Pinnacle Promotions Marketing Company Blog

Hello, local readers! Hot off the press is this week’s edition of our weekend guide, filled with the best things to do in and around Atlanta this Thursday through Sunday. As always, be sure to add anything we missed in the comments section. Enjoy your weekend!!

Keep reading for more information about Brew at the Zoo, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival and other exciting weekend events!

Recently we’ve received quite a few pictures from our customers of promotional products that we’ve ordered for them in action Whether is was the promotional sound activated wristbands used by a dating app or the custom corn hole board used at a sales conference, we love seeing how a promotional product can go from an idea to it’s in-use execution, and, much like proud parents, we make sure to feature them on our social media sites. This has become one of the newest trends in promotional products, tying them to social media. So for today’s blog post I am breaking down the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of the tentative bond that promotional products and social media are forging.

The Good
Between Facebook now asking us what we’re reading/listening/feeling, Instagram’s ability to document each and every meal, and YouTube fostering a new generation of “haul” videos (videos where the host takes the viewer through what all they bought that day), people have never been more willing to talk and share about their favorite brands and items. Promotional products have never had a better stage to shine on.

Ask recipients to tweet you a picture of their promotional product in use, choose a witty hashtag, and you could be well on your way to Twitter fame. Think of Taco Bell’s #doritoslocostacos campaign, they had everything from pictures of the actual tacos to images of those waiting in line or taking their first bite (more of my odd love affair with Taco Bell’s revamped advertising here). Thank them for being part of your community and always make sure to feature content from your users because it’s a good way to let users know that it’s as much about them as it is you.

Which brings me to my next point: have a little fun showing off a little. Take, for example, the custom corn hole boards I mentioned above. Posted on a social media site, this image conveys the message that even when they are trying to sell you something, this vendor still wants you to enjoy yourself. If even General Electric managed to make themselves more than enjoyable on Pinterest, then we have no excuse!

The Bad
And now comes the fine print. Creating content, making connections, building loyalty – these things take work. Personally, I find the challenge a fun one but like the old mottos go, nothing worth having is ever easy. Luckily for you, our sales team can help you find the perfect promotional product, but you have to figure out the QR code or hashtag.

Sure, there will always be internet trolls and naysayers but you can curtail most of those by choosing a promotional product that lasts and quickly addressing any issues that come up via social media instead of deleting or ranting in response. And even if your online campaign gets sidetracked, hopefully it will be as hilarious as when the internet banded together to send popular rapper to a remote part of Alaska. This particular campaign was a winner on all counts: not only did Listerene Fresh Strips get tons of exposure, the rapper PitBull was able to show himself as a personable artist who is true to his word, and the town of Kodiak Alaska got to have a lot fun.

So, as long as you cover all your bases and prove yourself gracious in the face of the unexpected, the bad can end up being good.

The Ugly
Sometimes, things can go from bad to ugly. If customers are very unhappy with a product, they may take to social media to blast away, and if not handled delicately, the whole ordeal can turn into a social media scandal. To avoid reaching “the ugly” stage, make sure your product and campaign doesn’t cross the line of outrageously funny to outrageously offensive.

The Conclusion
While promotional products may be one of the older forms of advertising, social media is still considered the new contender. With a well planned campaign it can be easy to stand out among the crowd and shine with your chosen promotional product. Have you seen any promotional product/social media campaigns that you considered successful or have you seen ones that crashed and burned? Let us know in the comments. Have you considered showing off your promotional products on your social media sites or starting a campaign based on them?  Are you a fan of hashtag campaigns or QR codes?  I lean towards hashtags myself but have heard many a compelling argument fot the QR code.

As always, I love seeing promotional products in action so please send us some pictures or drop a link in the comments section!

Sofia
Merchandising Assistant

 

Here at Pinnacle, we have a full-service art department. They are a talented bunch (seriously – look at some of their videos) and if you need logo design, they’re at your disposal. But if you want to try out your hand at designing a logo yourself, you need to know where to find more fonts that the typical Arial, Georgia and Tahoma that come standard on a PC.  (We won’t even mention Comic Sans!)  So, I’m going to tell about a favorite website of mine,  dafont.com.

At time of publication, this site has 20,099 fonts for download! Some are free, some are donationware and some are shareware. The best way to go about finding a font that you like is to click on the type of font you’re looking for, let’s say your’e looking under “fancy” for an “old school” font. Click “old school” and the more options button. From there, I like to choose the “free” or “public-domain” button. This means that you can use this font for commercial purposes. If you’re selling something, a t-shirt, a mug, etc, it’s considered commercial use. If you’re unsure, choose that option to be safe. There are still tons of choices available.

(I chose the font Team Spirit for this example.)

So, check it out and see what you can find. And remember, please send us Illustrator .ai or .eps files if possible! If not, don’t dispair, we can work with what you’ve got. Like I said, we have a super talented art team here.  (Check out our FAQ page for information about artwork submission.)

Lee
Marketing Coordinator

I found an older article in the New York Times entitled “The Surprising Power of Promotional Products” in which the author found the promotional letter opener his grandfather had used at his medical practice for many, many years and then carefully stored among his possessions after retiring. The writer was stunned at how the letter opener had stayed with his grandfather for so many years and how it was still a perfectly functional product. There is one line in particular that struck me from the article, “Promotional products are, some say, the oldest form of advertising”.

Advertising is made up of trends and passing fads: billboard ads may be big one year or a flop the next, radio advertising is not lauded as it once was, and, eventually, we all throw away print magazine and papers no matter how artfully crafted the ads were. The right promotional product, given at the correct time, can be spared that fate. It can become the daily tool we go to without second thought, the one that stays snugly at the bottom of our trade show tote long after it’s brethren have been bartered or gifted away.

 

So what promotional products do you choose if you want your investment to have a long shelf life? Look for quality and step away from gimmicks. While there will always be a time for gimmicy promotions, it’s best to choose something that will outlast. Items like the Americana Leather Wrapped Journal possibly packaged with a promotional compu-tote like the Kenneth Cole Women’s Etched In Time Compu-Tote, are ones that will develop history with time. For either personal or business use, people tend to keep journal around for years whether to reflect on old times or see how business meeting went months ago. A name brand leather tote will be kept and proudly displayed for years, so while costly it is a worthy investment for years of brand exposure and loyalty.

 

Consider also items that will be useful in your recipients home. A simple, but fun, corkscrew like the Donkey Flower Corkscrew will stand out among other bar accessories and become a fast favorite. While it is an everyday item, its unique shape and sturdy build will make sure it survives many a wine tasting night.

These three products are but a glance at what options you have for a promotional product that lasts. Consider investing in a beautiful executive pen or a set of carefully imprinted glassware. If you need more ideas check out our website or give us a call at 877.300.2007, our team can help you find the perfect promotional product. Also, let us know what promotional products have lasted for you. Have you found any promotional items or apparel at a grandparent or parent’s house?

 

Sofia
Merchandising Assistant

Hello, local readers! Hot off the press is this week’s edition of our weekend guide, filled with the best things to do in and around Atlanta this Thursday through Sunday. As always, be sure to add anything we missed in the comments section. Enjoy your weekend!!

Keep reading for more information about Party in the Park, Atlanta Streets Alive, East Atlanta Beer Fest and other exciting weekend events!

I grew up in a town that, much to my young-cosmpolitan horror, proudly billed itself as the Chicken Capital of the World. There is, no lie, a statue that I have dubbed the Monument of the Forgotten Chicken. I can’t even start to make this stuff up. I quickly learned two things when I moved there: when exactly you needed to plug your nose in case you were driving by the chicken plants, and how to do a flawless chicken dance. So today is a day that I have long been prepped to face. It’s National Dance Like A Chicken Day!

We’ve all busted out an ill-advised chicken dance at a prom or wedding. The simple act of flapping your arms and forgoing all embarrassment unites us on a dance floor. Suddenly strangers are friends and you can’t help but laugh. It’s with these unique holidays that you can really plan for some fun promotional products.

I can’t help but smile every time I look at this Chicken Stress Reliever. Imagine breaking up a monotonous Tuesday by placing one of these on an employee’s desk and thanking them for a job well done. If you’d like to blare the chicken song through your company speakers, and start a chicken dance conga line, then I will request you send us the video! Aside from workplace fun, this holiday and it’s promotional products are great for the food industry! Give them away as the adult equivalent to a Happy Meal prize, and have a contest with some giveaways for whoever has the best judged chicken dance. Show your customers that your brand can be relaxed, your company can proudly sashay onto the metaphorical dance floor and really let loose with the rest of us.

Since National Dance Like a Chicken Day is already upon us, you’ll have to make plans to order your items early next year. But if you are still in the market for obscure celebrations, perhaps I could interest you in July’s International Joke Day, National Junk Food Day, or Book Lover’s Day in August? Truly the possibilites are endless.

Sofia
Merchandising Assistant

I’ve become quite fond of the phrase, “Aint nobody got time for that!” (Do a Youtube search if you have no idea what I’m talking about.)  Though I don’t actually use the word “aint” in real life and I like to think of myself as somewhat of a stickler for proper grammar, the phrase is just so useful.  I can think of many scenarios where it has popped into my head as the right thing to say.

So, even though it’s become a viral Youtube sensation, the truth of the matter is that most people are really strapped for time and finding ways to save time really is important.  So, I bring you: time-saving promotional products.

You can find products that will help you save time in pretty much every category.  Here are some that I’ve come up with, but I can assure you, there are others.

Office items have become commonplace whether you work in an office or not.  Untangling the many USB cords that you have or unplugging something from your computer so you can plug something else in: Aint nobody got time for that.  Fortunately, there are products out there (on our site!) that can help you keep your cords untangled and allow you to plug in many USB devices into your computer.

What about drinkware?  Pouring yourself a cup of coffee and drinking it at home before you rush off to the office: aint nobody got time for that!  A sturdy, spill proof travel mug is your answer.

Finding your pen, stylus and highlighter at a moment’s notice?  Aint nobody got time for that!  How about a 3-in one writing instrument that can make searching in your bag for a highlighter when all you can come up with is a pen (and an old piece of gum) a thing of the past?

And then you have the ultimate time saver: our RocketShip 24-Hour Express Service.  Your order will be processed in as little as one business day after artwork confirmation.

I could keep going on and on about time-saving products in all sorts of different categories, but aint nobody got time for that.

Lee
Marketing Coordinator

A new month means a whole new set of Monthly Specials here at Pinnacle Promotions. I know 2013 was the year I pledged to create a budget and be a little wiser with the things I decided to spend money on, so if you and your company are anything like me, this is a great category for you to check out. Today we even revealed our new Deal of the Month! So if you’ve been looking for a great spring/summer item to add to your promotional line up for the year, kick back and relax while I introduce you to the 24 oz. Gulp.

So why the Gulp? Well now that the warm weather is back, you’ll find that every weekend is filled with outdoor festivals, concerts, races, and sporting events. It will get hotter and hotter and people will start reaching for water bottles and tumblers. With this in mind, wouldn’t it be great to offer them a double wall tumbler with a sturdy lid and matching straw? Available in 9 different colors, the Gulp is sure to seamlessly fit with your logo or event. Perhaps you are a food truck vendor that wants to give away a earth-friendly alternative with each meal purchased, maybe you are an outdoor concert coordinator who wants to minimize the amount of waste and cleanup post-concert, maybe you’re a day camp promoting health and fitness: no matter what you have going on the Gulp can help promote your brand.

Best of all, the promotion won’t be a victim of Summer Lovin‘, that’s easily forgotten at the end of the season. Since it is a double wall tumbler and you can remove the straw and drink out of the lid, it can easily transition to all the pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas enjoyed during the cooler part of the year. With it’s extra low price point, the Gulp is a great investment piece that will be enjoyed long past it’s Deal of the Moth status.

Sofia
Merchandising Assistnat

Hello, local readers! Hot off the press is this week’s edition of our weekend guide, filled with the best things to do in and around Atlanta this Thursday through Sunday. As always, be sure to add anything we missed in the comments section. Enjoy your weekend!!

Keep reading for more information about the BrunchRUN, Atlanta Moon Ride, Dunwoody Art Festival and other exciting weekend events!

Can coolers and Koozie’s® are big in the promotional product world. They are colorful, can be collapsible, and tend to have huge imprint areas. And most importantly, they keep drinks cold. But if you ever happened to question if they really do keep your beverages frosty, Lifehacker recently featured an article about research done at the University of Washington that proves once what most all tailgaters know.

So now we can rejoice! Whether you are a fan of collapsible can coolers, zip up bottle ones, or ones shaped like jerseys, you’ll know you are giving something that actually works. In the end, like I’ve said many times before, the best promotional products are the ones that serve a purpose and get bonus points if they fulfill a need that may not have been glaringly obvious. We’ve all had a drink that goes warm in our hands, or an ice-cold brew that’s almost uncomfortable to hold. With a can cooler, you’ll always be front and center at any outdoor events. Think of all the picnic, tailgating, and outdoor adventures where tons of thirsty people will be holding onto a beverage that is cradled by your logo-ed can cooler.

With so many promotional products that can be loud and showy, the eye-catchers that will always mean a line at the latest tradeshow, simple items like can coolers can be overlooked or be considered expendable. But upon closer inspection, the pros will always outweigh the cons. After all, with a low price point, ability to be easily and lightly packed, and a myriad of creative imprint options, the can cooler is a great simple object that you can give your own unique spin to.

Sofia
Merchandising Assistant