It’s so topical. Your regular take away coffee cup is not disposable, despite the fact that it is made of paper. Your clients and customers are becoming more educated about this issue, and are getting on board the movement to save nearly 1 billion coffee cups from going to waste each year in Australia. So why not consider reusable choices?
One of the most popular ways to embrace this trend is the reusable cup trend. So many options to choose from, design through to branding applications.
Plus – a money saving bonus! Over 1,600 café’s are now offering a discounted price on your coffee when you use a reusable cup, which gives you something extra to talk about when you present this item as a gift. Visit https://www.responsiblecafes.org/ to find a cafe close to you that offers this.
This is one fashion item that can be really positively aligned to your corporate and brand values.
Yes, winter has arrived. It may not be as cold as our friends in the Northern Hemisphere, but we’re feeling it!
It’s not surprising then that you see a change in peoples behaviour during the cooler weather. Let’s be honest, things slow right down. Lot’s more watching TV and eating comfort food, but we also see more time spent in organising – planning for the upcoming busy Christmas period.
If you’re looking for something that your staff and clients are going to love – you can’t go past the basics of winter apparel. Everything from beanies & scarves through to fleece lined jackets are a super practical choice.
It’s a great example of how you can combine fashion with your brand, and create a seamless transition into your customers lives.
There is something about building blocks, the inspiration of many cities, flying objects, robots and epic battles.
Nostalgia is back in full swing, and having the multi purpose use of tech and stationery items that you can play with at your desk is pretty appealing. The grown up’s version of the fidget spinner!
Bright colours, loads of different items and great branding space, the new office blocks series is an easy choice for a simple way to intrigue your customers.
There are too many to list here, so just call me and we can talk about your project and how you can have more fun with it.
We spend a lot of our time in the digital world, seeing brands. An Apple study found that on average we unlock our phones 80 times day. The mobile has been referred to as an extension of your body. Are we saying that your phone is a new body part… well close enough!
Despite spending more time in the digital space, our appetite for ‘living experiences’ has grown. This may well be in direct relation to, the life we would like to portray, through the digital world, or that, we want more from life. The booming travel industry is proof of this.
How does this relate to your brands and business? What experiences are you creating or being apart of to connect with your customer in the real world? If you are creating experiences that are memorable and have high talk-ability and Instagram-ability then the life of the experience extends beyond the moment.
How can you do this and do it better? Some questions to ask:
Who are my customers?
What’s important to them?
What do they do?
Where do they go?
What do they do for fun?
How can my brand play a role?
We are seeing brands become savvier in how they are connecting. Nike Running Groups, Google Digital Garage, Restaurants offering Cooking Classes, Starbucks Country Origin Merchandise. These experiences are seen to be designed for the user, with the brand being a complimentary partner in how they live their life.
Adding value to customers in the space that they are already in or through creating new spaces, whilst still maintaining brand positioning, is the win-win for everyone.
Organisations seeking to assist their staff and clients with stress management are well-placed to show their support by offering corporate branded exercise apparel and equipment that promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Anyone grinding madly towards a deadline or the end of financial year knows how stress can impact your work productivity and your life away from work. As well as increasing your overall health, the links between exercise and stress-reduction have been acknowledged for some time.
Endorphins are the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters and they spike in production when you exercise. Whilst exercise also helps stressed employees forget the long tiring days and allows them to focus on moving their body, it’s also beneficial in clearing the mind, especially with outdoor activity or yoga. Being physically tired instead of not just mentally tired is also a great way get a good night’s sleep and feel recharged in the morning.
Employers can help reduce stress with a few simple ideas:
Management can Lead By Example: In order to reduce stress it’s important for managers to lead by example. They can stay positive in the face of negative or stressful circumstances; make time to go for a run and fit in exercise; drink plenty of water and eat healthy, organise walking meetings outdoors rather than in an office or boardroom; take regular breaks and socialise. This will show your employees that it’s OK to take some time out. Consider a clever gift for your employees that allows them to monitor how much water is being consumed during the day.
Introduce a Corporate Wellness Program: statistics show that exercise and a healthy lifestyle is important when it comes to alleviating stress at work. A wellness program can include paying for a portion of gym membership; running a company-wide health eating challenge or encourage divisions to compete in a step challenge. A couple of ideas that will help employees unwind and feel better about themselves. This program can be supported with a range of promotional merchandise that employees can aim for if they achieve certain goals or levels within the program, such as pedometers, smart bands, workout apparel, fitness Towels, High End Water Bottles to name a few.
Create Social Activities: Your staff spend a lot of time with each other and it’s really important that they have good working relationships. When staff enjoy coming to work, the atmosphere will improve and lead to higher productivity, collaboration and even customer service. Perhaps once a week set aside some time to bring your staff together in a fun environment; play a team sport such as game of basketball or soccer or even take the staff our for a healthy lunch at a vegetarian or raw food restaurant. Social activities help reduce stress, boost morale and build successful teams. By also providing the staff with suitable sports gear like t-shirts, socks, shorts, sunscreen and caps, they will also feel rewarded and part of a team.
Provide a ‘Chill Out’ or ‘Zen’ Area in the office: By creating a quiet room in the office with some lovely relaxing music playing in the background, walls painted in a soft neutral colour, scented diffusers; with some oversized bean bags and encouraging your employees to take a 10 or 15 minute break during the day to relax and get away from technology, can help stress and possible burn out. A nice environment can improve happiness. Include some products such as branded LED Candles, stress relievers, eye masks, yoga mats etc.
Sports gear improves fitness engagement!
Stanford researchers summarised 26 different studies in a paper published in The Journal of the American Medical Association and reported that collectively, the studies showed that pedometer users walk more than 2,000 additional steps each day than non-users, and their overall physical activity levels increase by 27%. Aussie kids scored a dismal D minus (worst grade) on the physical activity report card, Australian children are the least active in the world. By encouraging parents to get more active through company programs, they can lead by example for their children and ensure they live a healthy active lifestyle. Lower rates of active transport (walking) as well as higher rates of sedentary behaviour, particularly increased time spent in front of screens is a contributing factor. Branded sports gear is by no means a solution to this issue, but could prove to be a motivator.
With the Promotional Products Association International noting that 73% of those who received promotional products use it at least once a week, branded promotional sports and health/lifestyle products are going to improve not only your brand awareness and overall business, but the wider health of your staff, customers and general public.
Create impact at your next business event and ensure your organisation is remembered long after the conference or event has ended.
Events are the perfect opportunity to invest in branded apparel and promotional products for staff and customers. Promotional products are a necessity if you’re exhibiting at a conference or expo and you want to attract attention and also keep your company top of mind.
Over 37 million people attended more than 412,000 business events across Australia in 2013-14. These numbers have climbed in the years since, with meetings and conventions forming the largest component of the industry in terms of events, delegate numbers, expenditure and value add. With this in mind, it’s a good way to capitalise on your next business event, whether it be a conference or large scale trade show, with branded products and gifts that put you top of mind with potential clients and help develop strong business relationships and future opportunities.
5 things to consider before your event:
1. Have a clear objective or goal: What do you want to achieve with this event? Do you want to create exposure of a theme or simply your brand with attendees? Whatever your objective, consider having promotional items such as tote bags as they act as billboards with repeated exposure of your logo throughout the event and after.
2. Timing and Budget: A lot of the time you know exactly what you want, however, may settle for less as you run out of time. Once you have confirmation of the event date, use your promotional product consultant or let us know; what you want to achieve, your budget and you’ll be provided with a range of concepts to help you achieve your goals. We have worked with a number of clients that have finalised everything for the event and when asked by management ‘What are we giving out?’ only have a week or two to turn around the perfect promotional product for the event … with limited and uninspiring options available in short lead times.
3. Remember Before, During and After: Don’t only think about handing out promotional products during an event. For an even better impact, you could consider promotions before and after the event as well. Some ideas before the event might be an invitation with a creative product or a teaser to encourage the attendee to visit your stand and receive another gift. You could reward those that attended your event with another item to remind them of your organisation and keep the enthusiasm going.
4. Target Audience: The key to getting your branded products kept and taken back to the office or home, is to provide useful products that suit the target audience! It shows you have done your research and will ensure you stand out in an already crowded advertising arena with give-aways that make guests want to visit your stand to get the item.
5. Size Matters: If attendees have travelled interstate or internationally for the event ensure the product is suitable for travel. In this situation, sometimes smaller more thoughtful items can have more impact than larger items like water bottles that can take up too much space in carry-on luggage or breakable items such as glassware or coffee mugs.
For creative ideas to help you with your next meeting, conference, trade show or business event, we’re here to help.
Enjoy,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
Take advantage of branding opportunities in wet weather! The Rain in Spain SYDNEY falls mainly on the plain… If you’re in Sydney, you are probably absolutely over the month of non-stop rain we’ve had. The commute to work is slower, kids’ sport has been cancelled, and you’ve watched Netflix’s entire library. It’s been dreary, however people don’t stop their entire lives because of the weather. All the rain we’ve had makes it easier to raise the profile of various gifts and branded gear your organisation can provide for use in the wet, or even if it’s just cold and damp.
There’s no such thing as bad weather …
Despite the rain, life goes on! The game of golf scheduled still goes ahead, most outdoor winter sports play in drizzling rain, and outdoor training sessions go ahead unless it’s bucketing – three reasons why branded wet weather gear is a solid investment. A quality rain garment is treasured in every household, while umbrellas and outdoor pop-up marquees are all useful practical items that will ensure your branding and message receives multiple impressions. Give your staff, clients, and customers an opportunity to be outside with the appropriate clothing and they will feel special and rewarded whilst wearing it.
If you are looking at the apparel market, you’re in good company. In 2013, the Australasian Promotional Products Association (APPA) noted that of the $1.55B of sales to end users, apparel is by far the biggest category, accounting for a third of sales. What’s also important to note is that 89% of consumers recall the name of the advertiser on a promotional product they received in the past 24 months according to Innovative Marketing Consultants. Imagine having brand recall up two years after you’ve given a promotional product!
Promo Gift Tip: Customise and personalise as much as possible! The thought and effort into selecting a gift pays big dividends. If you can personalise a gift as much as possible, it gives the recipient a greater emotional connection.
Wet weather rain jackets – What to look for:
Tsunami Rain Shell Jacket
A lot of time and innovation is invested these days in making technical apparel to perform appropriately in all types of weather conditions and outdoor activities. For the wet weather, the higher the waterproof rating, the more precipitation the fabric can block from crossing into the barrier, thus keeping you drier for longer, as well as featuring sealed seams, waterproof zippers and articulated hoods to provide you with maximum weather protection so you can remain warm, dry and comfortable all day long.
Some jackets available have been field-tested for performance in a wide range of climates and weather conditions. For the wet weather jackets have 3 water resistance levels; basic water resistance jackets are showerproof and suitable for light rain /drizzle situations. High resistance is the next waterproof level and then extreme resistance, which will keep out heavy rain if outdoors for a long time and still allowing the garments to remain breathable and keep sweat away from your body. If an outdoor activity will get your heart pumping faster, this is what you want.
Non breathable waterproof garments include the promotional style ponchos. Although they don’t breathe they will keep wearers dry if they are out in the rain. There’s a variety of different quality ponchos available to showcase your branding and they are a great for outdoor events to allow you to show guests you’re keeping them in mind when menacing clouds arrive.
Umbrellas
Walk down any city street on a rainy day and you will notice that half of the umbrellas popping up are branded with a logo, while the other half are plain black! There’s nothing like an umbrella with your logo on it to reinforce your brand. Whether it’s for a golf game, going to the footy, or walking from the station to work, umbrellas are a tried and trusted means of getting your logo seen. Colours and logos can add some enthusiasm to an otherwise dreary day, so think about how you can use your logo against something other than a black background. It’s not just golf umbrellas that do the trick either, branded café and market umbrellas grab people’s attention at various outdoor locations, while marquees for that outdoor event will draw guests to you and are an absolute lifesaver when the heavens open.
Keep your gear safe and dry
You’ve managed to keep yourself dry underneath your umbrella wearing a waterproof jacket, but there’s nothing worse than realising your bag is completely soaked through … as are all the documents, electronics, contents contained within. Rather than needing to pack the valuables into plastic bags before you venture outside, you can use a branded waterproof bag you received as a gift recently, to save the day.
There are a great range of waterproof bags that can keep your bag contents safe and dry. Choose from different sized backpacks, duffle bags, tote bags and even protective laptop bags.
Enjoy,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
Winter is coming: Prepare now for a winter sport promotional product campaign
Autumn is upon us and that means the winter sport season is just around the corner – exciting Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL and Soccer games are starting to grace our screens – which means now is the perfect time to prepare a winter sports promotional campaign.
Over 75% of people keep a promotional product because it is useful, therefore, tying your brand and logo with a suitable product for the upcoming winter season is ideal because sports apparel and equipment is highly sought after and very useful.
Footballs, netballs, basketballs – if it’s a sport played with a ball, then you can get your branding on it. Kids (and big kids) love a new footy or netball and will use it for years to come, thereby providing your brand with maximum exposure. Whether it’s for having a game of backyard footy, or passing a ball around the office on a Friday afternoon, custom sports balls will be used again and again and more importantly, seen.
Branded sports apparel is also very popular, not only for those participating in sport but also those supporting their favourite teams or cheering their kids on from the sideline every weekend.
Winter sports apparel = versatility
In the USA due to intense winter weather, suitable winter apparel is in the top five of favourite promotional products and 50% of people own promotional winter wear! Despite our more temperate climate, Australia has a large range of winter promotional clothing items as it is very versatile, is worn outside where it’s visible to more people and a good quality jacket or coat will be kept for a long time.
You may not be a part-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs like Russell Crowe, but you can certainly use produce apparel from the same brand he did to produce a custom jacket for the Bunnies. Canadian based Stormtech’s range of apparel is available in Australia and they specialise in the latest technology in the apparel to suit all sorts of activities and climates.
Snow sport gear and apparel
The Australian snow season is also on the horizon and there are a number of different options that can make a big impact. Snowboards and ski gear are prized by frequent visitors to the snow – with the cost of such items just one reason why. A corporate gift targeting avid skiiers and snowboarders will ensure the branded gear gets used and your organisation is top of mind.
Enjoy,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
Promotional products and Social Media: Valuable touch points for your business.
Combine Promotional products and social media platforms to create valuable touch points for your business. Ask any business and they will state that social media is an important component of their communication with current and potential customers, as well as being valuable in increasing their brand awareness.
When social media was first considered a useful medium for business, it was all about having a LinkedIn profile and a presence on Facebook. According to the 2016 Sensis Social Media Report business on social media has grown with nearly half (48%) of small to medium business (up from 31% last year) and over three quarters (79%) of large businesses (up from 56% last year) now having a presence on social.
Social media is not going to go away and those businesses that can stay ahead of the game by finding new ways to increase engagement with customers will be the ones that will reap the rewards.
Like social media, promotional products are a cost effective way to remind people about the benefit of doing business with your organisation. They also build brand recognition, reach a wide audience and establish a positive reputation.
From a recent survey conducted by APPA 52% of people who have received a promotional product will do business with the company after receiving it and their impression of the company is more positive! Team this up with the Sensis Social Media Report findings that 52% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand if it interacts in a positive way with its customers on social media and you have two advertising mediums that can clearly work together.
With nearly 50% of recipients using a promotional product every day, a company logo will be seen by others regularly, thereby creating more impressions over time without additional expenditure. These people will then engage with your customer to find out more about your brand, what you do and how you can help them. This word of mouth referral is valuable and key to people discovering new brands, products, services and experiences. Sharing a brands content on social media is the word of mouth function online and continues a person’s engagement and trust with a brand.
Boost your brand awareness by bringing Corporate Gifts and Social Media together
Mount Franklin invited social media fans to tag who they would love to share their Lightly Sparkling Fashion Collection watch series with.
Now more than ever, in our fast paced environments with pressure to achieve targets, marketers need to reward and build brand loyalty, create content that maximises the customer journey and experience through multiple platforms. This can be achieved by running a campaign using promotional products and a planned social media strategy.
The visual nature of Instagram and Facebook make these platforms ideal for a corporate gift/social media crossover. Instagram is growing continuously with more than 600 million people using the platform and 100 million users who joined in the previous six months of 2016 … a desirable audience worth tapping into.
7 ways to boost your Promotional Products through Social Media
There are a variety of ways to incorporate promotional products into a social media marketing campaign to fire up your brand awareness.
Create Desire … a desirable promotional product gives the impression that the company is Quality! Every year the promotional product industry releases a large range products in the latest trends suitable to showcase a corporate logo. Images on Instagram and Facebook can generate desire with your target audience and encourage brand reach. An idea could be to produce a small quantity of fashionable watches with a custom pattern printed on the watch face with your company logo. Post the image of the watch on Facebook and generate activity. The company could then reward those that were active by requesting a PM with their details and send them a watch, thereby positively impacting your brand and rewarding users.
Invite your social media followers to incorporate your branded products in their social media posts (User Generated Content) by offering a prize for their involvement. You get the best of both worlds: Promotional products being used and social media visibility. Getting followers to create social media content about your brand is ideal!
Use a hashtag to drive a conversation on Instagram around an event your brand is involved in. Encourage participation by offering a branded gift as a prize to one or more participants.
Create content about your company’s products and services that feature you, your staff or your customers wearing and using branded apparel. Your staff will feel rewarded and your customers will feel appreciated.
Usability is a key criteria. Statistics show that over 90% of people received a promotional product in the last 24 months, so it makes sense that the product be useful so it will still be around for years to come. With the popularity of video content, showing how to use products is another way of getting brand visibility and engagement.
Combine branded merchandise and social with wearable technology. Touch Screen Smart Watches come in all shapes and sizes and some of the latest styles look like a fashion watch but perform like a computer … your customers can stay in touch by receiving social notification via their watch with your brand on the go!
Every industry has social media influencers. Identify who they are and approach them about how they could incorporate your branded products into their social media content.
Enjoy,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
Who doesn’t love tech gadgets? Let’s face it, a lot of tech gadgets might sound beneficial as corporate gifts at first, but after a while they become obsolete. One of the handiest tech gadgets around is the Smart Tag … a convenient Bluetooth / GPS tracker that can help you find your keys, wallet, bags, or anything of value that can be lost or misplaced. Tracking children, grandparents and pets are also possible!! With some devices you can even find your phone by pressing a button on the Tag to make your phone ring, even when it’s on silent!
Lost time looking for lost items
According to The Tile, the average person misplaces upwards of 3,000 items a year and then spends over 60 hours a year searching for them. All told, our misplaced stuff adds up to billions of dollars annually. When you attach a Smart Tag to an item, you are really tethering them both to your phone an easy to use downloadable app.
The most commonly lost things tend to be small (keys, wallets, bags, luggage, pets), however, you’d be amazed at how frequently big items also go missing. A true story of a man who’s motorbike disappeared from his home with a Smart Tag on it. He uses the app to mark his motorbike as lost and found that it had been taken for quite a drive and was soon reunited with his treasured motor.
A variety of shapes
Smart Tags come in all different shapes and sizes. The key ring versions can be added to a set of keys, attached to a bag or backpack; whilst the coin version can be placed in a purse or wallet or left in a car. There’s also a wearable watch version so you can easily track your kids or partner in crowded places like shopping centres and amusement parks … not to mention it also comes with a handy UV indicator to keep an eye on sun exposure when at the beach or having a picnic.
No matter what the size, we have a style that will fit your logo, making it a great corporate gift your customers will be grateful for in years to come.
Applications
Home: Who hasn’t lost their keys or wallet in the home? With a Smart Tag you can easily locate these items. See the last place you had it on the map and make the phone ring when you get close!
School: Parents wanting to keep an eye on kids walking home from school can place a coin smart tag in a school bag or attach a keychain version.
Sports: A Smart Tag in a sports bag at an athletics carnival can reduce the amount of stress involved in finding your bag amongst hundreds of others.
Caregivers: If you’re a primary caregiver of elderly parents who are suffering from dementia, Smart Tags can be used to help locate relatives who may have wandered away from home or attach one to a bracelet they wear to help find them quickly should they be difficult to locate.
Office: Leave a Smart Tag in your purse or laptop bag provides peach of mind with added security.
Pets: A Smart Tag attached to your pets collar will help you find them if they manage to run away, especially during storms or fireworks.
Travel: Smart tags will make finding and collecting your luggage after a flight simpler and quicker or place coin smart tag in your passport wallet and it will always be easy to find.
And after all that as the band U2 believes, if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for … then it’s probably not meant to be found!
Enjoy,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
It’s so topical. Your regular take away coffee cup is not disposable, despite the fact that it is made of paper. Your clients and customers are becoming more educated about this issue, and are getting on board the movement to save nearly 1 billion coffee cups from going to waste each year in Australia. So why not consider reusable choices?
Organisations seeking to assist their staff and clients with stress management are well-placed to show their support by offering corporate branded exercise apparel and equipment that promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Create impact at your next business event and ensure your organisation is remembered long after the conference or event has ended.
Walk down any city street on a rainy day and you will notice that half of the umbrellas popping up are branded with a logo, while the other half are plain black! There’s nothing like an umbrella with your logo on it to reinforce your brand. Whether it’s for a golf game, going to the footy, or walking from the station to work, umbrellas are a tried and trusted means of getting your logo seen. Colours and logos can add some enthusiasm to an otherwise dreary day, so think about how you can use your logo against something other than a black background. It’s not just golf umbrellas that do the trick either, branded café and market umbrellas grab people’s attention at various outdoor locations, while marquees for that outdoor event will draw guests to you and are an absolute lifesaver when the heavens open.
You’ve managed to keep yourself dry underneath your umbrella wearing a waterproof jacket, but there’s nothing worse than realising your bag is completely soaked through … as are all the documents, electronics, contents contained within. Rather than needing to pack the valuables into plastic bags before you venture outside, you can use a branded waterproof bag you received as a gift recently, to save the day.
Autumn is upon us and that means the winter sport season is just around the corner – exciting Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL and Soccer games are starting to grace our screens – which means now is the perfect time to prepare a winter sports promotional campaign.
Combine Promotional products and social media platforms to create valuable touch points for your business. Ask any business and they will state that social media is an important component of their communication with current and potential customers, as well as being valuable in increasing their brand awareness.
Who doesn’t love tech gadgets? Let’s face it, a lot of tech gadgets might sound beneficial as corporate gifts at first, but after a while they become obsolete. One of the handiest tech gadgets around is the Smart Tag … a convenient Bluetooth / GPS tracker that can help you find your keys, wallet, bags, or anything of value that can be lost or misplaced. Tracking children, grandparents and pets are also possible!! With some devices you can even find your phone by pressing a button on the Tag to make your phone ring, even when it’s on silent!