This year’s IMRA (Incentive Manufacturers & Representatives Alliance) Conference in San Diego had plenty of good news for entrepreneurs interested in logo products, custom imprinted items and incentive marketing. A February survey done by the Incentive Federation found that more young people are shying away from traditional advertising mediums but are embracing promotional products. Former PPAI President Paul Kiewit noted the impact of imprinted promo items on college students he surveyed. “They couldn’t recall any traditional advertising they had seen,” he remarked, “but they not only recalled a recent promotional product they’d received – they had a meaningful story attached to it. That says a lot about the power of promotional products.” The best imprinted promo items are ones that are both stylish and functional, the IMRA notes.
Promotional food has always been a sure-fire way to drum up business for food manufacturers and restaurants. People, by nature, are reluctant to try new things, especially if they have to spend money on it. Sure, that box of cookies is only $5, but why bother if one likes the usual brand just fine? However, how can one refuse a free gift? By presenting the new item, the manufacturer is engaging consumers in a “Come on over and I’ll cook for you” sort of way. Yet one needn’t be in the food industry to use food to appeal to people. Almost any food packaging can be branded as imprinted items nowadays: water, chocolate, popcorn, gum, mints, nuts, popcorn, pretzels, tea, gift baskets, cookies, wine, fortune cookies, gourmet coffee, M&Ms and much more. ”Marketing is important in difficult economic times,” said Patrick Conway, executive director of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association. ”Promotional items and specials are marketing techniques used in finding a way to pull customers in and it does come down to marketing efforts.” By offering a sale concurrent with the food promotion, customers will be eager to not only try but also to buy impulsively, if the food suits their pallets.
The good news regarding the influx of direct marketing promotions is that there are always exciting new imprinted promo items coming out! Many marketeers like to play it safe and stick with the imprinted pens, the t-shirts and the tote bags. However, for the internet savvy individual who’s willing to go the extra mile to impress the public, there is a whole world of unusual items that are sure to make an impact! HorizonSources.com offers “logo toasters,” which is every bit as intriguing as it sounds. A custom imprinted message can be cooked right onto a slice of toast in a custom logo toaster!
Another innovative idea is to take the successful corporate apparel formula but go beyond the traditional hats and t-shirts to offer imprinted promotional items like socks, tote bags or bottle cap opener/hats. At 4Imprint.com, custom socks go as low as $3.50/pair and there is a wide selection of trendy tote bags, coolers and duffel bags. Glow-in-the-dark tattoos go over well for a club promotion, whereas a poncho or umbrella might go over especially well during the rainy season in the Northwest. In the age of technology, imprinted promo items like USB devices and mousepads have become industry favorites. In New York City, Lifebrands condoms offered branding opportunity for 4 cents/package, which definitely caught a lot of attention among that 20-something demographic!
Almost everyone drives these days, which is why automobile promotional products are a useful idea. Car air fresheners make innovative imprinted items. For less than a dollar, companies can choose all different shapes, sizes, graphics, colors and scents! Other corporate logo products for cars include: customized sunshades, flags, funnels, CD cases, ice scrapers, flashlights, key chains, license plate frames, magnets, travel coffee mugs, squeegees, roadside kits and sticker decals. AbsorbentPrinting.com has a great selection of automobile marketing products.
