.

I find it telling that the Governor would feel at ease belittling an industry full of hard working Californians, while pandering to the least productive.

FTC Proposes New Green Marketing Rules

2010-08-27T09:16:00.002-04:00

I have become jaded by the many suppliers in the promotional products industry that are trying to cash in on the "green" wave by claiming anything and everything is "green".

In an effort to protect consumers from exaggerated advertising claims, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is considering tight regulations on how marketers use words like "recyclable," biodegradable" and "carbon neutral." The rules, also known as Green Guides, could affect more than 300 environmental seals of approval on current products, possibly making those environmentally-friendly claims in violation of government standards. Besides updating those standards, the rules would also more clearly define how companies can back up their claims of environmental sustainability.

The updated regulations will continue a recent trend of more aggressive enforcement of eco-friendly-related advertising. During the past two years, the FTC has brought seven environmental advertising enforcement actions, compared to zero during the prior eight years. While the FTC cannot compel companies into adopting more eco-conscious policies, the agency is permitted by law to stop marketing fraud.

The FTC is specifically targeting greenwashing, the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product in order to increase its sales. The most notable case of alleged greenwashing occurred last year when the FTC accused Kmart of listing paper plates as biodegradable. The plates, the government argued, would not typically decompose in solid waste facilities where most garbage is found. Kmart eventually agreed to alter its "biodegradable" claims in its marketing.

Before the FTC begins enforcing the new rules, the agency will first publish the Green Guides in the Federal Register and institute a comment period. The FTC is expected to announce the updated regulations within the next two weeks, likely issuing the most substantial change to Green Guides in more than a decade

Dunder Mifflin promotes

2010-07-14T09:31:00.004-04:00

Want to see your companies' coffee mug on Michael Scott's desk?

The producers of the wildly popular mockumentary "The Office" are looking for promotional items from privately owned businesses to use on the set for the show's seventh season.

The show is hunting for authentic products from local companies to appear on the set. If only I lived in Scranton (not).

What an opportunity! Companies pay millions of dollars for product placement in hit shows and movies. Another example of the benefit of promotional items.

Promotions Too Effective...lawsuit threatened

2010-06-25T08:22:00.005-04:00

In another testament to the effectiveness of promotional marketing, a public health watchdog group in California has called on McDonald's to stop giving away toys with Happy Meals and threatened a lawsuit. The Center for Science in the Public Interest claims that the promotions lure children into McDonald's where they are likely to order food that is high in calories, fat and salt.

Setting aside the thorny issues of child nutrition and parental sovereignty, let's focus on the promotions themselves. First, promotional products were banned for use by pharmaceutical companies because they had too much influence on doctor's prescriptions - see Drug Companies Aren't Stupid post . Now, promotional toys are cited as an unfair enticement to children and parents in making nutritional decisions.

Why not take advantage of this highly influential medium for your business? Do it now before they are banned.

How many times do I have to tell you!!

2010-05-14T08:16:00.002-04:00

This is a popular refrain recognized by all parents. We parents are quickly frustrated when we have to repeat ourselves to get the message across. It turns out many companies are exasperated by the same communication problem.

3-5-10 Frequency Rule
This widely accepted rule states that communicating three times will get a message heard, five times will get it understood, and 10 times will get it acted upon. If you are not communicating 10 times during a program, you are under-utilizing the campaign.

If your company is trying to implement a strategy with employees or customers, keep the communication consistent and repetitive. To keep the message interesting, utilize fun and creative ways to communicate.

Elephant Poo Notebooks?

2010-03-25T09:49:00.002-04:00

The top 10 eco-friendly giveaways for Earth Day include a notebook with pages made from recycled elephant poo. Now that's figuring out what poo can do for you.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 around the world, and more companies than ever before are using eco-friendly giveaways to promote their commitment to caring for the environment.

The top 10 eco-friendly giveaways for Earth Day 2010 are:

1. Elephant-Poo Notebook – The ultimate recycled item, great for colleges and trade shows.

2. Bamboo Dinnerware – Perfect for office picnics, outdoor concert venues and fairs.

3. Seed Paper Postcard – Ideal for environment-themed mailings and print promotions.

4. Shower Timer – Municipalities and utilities can promote water conservation.

5. Recycled Tires Jar Opener – Auto dealerships and mechanics can give these to customers.

6. Pine Tree Seedling – Employees can participate in a tree-planting day at the office campus.

7. Organic T-shirt – Give one to each Earth Day event organizer and volunteer.

8. Compostable Pens – Hotels, banks and shops can use these biodegradable pens.

9. Nonwoven Bag – Local grocery stores can eliminate plastic and paper.

10. Organic Polo – Companies can use this earth-friendly shirt for summer uniforms.

Companies are hungering for eco-friendly promotional products to help tout their earth-friendliness to customers and employees. Promotional products, or advertising specialties, are items imprinted with logos or slogans to market a company, organization, product, service, achievement or event. They are frequently purchased as gifts to employees and clients for occasions year-round, and marketers often include them in their campaigns to dramatically increase response rates.

According to an exclusive study from the Advertising Specialty Institute, end-buyers identify promotional products as the most effective medium among all advertising, next to the Internet. In addition, the study reveals that nearly one-half, or 48%, of respondents feel that promotional products are expected to deliver a positive return on investment.

Top 10 Sexy Valentines Promotional Items

2010-02-08T08:13:00.003-05:00

1. Sexy® Water – bottled water with a label that says it all.

2. Bling Travel Mug - a mirror on the front is pimped with shiny faux gems.

3. Romantic Evening Intimacy Kit - this pouch has six condoms and flavored lube. From Z Marketing (asi/98900).

4. Contrast Color Thong - an imprinted hot favorite.

5. Chocolate Lips - wrapped in red foil, it’s chocolate with a twist.

6. Tangle® Love Keychain - the famed toy has a risqué side, with the words “kiss” and heart images on it.

7. Little Black Book of Sex Secrets - a reference with naughty tips.

8. Sex on the Beach Kit - includes coconut massage oil and drink recipes.

9. Red Heart USB Drive - who says you don’t love your computer?

Are You Experienced?

2009-11-16T10:22:00.009-05:00

Our swing set has been torn down. My kids have grown out of the backyard play set that provided years of enjoyment for all three boys. Another bitter sweet moment in the march toward their maturity.

This milestone got me thinking about how I purchased the play set several years ago. It was a brilliant example of experiential marketing. Experiential Marketing is the art of creating an experience where the hoped-for result is an emotional connection to a brand, product or idea. It often involves events, contests, gifts and interactive campaigns to promote the message.

The play set dealer was an experiential marketer whether he knew it or not. He had a warehouse full of play sets that had been fully assembled. He invited parents to bring their children to play and even hosts birthday parties. We attended a couple of parties there and eventually had one of our own. The "experience" connected us to his brand of play sets. He reinforced our connection with t-shirts, toys and safety items emblazoned with his brand.

Of course, we eventually purchased one of these backyard behemoths - not fully assembled. We knew exactly which optional features our kids would play with and felt comfortable with the quality. There were cheaper sets, but we were connected to this one on both an emotional and logical level.

Create an experience with your product and service and reinforce it with branded items. In the modern world of fragmented media and short attention spans, a memorable experience and concrete products can swing the decision your way.

What we have here...

2009-10-28T10:20:00.003-04:00

"We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees." This is an actual quote from an internal memo in a large telecommunications company. Anyone who has ever worked in a large organization recognizes the theme.

Obviously communication with employees is key to a healthy organization. But communication does not always have to be in the form of verbal memos and meetings. There are many non-verbal forms of communication that a business can utilize to communicate policy, initiatives and recognition.

Events - an outing to a ball game to reinforce the company's family freindly initiative is a good example of using an event to communicate with employees. Company logod gifts for the spouse and kids lets employees know that the company cares about the whole family.

Gifts - Recognize employee excelence with non-cash gifts. Studies show that employees are more motivated by non-cash gifts. The percieved value is much higher from a well thought out gift than from a similar spend of straight cash.

Reinforce - verbal communications can be reinforced by non-verbal items. For example a company may put out a memo regarding the flu and the company's new flu policy. A small bottle of hand sanitizer on each employees desk reinforces the policy with a concrete and useful item.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw

Hedgehogs and Vines in Marketing

2009-10-01T09:28:00.004-04:00

In Jim Collin's classic business book "Good to Great", dozens of companies are analyzed to discover the characteristics and habits of great companies. One of his key discoveries is "The Hedgehog Concept" : simplifying a complex world into a single unifying idea that underlies and guides everything. He illustrates the idea with the story of the fox and the hedgehog. The fox is cunning, creative, sleek and able to devise complex strategies in pursuit of the hedgehog. The hedgehog, on the other hand, simply defends himself from the repeated attacks by rolling himself into an impenetrable prickly ball. The hedgehog always wins.

The idea is similar to my concept of the vine in VineWorks Marketing: all of the fruit that your company will ever bear must grow from a single vine. All of the energies and efforts must be with this underlying concept in mind. Any actions that take away energy from the core concept need to be pruned.

Defining your hedgehog concept is not easy and can't always be accomplished overnight. However, it is a worthy exercise. Once your underlying concept is defined, all of your marketing efforts should be viewed through the prism of this concept. If the event, promotion, advertisement or sponsorship does not feed the vine, then it needs to be eliminated. Your marketing efforts will be rewarded when your budgets and energies are unified toward a common goal.

Save the TaTas

2009-08-25T09:30:00.003-04:00

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. In 2009, NBCAM celebrates its 25th anniversary. This organization is a partnership of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to screening services.

One of the private groups helping the cause with creativity and humor is "Save the TaTas Foundation". Their purpose is to bring joy and healing with a core belief that laughter heals. I think they are doing a wonderful job of promoting awareness for the cause and promoting their own brand.

Your company can follow in the same footsteps. Promote awareness, support the cause and promote your own brand. There are hundreds of useful "Pink" promotional products that can be branded with your logo and given to your employees, customers or used as sponsor's gifts for October events. A portion of the proceeds from items purchased from us for NBCAM will be donated to The American Cancer Society.

Dis Count is Dracula

2009-08-12T10:45:00.004-04:00

The legendary Count Dracula is alleged to be a vampire that feeds on the blood of his victims. The sales discount can act similarly on the value of your brand.

Offering sales discounts is a tempting tactic. In the short term, it drives traffic and sales. What you lose in margin is made up in volume. Problem solved, right?!

No, bigger problem created. What you're really doing is eroding your long-term margins and your long-term sales. Especially if you run a business based on quality, service and a brand with some equity. The discount is sucking the life-blood out of your brand.

Think in terms of adding value to your product instead of "de-valuing" it. An offer of a gift with purchase or complimentary service will do more in the long run than a temporary discount offer.

I can hear the skeptics saying that a gift will not drive traffic. Consider a study done by SMU:
A few years ago, advertising faculty at Southern Methodist University executed research for PPAI involving business and residential customers of a food-delivery service. The objective was to see which promotion method stimulated the most repeat business. Surely you will not be surprised to learn that the group receiving the $2-value coffee mug/pencil caddy reordered 18 percent sooner than the group motivated by a $2 coupon and 13 percent sooner than the control group receiving no motivation. And in terms of average number of orders, the group receiving the promotional product significantly outperformed the other two groups.

Be wary of the dashing and mysterious temptation to discount your brand. It may be love at first bite but the result is a brand that pales and can't stand the daylight.

PIll Pushers???

2009-07-17T15:38:00.003-04:00

A pharmacy and a physician say they didn't intend to upset anyone when their group handed out prescription bottles filled with candy during Ripley, WVa's Fourth of July parade.

I'm sure it felt like a good promotional idea when the pharmacist ordered promotional pill bottles from an online distributor. Unfortunately, there was no personal interaction where a marketing professional could have asked:

what message are you trying to convey
who will be the key recipient
what is the method of distribution

Parents were incensed. The sight of young children picking up a prescription bottle from the ground and being positively reinforced with delicious candy was too much for many parents. Irate e-mails and phone calls reverberated from the community. "It's easier to learn something than to unlearn something. Thinking this is candy in a pill bottle is not the message we want our children to have'' said one parent.

When planning a promotion, it's vitally important to think the plan through and discuss it with a marketing consultant if possible. It always helps to get a different perspective from people who handle hundreds of promotional campaigns a year. There are many ways to safely get candy into the hands of children while promoting the brand of the pharmacy or physician. The negative publicity from this type of incident can take years to overcome.

The 10,000 Hour Rule

2009-06-23T16:51:00.003-04:00

Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, "Outliers", is another insight into human behavior that rivals his earlier best sellers "Blink" and "The Tipping Point". This time he focuses on Outliers: those people whose achievements fall outside of normal experience. In studying the patterns of these over achievers he builds a blueprint for making the most of human potential.

One of his discoveries is "The 10,000 Hour Rule". Gladwell's research shows that 10,000 hours of "practice" is needed to achieve the mastery of a subject or skill to be considered "world-class". He illustrates his findings with anecdotes about Canadian hockey players, concert pianists, Bill Gates and The Beatles. All of whom, it turns out, were given unusual opportunities to get an extraordinary amount of practice at a young age. He suggests that it takes roughly 10 years to log enough hours to reach the level to set someone apart.

Coincidentally, I am celebrating 10 years for Adventures in Advertising/VineWorks Marketing in August. I actually started the business in February of 1998, but didn't work it "full-time" until August of 1999. I certainly don't suggest that I am in any way like Bill Gates or the Beatles. But I agree with his point that it takes a lot of hard work and experience to master any subject.

10 years in the varied and changing world of promotional marketing does not make me an outlier; but I have logged the practice time. I hope my 10 years of practice has equipped me to handle your next project. If not, I may need to join Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Docs Under the Influence

2009-05-26T14:24:00.002-04:00

New York Times Headline from May 18, 2009: "Small Gifts Found to Influence Doctors".

It should not be surprising to find out that promotional items have an affect in influencing behavior. The fact that medical professionals were found to have a more favorable attitude toward a drug that was supported with small gifts than another group who received no gifts is a testament to the marketing value of logod business gifts.

The surprising aspect of the story is the reaction from the medical establishment limiting the use of promotional items as marketing tools for pharma companies. The true culprit is the training and practice of physicians. To think that a a trained physician dedicated to the health of the patient must be isolated from these promotional items in the office to make an unbiased medical decision is beyond absurd.

The public would be better served by rules requiring more physician education of new drugs and less mass media advertising to the public. Who should be more in danger of being unduly influenced: the general public by glitzy multi-million dollar ad campaigns or a doctor by a pen and clip board.

Above the Line Advertising

2009-05-11T09:17:00.009-04:00

I'm trying to get a grasp on "the line". You can 'Walk the Line" like Johnny Cash; You can draw the line like Reagan to Qaddafi; You can cross the line like Janet Jackson; you can get to the end of the line like Roy Orbison and you can advertise above or below "the line".

In our case, the line refers to antiquated advertising jargon meaning the way in which the ads are paid for. Anything above-the-line - advertising - was deemed to be the traditional communication tool for building brands. The less traditional, and somewhat less glamorous tools, such as direct marketing and promotions, were the alternative approaches. Below-the-line did not just refer to the method of commission for these alternative methods, it was also a way of positioning them as sub-standard and unconventional compared with the gold standard of advertising.

The line has changed. Once frowned upon tools such as promotional products have proven to be ROI superstars. Ambient products with long life cycles like bags, t-shirts and pens return more impressions per dollar than any other form of media.

Your marketing mix should include an integrated approach that crosses all the lines. Traditional media, sales promotion, direct mail and online should all be a part of the plan. Step outside the traditional lines and maximize your advertising budgets.

Uh Oh Dominos

2009-04-17T15:08:00.003-04:00

"All publicity is good publicity, except an obituary" the saying goes. Try telling that to Domino's Pizza this week after a disgusting video was posted by two dim-witted employees. As of this post over 500,000 people had viewed "team members" in an actual Domino's store sneezing on pizza and inserting items in their nose before placing them on the pizza. The two insist that the pizza was never given to a customer and the President of Domino's has posted a commentary on the incident to try and insure customers of the brands cleanliness.

Domino's is a savvy marketing company that is ahead of the curve in terms of social media marketing with blogs, twitter accounts, Facebook and MySpace pages and their own YouTube channel. Yet all of that marketing equity may have been wiped away with one unforeseen event.

So not all publicity is good. Consider your next promotion. There are many benefits to using a quality logo product in conjunction with media and social networks to get the word out on your next marketing initiative. However, if the product is not well thought-out and purchased from a reliable and experienced distributor, you could find yourself "pulling a Domino": expending valuable time and resources to undo a brand crisis.

You are faced with a myriad of options when you decide to purchase promotional products or apparel. Be sure to use a distributor that specializes in this area. There are many businesses that work on the fringe of the industry that claim to be distributors. Be careful because there are pitfalls looming:
Dangerous Products - Confectionery which come from overseas, thermal mugs and bottles which use toxic plastics, stress ball colouring which is toxic, promotional USB Drives which heat up to a dangerous level and the list goes on and on.
Faulty Products - make sure you are dealing with someone who will back up the products.

Your brand can suffer long term damage by being associated with a faulty or dangerous products. Don't take your next promotion lightly - as I contemplate my next pizza order.

Eldrick: Best Brand Manager

2009-04-06T14:38:00.004-04:00

You probably know him better by his nickname: Tiger. He is without question the best golfer of his time and arguably the best of all time. He continues to amaze even the most jaded fan with his course heroics and mental toughness.

No one is more excited about Tiger's success than Nike. Nike has built it's brand on the backs (literally) of athletic endorsements since the beginning. However, back in 2000 when Nike inked a deal worth $105 million with the 25 year old Woods, many felt they could not get the needed return on their investment. In retrospect, what they bought far outweighs the costs.

Tiger personifies Nike golf. The networks cover Tiger more than any other player because they know he means ratings and Tiger is rarely seen without the Nike swoosh prominently displayed. Even when Tiger is endorsing other products like American Express, Buick, Accenture or EA Sports he is always wearing the trademark Nike golf shorts and caps. Even his golf ball is an advertising windfall when a miraculous shot at Augusta seems to hang on the lip for an extra second to give the Nike logo just a little more exposure.

To his credit, he is not required to wear Nike emblazoned gear for all public appearances. But Tiger knows how to create value. The fact that Buick doesn't mind the "spillover" branding from Nike during their TV and magazine ads speaks to the marketing clout that Tiger carries.

You too can benefit from the Tiger effect. By using Nike golf balls, golf accessories and apparel as your marketing tools, you can associate your company with the brands that fill TV screens on Sunday afternoon and newspapers and Internet news stories all week.

Marketing Truths according to Bernie Madoff

2009-03-25T09:41:00.003-04:00

Madoff may go down in history as one of the most successful con-artists of all time. Surpassing even the infamous Charles Ponzi from whom his fraudulent strategy was modelled. We have heard stories of hundreds of investors who were lured by the amazing story he and his clients told. All were blinded by the possibility of amazing returns and failed to questions the underlying investment methods.

There are marketing truths here:

Marketing truth #1: Marketing has to answer the customer’s question, “What’s in it for me?” This must be answered on both an emotional and intellectual level. If your marketing doesn’t answer this critical question, your results will be marginal. Your customers and prospects are interupted dozens of times a day by marketing messages. They will choose to listen to stories that put their interests in the forefront. Your marketing must spell out how the customer will feel or be better after using your product or service. Obviuosly, these answers must be ethical and truthful - see marketing truth #4.

Marketing truth # 2 according to the Madoff story: Products that are remarkable get talked about. In Madoff's case this worked both for and against him. When things were going well and the scheme was welll funded the buzz was positive and self fulfilling. However, when the scheme began to crumble, the talk quickly brought down his house of cards.

Marketing truth #3: Conversations among the members of your marketplace happen whether you like it or not. Good marketing encourages the right sort of conversations.

Stay in front of your customers in positive ways with a positive story. Don't promose anything you cannot deliver and deliver on everything you promise. The truth that Madoff missed is marketing truth #4: Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand.

March Madness Marketing

2009-03-09T20:16:00.003-04:00

If you get my voice mail next week, blame it on March Madness. Brent Musberger first used the term in 1982 to describe the NCAA basketball tournament. The term had been in use to describe the Illinois High School Basketball Championships since 1930.

In both cases the madness refers to the chaos and excitement caused by a wide open tournament. Each year produces Cinderella stories, last second heroics and memorable personal achievements. Millions tune in to see the drama. The third week in March is considered one of the least productive periods because employers and employees alike are more concerned with the office NCAA pool than the production reports.

CBS and the NCAA should be commended for their handling of the event. CBS pioneered split screen coverage and conceived "selection Sunday". These innovations have helped to build the event into the must watch television that it has become. The NCAA's part was to let the tournament grow on it's own merits. They increased the field to 64 teams which attracted more fans and made the event more exciting.

The marketing lesson in this is in the "organic" brand building that comes from a great product. March Madness has grown because the consumer is uniquely connected to the product. CBS and the NCAA have nurtured the brand and allowed it to grow by staying true to the event and staying out of the way. There has been marketing innovation, but it has been limited to methods that further connect the consumer to the event.

Fast Pass Marketing

2009-02-15T14:06:00.004-05:00

One of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century was the Disney Fast Pass. OK maybe the Internet or the internal combustion engine were more important, but anyone that has ever visited Orlando in July knows from where my praise of the fast pass comes.

Here's the idea: there are several highly sought after amusements at a Disney park that you just have to ride. In years past, you would stand in line for hours with your sweaty, impatient children and eventually make it to the air conditioned relief of the ride. Then Mickey in his infinite wisdom invented the Fast Pass. Now you can go to any ride and get a pass to return and ride with NO WAITING. What a concept! A way to get what you want without hassle, without waiting and without extra charges.

I believe that most businesses can benefit from this philosophy. However, not all businesses are set up logistically to deliver their product or service with no waiting and no hassles. Wouldn't it be nice to go to the front of the line with the companies you do business with whenever you like.

CrunchTime Promotions has perfected this concept for custom imprinted promotional products and business gifts. All of the items on the site are available to ship the next business day with your logo. No hassles, no extra charges, no worries.

Dolphin with a Purpose

2009-01-18T11:04:00.003-05:00

The single most critical element of your marketing plan is defining your purpose. In the current business environment, no one can afford to waste time or money. There are dozens of valid goals that any marketing planner can list. Paring that list to one objective and finding the most impactful use of limited funds is a much more difficult task.

Here's an example:

Client: an IT Services company

Marketing objective: create visibility for new service with current customer base.

Promotion: Mail package to targeted list of current customers. The box was custom printed on the outside with "sea life graphics" and the teaser line "Ride the wave of the future in Information Services". Inside the package was a bean bag dolphin in an inner tube imprinted with the company logo. Printed material in the box explained the new service with tag line "We will jump through hoops for your business".

Cost: $12.00 per package

Results: 38% of current customers that received the mailing signed on to contract for the new service. Estimated impact of $900,000 in incremental annual revenue.

Experts agree that marketing is not something you can afford to give up when you are experiencing lean times. So employing strategies that are less capital-intensive and more purposeful makes sense to both the sales and marketing team as well as the accounting and budgeting team.

History of the Cup Holder

2008-12-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

Auto interior design is one industry that has thrived on incorporating non-essential elements that quickly become essential. The car cup holder is a good example.

There are not many early drivers that would have even considered having an open beverage in the car because of the rough and bouncy ride before modern suspension. Now many car buying decisions are made based on the number, quality and design of the cup holders.

The invention of the drive-thru was probably the tipping point for the cup holder as necessity. Prior to this, we either sat down at a table to eat and drink (novel idea) or we pulled into a drive-in and had a nifty tray that hooked to the driver window to hold food and beverages. Some innovative auto manufacturers even developed indentions inside the glove compartment door to hold beverages in place much like an airline tray table. However, this innovation only worked for a vehicle that was parked. Once the car moved the tray table was useless.

The first solution came amidst the 60's space generation when insulated cups were developed that looked like Mercury Capsules with wide non-slip bottoms. Most American cars at the time had large flat dashboards to place these cups safely for travel. But the smaller the car got, the less useful the dash became.

The first attempts at true cup holders were garish and not well designed. They usually were afterthoughts that hung on the window or stuck out blocking "essential" instruments. Now I marvel at the inventive and integrated designs. It may take some new car owners weeks to actually find all of the cup holders.

With so many beautiful holders to use, each vehicle owner was in need of innovative and unique cups to travel with. So the travel mug was invented. There are hundreds of unique designs and innovative features including vacuum sealing and warming devices. What better way to promote your brand than providing customers with an essential items that they didn't know they needed. Check out the latest styles at PromoteYourBrand.com/drinkware

I want my blankie

2008-11-18T10:18:00.006-05:00

The last few weeks of bad economic news have made me want my blankie. My oldest son, now a know-it-all teenager, was once extremely attached to a security blanket. We brought him home from the hospital in a "bear blanket" that quickly became a necessity to him. As he grew up, he continued to sleep with the blanket until he was just too cool to use it anymore. It remains in his drawer, threadbare and ready should the need ever arise.

Studies show that children become attached to their security item because they feel the toy or blanket has unique properties or "essence". This was tested by offering children the opportunity to "copy" their favorite item in a scientific looking machine. Many children refused to have their cherished item copied and almost none chose the identical item over their own original.

There is obviously no special characteristic or essence of one blanket over another except familiarity and history. I have a favorite sweatshirt, chair, cap, and jeans that I would not easily trade for a duplicate. They are special and comfortable to me and I defend them regularly from my wife's threat of mercy killing.

We are no different than a 4 year-old when it comes to comfort and preference. Where we should differ is in the perceived security that these inanimate objects bring. We can take comfort from familiar and trusted things but "things" will never provide true security.

Check out PromoteYourBrand for many blanket gift ideas for your clients and employees.

Exposure...It's in the Bag

2008-11-10T16:26:00.002-05:00

The term "in the bag" with the meaning "virtually secured" derives from an early 20th century baseball superstition. The 1916 Giants won 26 consecutive games. When the ball boy was dispatched to the clubhouse during the ninth inning of a game early in the streak, it became a custom for the team and fans. The game was said to be "in the bag" when the ball bag left the field with the lead in the ninth inning.

A recent groundbreaking study conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute reveals that promotional products, more specifically bags, outperform all other forms of media as the most cost-effective advertising medium available.

Among key findings, results indicate that:

- 84% of people remember the advertiser on a product they receive.
- 42% have a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving an advertising specialty.
- Nearly one quarter, or 24%, indicate that they are more likely to do business with an advertiser on items they receive.
- Most respondents (62%) have done business with the advertiser on a product after receiving it.
- The majority (81%) of promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.
- More than three-quarters of respondents have had their items for about seven months.
- Among textiles, bags were reported to be used most frequently, with respondents indicating that they use their bags on average nine times per month.
- Bags deliver the most impressions, with 1,038 impressions per month on average.
- The average cost-per-impression of an advertising specialty item is $0.004, making it less expensive per impression than nearly any other media. (According to Nielsen Media data, the CPI for a national magazine ad is $0.033; a newspaper ad is $0.0129; a prime time TV ad is $0.019; a cable TV ad is $0.007; a syndicated TV ad is $0.006; and a spot radio ad is $0.005)

This research indicates that promotional products and apparel are a great investment. In these times of tightening marketing budgets, make sure that you keep your cost per impression low and your return on investment high. There is no better way to accomplish this than high-impact, useful promotional products.

Warren "all you can eat" Buffet

2008-11-05T08:22:00.002-05:00

Billionaire, Warren Buffett pumped $5 billion into Goldman Sachs, and then followed that up with a $3 billion investment in General Electric. In troubled times, Warren drives a hard bargain and ends up with extraordinary value. In other words, Warren buys low and then sells high. He is a contrarian. While others go into the panic mode, Warren Buffett goes into the shopping mode.

This same kind of thinking can be applied to marketing. While others are into a cut and run mode, the smart money looks for marketing opportunities. Right now consumers are spending more time than ever before evaluating their daily product purchases and their long term brand loyalties. Now is not the time to cut and run out on your marketing budget. Now is the time to seek out opportunities.

Your competition is hiding
The landscape is not as crowded. That means your own marketing has a higher probability of getting noticed. In fact, in your product category, you may be the only guy out there who is in the face of the consumer! Normally we have to sit around and say "how the hell can we be different?" Now all we have to do is show up.

Now is the time you need business!
When the economy is weak, your business will only get weaker without marketing. It is a vicious cycle. Out of sight, out of mind, and out of mind can mean out of business. If your competition is hiding, right now you can have a larger share of mind. Familiarity breed preference, and preference leads to long term customer loyalty.

Customers are hunting
When the economy dips and consumers move into a state of fear, product purchases are scrutinized, and loyalties are challenged. That means you can position your product as a need, not just a want. People are looking for value and meaning. Now is the time to be very pragmatic and honest with your marketing. People are looking for products and services they can trust. That means while they are hunting and evaluating, you need to be out there marketing and not hiding behind your desk.

Attitudes are shifting
What was important yesterday may not be so important in today's environment. That can spell new opportunities for your product or service. Take a survey, do some focus groups, find out what is driving the emotional needs of your core customer. How has it changed? Where are the new opportunities? How must your message change? How can you reposition the competition and make your brand more relevant for the next 12 months of economic hardship?

Marketing never stops
If you stop your marketing, you are wasting the brand equity you have built so far. This is not a start and then stop process. Your customers need evidence of product performance, and a reason why your product is absolutely positively the best in the category. When a consumer makes a budget cut you don't want to end up on the cutting room floor. That's why marketing doesn't stop because the economy is bad. It is exactly the time you need to turn up the volume.

These are tough times, and they may be some of the most creative and opportunistic times in years. Put on your Warren Buffett hat and look for the bargains. Create new demands. Stay close to your core customer. Dig deeper and look for the essential ties to your customers. And never ever stop fishing for new customers.

Sarah Palin's a doll

2008-10-27T19:23:00.003-04:00

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is holding an ebay auction for Cabbage Patch dolls based on John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barak Obama and Joe Biden. There is no truth to the rumor that the Palin doll's wardrobe cost $150.

Of course the Palin doll is the most interesting. It sports her trademark rimless glasses and high heels. I'm sure it will bring big bucks from media types who will use it as a voodoo doll.

All proceeds from the auction, which takes place on November 4th, will go to the US Marine Corps' Toys for Tots foundation, which provides Christmas presents for needy children.

Toys are a proven weapon in your brand promotion arsenal.

Here's an example:

A communications firm was interested in building traffic on their new website. The six pieces of the puzzle were imprinted with products and services the firm promotes. On the top frame was printed the message "For Marketing & Communications Solutions, Call XXX Communications" and on the bottom frame "For Puzzle Solutions, go to www.xxxcommunications.com." The company posts a .pdf file of solutions on their website. The number of web hits and puzzle solution downloads are tracked and respondents are contacted by Account Executives for follow-up.

In a business climate that can be serious and stressful, fun and whimsical promotions can be effective. Associate your brand with creative and fun promotions. Even the "evil" Sarah Palin could get a boost from a soft, cuddly cabbage patch doll.

When You Care Enough to send Paris Hilton

2008-10-14T09:10:00.003-04:00

Paris Hilton has filed a federal lawsuit over a $2.49 Hallmark greeting card that uses a photo of the heiress and her trademarked phrase "That's Hot."

Hallmark and Paris actually have some things in common in terms of branding and consistency.

Hallmark was started by Joyce Hall in 1910. In 1928 he adopted the Hallmark "crown" symbol based on the symbol used by goldsmiths in London and had it printed on the back of each card. It remains one of the most recognized corporate symbols and is still printed on the back of each card. In 1944, a hallmark salesman proposed the phrase "When you care enough to send the very best". It has been used as the brand's slogan consistently for over 60 years. Hallmark owns a 60% market share because the consumer knows what they will get when they see the hallmark symbol.

If Hallmark is a consistent brand that consumers can count on, Paris Hilton is a consistent brand that pop culture can dread. You can count on the hotel heiress to be shallow and to seek publicity at every opportunity. She remains remarkably consistent in her image as the pampered, careless and self-gratifying idler. If she wasn't worth so much money, the term worthless would fit her perfectly as defined - lacking in usefulness or merit. Like cotton candy we know that we are getting mostly air, yet we continue to make it a staple at public events. And we feel a little sticky and in need of a wet wipe after our indulgence.

Hallmark will undoubtedly get the lawsuit dropped and Ms. Hilton will undoubtedly get enormous publicity and a reality show out of this. The marketing lesson for us all is to remain consistent with your brand. Hallmark has continued to own the greeting card market because they are consistent in their message and product. Define your brand message and cultivate all sales and marketing efforts toward that consistent message. Maybe one day you will be the beneficiary of a Paris Hilton lawsuit.

Hot and Now No More?

2008-09-29T14:29:00.004-04:00

Krispy Kreme is a southern icon. Since 1937 hopeful drivers have looked for the neon red sign exclaiming "hot and now". My mouth waters just thinking about the hot, right out of the oven doughnuts that nearly melt in your mouth. As a child I can remember it being a special treat to go to the Krispy Kreme and watch the hundreds of fresh glazed doughnuts move down the conveyor and fall into the pool of icing.

Krispy Kreme to me is hot and now glazed doughnuts. I believe the hot glazed doughnut is what sets it apart from its competitors. I understand the idea of expanding on your "brand" and offering compatible products such as coffee and other doughnut styles and flavors.

However, the latest news from the struggling company has me dismayed. After several years of dismal financial performance, the company has offered a new business plan to woo shareholders. The new plan involves selling soft serve ice cream and building smaller stores. I don't have much of a problem with the ice cream idea. I think its probably a growing segment and may not take away from their core mission. However, the smaller stores may be the end of the brand in my opinion. These smaller stores are not going to have room for the doughnut making machine. That means no hot and now. That means the end.

I can buy cold Krispy Kreme doughnuts in my convenient store, grocery store and dozens of other outlets. They have over-exposed the brand. I think a better strategy would be to capitalize on the unique hot and now offerings and make sure that every outlet has the capacity to offer hot and now.

Hot and Now is the essence of the brand. Krispy Kreme is so well known and beloved that items emblazoned with the logo have become collector's items offered on ebay. Krispy Kreme should focus on what they do best and continue to promote the brand and product that made them iconic.

Death by Chocolate

2008-09-16T10:04:00.005-04:00

I was browsing recently when this headline caught my attention: "Health Benefits of Chocolate". I was required to stop and take a taste of the article. It seems that chocolate has many health benefits including:

The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.
Chocolate contains phenol ethyl amine, a mild mood elevator.
The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.
Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.
Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.
The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.
Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.
The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

I was on a chocolate high and headed for the candy section.

Then I read an article that brought me back down to earth - "Living Our Lives Without Chocolate?". Apparently the executive director of the Nature Conservation Research Council thinks that in 20 years chocolate will be much like caviar is today. It will become so rare, due to cocoa producing countries economics, that the average American will not be able to afford it.

My conclusion is that chocolate is a precious commodity that should be valued. Savor your chocolate while you can. Use it as a gift only for those that you value highly. Sit back and reap the benefits of your chocolate generosity.

Dendrochronology marketing

2008-09-02T16:53:00.005-04:00

Dendrochronology is the study of tree rings.

I'm no Dendochronologist, but I know that a lot can be learned about a trees life by a study of its cross section and its pattern of rings. You can tell not only how mature the tree is; but also some very specific information about the climate, food, energy sources and health at different points in the life of the tree.

How does this relate to marketing you ask?

I was sitting in a meeting with the president of a fast growing company. We were discussing some upcoming promotional and marketing projects and he walked over to his bookshelf to show me a promotional gift or two that they had produced in the past. As I looked through the shelves and listened to him describe the various items, I realized that I was looking at a cross section of the marketing life of his company.

He showed me an inexpensive pen that they produced when they first started the company. "A time when any item with our name on it brought a sense of accomplishment" he reminisced. I saw many haphazard and varied items representing the hectic early years. I noticed a better quality and continuity develop among their marketing as the company grew and matured. I could see luxurious holiday gifts representing profitable high growth years and a couple of basic tokens representing more restrained financial situations.

Take a look at your own "tree rings" of promotional materials. Are your customers seeing creative marketing pieces that suggest a continuity with your overall marketing plan? What can be learned from a study of your cross section?

Say Hello to my Little Friend

2008-08-19T10:13:00.003-04:00

The phrase "say hello to my little friend" immediately brings to mind the image of Al Pacino as Scarface spraying machine gun bullets at Colombian drug lords...if you are over 35. Those 25 - 35 years old have probably heard of the movie Scarface but are less likely to recognize the line or know its context. The under 25 crowd only knows the line as a SportCenter punchline.

Herein lies the problem that Vivindi Universal faced when they decided to launch a Scarface video game. The target market for this video game is 18 to 24 year olds who were not born when the movie came out in 1983. The idea of a shoot-em-up video game featuring one of the big screens most notorious gunmen seemed to be a no-brainer but in reality it needed a unique marketing solution.

To combat this generational gap, they decided to incorporate a targeted marketing effort using promotional items and a "street team". They identified 100 trendsetters and taste makers that included on-air personalities, recording artists and on-line media editors. They produced a premium package that was sent to each including a cigar humidor, cigar cutter, custom baned cigars and an advance copy of the game. They followed up these packages by using street teams to hand out t-shirts, cigar cutters and coupons at events targeted to the 18-24 demographic.

Remember that every great product, idea or event needs some promotion to help it reach the eyes and ears of the audience that it needs to make it successful. We are often blinded by the beauty of the idea and think the idea will live and grow without promotion. It helps to utilize outside perspectives to make sure the idea is understood and appreciated. A lesson Tony Montana learned the hard way "don't get high on your own supply".

Gender Testing Works

2008-07-30T14:51:00.003-04:00

The Olympics are just around the corner. Everyone knows that the International Olympic Committee has been a leader on drug testing athletes. I was surprised to learn, however, that they also lead in gender testing or gender verification.

It seems that in the 60's cold war era there was suspicion surrounding many eastern bloc female athletes. There are stories of athletes competing in female events exhibiting various male characteristics from facial hair to extreme muscle mass. It's not clear whether these were females with enhanced testosterone or males attempting to hide their gender. Hence the need for gender testing.

Olympic gender testing reminded me that we need to "gender test" our promotional efforts. In many marketing and promotional campaigns it seems to be a man's world. The women are often forgotten. Regardless of whether a company desires a golf themed promotion or a nice apparel related item, the campaign can be gender equal.

Corporate and golf apparel both have come a long way in the last few years. Many manufacturers are bringing feminine cuts, colors and styles to the marketplace. With so many women in the work force, we need to consider apparel and promotional pieces with gender equity.

Doctor Gullible

2008-07-16T14:16:00.002-04:00

Dr. J.D. Dorian played by Zach Branff on the reruns of the TV show "Scrubs" is constantly having daydreams about surreal situations and zany circumstances. The recent promotional product ban imposed by the drug industry would fit perfectly as one of these surreal vignettes.

On July 10, the Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced it will implement a revised PhRMA Code on Interactions with health-care professionals on Jan. 1, 2009. The code explicitly states that it is prohibited to provide, “items for health care professional’s use that do not advance the disease or treatment education...” This provision would eliminate the dissemination of “reminder items” such as pens, notebooks and mugs. According to the PhRMA report, the change is to eliminate any misconception about the relationship between the drug companies and the individual doctor or practice.

I believe this move is a knee-jerk reaction to the increasing role of advertising and marketing in medicine. It is true that the use of promotional products have been linked to increased prescription rates among physicians. It is also true that promotional "reminder items" are very effective in keeping a brand "top-of-mind". However, shouldn't the PhRMA be more concerned about media advertising to the medically uneducated masses rather than promotions targeting educated and sophisticated medical professionals.

We are all exposed to a multitude of advertising messages every day. If a trained physician dedicated to the health of the patient must be isolated from these promotional items in the office to make an unbiased medical decision, then how much more do we all need to be isolated from the messages promoting every prescription drug from Viagra to Ambien.

The PhRMA needs to focus on the real culprits in pharmaceutical marketing: million dollar mass media campaigns and excessive gifts to physicians. The promotional items are actually useful items. The high dollar junkets, trips and excessive honorariums are the truly harmful extravagances.

The Old College Try

2008-06-27T14:18:00.003-04:00

We're not completely sure of the derivation of the phrase "give it the old college try" but I like this one. Babe Ruth, the baseball great not always known for extra effort, said that sometimes you have to give it the old college try for the grandstands. He was referring to making a strenuous effort for a ball that obviuosly will not be handled. If you've compared college baseball to professional you will probably agree with the phrasing. College kids are much more likely to go "all out" even when the odds are against the effort. The older and more experienced players become, the less likely they are to put forth superfluous efforts.

I always appreciate the effort. It turns out I'm not alone. Research at the University of Southern California has proven that customers reward companies that are seen to try harder —even if they don't personally benefit from that effort. In fact, customers are willing to pay more for a product, frequent one store rather than another, and, in general, have a more positive impression of a company or brand that is perceived to put in more effort. "Consumers recognize that effort is a controllable behavior, and as a result, feel gratitude toward firms that uphold their moral responsibility to work hard, even when they are working to market their products," claims the studies author.

There are several ways for the consumer to perceive effort on the part of your company: customer service - its easy for the customer to know you're trying when it manifests itself in comprehensive customer service
rewards - exhibiting gratitude is a way to let the client know you care about their business and are actively trying to keep it
personal and specific marketing efforts - marketing to the masses is easy and customers today know it. Marketing to the clients specific needs will let them know you are trying.

Source: "Giving Firms an 'E' for Effort: Consumer Responses to High-Effort Firms" by Andrea C. Morales. Journal of Consumer Research

Rally Cap Marketing

2008-06-17T08:50:00.004-04:00

The College World Series is college baseball's ultimate goal. 8 teams from around the country earn their way to Omaha Nebraska for a 2 week tournament. Anyone who loves the game will revel in the enthusiasm and energy that is exhibited at this tournament.

One of the aspects that I really love about baseball and the CWS is the superstition. You will find players who refuse to change their socks until they lose, players who refuse to touch the baselines when entering or exiting the field and players who go through amazing rituals prior to hitting. If a pitcher is nearing the late innings with a no-hitter, you will find him ostracized in the dugout for fear of someone speaking to him and jinxing the gem.

My favorite superstition is the rally cap. A rally cap is a baseball cap worn inside-out or in another unconventional manner by players or fans in order to will a team into a come-from-behind rally late in the game. Its superstition at its best and the creativity of players and fans is refreshing. The message the rally cap wearer is trying to convey is: "we have not given up and we will do whatever it takes to win".

What then is rally cap marketing? It's turning your marketing inside out. Sometimes a company or department must change its focus from outward (customers) to inward (employees). The brand that you are spending so much time and resources to build is only as strong as the team you have internally. Spend some time and resources rallying your team and letting them know that they are important. Reward them with non-monetary awards and create camaraderie with out-of-office time together.

Motorcycle Pampers and your customer

2008-05-13T10:43:00.008-04:00

For some reason I was drawn to this add for "Bike Diapers" even though I don't own a bike. The product got me thinking about the care and attention that some people give their most prized possessions. The respectful bike owner (like the young lady in the ad) will lovingly cradle their cycle in absorbent material rather than have it roll away from its parking spot leaving an unsightly stain. This is pampering your bike and your garage.

Pamper: to treat with extreme or excessive care and attention.

As a marketer, your most prized possession should be your customers.
U.S News and World Report published some interesting statistics regarding customer service.

- It costs 6 times more to get new customers than keep old ones.
If unsatisfied:
- Only 4% of the customers will tell you voluntarily
- 96% will just quietly go away
- 91% will not come back
- Each unsatisfied customer will tell an average of 8-10 people
- One customer in 5 will tell 20 people
- It takes 12 positive service interactions to make up for one negative
- 68% of those customers who leave do so due to an attitude of indifference by a company employee

These facts make it clear that we need to take care of our customers. We may even need to treat them with "extreme and excessive care". Don't let a perceived "attitude of indifference" affect your relationship with your customer. Make sure they know how important they are to your business. You can accomplish this by communicating effectively and listening to their concerns.

You can get the most pamper points from taking care of problems and disagreements in a timely and equitable manner. Don't let an unsatisfied customer leave a nasty stain on your business reputation.

Don't forget the thoughtful corporate gift. There are not many easier and economical ways to show you care than a high-quality useful gift.

Being Ed McMahon

2008-04-28T08:50:00.007-04:00

I think we've all had the dream. Ed McMahon pulls into your driveway in a Prize Patrol van. He rings your doorbell while a beautiful model holds a 6 foot check for $10,000,000 made out in your name. You start your national television interview by thanking God, Ed and Publishers Clearing House and finish by telling your boss to shove it.

For me the dream loses a little of its allure when I realize that I never enter the publishers clearing house sweepstakes and Ed McMahon actually is the spokesperson for American Family Publishers. But millions of Americans do enter each year. And even more play state lotteries and consumer sweepstakes of all sorts.

Its no secret that sweepstakes and contests are a proven way to promote your brand. They are used to introduce new products, drive web traffic, promote a new service or to build a database. Sweepstakes are a cost effective way to promote most any business initiative.

Here's a great example:

RED CROSS “SCRATCH OFF” SWEEPSTAKES BUILDS DONOR DATABASE

The American Red Cross needed an incentive that would motivate people to register in the organization’s online database. The solution? A “Summer Scratch-Off Sweepstakes” digital download promotion.

Red Cross distributed 200,000 fliers to people who visited Red Cross locations, each featuring a mystery code guaranteed to win a prize. Most codes contained music downloads good for either one or five free songs. But there were also three iPods, two DVD players and a 40-inch flat screen TV up for grabs, along with coupons good for discounts at Red Cross stores. To find out what their mystery code was worth, flier recipients were first required to log on to a Red Cross web page and complete a registration form. Upon completion, they could enter their code and instantly find out what they had won.

The program was a huge hit – so much so that Red Cross distributed an additional 70,000 scratch-off sweepstakes fliers. The end result? Red Cross increased its database by 105,000 people, a 39% conversion rate.

Speak to AIA/VineWorks Marketing about developing this type of program. Your one source for printed fliers, scratch off cards, premiums and prizes.

Of course being Ed McMahon would involve more than handing out oversize checks. There was Star Search (American Idol for the 80's) and the easiest job ever: laughing at Johnny Carson and performing the famous Heeeeeere's Johnny! Not a bad dream.

Pope Bobble Heads

2008-04-14T20:20:00.004-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for good marketing ideas. I especially appreciate the ideas that develop a life of their own. In today's marketing lexicon this is called "viral marketing" or any advertising that propagates itself. There are overt attempts at viral marketing like when Hotmail users send e-mail, they unwittingly infect the recipient with the tag line at the bottom of the message. This is creative and self propagating but too systematized for my taste.

I enjoy the accidental idea virus. Last week Washington Public Transportation used a Pope Benedict XVI bobble head doll in a TV commercial designed to promote public transportation during this weeks papal visit. The add focuses on a metro bus passenger reading a copy of "Car and Pontiff" with a picture of the Pope Mobile on the front. Sitting stoically beside the passenger is a nodding pope bobble head doll.

The ad is creative and irreverent and was receiving positive feedback until the WPT was contacted by the Vatican. I'm not sure how the call went but I would guess there were a few uneasy moments when the speaker phone beeped "pope line 1". It turns out the Vatican was OK with the content of the ad. It was the bobble head itself that was causing papal consternation. The bobble head was not an "official" pope bobble head and was wearing a red cap and cape. The pope never wears a red cape therefore the Vatican felt the ad was inappropriate.

The viral aspect starts when the ad is pulled and the news is picked up by the media. I have seen numerous stories throughout the media and online news sources with varying angles to the story. Washington Public Transportation has received untold exposure for their gaffe and Pope Bobble head dolls are going for big bucks on eBay. This is self propagating marketing at its best.

The moral to this story is to be careful with your promotional products. The Vatican has no problems with "pope memorabilia" as evidenced by the Official Pope Online Store hawking everything from key chains and dog tags to t-shirts and bumper stickers (no bobble heads in sight). The Vatican does however care about the quality and spirit of the items. As any cardinal knows, promotional items can be a blessing if produced within the spirit of the brand.

Bring a Guerrilla to Work Day

2008-04-02T08:17:00.002-04:00

Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson was first published in 1983 and was considered revolutionary with its innovative, take-no-prisoners approach to marketing. Today, 25 years later, the term "guerrilla marketing" has become synonymous with non-traditional advertising.

A study released last week by research firm PQ Media, titled Alternative Media Forecast: 2008-2012, reports that marketing spending on online, digital and other forms of no-traditional advertising topped $73.43 billion in 2007, an increase of 22% compared to 2006. Furthermore, the trend is only expected to continue, with spending on nontraditional media eventually comprising 26.6% of all U.S. advertising and marketing dollars by 2012, the firm concludes.

One of Levinson's "10 Secrets" is to always use an assortment of weapons in your marketing campaign. Companies of any size can add to their exposure by mixing non-traditional forms of advertising into their mix. The more innovative the better. Take Fed Ex for example. They are one of the largest traditional media buyers in the country. However, they continue to spend more time and effort on non-traditional exposure. From major expenditures like the ubiquitous product placement in "Castaway" to the unique t-shirt design here. A t-shirt is certainly no innovative marketing tool. However, if its well thought out and designed it can become a unique "voice" in the marketplace.

As you consider your overall marketing plan, remember that there are many unique and innovative ways to gain exposure for far less than traditional media costs.

Spring Training for Trade Show Season

2008-03-13T07:49:00.003-04:00

Spring is arriving in many parts of the country. The flowers are beginning to bloom, grass is turning green and major league baseball teams are heading to Florida and Arizona for Spring Training. Every local newspaper will have a sports columnist waxing poetic over the hope and renewal of spring baseball. For the baseball teams, its the 6 weeks reserved for planning and fine tuning in preparation for the long, gruelling season ahead.

Major League baseball is a business not unlike yours and mine. Baseball teams understand that they will not get the best performance from their players and coaches without this early season period of planning and analysis. Your business also needs to take this time to think about the coming trade show season. Here are a few things to think about in terms of marketing and promoting your brand.

Many business rely heavily on trade shows for new leads and sales promotion. As we begin the spring trade show season, now is the time to review and analyse the trade shows that you will participate in.

Look back on the data and make sure the show has been productive. Research has shown that 92% of attendees at regional trade shows and 84% of attendees at national trade shows have not been contacted by the exhibiting company during the prior year.
The average industrial sales call costs $229.70 and takes an average of 5.5 sales calls to close an order, bringing the cost to $1,263.35. In comparison, the average cost per contact at a trade show is $106.70 with 0.8 follow-up calls. Bringing the average cost per sale to $209.46.
Come up with a plan to follow up on the leads in a timely manner.
Plan for upcoming shows with pre-show mailings. Tease a gift or contest to increase traffic. Promotional Products can significantly increase booth traffic. A 1999 study by Exhibit Survey’s Inc. found that using Promotional Products provides a significant advantage over exhibitors not using these products in vying for buyer’s attention.
Qualify booth visitors and reward the more qualified prospects with a second tier gift. Have an inexpensive gift for everyone and a nicer (second tier) gift reserved for qualified candidates.
Run a contest or raffle with a nice premium (flat screen TV, mountain bike, watch) as the prize.
Plan the apparel for company personnel attending the show. There are many options for professional branded apparel to help your booth appear organized. Attendees need to be able to quickly and easily find your company's representatives.
Create a relevant theme. Your booth will be more memorable if there is a theme to build around. Incorporate gifts, apparel, props, displays and collateral material.
Post Show Analysis. Set aside time to evaluate the results of your efforts. Have you achieved your goals in terms of booth traffic, orders generated, new customers etc? Clearly defined objectives will facilitate better results for subsequent shows.

Referral Madness

2008-02-11T17:25:00.000-05:00

We are in a new age of referral. The internet has embraced word of mouth like no medium since man learned to use words. Early man used "posts" on cave walls to let friends know of good hunting grounds. Similarly modern man is using online posts to let friends and family know of the best places to hunt for products and services.

Everyone's a critic

Everyone has an opinion and that's a good thing in today's world. There is no better critic of a product or service than a frequent user. In days past the only way to get a legitimate opinion was to actually speak to someone face to face. For large purchases I used to purchase "Consumer Reports" so that their reporters could give me an informed opinion of a car, refrigerator or television. In the age of google, all it takes is a few key strokes and you are buried in informed opinions on just about any product or service you care to research.

Trust Me

The only problem with the enormous amount of online product information is the source. There are many credible websites that gather product review information and present them in an easy to navigate format. Epinions.com is one such site. You can find informed opinions on hundreds of products from sporting goods to office equipment. However, how do I know I can trust the reviewer? It's my belief that many of these posts are generated by either paid cohorts or by someone with an ax to grind. I find it hard to put too much weight in the opinions of individuals that I know nothing about. This is why television and print media often use public figures to endorse their product. I feel like I know and trust Peyton Manning when he tells me he uses and endorses Mastercard, Gatorade, ESPN or Sprint. If a company picks a likable figure like Manning, its like getting your best friend to give you the thumbs up on an product.

Friends and Family

Sprint was way ahead of the referral curve when they introduced Sprint Friends and Family several years ago. They knew that their product could succeed only on the word of mouth referalls of users who would benefit from their freinds and family using the service. This campaign was successful because it contained two key elements. 1) the referall was from a "known and trusted" person. 2) the person giving the referral knew they would be rewarded for the endorsment that they provided. I am more likely to use a product if someone I know endorses it. I am more likely to provide an endorsment or referral if I receive some reward for putting my neck out.

Referral Programs

Referral programs are everywhere online. There are many young tech-savy people that make a living out of referring people to websites. The pay per click model is in its infancy and its all based on the basic referral concept of trusting someone you know and being rewarded for the information. AIA/VineWorks Marketing is in the process of implementing our own referral program for our customers where current customers will be rewarded for referrals that we can turn into clients. We also can help design and implement a referral program for a client. Afterall, we provide gifts and fulfillment on a daily basis. Why not reward the clients that are loyal and are willing to endorse your products.

It's easy being green

2008-01-29T08:11:00.000-05:00

The promotional products industry, like most other industries in the US, is keenly focused on the environment. The noun "green" has quickly become the verb "greening" - as in "The greening of products continues". At the PPAI Expo 08, the promotional products industries' largest trade show, the greening of our industry was ubiquitous. Very few vendors or manufacturers failed to offer something to the green theme. Maybe Kermit was wrong all along and it is easy being green.

This green overload was enough to make me a little skeptical of all of the motives in our industry. I began asking exactly what each vendor meant when they claimed a green product. I learned that green means different thing to different people and several were clearly exploiting the trend without much regard for the environment.

As we all go through our daily lives attempting to be eco-responsible, there are a few things to keep in mind. Most consider air and water quality and the preservation of natural resources the top priorities when asked about the environment and global warming is certainly the catalyst behind the current market trends. Make sure you make good choices toward these ends and not just something that feels and sounds good.

- Some post-consumer recycled products require more energy to produce than products using virgin material. While these items certainly save space in a landfill, its debatable weather they are good for the environment.

- Some manufacturers claimed that poly carbon water bottles and polyester bags were "green" because they are reusable. While it is true that they are reusable, many were not biodegradable, recycled or organic.

- If you truly want to be responsible to our environment, ask the extra question and be sure that your actions are truly positive.

I applaud the efforts of many in our industry to truly be good stewards of the blessings we have been given in terms of our environment. I only caution us all to think about the green claims and make truly "green" choices. This tote bag is made from 100% organic materials - jute and natural vegetable fibers. It is reusable as a shopping bag and biodegradable or recylclable when its use is finished.

Drug Companies Aren't Stupid

2007-12-17T14:47:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has logged any time with prime time television knows how pervasive pharmaceutical advertising has become. It is a billion dollar industry that spends hundreds of millions on advertising. I'm not a big fan of hearing the details of erectile dysfunction while watching TV with my 12 year old. However, the drug companies have a heavy investment in these medicines and know from research that marketing to the end-user is an effective way to get more prescriptions written.

Another successful marketing strategy used frequently by the pharmaceutical manufacturers is marketing to physicians and medical students. The drug companies know, again from exhaustive research, that promoting a drug at the physician level increases prescriptions. They also know that the best way to promote their medication is with promotional products. We have all seen the myriad products at the local GP's office with the various drug company logos boldly displayed.

Pharmaceuticals are a perennial leader in spending on promotional products followed closely by beverage and financial companies (read Budweiser, Coke, Bank of America). They have utilized imprinted products so much that there is a backlash at some medical schools. Recently, in the type of event usually associated with illegal hand guns and used drug syringes, UCLA’s medical center asked its doctors, medical students and employees to turn in any pens and promotional items imprinted with corporate logos or products made by drug companies. The medical school's research shows that these gifts are influential in affecting prescription practices over time. The school collected over 75 lbs worth of marketing materials in exchange for some Starbucks gift cards. This exercises was designed to make a point to students and physicians to avoid making medical decisions based on drug company influence.

I applaud UCLA for the medical/ethical position and agree that no physician should write a prescription based on a gift that they have received. However, my point is this: The drug companies use imprinted promotional products because they WORK. Even the physicians and medical schools acknowledge that this form of ever present marketing has an affect.

I doubt your company has the ethical strings attached that the pharmaceutical companies have. But we can learn from their success. A pharmaceutical company wanted a creative way to present findings from a recent medical study concerning cholesterol and coronary risk. The company chose to print graphs showing the study results on the sides of an adhesive note cube. The sheets were imprinted with information about the study and 5000 cubes were distributed to physicians and pharmacists. The pharmaceutical company was happy with the product and received positive feedback from recipients.

“Imitation, if noble and general, insures the best hope of originality”

Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton quotes

Procrastination is Good

2007-11-19T08:22:00.000-05:00

I'm not a procrastinator. However, I have been known to wait until the last possible minute to complete a task. I like to call it prioritizing. The holiday season always reminds me that I come from a long, proud line of men who frustrate the others in their lives by postponing important tasks. I fondly remember shopping for Christmas presents on December 24th with my Dad. I remember him saying that he enjoyed the Christmas Eve atmosphere and "he worked best under pressure". I always save a few important purchases for December 24th. It drives my wife crazy. As the brilliant man in the cartoon explains, I need the enthusiasm-factor at its maximum effectiveness.

I believe we all procrastinate to some degree. There are an infinite list of things that we all could be doing at any given time. The secret is in choosing the most effective task to complete at the most opportune time. I know this sounds like my cartoon genius again. But here are a few points to keep in mind when faced with multiple tasks.

1) Urgent does not always equal important - we are all bombarded with tasks that are urgent. This does not automatically mean that its the most important thing on your list of things to do. Choose important tasks to do first.

2) Learn to delegate - There are many things that we do just because we have always performed this task. Investigate who in your organization may be just as able to perform the task. If the organization is stressed to the limit, look into outsourcing certain tasks.

3) Don't put off the BIG (important) project - many of us continually put off the big time-consuming project because we feel the entire project needs to be done at one time. We are constantly waiting for that huge block of time and energy.

4) Deadlines - give yourself personal deadlines. If you work best under pressure or need a looming deadline to perform at your best, create your own deadlines for important tasks.

How does all of this relate to promoting your brand? We are nearing the end of the year and in the middle of the corporate holiday buying season. Many of you

have dozens of "important" if not urgent projects that need to be completed before the end of the year. One of the items that should be on your agenda is recognizing your clients and employees. This should be near the top of the important column on your to-do list. Without your important clients and employees, the to-do list would start with "get a job".

AIA/VineWorks Marketing can help you strike this line off of the list. Just give us a few details and we will come up with solutions for gifts, packaging and distribution. We can handle the entire project while you are on to other tasks. We even have hundreds of products that we can customize at the last minute if necessary. We well under pressure so you don't have to.

Oven Mitts in The Office

2007-11-05T15:33:00.000-05:00

It's important for companies to express their thanks this time of year to their customers and employees. Business relationships, like any other relationship, need concrete expressions to keep the partnership moving forward.

The gift itself is key. No matter what your Mom told you, its not just the thought that counts in business gifts. Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell on NBC's The Office, is the model on what not to do in business to succeed. As Michael so eloquently points out, the business gift is an opportunity to tell the customer or co-worker how important they are.

Michael Scott: "So Phyllis is basically saying, 'Hey Michael, I know you did a lot to help the office this year, but I only care about you an oven mitt’s-worth." Anyone who watches the office knows Michael is likely more insecure and self absorbed than your customers or employees. However,

A few things to keep in mind to make sure your gifts are successful:

Make a list of people that you need to thank - put them in categories - everyone does not need to receive the same gift

Know your recipient - does the company have a gift policy that limits gift value? Can the gift be for one person or do you need to thank assistants or the whole department?

Place a value on the recipient - make a budget that corresponds to the importance you place on these relationships

Plan Ahead - custom gifts require time to produce. A lack of planning may result in rush charges and expedited shipping that can bust the budget

Don't forget packaging - holiday gifts need a nice presentation. Remember wrapping or other packaging to give your gift the needed impact

There are thousands of products that can successfully express your thanks. I even think an oven mitt can be the right gift in some circumstances. Contact AIA/VineWorks Marketing to help you work through all of the choices.

Choose Your Vendors Carefully

2007-10-24T10:21:00.000-04:00

I am a Dunkin Donuts coffee addict. If I see a Dunkin Donuts, I am required to stop and get their extra large serving. I occasionally even consume their donuts, however I'm partial to Krispy Kreme as donuts go. I bring this up because Dunkin Donuts made the news this week because they voluntarily recalled over 1,000,000 glow sticks that they were giving away at their stores as a promotion. It seemed like a perfectly good promotion for Dunkin' Donuts: offer kids glow sticks to carry around during Halloween. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) didn't agree. The agency said the sticks were not labeled properly to warn consumers that the cap and lanyard can detach, posing a choking hazard for children under the age of three. What's more, the lanyard also posed a strangulation hazard. So Dunkin' Donuts voluntarily recalled about one million pink and orange glow sticks over the past two weeks. It said the move was precautionary and that there were no reported injuries or complaints.

The point I would like to make is that you, as a company attempting to promote your brand, need to choose your vendor for products carefully. There have been numerous reports of Chinese toy recalls and other high-profile stories eroding the consumers confidence in Chinese made goods. A good promotional product distributor should know the questions to ask the manufacturer and should be able to advise you on warning labels required by law. In California, Proposition 65 makes it even more important to know who and what you are dealing with. I hear that if you don't comply the Terminator will come after you.

The terminator not withstanding, the penalties are serious and costly for mistakes. Not only will it be costly to deal with thousands or perhaps millions of unusable products, your brand can take a hit by association with these types of mishaps.

I may think twice next time I pull into a Dunkin Donuts drive through. If they are this careless with their promotional product vendor, how careful are they with their coffee vendor?

VineWorks

2007-10-19T14:24:00.000-04:00

I have always loved analogies. They have helped me to grasp concepts that are unfamiliar and more fully understand complex ideas. In Chip & Dan Heath's book "Made to Stick", one of the priciples of "sticky ideas" is concreteness. The human mind is wired to understand concrete ideas. A good concrete anaology is a perfect way to illustrate an ambiguous idea.

Of course Jesus knew this when he used the "vine" as an analogy in John 15:5 - "I am the vine and you are the branches". I have come to appreciate the anaology of pruning, feeding, caring and abiding that He requires to live a fruitful life.

Through VineWorks Marketing I, humbly, have also used the vine as an anology to help make the ideas of branding and marketing more concrete. The vine is your brand. In order to bear fruit (customers, loyalty, profits) you must nurture the vine. You must abide in the brand -avoid anything that isn't true to the brand. You must prune occasionally - get rid of practices that take energy away from the vine. Most importantly you must feed and nurture the vine - consistently keeping the brand and message in front of clients, employees and prospects.

At VineWorks Marketing we use our considerable experience to help nurture your vine. We utilize promotional products and business gifts to Promote Your Brand.