As some of you know, I was in the promotional products industry for part of my career. I used to travel to multiple tradeshows and see what was “new” and how different organizations used the tactile products to enhance their marketing messages. Last week I attended the Minnesota Alphabet Bash and the Carver County Fair, and I thought of this timely topic when I visited certain booths and saw their giveaways. Some organizations don’t always give this marketing channel the attention it deserves. Here’s some promotional hits and misses I saw last week.
The Good…
How many of you have been to the Carver County Fair? The fair board does an excellent job of branding “Tippy the Cow” logo on all of its marketing materials – direct mail coupon flyer, the website, Facebook page and the outside Fair Signage. That logo is so entrenched in their marketing that my 6 year old knew the fair coupon flyer was in our mailbox because Tippy was on the return address. So how did the Fair Board use Tippy in their promotional products? They offered FREE Tippy Tattoo’s in their coupon flyer. At the administration building you could purchase a Tippy T-Shirt that was shrinkwrapped in the SHAPE of a cow. Clever!
The Not So Good…
Attending the Alphabet Bash, I had high expectations to see unusual promotional items. But at the booths, I saw a lot of standards, not really anything out of the box (except for the trucker hat in the goodie bag). Blinking lapel pins, pens and mints really don’t “wow” me, but I think one of the most boring items I got was a notepad. Unless I am taking notes at an event, it seemed a bit pointless. I think a postcard rather than a notepad may have been more compelling.
The…?
Because I was in healthcare promotions, I really scrutinize these items and consider multiple possibilities for giveaways. Bandaids in an imprinted dispenser or a pill box holder….again? What a disappointment. How about getting creative and hand out antibacterial hand sanitizer, like Hutchinson Medical Center did for several years, or sunscreen or lip balm? Recently (not at the fair), I saw a healthcare organization give away imprinted sewing kits (with threaded needles!) at a parade. While they weren’t distributed directly to children, the wrong decision can lead to a potential lawsuit.
Just so you know I am not just “talking a talk” about promotional products, here’s the most compelling reason of all–potential longevity. Carr Flowers offered a free mirror with a flower purchase in 1991; this promotional product has been a staple in my purse for 20 years! If you are stuck in a rut when it comes to booth or parade giveaways, stop thinking about the cost/item and think about the cost/impression the item leaves behind–that is a much better way to utilize your promotional budget. No one would ever doubt the cost/impression on my little mirror and it always makes me smile.
Some things to consider with your tradeshows/fair/parade giveaways next year.
- What are you giving away and why?
- Does it have a “wow” factor?
- Is it a disposable (one impression) item?
- What is your per/piece price, could you have a tiered giveaway?
Give yourself time to think about what you could order for a few weeks before the deadline. Ordering products “under the gun” doesn’t often lead to good purchasing decisions. Good promotional product professionals are not just order-takers, they help you brainstorm for the best physical item that promotes your organization or event and brings it to life. I strongly encourage you to visit with a local promotional products profession, affiliated with PPAI or ASI. What have been the best promotional items you have used? Do you have any that you have had for several years? Who knows, maybe at this time next year I will see an “udder-ly” cute promotional item – a Tippy the Cow-shaped stress ball at a healthcare booth at the fair.
About 10 years ago or so I got a business card holder for a purse or wallet from Hutchinson Telephone Company at one of their open houses. It has been in my purse ever since, holding my business cards, those I collect and some punch/stamp cards for easy locating. I was most excited to get a fly swatter a couple years back at the fair, but disappointed that it fell apart with each swat. The flies in my house all laugh at me. Once things I’ve noticed recently with kids and promo items and mobile devices….I get worried about magnets. I never really thought about it until my kids started owning phones, ipod touches, computers, etc and well, a recipe for disaster.
Beth,
You have a great point about magnets; most healthcare organizations hand them out because it has been proven that magnets, once they are stuck on the fridge, are one of the most cost effective (cost/impression) promotional items out there. So from a healthcare marketing perspective, it is a great investment to hand out magnets. And warning potential customers about magnets would certainly mean that fewer people would take them home.
The situation also reminds me of cell phones and hotel room keys. The magnetic field on the cell can make the hotel key useless (I think I had a keycard activated 3x in one trip at a Dallas hotel). Today’s electronics do respond to the magnets in a very unfriendly way and you wouldn’t want that negative impression associated with your organization.
FYI–the longevity of magnets–we have refrigerator magnets from the Dominoes in Mankato from 1993 (because pizza is a very important staple to college kids). I am thinking Cindy from Tidy Tightwads might be tell me to get rid of them!
I think another key thing to remember is to get items of quality and high perceived value. There are so many junky promo items I have gotten, then realized that they did not work, or broke, or whatever, that probably did the opposite of what the company wanted it to do.
I think wall clocks are a great promo item for the right B2B company. People look at it several times a day and it usually does not get replaced for a long time or when it stops working.
And please, no more can coolers at parades! I think I just gave about 20 to the local thrift store.
Quality is so important. Getting people to think through their promotional items can be challenging. It was always seems to be an afterthought, rather than a gift that will retain a positive impression. After attending the Motivation Show in Chicago (where the BIG ticket items, like 60 HDTV’s were on display), a $30-50 promotional item seems very reasonable.
I so agree with you about the can coolers (and coffee mugs) and am going to add….frisbees! We went to 3 parades this summer; I think I have at least 10 flying discs that will rarely, if ever, get used. I should probably donate them to a pet shelter.
It’s quite interesting to find the article like this. The article you have posted on Promotional Products really attracted me. Thank you.
Thanks for your comments, promotional products are a very important component of a marketing plan, not just an afterthought. I am glad you enjoyed the insight!