Promotional Products and Australia Day: How Will You Commemorate Australia’s 235th Birthday?

On the 26th of January 2023, Australian citizens at home and abroad will celebrate the 235th birthday of Australia.

While the date formally commemorates the establishment of the first British colony in New South Wales, the holiday has taken on a much deeper meaning in recent years.

Australia Day is a great opportunity to come together and celebrate the place we call home, regardless of what your belief is about the date of the holiday itself.

Today, you will find that Australia Day is commemorated not so much by formal ceremonies but by colourful, festive events that seek to promote a sense of community, multiculturalism and inclusion.

Why should you celebrate Australia Day in 2023?

  • Celebrate your national and cultural identity as an Australian individual or organisation.
  • Reflect on the past and acknowledge Australia’s significant cultural and ethical transformation throughout the past century.
  • Promote values of inclusion, diversity and multiculturalism.
  • Simply put, Australia is a great country to live in, and we should all acknowledge how lucky we are to live in a country renowned for equality, fairness and its democratic values.

Businesses can celebrate Australia Day with a fun Australia-themed promotion or marketing campaign. Be inspired by some of these great Australia Day-themed products from TurnKey Promotions:

Full Size Sublimated Bucket Hat
Fully customizable polyester bucket hat. Available in three adult sizes (57/58/59cm) or three children’s sizes (54/55/56cm).
Premium Sublimated Socks
Premium polyester socks available
in one size that suits shoe sizes from
EUR 38 – 43 and AUS 7-12.
Waterproof Temporary Tattoos
Promotional temporary tattoos are non-toxic and easy to use! Available in 4 different sizes that can fit onto any part of the body.
Reversible Foldable Stubby Holder
A secure neoprene base lets you slide in full beer bottles without worrying about them falling out. Cuts at the base let you fold the holder flat for easy storage.

To enquire about any of the products listed above, please call TurnKey Promotions on 1300 153 707. Alternatively, for more great Australia Day-themed products, please browse Turnkey Promotions’ Australia Day 2023 Catalogue.


The Days of Denim are Stronger than Ever!

Denim is a rugged, sturdy, twill weave woven (a special characteristic which sets it apart from other fabrics) made from 100% cotton fabric.

In 1873 American Jacob Davis (A Tailor) and Levi Strauss (Cloth Merchant) collaborated to fulfil an order for a pair of trousers that would be “sturdy and wear well” – which would become ‘Jeans’.

The days of denim are still strong

A Poll by ShopSmart (from Publisher of Consumer Reports) found the average American owns seven pairs of jeans. Roy Morgan Research reveal that in any given four-week period, more than 1.7 million Australians 14+ buy at least one pair of women’s and/or men’s denim jeans (2016). And to prove the timeliness of denim, millennial Lorna Burford, a 30-year-old blogger in England, has between 400 and 450 pairs of jeans.

Denim is a material that has lived on through cultural revolutions, generational change, socio-economics and fashion trends. Interestingly if you look at the evolution of denim jeans in particular, you will see a direct correlation with people’s consciousness, i.e. how they are feeling about the world that they are living.

  • 20’s and 30’s – Denim jeans were worn by workers.
  • 50’s – “Bad Boys” Marlon Brando and James Dean glamorised denim jeans on film. As a result, Public Schools in America banned jeans for being too provocative.
  • 60’s and 70’s – We saw the hippy denim jean, denoting freedom and less structure.
  • 80’s – Was the start of designer denim. Where Brooke Shields became the face of Calvin Klein Jeans.

A flashback to my days of double denim!! Feel free to share your denim flashback with me so we can reminisce together!

  • 90’s – The grunge era came on coinciding with the rise of hip hop. Here we saw very baggy, casual styles.
  • Early 2000’s – Low-rise jeans became popular thanks to Britney Spears.
  • Mid to late 2000’s – The skinny jean was the big innovation, thanks to denim stretch technology. Providing ‘go to’ apparel for any occasion.
  • Today – We see a lot more variety. There is no set trend as such; Straight Leg, High waisted, Vintage Distressed/Shredded Denim are trending. The extreme cut out style is something I’ve never seen or previously heard of… not sure if this will take off (I certainly won’t be wearing them!). The average smaller independent eco friendly denim lines are also popping up challenging the bigger brands as they are just as accessible via internet shopping.

Denim Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important across all industries. The denim industry is no exception. Some of the innovation in this area includes:

  • Investment in clean technologies. For example, in the fibre stage of making denim, biodegradable synthetics and bio elastomers are being used to help mills create more sustainable denim.
  • The introduction of both natural (e.g. Hemp or Linen) and man-made (e.g. lyocells) alternatives to the thirsty cotton crop.
  • The avoidance of consuming new resources and replacing with recycled fibres like new Refibra which is made out of waste material during the manufacturing process.
  • Introducing sustainable alternatives, organic and BCI cottons, when requiring new cotton.

Denim not just for jeans – Denim Promotional Products

The versatility, durability and appeal of denim fabric has enabled cross-industry utilisatilisation. We have seen denim shirts, jackets, dresses, shorts, skirts, headbands, swimming costumes, shoes, etc.

In short, there is no end to denim. Now you can find a variety of products made out of denim like mobile phone covers, aprons, quilts, pillows, notebooks, sunglass frames, bags, hats, computer cases, towels, drink holders … the list continues.

The promotional products industry is also trending with denim, with some of the following denim promotional products now available to take your company logo:

Bags, for play, shopping and work. People are looking for materials that last, protect and have style. And denim totes and satchel bags certainly fits this bill.

Apparel. Aprons and Denim shirts bring a premium feel to any brand.

Hats are available in different denim fabrics enabling versatility in the style that best suits your brand or product positioning.

Below is an example of Trip Advisors Travel Accessories pack. You have a backpack, wash bag, passport, bag tag, diary and pencil case. The complete pack for a branded gift to customers. Some elements translate to different industry gift ideas, for example, course enrolment, company welcome pack and new member gifts.

Since researching Denim for this article, it made me think about the longevity of materials and trends. On Quora (platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers) there was some interesting feedback about people thinking that denim won’t be around for too much longer.

From everything I have seen, read and experienced during my lifetime, I would have to disagree with this. There is something about denim that makes people not only feel good but express themselves in a very individual way, despite being a mainstream material. I thought the whole athleisure surgence (e.g. leggings, tights), would take over, but it appears not. Denim jeans has a strong hold over us. My only guess as to why, is because it has continually evolved with the times and always feels contemporary whilst connecting us to our past.

References:

https://www.liveabout.com/the-history-of-jeans-2040397

https://www.wisebread.com/a-denim-expert-reveals-why-you-only-need-3-pairs-of-jeans

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/woman-owns-400-pairs-jeans-wears-60-031815973.html

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6735-shopping-for-denim-jeans-in-aust-201603290406

https://sewguide.com/what-is-denim-different-types/

http://www.historyofjeans.com/

The Everest of Expos!

Whilst you were summering it up in Australia during January, I was trumping it up in America!

This was travel for both work and play!

The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo was the main purpose for the trip – the biggest industry expo in America. We are talking 11,000 distributors representing 4,000 companies and 30 countries, attended by over 20,000+ people. The Everest of Expos, both in respect to the variety of products, the exhibition space … and trying to get through it in three days. Then throw in the Las Vegas location – the epicentre of ‘can you make it bigger and better’!  

With something as big as this, you have to plan and be selective from the start, or you could find yourself lost in the noise, hype and excitement.

The opportunity to attend this Expo in Vegas was a milestone for not only my business, but also for me personally …. as I extended the time to experience America is a completely different way.

We, my husband and I, experienced Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco and then drove to Las Vegas via California Highway 1 for a stay in San Simeon, home to the amazing Hearst Castle. We miraculously stumbled across over 3,000 elephant seals that come to the coastline every year to give birth and mate….But that is for another time and something I would be happy to share if you are thinking about travelling to America.

So, back to the show.

We had a plan and it worked very well.

The first two to three days were purely education in sales and marketing, specific to the promotional products industry. I attended a lot different educational sessions. I think it was 16 in total. Customer Service online and offline, continues to be top of mind. There was also a lot of education around high performance selling, unifying sales teams and the latest trends and topics related to social media, metrics, branding and positioning. A great opportunity to immerse myself in how the world is seeing business and integrating promotional products to further extend and leverage marketing communication and programs.

For the following three days I walked the Trade Show floor on the lookout for new products or a new and fresh approach to existing lines and found the segments with a lot of momentum are:

1. ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS are big and only getting bigger. Which is great to see. Recycled straws, recycled materials, less materials, reusable straws, bags, containers for food and drinks.

2. BLING AND MORE BLING! What I mean is bling decoration on anything and everything – bags, drink bottles, in cars, books, clothing, phones. I don’t think this is going anywhere soon. The asian influence in our markets continues to grow, and anything bling acts as a means of creating your own signature add on. Click on the image below to view the Sequin Artwork.

3. SOCKS has turned into a means of self expression. We are seeing a lot of branded socks out there. If designed with the customer and positioning in mind – this is very effective.

4. DENIM. The days of denim are definitely not behind us. There is a lot of denim still to be lived. It’s exciting to see the different ways in which this material is being integrated with other materials – and bringing new life to products we haven’t seen before.

5. THE EXPO LIVE ‘GET IN TOUCH’ interactive stage was also a good bit of fun. There is where live product demonstrations and interviews with industry leaders were streamed. A non-guilt rest break!

Also throw in the very talented, knowledgeable and ENGAGING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

David Goggins, the closing speaker, was a stand out for me. He spoke on the topic “Stop Talking Yourself Out of Being Great”.  An inspiring talk about personal accountability and building momentum. He spoke about in the early challenges in his life, becoming a Navy SEAL in most elite unit in the American military, and the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training. He also was in the U.S. Army Ranger School, where he graduated as Enlisted Honor Man, and Air Force tactical air controller training. A few years later he became one of the greatest endurance athletes in the world.

Scott Stratten was also another great speaker . Who was named a top five social media power influencer by Forbes. He has completely changed how corporations do business. During his presentation, he shared his ‘radical’ insights on how to engage better with customers through social and viral marketing and blended real-world strategies with memorable stories to rethink the way we market and sell.

Connie Podesta … well I have not laughed so much at this stand out presentation on sales as I’ve never heard it being presented before.  As an award-winning author, Podesta is an expert on the psychology of sales, leadership, change, life balance and getting your act together, which helped to inspire industry professionals to do what it takes to increase sales, attract and retain more customers, build longer-lasting relationships, strengthen leadership skills and become more profitable, happier and successful.

So back to our plan for the show. It worked well. Or we thought it was working well. Until….we heard about the ‘Pop Up Puppy Stand’. (Which was amongst foodie pop-ups chocolate-dipped bacon, meatballs and rolled ice cream and caricature artists and an illusionists). In a flash we made a run to cuddle the most beautiful puppies.

This is genius marketing distraction and also drove traffic to less populated areas of the venue … and the perfect reminder that we are fundamentally, as humans, emotionally driven. Which brings me back to why promotional products continue to work.

Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI president and CEO said. “Promotional products are the only medium that allow us to connect with consumers on a tangible level”.

The benefit of tangible connections, is increasing emotion, trust and engagement – which are the foundation for establishing sustainable business and brands.

If you would like more information about the show and the latest promotional products please get in touch – info@turnkeypromotions.com.au

Not just another… Wellbeing Product

Wellbeing products are somewhat ubiquitous these days. You’ll see them lining the walls of a pharmacy, perhaps stuffed in next to the Cadbury’s or even right at the checkout to prompt a last minute ‘Oh gosh I forgot about X’s birthday’. The ever-presence is for a good reason though. They’re an excellent gift idea, having a universal appeal and a price range that lets consumers pay a little or a lot whilst still getting a presentable, quality product.

Everyone likes to be pampered. Everyone likes to smell nice and feel detoxified. Consumer engagement is very high with wellness products and it’s only getting higher. With the recent surge in popularity of wellness and spirituality, more natural products such as diffusers are seeing a high adoption rate and their place in the gift market gives them an even broader reach.

Smelling great and getting comfy can be done on a budget with wellness products, and the potential for customisation and creativity is strong. Diffusers in particular can be tailored to a variety of tastes, or perhaps more accurately smells. As Promotherapy, a producer of sensory promotional products, puts it:

‘Marketing isn’t meant to be bland and boring, it should engage all the senses.’

The results are scientifically proven too. Our senses are tied to our memories, and positive stimuli that engages some or all of our senses can invoke a strong emotional reaction, as shown in a recent study carried out by the National Institute of Neuroscience in Turin, Italy.

https://www.livescience.com/8426-brain-link-sounds-smells-memory-revealed.html

Certain types of diffuser have even been shown to increase house prices! Driving up asking prices by as much as $100,000! Now that’s a strong smell.

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/does-a-scent-sway-buyers-during-an-inspection/

So don’t underestimate the power of these seemingly simple products. By effectively utilising wellness products (smells in particular!) you’ll see your brand retention and engagement improve spectacularly!

Inductive Phone Charger

Not Just Another… Charger

Inductive Phone Charger

Running out of mobile battery has climbed ahead of death and public speaking as our biggest fear! How life has changed!!! This is a bit of a joke, but there is a thing called “low battery anxiety’. An LG Survey revealed (sourced by Daily Mail Uk):

  • 90% of us panic about losing power on our phones
  • 32% of us will drop everything to head home and charge phones

With the current battery capacity compared to the power required to run more complex apps at faster speeds, our batteries are running out a lot sooner than they ever did.  

Phone charging Technology continues to improve. With wireless charging becoming the latest must have.

What’s so good about the inductive wireless charger, is the charger transfers power from a charging device to a receiver without a cable. On top of that, you can brand your own wireless inductive charger, as a means of reducing ‘low battery anxiety’ for your customers or staff.

Phones that have wireless charging:

  • Apple iPhone: 8, 8 Plus, X
  • Samsung Galaxy: S9, S9+, Note 8, S8, S8+, S7, S7 Edge, Note 5, S6, S6 Edge
  • LG: V30, G6 (US version only), G4 (optional), G3 (optional)
  • Microsoft Lumia: 1520, 1020, 930, 929, 928, 920
  • Google Nexus: 4, 5, 6, 7 (2013)

Benefits of a wireless charger:

  • Safe way to charge your phone
  • Easy to charge by placing your phone on the charger
  • Never have to find the right cable for your phone.
  • Can listen to music and charge your phone at the same time

Not just another.. USB

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