Local Promotion Brings Community Together
Jan 11
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the community. Even though APTCO is a national company, many of our clients are primarily focused on building and maintaining business in their local area. It...
Continue ReadingBeyond PPE: 6 Feel-Good Promo Products for Hospitals
Jan 06
Although 2020 has been over-saturated with PPE products, hospitals and medical offices still seek other promo product ideas (beyond PPE) to pass out to patients, nurses, and visitors. Whether ...
Continue Reading'Tis the Season to Bring out Our Favorite Holiday Gift Ideas!
Dec 30, 2020
It’s that time again! The holidays are around the corner and you’re probably thinking about everything you need to do between now and the new year. For most of us, that includes client and...
Continue Reading6 Warm Apparel Products for the Cold Weather
Dec 23, 2020
When the temperature drops, it’s time for people to put on their jackets, fleeces, and other cold-weather apparel. Offering customers or employees promotional products that will keep them warm d...
Continue Reading6 Promotional Signs to Let Customers Know You’re Open For Business
Dec 08, 2020
As restaurants, salons, retail stores, and more begin reopening the doors, many business owners are trying to think of bold ways to visually attract customers to their businesses. From curbside food p...
Continue ReadingCase Study: Happy to Hang Around
Dec 01, 2020
Description: Standard Door Hangers Industry: Automotive What it was purchased for: A collision center wanted to increase the number of customer satisfaction survey responses and boost online appoint...
Continue Reading8 Essential Office Supplies for Remote Workers
Nov 23, 2020
Since the CDC declared the COVID-19 virus a pandemic on March 11, 2020, various shelter-in-place and social distancing rules have been put into place to help slow the rate of infected peoples in the p...
Continue ReadingMore Than Just Embroidery
Nov 10, 2020
No doubt you’re familiar with embroidery as a popular means of decorating garments with logos, names, and messages. It’s been around for a long time, and we do a lot of it at APTCO. Bu...
Continue Reading5 Promotional Products for Firemen and Fire Departments
Nov 09, 2020
Firemen deserve a special kind of admiration. They spend their careers rushing into buildings while others are rushing out. Many departments require aid from the community, and that’s wh...
Continue Reading5 Men's Wearable Promotional Products for the Office and Beyond
Oct 25, 2020
It’s fun giving out promotional products like fidget spinners and stress balls, but sometimes you need an option for the guy that likes to keep it a bit more professional. These business...
Continue ReadingHow to Put Together an Onboarding Kit
Oct 03, 2020
Employee engagement starts the second a new employee walks in the door, so it’s important for companies to make a good impression on their first day! The onboarding process shouldn’t just ...
Continue ReadingLanyards: Everything You Need to Know
Sep 19, 2020
When it's time to choose the perfect lanyard for your company or organization, you may not be aware of all the things to consider when purchasing your new supplies. Lanyards come in many different sty...
Continue ReadingComfort Apparel is Here to Stay
Aug 11, 2020
Before the coronavirus, casual apparel had become more and more the norm in the business world. Of course, the nebulous standard of “business casual” kept things from getting too slopp...
Continue Reading6 Products to Include in Every Holiday Gift Basket
Jul 22, 2020
It’s always a good idea to get those gifts planned out and ready to go before the holiday chaos begins, and that includes client appreciation gifts. But, what do you get them? Put in extra thoug...
Continue Reading10 Promotional Products for Healthy Living
Jul 15, 2020
We all strive to be our best selves, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. We can all make excuses to make unhealthy choices. Your niece has a birthday and it would seem rude to turn down th...
Continue Reading6 Most Unique PPE Products
Jul 14, 2020
The world of Covid-19 has brought a wealth of new products to the attention of marketers. It began with traditional Personal Protective Equipment, which was in short supply for medical workers. Ma...
Continue ReadingCase Study: Bringing Back the Fanny Pack
Jul 01, 2020
Market: EntertainmentProduct Use: Gift With PurchasePromotion: A major theme park chose the Safeguard Security Waist Belt as a gift with purchase for customers who bought season passes. The waist be...
Continue ReadingO Canada! 6 Promotional Products Made in Canada
Jun 09, 2020
From sea to sea, Canada is a large and beautiful country that produces a wide range of products. There are so many Canadian-made products to choose from, but we worked hard to narrow it down to a shor...
Continue ReadingEco Apparel Trends in 2020
Jun 09, 2020
Every January, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) draws thousands of attendees to EXPO, where new products of every description make their debut. Apparel is one of the largest s...
Continue ReadingYour Guide to Drinkware
Jun 02, 2020
Mugs, tumblers, and bottles…oh my! There is an abundance of variety available when it comes to promotional drinkware, which can make it difficult to decide what is the best choice for your bran...
Continue Reading6 Purr-fect Promo Products for Cat Lovers
May 19, 2020
Everyone knows that dogs are man’s best friend, but did you know that cats have been living alongside humans as companions since at least 7500 BC? In 2017, cats were one of the most popular pets...
Continue Reading6 Snap-Worthy Products for Every Photographer
Apr 20, 2020
Do you know what bokeh means? Aperture? That’s ok if you don’t, but many of your clients may know these terms if they are avid photographers! Whether they enjoy taking a flat lay shot of t...
Continue ReadingFlexibility Check
Apr 14, 2020
If you’re still getting business email in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, then things are still moving along, albeit at a much slower pace. I hope that you are taking care as we are al...
Continue ReadingCase Study: Employee Appreciation Gift
Mar 15, 2020
A company with many sales representatives needed an item for their top sales performers. Since their sales staff has both men and women, they needed an item that could be used by either gender. Th...
Continue ReadingTop of the Pyramid
Mar 10, 2020
Promotional Products are everywhere. Businesses of every size and non-profits of every stripe have them. Problem is, most of them just chose something to “get their name out there.” We...
Continue ReadingGive Your School Clubs a Boost With These Promotional Products
Mar 08, 2020
School clubs are an essential part of student life, and we’ve got the essential pieces you need to make the clubs a big success. These are promotional products that you can use for both to help ...
Continue Reading8 Promo Products That Will Kick Start Your Goals
Feb 15, 2020
We all want to live healthier, sleep deeper, and work better. These motivational promotional products will help kickstart goals and increase your brand visibility! Exercise Band Let's get physical...
Continue ReadingStill More Award-winning Promotions
Feb 11, 2020
Every year, Promotional Products Association International recognizes the most creative promotional marketing campaigns with Pyramid Awards. It’s always fun to look at some examples to see t...
Continue ReadingHere Are Our Votes For The Best Political Promotional Product Staples
Jan 31, 2020
Whether you are right or left, red or blue, or somewhere in the middle, if you’re in need of political promotional product staples, we've got some great candidates for you! Yard Signs ...
Continue ReadingPerk up Your Promotions With These 6 Coffee Products
Jan 17, 2020
Coffee enthusiasts will love these promotional products that look like they’re straight from the coffee shop! Millions of people drink coffee and tea every day, even multiple times a day which m...
Continue ReadingElevate Your Marketing
Jan 14, 2020
It’s mind-boggling how many companies, big and small, throw money away by purchasing and giving away promotional products. Now mind you, if you come to us and want to buy 5,000 cheap pens an...
Continue ReadingYour Guide to Promotional Shirts
Jan 10, 2020
If you've ever run a 5k or attended a basketball game, chances are you've got a promotional shirt in your drawers somewhere. According to PPAI's 2019 Consumer Study, wearables are the #1 most popular ...
Continue Reading5 Promo Products for People Who Love to Plan
Jan 02, 2020
Calendars, planners, and clocks are some of the most popular promotional products because they are useful, inexpensive, and receive innumerable impressions on a daily basis. Brand these everyday essen...
Continue ReadingGet in Gear With These Automotive Promo Products
Dec 26, 2019
Branding these car-accessory promotional products for a campaign will drive more customers to your business! In the U.S., the average daily work commute is 26 minutes and Americans spend around 38 hou...
Continue ReadingHow to Tie Social Media to Promo
Dec 10, 2019
These days, any company looking to gain attention through marketing is bound to include social media in its plans. The smart ones don’t stop there. They make sure to combine different channe...
Continue Reading8 Promotional Products to Win Game Day
Dec 04, 2019
From Friday night lights, Saturday morning tailgating, to Sunday watch parties, show support for your team with some promotional products for the win! Touchscreen Gloves Add your logo to these tou...
Continue ReadingCase Study: Raise Your Glass!
Nov 27, 2019
Objective A local brewery wanted an eye-catching promotional item to place on tables that would boost their alcohol sales and highlight their weekly specials while encouraging enrollment for their ta...
Continue Reading5 Festive Promotional Products for Holiday Parties
Nov 13, 2019
The holidays can get pretty hectic, so it’s always nice to receive some wise advice to help you through the celebrations. Our first piece of advice is to use mistletoe strategically. Your partne...
Continue ReadingTrending Tech Products
Nov 12, 2019
No idea is original, or so they say. And with that expression in mind, tech products are invented, then reinvented or re-made to fit today’s market. That’s what we discovered for 2019....
Continue Reading6 USA-Made Products Especially for Kids
Oct 30, 2019
Who didn’t enjoy getting to dig through the prize basket after a trip to the dentist or the bank? It’s a fact – children love giveaways. Get your brand, school, or organization in fr...
Continue ReadingAlmost Everyone Wants Promotional Products
Oct 08, 2019
We’ve known it for a long time. Promotional products work. But we want to know why. Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) has done several studies over the years. The most re...
Continue Reading5 Promo Products That Are Bright, Light, and Ready to Excite
Oct 08, 2019
Looking for some promotional products to outshine the competition? Need some LED magic to illuminate your brand? We’ve got you covered with this selection of super fun promotional produc...
Continue Reading10 Promo Products for Auto-Lovers
Sep 16, 2019
Grab your keys and prepare for a Bo Duke slide across the hood of your car. It’s time to take a look at 10 promo products for auto-lovers. For this list, we put together a travel-bag of gear wor...
Continue ReadingStill Effective After All These Years
Sep 10, 2019
In the world of advertising, effectiveness has to be one of the most important metrics. You can talk about exposure all day long, but if the receiver of the advertising doesn’t take some kin...
Continue Reading7 Promotional Products Perfect for Weddings
Sep 02, 2019
Adding names, monograms, or wedding dates to wedding favors is a great way to increase the wow-factor of any event. After everyone leaves the reception, these personalized gifts are there to help them...
Continue Reading5 Promotional Products That Will Have Your Clients Dreaming
Aug 25, 2019
There are a lot of branding opportunities that go unnoticed in a world of t-shirts and coffee mugs. In fact, there’s an entire industry that spends every waking hour thinking of ways to help you...
Continue Reading6 Promotional Products for Music Lovers
Aug 18, 2019
These promotional products will be music to your ears! There are all kinds of music lovers out there, from fans of rock to jazz and everything in between, that would love to get any of these music-the...
Continue ReadingWe’re Not Just Playing Around
Aug 13, 2019
With today’s hectic pace and the increasing amount of stress we shoulder, it’s no wonder that people are looking for more ways to play. Many of them turn to toys and games that teach, ...
Continue Reading8 Paw-some Promotional Products for Dogs and Dog Lovers
Aug 11, 2019
Whether you work with animals or want to show that your business is pet-friendly, there are plenty of products that will win over every dog breed! Here are 8 of our favorite pet products. Col...
Continue Reading6 Retro Products That Are a Blast From the Past
Aug 04, 2019
No matter what decade you think of when you think of “retro products”, you can bet there’s a customizable product perfect for your next event. Using nostalgia to promote your busines...
Continue Reading10 Luxurious Products for Your VIP Customers
Jul 21, 2019
Most people crave the feeling of class, power, and status that comes with enjoying luxury products. Those who claim they don’t, just haven't gotten a chance to experience it for free. So, what b...
Continue Reading7 Promotional Products For Those On the Go
Jul 14, 2019
According to a 2016 AAA Foundation report, American drivers spend an average of more than 17,600 minutes behind the wheel each year. Now, imagine that someone is looking at products with your logo for...
Continue ReadingBeyond the Basic Cotton T-shirt
Jul 09, 2019
Summer means T-shirt season is here. 100% cotton has been the traditional go-to fabric for festivals, walks, and company events of all types. But that is changing. Specialty fabrics and decoration...
Continue ReadingSafety First
Jun 11, 2019
Structured Programs Help Meet Safety Goals Every responsible company understands that workplace safety should be a top priority. However, sometimes ensuring the health and well-being of employees...
Continue Reading6 Promotional Products to Fit Your Budget
Jun 01, 2019
Branding: it’s something that every company needs but there can be a common misconception that you need a large budget to get started. That’s not the case! Branding and promoting your comp...
Continue ReadingSoak Up The Sun With These 7 Summer Promo Products
May 17, 2019
With an array of outdoor events like concerts, company picnics, and festivals on deck this summer, immerse your brand in nights that last forever and days we will be dreaming about long after the sun ...
Continue Reading5 Out of the Box Promotional Products We Love…and You Will Too!
May 10, 2019
We’ve all been stuck in the same rut while trying to come up with some original ideas to appeal to customers. Are you in need of some extra product inspiration? If so, here’s a lit...
Continue ReadingTop 8 Promotional Products for Real Estate Professionals
Apr 04, 2019
If you work in real estate, you know that your field generates billions of dollars in revenue per year in residential, commercial and industrial sectors. And you could pocket a good amount of that yie...
Continue ReadingReverse Logos? Selfies Reign
Mar 12, 2019
A trend started to emerge recently. Some pretty big corporate giants—like Hugo Boss—started noticing that its young consumers were choosing their branded apparel based on how the logo ...
Continue Reading6 Promo Products for the Great Outdoors
Mar 06, 2019
A little branding goes a long way with these promo products perfect for the great outdoors! By adding your logo to these six sturdy items, your brand can be seen on hiking trails, huddled around a cam...
Continue ReadingCase Study: This Promotional Product is in the Bag
Feb 27, 2019
Description: Laundry Bag Industry: Financial What it was purchased for: A credit union wanted to target college students and offer them an incentive to open a new account. They chose a design, &ldqu...
Continue Reading2019 Apparel Trends - part 2
Feb 12, 2019
Last month we reviewed some of the expected trends in corporate apparel. But we couldn't cover if all. The largest trade show in the promotional products business just concluded, with booth after ...
Continue ReadingYour Customers Won't Want to Remove These Promotional Products From Their Desks
Jan 15, 2019
At the end of the day, promotional products are really all about getting brands out in front of people to grow awareness and ultimately, increase sales! If you want to get strategic, there are a coupl...
Continue ReadingApparel Trends and Looks for 2019
Jan 08, 2019
With 2018 wrapped up and a new year here, we start taking stock of what’s in store for 2019. In the decorated apparel world, there’s a trend of new styles emerging as well as classic l...
Continue Reading11 Promo Products for an Active Lifestyle
Jan 01, 2019
Take your corporate match to the next level! From team building sporting events to company-wide marathons, your customized products guarantee you beat the competition. Below is a list of 11 sports-mi...
Continue Reading7 Promo Products That Will Get the Party Started
Dec 25, 2018
Do you remember the birthday parties you went to when you were a kid? And the party favors you received at the end of the festivities? Sometimes, those parting gifts were the highlight of the party. B...
Continue ReadingWays to Cultivate Customer Excitement
Dec 11, 2018
Making Loyalty Programs Work For You Here’s the good news…Loyalty programs are big business getters. But they can be even bigger when you use really cool promotional products that ar...
Continue Reading5 Outside-the-Box Ideas for Your Next School Promotion
Nov 26, 2018
School promotions aren't just a thing for schools. It's very common and quite effective for businesses to support local schools and colleges with co-branded promotions. If you’ve ever been invol...
Continue ReadingDrink It In: 6 Drinkware Products to Quench Your Thirst
Nov 19, 2018
What better way to put your money where your mouth is than to add your logo to some stylish drinkware? We have six unique picks to inspire your next drinkware order! Moscow Mule Gift Set Cheers to...
Continue ReadingRelax and Unwind With These 10 Promo Products
Oct 22, 2018
Like that classic Beatles song, sometimes it can feel like your working eight days a week. Maybe you’ve had back to back meetings or you’ve had a stressful travel week. Whatever the case, ...
Continue ReadingCommunity Service Promo Programs Score Bigger
Oct 09, 2018
People are inundated with hundreds of marketing messages every day. An old marketing adage says it takes someone at least seven times to hear or see your message before they begin to remember it...
Continue Reading25 Surprising Facts About Promotional Products
Oct 08, 2018
You don’t have to work in the field of promotional products to notice the impact they can have on any organization’s marketing efforts. As the most effective medium of advertising across a...
Continue Reading6 Things You Need on Your Desk
Sep 16, 2018
Most of us spend as much time at our desks as we do in our homes. If that’s the case, we should all put some time and effort into making sure our workspace is as happy and motivating as possible...
Continue ReadingTop Ten Promotional Categories
Sep 11, 2018
We could have checked the statistics on our 850,000 item database, but instead, we conducted an informal survey asking consumers to name their favorite promotional products. We think that ju...
Continue ReadingOur Top 10 Favorite Eco-Friendly Products
Aug 19, 2018
Sometimes it’s good to take a moment and get in touch with Mother Earth. Not only are these products great for printing your company logo or message, but they also serve dual purposes. The produ...
Continue Reading6 Do’s and Don’ts of Promotional Product Marketing
Aug 14, 2018
The Do’s 1. Do: Always Focus on Your Target Audience. Get to know who your current customers are, and then you can really target them and new customers. It’s imperative to know your ...
Continue Reading6 Budget-Friendly Products to Drive High-End Sales
Jul 22, 2018
Are you looking for a marketing campaign that is not only successful but budget-friendly? Good news! You don’t have to break the bank to find promotional products that get the job done and leave...
Continue ReadingHow Wellness Programs Make Businesses Healthier
Jun 08, 2018
The infographic says it all. Wellness programs work, by improving employee engagement, morale, and of course, health. When properly executed, the company benefits with increased productivity and r...
Continue ReadingDirect Mail Marketing That Gets Attention
Jun 01, 2018
Collin Street Bakery, a highly respected Texas-based bakery, had an image problem. It sold fruitcake in a world that makes fun of fruitcakes. “Collin Street Bakery has been shipping to 200 coun...
Continue ReadingPromotional Products Work (23 fun facts)
May 22, 2018
23 fun facts about effective advertising Last week, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) held a national awareness campaign called Promotional Products Work Week. Activities and me...
Continue ReadingMaking the Most of Your T-shirt Advertising
May 01, 2018
T-shirt season is here. Festivals, races, walks, tournaments, competitions, you name it. Organizations of all types are ordering T-shirts to advertise an event or commemorate an occasion. Too many...
Continue ReadingFive Ideas For Spring Promotions
Apr 01, 2018
With spring in the air and the winter blues almost a cold memory, it’s time to start thinking about and implementing spring promotion ideas for your business. Many businesses depend on the year-...
Continue Reading9 Unexpected Apparel Trends of 2018
Mar 01, 2018
Branded apparel means more than just slapping your logo on a T-shirt. Companies can burnish their image by staying on top of the latest fashion trends. And let’s face it, some of them are a bit ...
Continue ReadingTurning the Tables on Trade Shows
Jan 01, 2018
For the past 22 years, APTCO has helped companies large and small to prepare to exhibit at trade shows. Most of our business activity is focused on that. Next week, I’ll be attending one of the ...
Continue ReadingPlan for Next Year
Dec 26, 2017
How in the world did we get here? December got here faster than ever, and is flying by. If you’re anything like me, you haven’t even had time to evaluate the success of all your promot...
Continue ReadingTrade Shows — What Could Possibly Go Wrong
Nov 01, 2017
Exhibiting at a trade show can be an effective way to gain new business, while connecting with current clients. But in many cases they represent a sizable investment, so it takes detailed attentio...
Continue ReadingKeys To a Successful Golf Tournament
Sep 17, 2017
For decades, golf has been known as America’s favorite pastime; where men, and now many women, go for friendly competition, cold beverages and good old-fashioned fun. According to the Na...
Continue ReadingInsurance Costs Are Out of Control
Aug 12, 2017
Last month we wrote about how promotions can actually reduce insurance costs. We learned about the five ways promotional products can help to drive such programs — promoting, maintaining int...
Continue ReadingWhat’s New in T-shirts
Jun 10, 2017
These walking billboards are everywhere. And they have been for a long time, about 80 years. That is, the promotional variety. Plain T-shirts are older than that, starting as underwear around 1900...
Continue ReadingReally Now, Why Does This Work So Well?
May 10, 2017
Advertising comes in many forms — radio, television, newspapers, magazines, brochures, and increasingly, online tools such as websites, blogs, and emails. But study after study shows that on...
Continue ReadingBuilt for Life — Advertising That Lives On
Apr 01, 2017
Consumers like promotional products. Consumers keep promotional products. Consumers have spoken and they praise promotional products as the leading advertising vehicle for brands. Those are some o...
Continue ReadingTesting Lab Trade Show Promo Is a Hit
Jan 07, 2017
Medallion Labs planned to set meetings with qualified prospects during a trade show. Previous shows had been lackluster; no more than 10 prospects had signed up in the previous year. New strat...
Continue ReadingMaking Trade Shows Work
Jan 01, 2017
Happy new year, everyone. Looking out over a changing business climate, as more and more sales and marketing move to the online world, it’s easy to overlook the traditional channels. But acr...
Continue Reading17 Apparel Trends for ’17
Dec 10, 2016
Everything Old Is New Again. More than a song title, it’s an apt description of the fashion cycle we’re about to see in the coming year, according to a recent feature in Advantages mag...
Continue ReadingWhat Made-in-America Really Means
Oct 12, 2016
We hear a lot about “Made in America” these days. Election season has done nothing to slow down the interest in the subject, but honestly, it’s a topic that never goes away. Acco...
Continue ReadingGreat Tool for Awareness Campaigns
Sep 07, 2016
Breast cancer awareness gets a lot of attention. And rightfully so. There are a lot of people working very hard to ensure that Breast Cancer is a “Top Of Mind” issue. However, there are a ...
Continue ReadingA Safety Program Primer
Aug 09, 2016
How much do injuries or illness cost your company? It’s a question worth asking. According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s estimate, employers collectively pay...
Continue ReadingA Wellness Program Primer
Jul 12, 2016
Sleeping is all in a days’ work at Aetna. The U.S. health insurance giant recently announced it would pay employees to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Workers use their own dev...
Continue Reading7 Steps to a Promotional Plan
Jun 12, 2016
Successful promotion campaigns don't happen by chance. To realize goals, promotional products programs must be carefully planned, taking into consideration the audience, budget and, of course, the...
Continue ReadingBrain Games — How to Spice Up Promotions
May 12, 2016
It's called gamification — turning a business objective into a game. Supposing you have a goal of getting employees more deeply engaged in creative processes that result in product improveme...
Continue ReadingMore Award-Winning Promotions
Apr 10, 2016
Last month we featured some creative marketing campaigns that received awards from Promotional Products Association International - PPAI. We continue in this issue with some more promotions that d...
Continue ReadingAward-Winning Promotions
Mar 12, 2016
Promotional Products Association International - PPAI - recently awarded the most effective promotional campaigns of the past year. Note: not the coolest products, but the promotions that delivere...
Continue ReadingNew Year, New Promotional Products
Feb 15, 2016
There's always something new, isn't there? So much that it takes two floors of the Las Vegas convention center where the Expo is put on every January by PPAI - Promotional Products Association Int...
Continue ReadingWater, Water, Everywhere
Jan 10, 2016
No, we’re not talking about the water falling from the sky, or even the water overflowing from the rivers. We’ve heard enough about that lately from national news outlets. This is abou...
Continue ReadingThe T-shirt As Billboard
Dec 15, 2015
Marketing through promotional products may date back to campaign buttons for George Washington over 200 years ago, but the branded T-shirt has a shorter history. The T-shirt itself (in its plain w...
Continue ReadingBusiness Improvement Through Incentive Programs
Oct 10, 2015
What does a business do when they want to reduce accidents in the workplace? Or when they want to reduce health insurance costs? They create an incentive program. Of course, incentive programs are...
Continue Reading10 Steps To Design An Effective Incentive Program
Oct 10, 2015
Establish Objectives: Identify three to five goals or objectives that are a) measurable, b) attainable and c) simple to understand and communicate. Analyze the Audience: The entire workfo...
Continue ReadingWho Wants To Be A Minion-aire?
Sep 12, 2015
>Universal Pictures dug deep to promote this past summer's animated Minions movie. The marketing leading up to, and during the release of Minions was an absolute blitz. The creatures were every...
Continue ReadingOn With the Show - Targeted Tactics
Aug 12, 2015
Targeted tactics for trade show marketing set the stage for long-term success. Many exhibitors fail to think of retention and reuse when selecting products for trade show marketing. Do you hand o...
Continue ReadingSummer Means Baseball Which Means Bobbleheads
Jul 13, 2015
Garden gnomes, soap dispensers, fedoras and replica championship rings are just a few of the new promotional items MLB teams will give away at ballparks this season. Still, the promo product that ...
Continue ReadingDo You Really Hate Advertising?
Jun 10, 2015
A lot of people say they do. When professions are ranked by public perception of honesty and ethics, the bottom positions are held by stockbrokers and members of Congress, but right next to that n...
Continue ReadingSuperhero wins the battle
May 19, 2015
It's true — promotional products get results. Maybe you have a problem that needs a knockout punch.
Continue ReadingPromotional Products Work
May 18, 2015
This is the week of a nationwide campaign reminding advertisers that promotional products are one of the most effective channels of advertising. What are you waiting for? Make someone's day! ...
Continue ReadingLet's Go To the Movies
May 14, 2015
Everything from plastic fangs promoting the latest vampire flick to whoopee cushions decorated with the title of an upcoming slapstick comedy has been used in product advertising for motion pictur...
Continue ReadingReducing Insurance Costs Through Promotions
Apr 10, 2015
The annual price tag on occupational injuries and illnesses is a staggering $250 billion, according to a study by the University of California Davis. The National Safety Council states that the av...
Continue ReadingProfessional Sports Loves Promotional Products
Mar 10, 2015
The NBA and NHL seasons are into their second acts, spring training is already here for major league baseball (even if Spring isn’t). Professional sports takes marketing seriously. Those sea...
Continue ReadingScreen Printing - Not Just For T-shirts
Feb 21, 2015
Whether in an industrial art class in high school or when ordering custom t-shirts, screen printing is often a person’s first contact with printing other than desktop computer printi...
Continue ReadingLessons from Product Placement
Feb 10, 2015
Anybody watch the Super Bowl commercials? Anyone NOT watch them? Some were pretty entertaining, others were duds, and at least one backfired. Meanwhile, there was a football game in between all of...
Continue ReadingDimensional Mailing Gets Big Results
Jan 10, 2015
With the proliferation of email for marketing (yes, including this very newsletter), old fashioned physical mail can have a bigger impact than ever. That is, if it gets attention. Here's an exampl...
Continue ReadingFashion Forecast - Apparel Trends for 2015
Dec 15, 2014
Branded apparel remains one of the most effective and popular categories in the promotional products world. Far from the days when it was limited to the simple imprinted T-shirt, today's offerings...
Continue ReadingCreative Thinking 101
Nov 12, 2014
This month we bring you a guest column from our friend Michael Crooks. APTCO's approach to promotional marketing has been influenced by Michael's brand of thinking. Forget about the “outside...
Continue ReadingOh No! Not Another Top 10 list!
Oct 10, 2014
It's that time of year. Once the 4th quarter hits, businesses start thinking about all they have to get done before the year ends. There are client gifts, employee gifts and awards, a couple more ...
Continue ReadingIs it a Pen or a Promotion
Sep 10, 2014
Pens are one of the most popular promotional items. Imprinting them with a company name, logo, contact information and marketing message is just the first step. That's not a promotion, it's just s...
Continue ReadingHow and Why Do You Use Promotional Products?
Aug 10, 2014
Promotional products are everywhere. From screen printed T-shirts to pens to mugs to key tags, company logos are viewed thousands of times per day. But so what? Branded promotional items are a nea...
Continue ReadingMotley Zoo - Rock Stars of Animal Rescue
Jul 10, 2014
Nonprofit organizations face many challenges. Their marketing budgets are generally much smaller than those of major corporations. They have to depend on donations rather than sales to generate op...
Continue ReadingHow To Make Your Trade Show Investment Pay Off
Jun 12, 2014
We work with a lot of companies as they prepare to exhibit at a trade show. In addition to the long-time clients that we know well, there are lots of requests that come because Google led someone ...
Continue ReadingPrint Provides Results! ... (interesting statistics)
May 16, 2014
Trade association Printing Industries of the Carolinas (PICA) compiled statistics from numerous sources showing how print marketing combines with other methods such as onli...
Continue ReadingAmerican-made Promotional Products Make Sense
May 14, 2014
For most of the past decade, the majority of the most popular promotional products have been coming from China. When you are looking at the big categories, including writing instruments, drinkware, ba...
Continue ReadingWhat's the Best Fabric For Your Shirt
May 10, 2014
Apparel is available these days in the widest range of choices ever. So the right one for your needs may be wildly different from someone else's. Before we even get into the style and color arena,...
Continue ReadingIncentive Program Helps Customers and Employees
Apr 10, 2014
It's probably a surprise to nobody that surveys rating satisfaction with customer service usually have cable TV providers near the bottom of the list. “Waiting for the cable guy” is a ...
Continue ReadingHow the Selfie Turned a T-shirt Into a Campaign
Mar 12, 2014
With virtually every cell phone, whether smartphone or simple flip phone, having a camera, the “selfie” has become a cultural phenomenon. People are not just taking photos of themselve...
Continue ReadingLet the Music Play
Feb 10, 2014
The recording industry has undergone tremendous changes over the past few years. Gone are the days when artists depended on signing with a major label, who would then handle all the promotion. As ...
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Promotional Products
Jan 10, 2014
Let's face it - we're in a new world of marketing. The traditional channels of the Mad Men era have been supplemented by multiple new digital channels. We're bombarded with marketing messages ever...
Continue ReadingIs Everybody Happy?
Dec 10, 2013
Motivation Done Right and Wrong ’Tis the season to be jolly, but for some, it can be difficult when there are so many things to get done in such a short time. Our schedules get packed with ...
Continue ReadingLiteracy Program Builds a Brand
Nov 12, 2013
KPMG, an audit, tax and advisory services firm, recently developed a brand-boosting marketing campaign. They developed a tagline – “The Right Team” – and recognized that it...
Continue ReadingA Brief History of the Polo Shirt
Oct 10, 2013
1896 The “original polo shirt” wasn’t actually a polo at all. Rather, it was a white button-down shirt, created by John E. Brooks of Brooks Brothers. Taking in a polo match in ...
Continue ReadingBobblehead Day backfires on Yankees
Sep 26, 2013
Earlier this month we were talking about what a powerful promotion a bobblehead day could be for major league baseball teams. They've been proven to drive sales in a big way. The NY Yankees p...
Continue ReadingIt's All About the Results
Sep 13, 2013
Regular readers of this newsletter know how we feel about the word giveaway. We believe in promotions but hate giveaways. Though a large portion of our business is in providing branded promotional...
Continue ReadingViral Marketing Done Right
Aug 12, 2013
Viral marketing is the practice of building a campaign intended to be spread from one message recipient to another. Long before the days of social media, promotional products were one of the first...
Continue ReadingThe T-shirt Turns 100
Jul 27, 2013
by Larry Triplett In 1913, the T-shirt as we now know it made its appearance as standard-issue gear for the US Navy. Lightweight and cool, they were easy to care for and popular with sailors. It didn...
Continue ReadingHail to the Payroll Goddess
Jul 10, 2013
Payroll managers can be the Rodney Dangerfields of a business. No respect. When everyone's check is perfect, who bothers to thank them? But they're surely going to hear about it when there's an er...
Continue ReadingThe Latest Apparel Decoration Techniques
Jun 10, 2013
Back in the day, if you wanted corporate branding on shirts, jackets, or caps, you had two choices — screen printing or embroidery. In 2013, the landscape is a lot broader. These standby tec...
Continue ReadingCalifornia fails to pass single-use bag ban
Jun 07, 2013
California could be considered the epicenter of the fight to ban single-use bags from grocery stores and other retailers. More than 75 cities and counties in California, including Malibu, ...
Continue Reading5 Ways To Promote Fitness
May 27, 2013
by Larry Triplett Did you know that May was Fitness Month? Human Resource Directors probably do. A healthy staff is an important objective for any company. It reduces absenteeism and kee...
Continue ReadingAll About Reusable Tote Bags
May 12, 2013
Year after year, tote bags are in the top 10 list of promotional product categories. There are many reasons. Disposable shopping bags, whether paper or plastic, do not always end up being recycled...
Continue ReadingHow to Choose the Right Mug
Apr 10, 2013
It used to be that when you thought of mugs, you meant ceramic coffee mugs. Nowadays, there are many other materials use for mugs. Each serves a particular purpose. As always, we recommend that yo...
Continue ReadingPPAI celebrates Promotional Products Work! Week
Mar 10, 2013
The week just completed - Feb. 25 - Mar 1, 2013, marks the first observance of Promotional Products Work! Week. The global awareness event, sponsored by Promotional Products Association Internatio...
Continue ReadingHow Are You Going To Print That
Mar 07, 2013
What are we talking about? There are many different ways to print promotional products. The size, shape, and type of product, as well as the number of colors in the imprint, will suggest the b...
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces the Video Brochure
Feb 24, 2013
Print meets video in this remarkable new technology. Full motion video and stereo sound in a brochure. The future is here now.
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces Stoppi - the cable tamer
Feb 11, 2013
With more and more devices becoming portable, the desktop needs a way to keep them at the ready. Stoppi is the answer, and your brand will be there every day.
Continue ReadingHundreds of Promotional Ideas Debut
Feb 10, 2013
Here we are just one month into a new year, and already two major promotional product shows have been held. While new products are introduced constantly throughout the year, January always brings ...
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces Twisti - the cord solution
Feb 08, 2013
Designed for the skinniest of cords - earbud cords - the Twisti makes them neat and compact. Use this handy device to carry your branding where it will see daily use.
Continue ReadingAPTCO Introduces Snappi - the cable detangler
Feb 07, 2013
Eliminate the web of cables tangled in the average computer bag. Snappi solves the problem in a most stylish fashion, and makes a great branding vehicle along the way.
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces Clippi - desktop cable organizer
Feb 06, 2013
Always having USB cables slip off the desk after you unplug your mobile device? Clippi comes to the rescue, and delivers your brand along the way.
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces Dolli - the universal cell phone holder
Feb 05, 2013
Hold your cell phone anywhere, in any position. This will be a very popular product, one that can proudly carry your brand.
Continue ReadingAPTCO introduces Styli – the stylus truly designed for a touchscreen
Feb 04, 2013
by Larry Triplett Who was it that thought a stylus should feel like a pen? The Styli delivers the experience you always wanted with the iPad and other tablets. Make it your promotional tool.  ...
Continue ReadingWhat Are Your Plans for 2013?
Jan 08, 2013
A new year, a new start. What would your business like to accomplish in 2013? Maybe you have a detailed marketing plan, or perhaps just the broad strokes of goals. That's fine, because all marketi...
Continue ReadingCoke Knows Branded Products Work
Dec 10, 2012
As reported in the NY Times, Coca Cola has expanded their use of branded products. Last week saw the launch of a big new campaign. December has always been a big time for Coke advertising, ever si...
Continue ReadingHow Green Is The Internet?
Nov 10, 2012
In the twenty-first century we've seen immense diversification of marketing channels. While direct mail and many other traditional channels continue (see part one of this series), we see more and ...
Continue ReadingHow Green Is Your Marketing?
Oct 10, 2012
The twenty-first century has brought increased awareness across all marketing channels of the importance of environmentally responsible practices. In a two-part series, we'll take a look at areas ...
Continue ReadingHow to Work With Awareness Campaigns
Sep 11, 2012
Even in a challenging economy, Americans are a generous lot. People organize and rally to help a neighbor, the school systems, or anything needing assistance. Charitable organizations throughout t...
Continue ReadingThe True Function of Promotional Products
Aug 14, 2012
As part of a well-planned marketing campaign, nothing can be as effective as the right promotional product, with the right message, distributed in the right manner to the right audience. They have...
Continue ReadingHR Managers Use Promotional Products For Results
Jul 10, 2012
How do human resource professionals motivate employees, boost productivity, and improve customer service? These were some of the questions asked by Promotional Products Association International (...
Continue ReadingViral marketing wasn't invented by social media
Jun 22, 2012
A lot of people want you to think so, but viral marketing actually has a much longer history, going way back before web 2.0. Before web 1.0, once know simply as "the internet". Let's start wit...
Continue ReadingDon’t Mess With Bigfoot
Jun 12, 2012
When it came time to unveil a new promotion, Jack Link’s Beef Jerky turned to Sasquatch. The big furry guy is the brand’s icon. The brand recently unveiled new television commercials, ...
Continue ReadingHow to boost participation in your wellness program
May 29, 2012
Smart businesses are introducing wellness programs for their employees. The benefits go both directions! Healthier employees result in reduced health insurance premiums, due to fewer claims ...
Continue ReadingLook Who's Using Direct Mail
May 08, 2012
The US Postal Service has had to endure hearing the term “snail mail” for over a decade. As internet usage has become mainstream, mail volume has seriously declined to the point that s...
Continue Reading2-minute Video Shows How We Think About Promotions
Apr 10, 2012
Promotional products are extremely popular, and there are good reasons. But many users don't seem to be aware of those reasons. All too often, we get requests for an item “just to keep our n...
Continue ReadingIt Pays To Promote Safety In The Workplace
Mar 13, 2012
If you have any employees, even just one, then chances are, you have to carry Worker's Compensation insurance. If you carry Worker's Comp., you have to pay insurance premiums. The amount you have ...
Continue ReadingSurvey Says Everyone Steals Pens
Mar 05, 2012
Well, everyone who works in an office, that is. Paper Mate® (who has quite an interest in pens) commissioned a survey of 1000 people from around the US who are full time office workers. Scott Cris...
Continue ReadingWellness Programs That Really Work
Feb 14, 2012
Rising health-care costs have made wellness programs a good deal for companies that invest in them, and now Uncle Sam has stepped in to make it easier to create and fund them. The new Health Care ...
Continue ReadingWhen Is It Good To Disconnect From The World
Jan 10, 2012
As we're all in the process of rebooting from a busy holiday season, surely we can appreciate this story. Last Thanksgiving, besides enjoying a big turkey, about 11,000 people took a pledge to go ...
Continue ReadingHot Competition Features Branded Cups for Charity
Dec 13, 2011
Sports fans will do anything for their teams, right? Marketers tested this theory during last college basketball season by pitting three Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area colleges against each...
Continue ReadingSurvey Proves Effectiveness of Promotional Products
Nov 15, 2011
How do recipients feel about receiving a promotional product? What purpose do they think the item serves? What actions do they take? These are crucial questions every advertiser should know and un...
Continue ReadingMentorship Program a Promotional Success
Nov 08, 2011
The State Bar of South Dakota had a problem. The supply of lawyers in rural areas of the state had been dwindling over a period of several years. Law school graduates were more attracted to joinin...
Continue ReadingUnique T-Shirts Promote Movie
Oct 18, 2011
Producers of The Mechanic, an action thriller starring Jason Statham as a hit man, needed a unique promo to stand out amid the din of movie madness bombarding the media and consumers today. They w...
Continue ReadingCorporate Wellness Incentives Reduce Costs
Oct 11, 2011
Corporate wellness programs that offer employees rewards can help significantly reduce the cost of health care, according to a new report released a few weeks ago. Data shows that wellness incenti...
Continue ReadingThe Biggest Cause Marketing Month
Sep 20, 2011
Is there a marketing manager anywhere who hasn't heard that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? There are countless charitable causes that claim a month, a week or a day to try to capture th...
Continue Reading10 Ways to Boost Booth Traffic
Sep 13, 2011
1. Get your own prospects If you want lots of qualified attendees, it’s essential to create your own audience. You can do this by utilizing house files, prospect lists, direct mail and elec...
Continue ReadingSeven Ways To Keep Calendar Promotions From Being Boring
Aug 16, 2011
Low tech. Old hat. You've heard it all. With smart phones expected to reach 50% market penetration this year, surely the paper calendar is a dying breed. Not really. Even if appointment reminders a...
Continue ReadingAvoid Random Acts of Marketing
Aug 09, 2011
Avoiding Random Acts of Marketing is a key recommendation of the latest “State of Marketing” report from the Chief Marketing Officer Council, a 6,000 member global association. CMO's p...
Continue ReadingConsumers Want Their Calendars The Traditional Way: In Print
Jul 19, 2011
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI; ppai.org) the not-for-profit association for more than 8,000 members of the $16 billion promotional products industry, has published studies r...
Continue ReadingDo You Treat Direct Mail This Way?
Jul 12, 2011
Let's face it. In this age of internet marketing, postal mail suffers from the Rodney Dangerfield complex - it just can't get any respect. When you bring in the daily mail, if you're like most peo...
Continue ReadingDon't Spoil Your Promotional Success
Jun 21, 2011
Back in May, we teased you with a story about a promotion that combined a unique promotional product with a clever viral marketing technique to achieve a huge increase in trade show booth traffic....
Continue ReadingNew Sunscreen Regulations Capture Marketers Attention
Jun 17, 2011
Custom labeled sunscreen products have long been popular in marketing and promotion. As summer finally becomes official, we find more and more companies including sunscreen in their summer p...
Continue ReadingBenefits and Pitfalls of Custom Flash Drives
Jun 14, 2011
USB Flash Drives are continuing to grow as a popular medium that is, in many cases, actually replacing print. Many a conference handout has moved from paper booklets to CD's and now, to thumb driv...
Continue ReadingPromotional Products Still Leading Other Media
May 17, 2011
As the economy slowly continues its recovery, marketers are making careful decisions about the best use of marketing budgets. A recent study from the Advertising Specialty Institute compared the e...
Continue ReadingThe Royal Wedding - A Promo Product Bonanza
May 10, 2011
The wedding of England's Prince William and Catherine Middleton, which practically the whole world knows took place on April 29, has been almost impossible to miss in London for the past few month...
Continue ReadingHow To Turn A Booth Into A Viral Marketing Machine
Apr 12, 2011
Virus. What a word! Loaded. It used to pertain strictly to disease - the human kind. Then we began to think of our computers as living. So we ascribed all sorts of human characteristics to them. I...
Continue Reading5 Guidelines to Effective Trade Show Promotions
Mar 08, 2011
The latest high-tech gadget is likely to be given away by a number of exhibitors at the typical trade show. This year, the iPad is it. Later in the year or next year, it will be something else. Bu...
Continue ReadingThe Changing Face of Asian Imports
Feb 15, 2011
The promotional products used in our marketing programs are overwhelmingly imprinted in the USA, but most are manufactured in China and surrounding companies in the far east. This is also true of ...
Continue Reading18 Creative Ways to Recognize Employees
Feb 08, 2011
According to a Maritz Research study, employees who participate in creative recognition programs at work are five times more likely to feel valued, 11 times more likely to feel committed and seven...
Continue ReadingFive Secrets of Direct Marketing Nobody Tells You
Jan 11, 2011
1. Data is king The quality of your list will directly correlate to the results of your campaign. First, it is important to make sure the data is “clean”, ensuring that your pie...
Continue ReadingFlash Drives Growing As Marketing Medium
Jan 11, 2011
Challenging times can lead to innovation. The economic slowdown of the past two years has led many companies to hold back on major print marketing. Large catalogs have been replaced by files distrib...
Continue ReadingStrange Love Makes for a Hit Promotion
Dec 21, 2010
An unusual product requires an unusual promotion. Culturelle, a company that makes dietary supplements that aid in digestive health and immune-system functioning, was looking to promote its brand ...
Continue ReadingProcrastinating Businesses Find a Way
Dec 14, 2010
Face it, a turn of the calendar page (as if all the Black Friday hubbub wasn't enough) tells us that time is getting short for holiday gifts. We've been busy helping a variety of businesses to mak...
Continue ReadingNo Need To Panic Over Lead In Grocery Bags
Nov 26, 2010
Recently, several grocery store chains, including Publix, Sweetbay, Winn-Dixie, Walmart and Target, reported the existence of varying levels of lead in some reusable grocery bags. A firestor...
Continue Reading“Green Queen” Builds a Personal Brand
Nov 16, 2010
Real Estate sales is all about personal branding. This is not to say that a corporate brand isn’t important; it can certainly add some credibility. But it's really about the agent. Susan Singe...
Continue ReadingPolitics and Business Mix with a Bobblehead Twist
Nov 09, 2010
Though politics is on everyone's mind these days, most people try to avoid discussing it in a business situation. And though businesses may be making contributions to campaigns, you won't generall...
Continue ReadingIt's Hand Sanitizer Season, but did you know…?
Nov 09, 2010
Hand sanitizers have been an effective and popular promotional product for a few years. Our customers have used them to put their names in front of their customers in all kinds of different situat...
Continue ReadingMagazine Publishing Enjoys Increase
Oct 19, 2010
Magazines, like newspapers, have faced a challenging market the past few years. Many have been forced to close as both subscriptions and advertising revenue have declined, while printing costs have ...
Continue ReadingHuman Rights Watch Unlocks Prisons With Pens
Oct 12, 2010
Let's be honest, pens are one of the most over-used promotional products. Who doesn't have a drawer full of neglected pens with somebody's name or logo on them, set aside because they were cheap, or...
Continue ReadingFTC To Regulate Greenwashing
Sep 21, 2010
We're glad to hear this news. As “green” has evolved to mean so much more than a color, a majority of consumers and businesses have taken an interest in environmental responsibility. E...
Continue ReadingDirect Mail Rebounds
Sep 14, 2010
Direct mail has been the mainstay marketing solution for many businesses for decades, but it has faced more than its share of challenges in the past few years. The expanding use of online marketin...
Continue ReadingPublisher's Pre-release Promotion Boosts Orders
Aug 17, 2010
Publishers have a tough task trying to get attention for new novels in a crowded and competitive field. Booksellers have so many options to choose from, that even works from well-known authors som...
Continue Reading7 Answers To Get You Started On Direct Mail
Aug 15, 2010
Q: How do you get a mail list? A: List brokers are generally considered the most effective sources for vetted mail lists. "Vetted" is a key operative word. There are lots of garba...
Continue ReadingFive Steps to Success with Cause Marketing
Aug 10, 2010
Cause Marketing is becoming increasingly popular as a means for businesses to build a positive reputation while helping out a worthwhile charity. If a company's products and market align well with...
Continue ReadingFerns tell the story for local bank
Jul 20, 2010
Select small businesses in Manhattan and Brooklyn recently received an unexpected gift — a live fern. The fern served as an introduction to The Park Avenue Bank, a local New York City bank t...
Continue ReadingThree Ways to Improve Your Recognition Program
Jul 13, 2010
If you're evaluating your company's recognition program, the first place to start is by thinking about the goals of the program. It needs to be closely aligned with the company's overall goals. At...
Continue ReadingNow That's A Clever Product Tie-In
Jul 12, 2010
What's the best promotional product to drive home the theme of a marketing campaign or event? It's a never-ending question. The marketing idea is always more important than the product, but when the t...
Continue ReadingDid McDonald's Go Too Far With the Recall?
Jun 21, 2010
Companies who use promotional products as part of their marketing campaigns took notice a couple of weeks ago when 12 million Shrek-branded drinking glasses were recalled by McDonald's. The paint us...
Continue ReadingCancer Campaign Lifts Spirits
Jun 15, 2010
After extensive discussions, the planners decided on the theme, “Love Versus Cancer,” and launched an accompanying Web site (www.loveversuscancer.org) at the beginning of February. The...
Continue ReadingWhat's up with cotton?
Jun 06, 2010
Two things are up with cotton - sales and prices! Organic cotton emerged as a leader within the cotton segment when a green image is important. Sales of organic cotton increased 35...
Continue ReadingGo Green
May 31, 2010
With 70 percent of the Earth covered in water, it's a wonder we don't say "go blue." But "go green" is how the environmental movement was branded. So take a cue from earth lovers a...
Continue ReadingSix Steps to Developing a Promotional Plan
May 29, 2010
Successful promotional campaigns don't happen by chance. To realize goals, promotional products programs must be carefully planned, taking into consideration the audience, budget and, of cou...
Continue ReadingPlumChoice Paints the Town Purple
May 18, 2010
When you're one of many technical support services looking to stand out at industry events, it helps to be colorful. PlumChoice has recognized this simple fact and chosen to firmly embrace its col...
Continue ReadingLiveWell Colorado Campaign Keeps Colorado Fit
May 11, 2010
Colorado residents rank as the nation's leanest, and they're not resting on their laurels. “The fact that nearly 19% of adults in our state are obese is cause for concern,” says Maren ...
Continue ReadingKids Get Schooled About Community College
Apr 20, 2010
There can be a certain stigma attached to attending a community college. That's why Onondaga Community College (OCC) decided not only to revamp the image of its educational institution, but also t...
Continue ReadingAdina for Life Campaign Uses Proven Branding Methods
Apr 13, 2010
There's no replacement for real-world experience. 10 years ago, startup beverage brand SoBe made the right marketing choices, and the result was the acquisition by PepsiCo for about $370 million. ...
Continue ReadingStreet Marketing Takes Off
Mar 09, 2010
If you were visiting Chicago last summer and you thought you saw a giant owl, you weren't hallucinating. You likely saw Ollie, the TripAdvisor mascot. The owl and a TripAdvisor street team targete...
Continue ReadingThe Three Stages of Trade Show Marketing
Feb 09, 2010
Trade show season has begun again, so many of our clients are looking at their calendars and making plans for an effective approach to this most important component of their annual marketing. That...
Continue ReadingJones-ing for Promotional Products
Jan 12, 2010
This summer, Jones Soda proudly proclaimed that it was “the official soda of the road trip.” To prove it, the premium soda brand teamed with Griffin Technology to reward people for sha...
Continue ReadingThe Aftermath of Black Friday
Dec 08, 2009
Did you survive Black Friday? I did. But then, I'm a guy, so it wasn't that difficult. In fact, I'm a lucky guy because my wife is averse to holiday crowds. She's also allergic to mornings, so the...
Continue ReadingGreen Printing Options Grow Even In A Recession
Oct 20, 2009
A recent survey in Print Solutions magazine and Appleton Papers shows surprising growth in eco-friendly printing over the past year. Among the unexpected materials used is chipboard to make presen...
Continue ReadingSeven Best Practices of Recognition Programs
Oct 13, 2009
Developing a comprehensive recognition program is an in-depth process that can have a direct positive effect on employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and company profitability. Far from se...
Continue ReadingConcert Venue Grabs Media Attention
Sep 15, 2009
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion needed to increase event media coverage and ticket sales. Traditional print and radio advertising had proven to be very expensive in past seasons. They knew tha...
Continue ReadingMott’s Gets Its Pink On
Sep 08, 2009
With Breast Cancer Awareness month coming up soon, Mott's got a head start this summer with a well-thought-out campaign to raise awareness. They chose a theme to prove they are “Pink to the ...
Continue ReadingDairy Queen Plays it Sweet with Bloggers
Aug 18, 2009
International Dairy Queen may be onto something. The fast food chain, which specializes in frozen treats, recently used a promotional product to “bribe” bloggers to write about its new...
Continue ReadingHow to Have a Show Stopper at Your Next Trade Show
Aug 11, 2009
Anybody can give away pens, key chains, and T-shirts at a trade show. But it's how you use these products to interact - and even play - with show attendees that makes them linger in your booth rat...
Continue ReadingIntegrated Chipware Visitors See the Future
Jul 21, 2009
High-tech company Integrated Chipware was looking forward to a trade show to introduce their new icWORKSHOP product. The target audience consisted of programmers and engineers. Since this was in t...
Continue ReadingTen Things You May Not Know About Gift Cards
Jun 09, 2009
When is the last time someone gave you a paper gift certificate? Probably a very long time ago! There are lots of good reasons for this. Gift cards are increasing in popularity because they have l...
Continue ReadingVideo Game Kicks It Into Gear
May 19, 2009
Earlier this year, select reporters, bloggers and key “influencers” received a mysterious box in the mail. In it was a single metal cog engraved with a series of letters and numerals a...
Continue ReadingMarketing Budgets Challenged
Mar 17, 2009
A recent survey by the Association of National Advertisers verifies that the recession is having an effect on advertising decisions across a range of industries. When compared to a similar survey ...
Continue Reading100 Uses for a Coffee Mug
Mar 10, 2009
Last month we invited our readers to contribute to a list of creative uses for a simple coffee mug. We had quite a list already, but some of the submissions were surprising. We thought the first d...
Continue ReadingWhen is a coffee mug not a coffee mug
Feb 17, 2009
Search for “mug” on our web site, and you’ll find over 12,000 different items. Can you say overwhelming? Of course, you can narrow that down in many ways by adding keywords to th...
Continue ReadingNon-profit surpasses goals with incentive program
Jan 20, 2009
As we've discussed, a good program begins with setting a clear objective. The non-profit organization Meeting Professionals International knew they wanted to increase their membership. They set a ...
Continue ReadingHow To Make a Great Year!
Jan 13, 2009
The news is in. No, I'm not referring to the dismal economic news that has everyone holding their breath to find out the next steps to be taken by a governmental rescue plan. I mean the news about...
Continue ReadingOffice Items Get the Job Done for Staffing Service
Dec 16, 2008
On-the-job training is an essential part of business, but what about on-the-job marketing? It works for creative-staffing firm The Boss Group. The company makes sure to provide the talent it place...
Continue ReadingNew survey rates advertising effectiveness
Dec 09, 2008
Advertising Specialty Institute®, the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, revealed this month in a groundbreaking new study that advertisi...
Continue ReadingCause Breathes Fire into Dragon Boat Festival
Nov 18, 2008
Dragon boat racing originated as an ancient Chinese ritual intended to win the good graces of river dragons. Today, it’s a widely growing sport, reminiscent of crew – and at least one ...
Continue ReadingDippin' Dots Sweepstakes Uses Movie Tie-in
Nov 11, 2008
For the up-and-coming frozen treats company Dippin' Dots, its movie tie-in with New Line Cinema's Journey to the Center of the Earth was a big deal. To get the most out of its first-ever movie par...
Continue Reading7-Eleven Rocks Out with Branded Guitar Picks
Oct 21, 2008
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven was looking to get consumers to “walk this way” right into its stores with its May Guitar Hero: Aerosmith promotion. To promote the debut of its Full T...
Continue ReadingSave A Squirrel Campaign Grabs Attention
Oct 14, 2008
Monroe Shocks and Struts has a message for all of the animal lovers of the world: “Replacing worn ride control components could improve vehicle steering, stopping and stability – and j...
Continue ReadingSales Trainer has Calculated Plan for Success
Sep 16, 2008
How does a wildly successful sales consultant and author of a New York Times bestseller (The Ultimate Sales Machine) promote himself to his top prospects? With promotional products, of course. &l...
Continue ReadingA Loyalty Program That Works
Sep 09, 2008
It is frightening when cracks suddenly appear in the cement in and around your home. The first thought is “Uh-oh, this is going to cost me a small fortune to fix.” There’s not a ...
Continue ReadingUnexpected Product Works for Fitness Center
Aug 19, 2008
When marketing a fitness center, the first promo items that come to mind are probably exercise-related: sports bottles, gym bags, bottled water, etc. But June Hines, of June Hines Pilates, figures...
Continue ReadingKids Eat up Movie Premiums Along with Meals
Aug 12, 2008
How does a smaller restaurant chain compete locally with the huge international franchises? One way is to take an established idea – kids’ premiums – and give it a local twist. T...
Continue ReadingEco Campaign is Natural Choice for Environmental Law Firm
Jul 08, 2008
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP’s practice in environmental law goes back to “the dawning of the Age of Aquarius” (the late 1960s, that is). After decades of serving client...
Continue ReadingHumane Society is Barking up Right Tree
Jun 10, 2008
Upfront gifts from non-profits to prospective donors are nothing new, but they’re usually low-cost items like address labels, greeting cards and notepads. Not so with a recent mailing from t...
Continue ReadingA Paul Bunyan-esque Promo
May 20, 2008
No, they weren’t cooking up brontosaurus burgers at Chicago’s John Hancock Center on March 7. Rather, it was a giant bratwurst. Johnsonville Sausages set up a 30-foot grill, above whic...
Continue ReadingSpending On Nontraditional Advertising Jumps
May 13, 2008
A study released in April 2008 by research firm PQ Media, titled Alternative Media Forecast: 2008-2012, reports that marketing spending on online, digital and other forms of out-of-the-box adverti...
Continue ReadingThinking Green Is Here To Stay
Apr 15, 2008
The U.S. Organic Industry continues to expand, reaching $17.8 billion in consumer sales in 2006 - an increase of 21.8% over 2005. Industry experts expect that once the tally is complete, 2007's gr...
Continue ReadingDigital Incentives Help Non-Profits
Apr 08, 2008
With so many important issues to address and so much need in the world, non-profit organizations are faced with a daunting proposition: How do they generate public awareness for their cause; and h...
Continue ReadingColorado Rockies Target Season Tickets
Mar 18, 2008
Season tickets carry no small price tag, so the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club wanted to do something special to show appreciation to these valued fans. Season ticket holders received a complete o...
Continue ReadingPigs On The Wing
Mar 11, 2008
You know the cliché “yeah, the day pigs fly.” You've probably even used it yourself at one point or another. Well, Capital One is taking the term literally. In November, Capita...
Continue ReadingFun campaign attracts college students
Feb 19, 2008
Cotton Inc. exists to promote the cotton industry, through technical services, information, and market trend analysis. It sought to create awareness and increase the use of cotton fabric products ...
Continue ReadingSafety Campaign Reduces Accidents
Feb 12, 2008
At Massey Energy's 15 different coal mining sites, safety is a moment-by-moment concern. A recent campaign had the objectives of increasing awareness of safety habits in the workplace, improving w...
Continue ReadingT.LINK dog draws them in!
Jan 15, 2008
TeleVox Software sought to generate interest in a product for orthodontists during the introduction of a national tradeshow and drive attendees to the tradeshow booth. Software products have a ten...
Continue ReadingLow Cost Sweepstakes Yields Huge Returns
Jan 08, 2008
Borax is an old brand, 115 years old, to be exact. Like many veteran brands, its consumer base tends to be, well, a bit older. To draw in a younger generation of women who were unfamiliar with its...
Continue ReadingOnline Training Site Achieves 47% Response rate
Dec 18, 2007
NewsU is a nonprofit entity that provides online training for journalists and journalism students. It sought to create awareness of News University and extend the reach of the organization. The c...
Continue ReadingAMBER Alerts promote sign-ups
Dec 11, 2007
The first three hours after an abduction are the most critical in recovery efforts. This statistic was the driving force behind the creation of the AMBER alerts program, an early respons...
Continue ReadingFinancial Institutions Seek Younger Clients
Nov 20, 2007
Whether it is a bank, a credit union, an investment firm, or a credit card company, financial institutions have one major thing in common: they all want to tap into the middle school, high school ...
Continue ReadingNike Incentive Program Boosts Attendance
Nov 20, 2007
Nike employs factory workers around the world. Without enough workers on the line, production must shut down, which can cost the company tens of thousands of dollars per occurrence. Every manufact...
Continue ReadingPromotion Raises Awareness of Second-hand Smoke
Nov 13, 2007
The Arizona Department of Health Services wanted to generate community awareness of the risks of second-hand smoke, particularly as it affects children. The campaign, first introduced with TV spo...
Continue ReadingPoker-Themed Promo Puts Politician in the Chips
Oct 09, 2007
“Family values” is one of the most common phrases you'll hear in the typical politician's repertoire. The last thing a candidate or elected official wants is to be associated with any ...
Continue ReadingDairy outreach program is udder success
Sep 18, 2007
When you have a mascot as memorable as Queenie the Cow, you want to milk her for all she's worth. Penn Maid Dairy in Philadelphia does that by taking its message to local schools. Queenie and othe...
Continue ReadingSix Steps To Develop a Promotional Plan
Sep 11, 2007
Successful promotional campaigns don't happen by chance. To realize goals, promotional products programs must be carefully planned, taking into consideration the audience, budget and, of course, t...
Continue ReadingClothing Company Wrists It All for Earth's Climate
Aug 21, 2007
Canadian clothing company Roots wouldn't live up to it's name if it wasn't committed to Earth's wellbeing. “Dating back to the inception of Roots, the company has always been active in vario...
Continue ReadingFree Music Downloads Fuel Domino's Promo
Aug 14, 2007
Philly Cheese Steak Pizza versus Brooklyn Style Pizza: Which one's the better pie, and why? That's the buzz behind Domino's latest national product promotion, which brought the two regionally ins...
Continue ReadingOrganic Tee is Natural Fit for Eco-friendly Hotel
Jul 17, 2007
The ancient Greek goddess Gaia is a personification of the earth, and Napa Valley's Gaia Hotel and Spa is named after her for a good reason. Billed as “the first fully environmentally sustai...
Continue ReadingGet Healthy for Summer” Motivates Retail Chain
Jul 10, 2007
Summer is here. Marketers who incorporate a summer theme into their programs started long ago to develop their programs. Abbott Laboratories was about to unveil a new “Get Healthy for Summer...
Continue ReadingSpeaking of Buzz, Campaign of Few Words Generates Big Buzz
Jun 12, 2007
Can two words sum up what a hospital and its staff are all about? Sure, when they're backed up by a huge marketing program like the Hello Life campaign launched by Brookwood Medical Center in Birm...
Continue ReadingAMC butters up sports fans with popcorn offer
May 15, 2007
In an age where an abundance of home entertainment turns many people into couch potatoes, movie theaters are eager to reach out to those willing to leave the house for entertainment. Figuring that...
Continue ReadingAre ALL employers out of touch?
May 08, 2007
We hope not! But you have to wonder, after reading a recent study. People are all different, being motivated by different things. Some enjoy non-monetary incentives, such as award merchandise, gif...
Continue ReadingNational Nurses Week is May 6-12
Apr 17, 2007
A Profession and a Passion Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opport...
Continue ReadingThink Different - not just for Apple!
Apr 10, 2007
Promoting a line of pre-cast concrete school buildings may seem like a non-glamorous task, but that only made this lively, creative campaign that much more of a surprise and a success. Fibrebond ...
Continue ReadingNational Doctors’ Day is March 30
Mar 20, 2007
National Doctors' Day is always March 30. In 2007, it is on Friday. The first Doctors' Day observance was March 30, 1933, in Winder, Ga. The idea came from Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Cha Alm...
Continue ReadingCalendars in the Age of Blackberrys
Mar 13, 2007
In these times when so many people rely on PDA’s, Blackberrys, and even cell phones to keep track of appointments, you'd think printed calendars would be disappearing. But that's kind of lik...
Continue ReadingGo Green
Feb 20, 2007
With 70 percent of the Earth covered in water, it's a wonder we don't say “go blue.” But “go green” is how the environmental movement was branded. So take a cue from earth lo...
Continue Reading8 Tips for More Successful Trade Shows
Feb 13, 2007
Walk around any trade show and you will be able to collect a bag full of trade show promotional items all designed to promote business. Everyone enjoys receiving a gift. Gift giving creates a favo...
Continue ReadingStress Reliever Makes A Large Impression
Jan 16, 2007
Loctite Sumo Glue is a new, heavy-duty, universal glue with a name that emphasizes its bonding strength. Realizing the the sumo wrestler image is a powerful one, maker Hekel Consumer Adhesives Inc...
Continue ReadingNew Study Shows Role of Promo Products
Jan 09, 2007
A new study, just released by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), empirically proves that promotional products are an effective ad medium and key to integrated marketing cam...
Continue ReadingBudgeting Tips For A Tradeshow
Dec 19, 2006
On average, tradeshows account for 5% to 20% of an annual marketing budget. To help you get a clear picture of where your marketing dollars are going so you can make wise spending decisions, here'...
Continue ReadingHand Sanitizer Use Exploding
Dec 12, 2006
As the winter cold and flu season arrives, more and more businesses are including antibacterial hand sanitizers in their promotional programs. It makes good sense. Sales of these products in the r...
Continue ReadingStanding Out During the Holidays Pays Off
Nov 21, 2006
The Jack O'Lanterns are gone and the smell of turkey and freshly baked apple pie will be here in a couple of days. Brightly wrapped gifts under a tree sparkling with twinkling lights and tinsel wi...
Continue ReadingBank Makes Play For Football Fans
Nov 14, 2006
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions. When they do a promotion, they do it big-time. For example, for the home opener for the Carolina Panthers NFL season this year...
Continue ReadingClean Air Advocates Raise Awareness
Oct 17, 2006
The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership was formed in 1995 to raise awareness of air-quality issues and to encourage people in the area to help reduce air pollution. Each summer - typically t...
Continue ReadingGuerilla Marketing Promotes Free ATM’s
Oct 10, 2006
The signs were everywhere: billboards, newspapers, even posters on the subway. To promote its new “no ATM fees at any bank anywhere” policy, TD Banknorth kicked off a multi-tiered camp...
Continue ReadingThe Six Rules of Corporate Gift Giving
Sep 19, 2006
Knowing a person's dietary restrictions can make all the difference between an appreciated food gift and one that goes to waste. Andrea Nirenberg, president of The Nierenberg Group, a communicatio...
Continue ReadingPromotional Products Help Recovery
Sep 12, 2006
On the weekend of last summer's Formula I U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis, tire supplier Michelin North America found that their tires were dangerously incompatible with the newly resurfaced track...
Continue ReadingFraming manufacturer nails down launch
Aug 08, 2006
For the launch of its UltraSteel construction framing product, manufacturer Clark Western was preparing for an industry trade show and wanted something more attention-grabbing than literature to h...
Continue ReadingA Starbucks “Gotcha!”
Jul 18, 2006
When Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee wanted to increase awareness of the Starbucks Holiday Red Cup, it took its campaign to the streets. “We designed replicas of the vente coffee cups,” s...
Continue ReadingWe Are la Familia
Jul 11, 2006
A hugely successful campaign done for an auto insurance company was targeted at the Hispanic population in Southern California. Guerilla marketing techniques were used in a three-month marketing p...
Continue ReadingLive the Life Campaign a Winner for Virginia Beach
Jun 20, 2006
In the two years since its launch, Virginia Beach's Live the Life campaign has won 67 national marketing and travel-and-tourism awards. And there are other numbers indicating how effective it ...
Continue ReadingCurious George Promos Squash the Sniffles
Jun 13, 2006
When The Quigley Corporation — the makers of Cold-Eeze products like KidzEeze sore throat pops and bubble gum — wanted to target the parents of young children for a recent marketing ef...
Continue ReadingTraffic-builder Springs to Action for Spa Dealer
May 16, 2006
Hot-tub dealer Paradise Spas was looking for a way to build traffic for their booth at an upcoming home show. They wanted to use an affordable gift, but had several stipulations for it: Ideally, t...
Continue ReadingDrugstore Revives Slumping Photo Sales in a Flash
May 09, 2006
The decline in film use and increasing popularity of online digital photo-processing meant plummeting sales for the photo department of Walgreens. The large drugstore chain needed a way to draw di...
Continue ReadingPromotional Products Show Big Growth
Apr 18, 2006
April 10, 2006 - Trevose, PA - The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI) released results of its annual promotional products industry sales analysis, indicating revenues jumped 5.1 percent fr...
Continue ReadingMuseum Gets Huge Membership Boost!
Apr 11, 2006
The Cleveland Museum of natural history is a world-class destination for visitors and researchers. For nearly a century it has served as an outstanding resource for public education and environmen...
Continue ReadingTop U.S. Cities Play the Branding Game
Mar 21, 2006
No matter what business you're in, it's a good idea to think about branding. Whether you operate a medical practice, a construction company, or a food distributor, you should be thinking about the...
Continue ReadingScratch-off promotion pays off BIG!
Mar 14, 2006
With so many important issues to address and so much need in the world, non-profit organizations are faced with a daunting proposition: How do they generate public awareness for their cause; and h...
Continue ReadingCasual Dress Forever? Not so fast…
Feb 21, 2006
The dot.com era brought with it a lot of change, including over-priced stocks, get-rich-quick schemes and the end of the corporate tie culture. Remember those first images out of Silicon Valley co...
Continue ReadingChurch Lures Attendees With Promo Products
Feb 14, 2006
Life Pointe Christian Church, in Charlotte, NC, was nearing completion of its new church and needed to make its presence known because this wasn't just a new building, it was the opening of a new ...
Continue ReadingLittle-Known Facts about Promotional Products
Jan 17, 2006
71% of business travelers interviewed at a major airport reported they received a promotional product in the last 12 months. 33.7% had the item on their person. 76.1% recalled the advertiser's...
Continue ReadingTattoos Build Awareness
Dec 20, 2005
What do the phrases “Run Your Own Race” and “Don't Cry Til’ You Get to the Car” have in common? They're both albums by Mulberry Lane, a Nebraska-born pop group made u...
Continue ReadingCapture Your Audience with Pre-show Promotions
Dec 13, 2005
Trade show season is right around the corner. We help lots of companies to prepare for exhibiting at trade shows. With ever-increasing travel costs, people don't attend on a whim. Today's tradesho...
Continue ReadingScaring Up DVD Sales With A BBQ Promo
Nov 15, 2005
Every week dozens of movie titles are released for the home-viewing market on DVD. So, a non-blockbuster new release has to get creative in its marketing efforts to stand out from the crowd. When...
Continue ReadingNBA Dress Code Update is NOT an Isolated Decision
Nov 08, 2005
The National Basketball Association, which recently adopted a more formal dress code, and got a lot of press coverage in the process, is not the only organization requiring more professional dress...
Continue ReadingI Am The Calendar
Oct 18, 2005
I have two missions: one of utility, one of sentiment. I am the symbol of time, combining the past, present and future. As the clock records the seconds, minutes and hours, I record the days, we...
Continue ReadingBobbleheads Create Membership Buzz
Oct 11, 2005
Can bobbleheads attract new members to an organization? That's what The Association Forum of Chicagoland (AFC), an association of over 1,500 businesses, charities, civic and professional organizat...
Continue ReadingBlood Donors Respond
Sep 20, 2005
This summer, the Pennsylvania/New Jersey regional branch of the American Red Cross invited people to get their kicks on Route 56. Huh? That's the name of the summer blood drive campaign just comp...
Continue ReadingPinpoint or shotgun?
Sep 15, 2005
In a recent case study, a business owner sent personalized pizza cutters in custom-made boxes to a dozen key decision-makers that he wanted to get appointments with. The boxes, which contained the...
Continue ReadingHelp for Holiday gift giving
Sep 13, 2005
Choosing that perfect holiday gift for an employee or client is a difficult task. Here are several points to remember when going through your holiday list. Build a relationship! The holida...
Continue ReadingLesson in Motivation
Aug 23, 2005
It’s no secret that online training can increase employees’ sales power and effectiveness. However, getting them to participate isn’t always easy. Microsoft discovered incentives...
Continue ReadingCount the Days
Aug 11, 2005
Calendars Keep Your Name in View There's nothing like a calendar to keep your name in view of your customer every day. Most people have several calendars, which they refer to repeatedly throughou...
Continue ReadingDo Tradeshow Promotional Gifts Work?
Aug 09, 2005
You're about to invest a big chunk of your marketing budget on a big tradeshow exhibition. Should you spend even more money on promotional items? Georgia Southern University conducted a study at f...
Continue Reading5 Unique Rainy-Day Promotional Products to Keep You Covered!
Jun 29, 2019
Unpredictable weather is a shared experience in life. No matter your age, geographical location, job, or personality, it will always rain. These unique and functional promotional products are sure to ...
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