Promotional Products Blog | Pinnacle Promotions Marketing Company

When was the last time you spent an afternoon riding a Schwinn bicycle, sipping from a custom sports bottle, and waving to your neighbors with the wind blowing through your hair? I’m guessing, for most of our readers, not recently, although I know my coworker Acree happens to be an avid cyclist.

Nostalgia marketing is a powerful technique used by marketers to capitalize on the sentimental associations that their target audiences harbor for certain products and/or experiences. At 23, I rarely find myself feeling nostalgic about my past, but last Sunday afternoon, as I ventured out to Atlanta’s Virginia Highlands neighborhood to enjoy the beautiful weather with my dog and my sister, I spied a father on the sidewalk across the street teaching his young daughter how to ride her bicycle without training wheels.

For more about Schwinn’s advertising campaign and my latest personal wave of nostalgia, keep reading…

There is nothing I like better than the all two brief weeks before and after summer, when the weather is just right to enjoy the sunny afternoon outside. With numerous outdoor festivals, concerts and events going on each weekend, it’s easy to find an excuse to get outside.

When planning for your spring and summer events and promotions, consider bringing a little of the outdoors into your campaigns. Promotional sunscreen and other outdoor related products are an inexpensive and thoughtful way to reach out to your employees and clients during the spring and summer seasons.

Continue reading…

Having been born and bred in Georgia, I am no stranger to the distinctive green and yellow logo featured on John Deere promotional products. Okay, so I grew up in the metro Atlanta area, where farmland is sparse and suburban residents have no need for heavy duty John Deere agricultural equipment to manicure their manageable front yards… Nevertheless, I had peers who would not leave home without their trademark John Deere trucker hats. I always knew that the brand had a longstanding, loyal following in the Southeast, but during my teen years, I viewed it as more of a trend- wearing John Deere paraphernalia made people my age appear “rugged” and “outdoorsy”. Looking back, I wonder if even half of the John Deere-clad teenagers I knew had ever stood within 3 feet of an actual tractor!

An article on BrandFreak.com discusses John Deere’s current campaign, called “What Will You Create.” It features actual customers who have accomplished amazing agricultural feats using John Deere equipment. For example, take Larry Carlson, a New Yorker who transformed a 5 acre potato field into a Tuscan-inspired panorama of gardens and mazes using tractors made by- you guessed it- John Deere. Keep reading…

Every day when I arrive at work and turn on my computer, I am met with my desktop background of a sandy white beach, crystal clear ocean, and palm trees swaying in the breeze… Sadly, as soon as all of my icons and folders finish loading, I am reminded that I do, in fact, have a job to do and can’t afford to fantasize about an imaginary trip to the Bahamas all morning- the serene photo is as close as I am going to get to oceanfront R&R anytime soon!

For one lucky Pinnacle customer, the warm weather and peaceful lull of the waves await- congratulations to the winner of our Mexican Getaway Contest, Anna Glasa from Royse and Brinkmeyer!

Anna will enjoy 6 days/5 nights in beautiful Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, courtesy of Pinnacle Promotions. Her prize includes airfare for two & accommodations at a luxury condo in Playa Del Carmen, plus a Pinnacle Vacation Gift Pack full of beach-themed necessities.

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely jealous- hopefully Anna will take lots of pictures of her once-in-a-lifetime Mexican Getaway experience to share with us. Regardless, have an amazing trip, Anna, and to all of our customers/blog readers who are now green with envy: keep an eye out for more incredible contests from Pinnacle Promotions!

Dana
Team Lead – Social Media
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Alternative Apparel tweeted today about their new custom sunglasses. There are several things I love about this promotion:

1. The product itself. Hip, stylish sunglasses are perfect for a hip, stylish company. And their logo looks great on the side of the frames. I used to have some Sierra Mist branded sunglasses that looked like these, and people would comment on them all the time.

2. The timing. It’s smart to order spring apparel now, when you have plenty of time to get your shipment, check out the product and make sure it’s what you want. Alternative has a month or two to organize the promotion and find out if they need to reorder. When the sun hits Atlanta they’ll be ready, staring you down in their promotional shades.

3. The use of social media. I wrote an article recently about reconciling promotional products and social media, and Alternative has done just that here. They’ve used social media to support a traditional marketing effort, by advertising their own advertising products! (And the snake eats its tail.) They’ve got me, a consumer, excited about their upcoming marketing campaign, and here I am giving them free, grassroots advertising. Excellent (and simple!) integrated marketing. Kudos, Alternative Apparel. Now can you get me some of those shades?

Acree Graham
Marketing Coordinator

The People’s Choice Awards last night inspired me to take a slightly different approach to today’s blog. Rather than writing a completely original post, I thought to myself, why not reflect on the musings thus far of my fellow Pinnacle bloggers? There have been some amazing topics raised since the inception of our blog last May so here are MY choices for the most fitting blog posts in a variety of categories:

1. Funniest: “What Not to Wear: Pinnacle Promotions Edition” (by me and Jaime)

The spoof we co-wrote based on television’s “What Not to Wear” was actually suggested by several of our coworkers, and we all laughed for days about this one! Brent was a trooper, although I’m sure he won’t be thrilled about me rehashing the details of our original post. ☺ This may be one blog idea that we have to recycle in the future- Pinnacle employees, make sure not to break any fashion rules, or the “Fashion Police Officers” may write about you next!

2. Spookiest: “6 mildly scary films about promotional products that never made it past storyboarding” (by Acree)

Acree’s clever take on classic scary movies sent shivers through my bones! Her suggested parody “The Hills Have Ice” gave me nightmares- deranged ice scrapers attacking an unsuspecting family of tourists? No, thank you! If Acree ever decides to produce any of these films, I may need to get away from the promotional products industry, as our office showroom would be an intimidating haunt after dark…

3. Most Delicious: “Promotional Products: Recipes for Successful Marketing Campaigns” (by Sarah) and “Toasting and Roasting: What to Do Post Pumpkin Carving” (by Kim)

Well, I can’t say that I have actually made Sarah’s zucchini bread recipe myself, but I have tasted it and can say that it is even more delicious than it looks in the photo! I highly suggest printing out a copy of the entire post and cooking up your own loaf of zucchini bread. And how could I forget Kim’s post featuring a recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds? I don’t think pumpkins are in season anymore, but this recipe is definitely one to keep in your kitchen to whip up this Fall!

4. Most Likely to Inspire Readers to Get Up and Sing: “Presenting Pinnacle’s Lyrics Lounge: Promotional Products Inspired by Music” (by Jaime)

Jaime’s series of “Pinnacle’s Lyrics Lounge” entries was certainly a well-loved one around our office. It was hard to pick just one post, as other great songs were referenced as well, but I thought the original should win the award, as it did start the series off with a bang. Hopefully 2010 will bring more “Pinnacle’s Lyrics Lounge” originality from Jaime!

5. Most Likely to Cause Readers to “Shake Their Groove Thangs”: “Pink Gloves Dance: Can You Spot the Promotional Products?” (by Guest Contributor, Eliza)

Eliza’s creative integration of the YouTube hit “Pink Gloves Dance” video into her guest blog post in December made me want to grab the nearest promotional product and bust a move. Nurses bopping their heads while wearing hot pink sunglasses should be inspiration enough for readers to introduce some fun and excitement into their next promotional giveaway campaign… or even to hold an impromptu dance party in their cubicles!

6. Best Seasonal Post: “Hittin’ The Pool” (by Heather)

Re-reading this post from last June brought a wistful smile to my face, as I would much rather replace the snow in Atlanta today with warm rays of sunshine and pool-worthy temperatures. Her description of spending a leisurely weekend working on a tan makes me look forward to Summer already!

7. Best Business Advice: “Building Business Relationships with Promotional Products” (by Kim)

In my final category, I selected Kim’s heartfelt post about the importance of fostering lasting relationships with your customers. Her observations and recommendations rang true in my mind, especially upon a second reading. The suggestions that she shares about sending inexpensive giveaways and promotional products to clients are timeless and universal- there is no time like the present to begin making your customers feel appreciated and valued!

With the number of posts made to our blog nearing 200, it was tough for me to narrow down my selections- if you have a favorite post, leave a comment and let us know. And, of course, you can expect many more inventive entries from Pinnacle’s Marketing team and our awesome guest bloggers in 2010!

Dana
Team Lead – Social Media
view my bio!

Today featuring: Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, commonly referred to as just, Let it Snow, written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, ironically during one of the hottest days on record.

Oh the weather outside is frightful, 
But the fire is so delightful (1), 
And since we’ve no place to go, 
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn’t show signs of stopping, 
And I’ve bought some corn for popping (2), 
The lights are turned way down low, 
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight, 
How I’ll hate going out in the storm! 
But if you’ll really hold me tight, 
All the way home I’ll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying, 
And, my dear, we’re still good-bying, 
But as long as you love me so, 
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (3)

Lyrical references:

1 – A promotional lighter to get the fire started.

2 – A screenprinted gift box filed with caramel popcorn.

3 – A promotional ice scraper to remove the snow from the windshield.

Find these promotional products and more at Pinnacle Promotions!

And here’s a version of Let it Snow performed by Bob Lido in 1963:

Jaime
Team Lead – Multimedia
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Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon sure knows how to get down and dance! They are the makers of this very popular YouTube video – Pink Gloves Dance.

It all started with a glove manufacturer, Medline Industries, which decided to make pink hospital gloves instead of green. For each case sold in the month of October, Medline donated $1 to breast cancer research.

St. Vincent decided that the more health care workers wear pink gloves, the more people would talk about breast cancer. More than 200 hospital staff volunteered to wear the pink gloves in a video. There are lab technicians, janitorial staff, kitchen staff, nurses and doctors all showing their moves dancing in the hospital.

There are lots of different promotional products available to help support various causes, and a few ideas are featured on the Pinnacle Promotions Promotional Marketing Calendar.

We even have a specific page dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness Month which provides several product ideas and marketing recommendations.

Can you spot the following promotional products in the video?

1) Flag
2) Scrubs
3) Lanyard
4) Doctor Jacket
5) Hawaiian Lei
6) Pink Umbrella

One of my favorite and most effective promotional products is the pink umbrella. While it’s raining as you walk through the town, your awareness message can be seen from so many people. I encouraged the use of a fold up umbrella to one of my non-profits last year for their campaign. They received such positive feedback that they decided to use umbrellas again this year!!

Eliza
Account Manager
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There is a reason why Thanksgiving Day has been deemed “Turkey Day” throughout the country. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, approximately 250 million turkeys were raised in the U.S. in 2009 for slaughter, of which about 46 million ended up on U.S. dinner tables this past Thursday. But we all know that turkey is not all that is consumed. According to WebMD, a typical Thanksgiving meal can add up to 3,000 calories or more – with a single slice of pecan pie with whipped cream ranking in at about 800 calories alone!

Here’s an average breakdown of the rest of the meal:
* Roasted dark and white meat turkey with skin — 450 calories
* Homemade stuffing with gravy — 600 calories
* Cranberry relish — 200 calories
* Candied sweet potatoes — 400 calories
* Green bean casserole — 190 calories
* Pumpkin pie with whipped cream — 400 calories
* Cup of eggnog — 400 calories

You could always contribute to this Thanksgiving feast by sending out promotional Applewood Smoked Turkeys complete with cutting boards imprinted with your company’s name and logo. But maybe this year companies should think about giving away some promotional fitness accessories for post-Thanksgiving corporate holiday gifts…

Jaime
Team Lead – Multimedia
view my bio!

One of my favorite things to do in Atlanta is attend the festivals and shows that come to town in the spring and summer.  From art events, such as the Inman Park Festival, to music festivals, like Corndogorama where up-and-coming bands can be showcased (and of course – a corn dog eating contest!), I love getting out of the house and walking through these festivals.  Regardless of the event, I enjoy the good food, great music, artistic talent and festivities that come along with these festivals.

Secretly, I also love checking out the promo items companies are giving away!

My friends tease me when I look at the bottom of a mug or the tag in a bag and recognize the product, but I also enjoy seeing what products people go crazy over.  Whether recipients appreciate the brand – a popular beer or alcohol drink, an insurance company, or a small publication or radio station – or the item itself, it’s fun to see the products in action and to see people’s response to the items first hand.

I’ve seen everything from cardboard speakers to coconut shot glasses and retro slap-bracelets to full-size custom camping tents and sleeping bags (those were incredibly hot with everyone trying to win the items!) Recently, I attended a festival and actually stood in line to win a promotional item an airline was giving away; the item was so timely that I just couldn’t resist. It was a rainy day and a company was distributing nylon, water-resistant cowboy hats – perfect for people that forgot an umbrella.

I’m actually working on a project for a customer now where I’ve attended the event for the last three years. I have seen the items this customer gives away, as well as items from the other sponsors of the event. I am able to put my experience to good use while brainstorming unique items that I know people attending the event will love.

I think it’s official: I’m a promo-junkie and I love it.

Avett Brothers enjoying Corndogorama in Atlanta:

Natasha
Relationship Manager
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