Cool Promotional Products We Love

Custom Bag Must-Haves: Finding the Perfect Summer Bag

Custom Bag Must-Haves: Finding the Perfect Summer Bag

When it comes to choosing the perfect summer bag, every person has his/her own judging criteria. And as the seasons change, so do the style trends, and in turn, the needs of the customer. Along with being attractive, a good bag needs to meet a customer’s lifestyle.

In fact, according the Advertising Specialty Institute, bags have been found to generate more impressions than any other promotional item. In terms of your business, you can take advantage of this opportunity, in order to build your brand.

How??

By rewarding current customers for their continued support, and attracting potential customers with a custom bag that’s both fashionable and functional.

Utilize these suggested promotional products, and you’ve literally got sales in the bag!

Customers are sure to appreciate the Cruising Tote Bag with Rope Handles which is a sturdy tote that’s perfect for summer activities. Available in four colors with 25″ rope handles, this bag is easy on the eyes AND on the hands. You may think that it’s special enough to turn heads at summer get-togethers, but by custom printing your corporate logo on it, you can make your brand the starring feature. With each use, your customers can inspire curiosity about your brand amongst your potential clients, consequently building your audience and achieving heightened brand awareness. Your business will certainly not blend in with the competition using this fresh perspective on a standard summer bag.

From the beach to the trade show to the company picnic, the Alison Cotton Tote Bag is a winner. The simple, yet impactful design provides a huge, blank canvas for neatly screen-printing your corporate logo on the front of the bag. Additionally, you can choose from five bright color schemes that are perfect for any season. As an added bonus, this custom bag is available for free rush production 5 days after your logo art is accepted. An Alison Cotton custom swag bag is a simply meaningful gift for customers to commemorate their positive experience with your brand.

Keep your gear and accessories in, and keep out the sand, water, and dust. The Sifter Beach Tote Bag is a sturdy cotton canvas tote with a mesh bottom. Simply expose the mesh to shake out any sand that’s accumulated in the bag. It will be the perfect accessory for customers to use regularly over a long period of time in all different places. Custom branding this bag will allow customers to safely and stylishly carry their necessities, and to act as your personal marketing team. In doing so, your business can build brand awareness and recognition at very little cost to you.

Your ongoing business goal is to build brand awareness and “get your name out there.” Custom promotional bags have proven to be impressive marketing tools to make this possible. Custom bags allow you to capture the character and personality of your brand, all while building a loyal following.

For more great ideas for unique, brand-building giveaways and swag, be sure to visit Pinnacle Promotions to learn how you can Make the right impression™.

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Power Bank 101: Your Guide to Promotional Power Banks

Power Bank 101: Your Guide to Promotional Power Banks

With most people owning a smartphone, tablet, laptop or all of the above, portable chargers – aka “power banks” – have quickly become sought after tech gadgets. This hot techie accessory has many monikers – power bank, charger, emergency battery and power rock – just to name a few.

One can easily spend upwards of $40 purchasing a power bank at retail price. Be a lifesaver to your clients – give them the gift of power with a personalized portable charger! Engrave your logo onto a power bank, and they’ll think of your brand every time they plug their device into the emergency battery. And with everything from laser engraving to 1 color screen print and full color design, the different ways to prominently customize your logo are essentially endless!

Here are some of my favorite portable chargers – from basic to more high tech.

1. Jolt Mobile Phone Charger

The Jolt Charger is the classic type of power bank and the most popular among users. With this product, you’re able to charge a smartphone 100% (due to the 2200mAh battery) – providing up to 8 additional hours of talk time. This is an ideal battery to have in your purse or suitcase, and this gadget is reliable for someone who travels or is away from a power outlet most of the day.

Jolt Mobile Phone Charger Item #7120-15

Jolt Mobile Phone Charger Item #7120-15

2. Portable Dual-Port Charger

If you’re looking for smartphone and tablet emergency batteries, I would recommend a dual port charger with a 7800 mAh battery. mAh (milliampere hour) is the determining measure for how much energy the battery will hold. This power bank can handle charging a smartphone AND a tablet to full battery with ease, and it also has 2 designated ports to allow the proper amps to the device at hand. My favorite one is the Portable Dual-Port Charger. Its digital battery indicator and cool laser logo customization illuminates your logo, making this power bank the ultimate luxury option. I like the idea of having one battery that can charge both!

Portable Dual Port Charger Item #2635

Portable Dual Port Charger Item #2635

If you’re looking for something that’s efficient, convenient AND multifunctional, then these next power banks are the ones for you:

3. Glow in the Dark Power Bank

Never lose sight of your portable charger again! With the Glow in the Dark Power Bank, now you can find it in your dark bag, purse or briefcase with ease. Not only is it easy to locate in your time of need, this little gadget also has enough power to charge you up for a whopping 8 hours of talk time!

Glow in the Dark Powerbank Item #7120-43

Glow in the Dark Powerbank Item #7120-43

4. Mobile Charger with LED Light

The Leeman NY Charger has an ultra-bright LED flashlight, and has been tested and certified by the UL (Underwriters Laboratory). This battery will charge smartphones 100% and tablets 70%- 100% based on the make and model, and it’s Lithiom-ion battery allows you to charge your device virtually anywhere.

Mobile Charger with LED Light Item #PL-4449

Mobile Charger with LED Light Item #PL-4449

Since most people today are so dependent on their smartphones and tablets, power banks and portable chargers have quickly become essential tools. Get your logo on one of these gadgets and not only will you be promoting your brand, but you’ll also be helping your client in their time of need!

Visit our power bank shop to browse other power bank options or to purchase any of the gadgets mentioned above.

Pinnacle Promotions

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The 20 Year Old T-Shirt

The 20 Year Old T-Shirt

What an amazing year we have had at Pinnacle! We had so many great moments. One of our highlights was the fact that Pinnacle Promotions celebrated our 20th birthday this year! We threw a party, we had personalized balloons, we had custom sunglasses, we gave the Pinnacle entire team promotional t-shirts. We held a contest and gave away an iPad in a branded tablet cover as a Grand Prize, and logo’d Bluetooth speakers as a First Place Prize. All of this to say, will any of these promotional products be around 20 years from now?

Turns out the answer might just be YES!

We love this article about a t-shirt that resurfaced after 20 years and the search to restore it to its original owner. The focus of the original story was donated clothes winding up for sale in third-world countries. We have written similar posts. As one commenter states below, “(I) can tell you that there’s no lost value on “bad” clothing donations.”

A journalist noticed one shirt in particular that had personal details on the front and a name on the tag in the back. The man who saw the shirt decided to track down its original owner. With a little social media and a lot of luck…here’s what happened:

“We Found This 20-Year-Old T-Shirt In Kenya. The Internet Found The Original Owner”

Courtesy of Gregory Werner/NPR

Courtesy of Gregory Werner/NPR

Courtesy Jennifer Rasansky

Courtesy Jennifer Rasansky

The value of a promotional product never goes out of style. The average promotional item is kept for 6.6 months, according to the Advertising Specialty Institute’s Impression Study (link). And in this case, some are kept for more than 20 years! Look around; do you own a promotional product that you have had longer than 6 months, a year, 5 years, even 20 years? If so, snap a picture and post it to our Facebook wall at facebook.com/pinnaclepromotions.

Pinnacle Promotions

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The Importance of Toys

The Importance of Toys

The average workplace desk has 2.3 toys. Of the desks surveyed, the most popular office toy: The branded Rubik’s cube.

Toys are fun! Toys make you laugh! Toys can make you feel like a kid again! Toys can turn a difficult workday into a positive and even productive day! Putting your logo on a toy can create an instant connection between you and happiness for your audience. Here is a list of some of the logo’d toys we saw in our survey and fun ways to use them.

1.
promo-popper-16096
Our clients created this super-fun video for their branded Popper.
We. Can’t. Stop. Watching.

2.
recycled-yo-yo-12927
The branded Yo-Yo is part brander’s dream and part classic childhood toy. Put your logo on this Yo-Yo and take the dog for a walk.

3.

rubiks-cube-9-panel-promotional-toy-9810
Born in 1981, Rubik’s cube becomes an instant hit among geeks and non-geeks alike. It is a staple of our childhood, that has been updated for today’s branding marketing. You can put most any logo on the red, yellow, white and blue squares of the cube we all know and love. Even if we can’t all solve the Rubik’s cube.

4.
toss-n-splat-amoeba-ball-31170
SPLAT! ‘Nuff said.

5.
leatherette-ball-15116
To play with by yourself or your coworkers. The promotional hacky sack can provide hours of unproductive fun. And someday, if you practice really hard, you too can become as amazing as Evan Lovely. You, and your brand, can both be winners!

6.
round-promo-spring-9819
Who can forget the classic television commercial? Wax nostalgia with this colorful and fun promotional spring. Keep visitors entertained at your booth, also works great as a fun gift to loyal customers.

7.
10-flying-disk-w-matching-pouch-15336
The flying disc is perfect for the employee lunch break or your school’s field day. Your logo on one of these can take your brand above the crowd and put smiles on faces. You might not be as good at this as Brodie Smith, but spend a few lunch hours and “brainstorming meetings” with an imprinted flying disc and you might make a few trick shots of your own!

Do you have a promotional toy at your desk? Do you use toys as giveaways for your tradeshow booth? Snap a pic and share it with us on our Facebook wall!

Pinnacle Promotions

Posted by Lee in Cool Promotional Products We Love, 0 comments
What IS a promotional product?

What IS a promotional product?

Someone said to us recently, “What IS a promotional product?” We were aghast to realize everyone might not necessarily know what is classified as a promotional product. Promotional products can be anything. And if you take a look around, you might be surprised to find out just how many promotional products you do own!

Here are a few promotional items that you might find around your home and office right now:

The concert tee

Your concert t-shirt is actually a promotional product! The band put their logo on the shirt, and you have worn that shirt until it has faded out.

Your concert t-shirt is actually a promotional product! The band put their logo on the shirt, and you have worn that shirt until it has faded out.

Bank pen

The traditional bank pen may be where it all started! The very foundation of promotional products has always been a logo on a pen.

The traditional bank pen may be where it all started! The very foundation of promotional products has always been a logo on a pen.

Soda cup

Reusable soda cups have become the staple for restaurants. And, when paired with the restaurant logo and the soda name the promotional soda cup becomes the double-marketing whammy!

Reusable soda cups have become the staple for restaurants. And, when paired with the restaurant logo and the soda name the promotional soda cup becomes the double-marketing whammy!

Matchbook

This classic promotional item may not be as popular any longer, but the personalized matchbook was an early marketing adopter due to the high-visibility and available imprint space.

This classic promotional item may not be as popular any longer, but the personalized matchbook was an early marketing adopter due to the high-visibility and available imprint space.

Calendar

A fixture in the real estate markets, the promotional magnetic calendar can be found on many a refrigerator at the start of the New Year!

A fixture in the real estate markets, the promotional magnetic calendar can be found on many a refrigerator at the start of the New Year!

Letter opener

We asked a focus group to tell us the most useful promotional item at their desk right now. Their overwhelming answer? The letter opener.

We asked a focus group to tell us the most useful promotional item at their desk right now. Their overwhelming answer? The letter opener.

Shopping bag

Now it’s not just the store from which the bag came that wants to use the space for advertising, it is also products that want a piece of the branding pie. The marriage of Kroger and Kraft on the same reusable grocery tote is in the near future.

The reusable shopping bag market has exploded! With everyone trying to do his or her part to save the planet, the value of the grocery tote has grown. The state of California has become the first state to propose banning plastic bags. Now it’s not just the store from which the bag came that wants to use the space for advertising, it is also products that want a piece of the branding pie. The marriage of Kroger and Kraft on the same reusable grocery tote is in the VERY near future.

Take a look around! Tell us just how many promotional products you see. We think you will be surprised at how many promotional products we have in our lives and the prominence of some of those products. Now that you see just how many things classify as promotional products, think about your audience reach when you put your brand on a customizable item. The value of promotional products cannot be understated!

Pinnacle Promotions

Posted by Lee in Cool Promotional Products We Love, 1 comment
5 Promotional Products that Make People Say “WHAT?!?!”

5 Promotional Products that Make People Say “WHAT?!?!”

IMG_0963 (1)
WWWHHATTT?!?!?!

We see it all in the promotional products industry. We’ve seen clients order everything from the traditional promotional stick pen to the custom mug with a brass knuckles handle. There is a perfectly good use for even the most eye-catching promotional products. Here are a few of our favorites:

1.
The Kikkerland Cranky

K-TY1580_500
This completely functional promotional product with imprint area on the key, doubles as a business card holder. This product was recently purchased by a software development company. Think clever? Think techy? Think geek? Think software development company.

2.
The Lung Stress Ball

SB670_500
This lung shaped stress ball is a fantastic awareness product. November is COPD Awareness Month and these would make a perfect personalized giveaway for events. The key to awareness product is impact and functionality. The better suited the promotional items, the better the opportunity for engagement and return on your investment in the form of participation and donation.

3.
The Hot Rod® Vent stick

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Looking for the pine tree air freshener? We’ve got something better. This stick air freshener glides right into the air vents of the car. Brand the end, the most visible part of the product. This product can be used for the local car wash as a giveaway for patrons. It makes the perfect swag bag item for a large car show. And, can be branded and sold in auto parts stores to turn perfume into profit.

4.
Umbrella Plus

UP-62_500
This promotional umbrella doubles as a chipping target. When you see this umbrella in it’s traditional position, it looks like your average umbrella. Except for two, dog ear holes on top. Do they go up? Do they go down? Actually, when the umbrella is inverted they serve as golf holes for chipping or putting. We don’t have to tell you that this makes the perfect golf outing prize or branded with the club or league logo and it becomes a fabulous country club self-promotional item for sale in the pro shop.

5.
Biodegradable Sweatshirt Water Bottle

SWB-10_500
Because every water bottle needs a hooded sweatshirt, right? As fun as this cooler cover might look, the advantage of this product is the reusable BPA-free water bottle. The large imprint area on the bottle cover makes this product perfect for your corporate picnic or fraternity or sorority-tailgating event. The tickets to the Florida State Football game pictured here are not included! ;)

Some of these branded products might not immediately come to mind for your event or organization. Some of these customizable products might even make you say “WHAT!??!” But then again, some of these promotional items are so creative the sheer shock value provides an unforeseen return on your investment. These promotional items keep your brand top of mind long after the initial engagement and remind your audience of your unique ability to bring something to the table that sets you apart from your competitors.

Do you have a picture of a branded item that made you say WHAT!?!?!?! Tell us about it here or post it to our Facebook wall.

Pinnacle Promotions

Posted by Lee in Cool Promotional Products We Love, 0 comments

Chocolate Cake, SEO and Promotional Products

Link farming used to be a standard SEO practice. Pay people to put links to your website on irrelevant or micro-sites to trick Google into believing everyone is linking to you so that you rank higher because you seem very important. Keyword loading was also standard SEO practice. Pay people to write hundreds of articles about you loaded up with your brand name and keywords and post those on irrelevant or micro-sites to trick Google into believing everyone is reading about you so that you rank higher because your name is everywhere.

Starting in 2010, Google used Panda and Penguin updates to sniff out these schemes and punish the offenders. The shift has already happened from “link farming” and “keyword loading” to “content saturation.” Content saturation is the idea that if you put out excessive amounts of content, any content, you are bound to get activity. The problem with content saturation? First, content shock: too much content and the user’s tolerance for consumption. Secondly and more importantly, relevance.

Google’s current Hummingbird algorithm is brilliantly designed to combine original site links, keywords and site content to determine relevance. And the more relevant the content, the higher Google organic visibility. So, content saturation can actually hurt your brand. Many companies will blog about anything just to get your eyeballs. It doesn’t matter if the blog relates to anything they do or sell.

So, while we will never write a blog just about chocolate cake…we WILL write a blog about how to bake a chocolate cake with promotional items! And, as an added bonus…we are going to throw in a pretty awesome recipe for chocolate cake!

5 Promotional Products to Help You Make a Chocolate Cake

1.

Swivel Measuring Spoons

Swivel Measuring Spoons

2.

Silicone Spatula

Silicone Spatula


3.

Tiny Tot Magnetic Timer

Tiny Tot Magnetic Timer


4.

Ad-Mitt

Ad-Mitt


5.

One Cup Measure-Up

One Cup Measure-Up


And now, the easiest, best chocolate cake recipe ever!

Easiest Chocolate Cake recipe

Easiest Chocolate Cake recipe

Pinnacle Promotions

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9 Promotional Products that Didn’t Exist 20 Years Ago

Pinnacle Promotions recently celebrated our 20th birthday! Pinnacle owners Mitch and Dave Weintraub have been in this business long enough to see new products come and go. We decided to take a look back at promotional products that weren’t around 20 years ago when these two brothers started up the business.

1. Powerbanks

20 years ago no small, cellular phones even existed. No cellular phones, no need for the Powerbank as we know it today.

20 years ago no small, cellular phones even existed. No cellular phones, no need for the Powerbank as we know it today.

2. BPA Free Water Bottles

Bisphenol A has been used to make plastics since 1957. However in 1998 the government began to investigate potential safety concerns. A 2010 FDA report labeled BPA as potential hazardous to our health. This led to the creation of the BPA-free water bottle.

Bisphenol A has been used to make plastics since 1957. However in 1998 the government began to investigate potential safety concerns. A 2010 FDA report labeled BPA as potential hazardous to our health. This led to the creation of the BPA-free water bottle.

3. Neptune Screen Cleaning Cloth

 Again, no small, cellular phones with touch screens no need for the Neptune Cloth screen cleaner.

Again, no small, cellular phones with touch screens no need for the Neptune Cloth screen cleaner.

4. Stylus Pen

No touch screen, no stylus!

No touch screen, no stylus!

5. Stemless Wine Glass

Reidel introduced the worlds first stemless wine glass in 2004. “The tumbler, used for centuries as an all-around drinking vessel, is now turned into a sophisticated wine accessory.” https://www.pinnaclepromotions.com/promotional-product/9-oz-stemless-wine-taster-11804

Reidel introduced the worlds fist stemless wine glass in 2004. “The tumbler, used for centuries as an all-around drinking vessel, is now turned into a sophisticated wine accessory.” https://www.pinnaclepromotions.com/promotional-product/9-oz-stemless-wine-taster-11804

6. Moustache Pen

While there were moustaches 20 years ago, there weren’t “hipsters.” Hence, the Moustache Pen.

While there were moustaches 20 years ago, there weren’t “hipsters.” Hence, the Moustache Pen.

7. Retro Boombox Cooler

20 years ago we were using actual boom boxes! Not, coolers dressed up to look like boom boxes that use Bluetooth technology to play music!

20 years ago we were using actual boom boxes! Not, coolers dressed up to look like boom boxes that use Bluetooth technology to play music!

8. Clear Stadium Tote

While the clear bag may have existed 20 years ago, the clear bag for use at NFL games and other sporting events only existed since the beginning of the 2013 season in response to uncertainties following 9/11.

While the clear bag may have existed 20 years ago, the clear bag for use at NFL games and other sporting events only existed since the beginning of the 2013 season in response to uncertainties following 9/11.

9. Full-color grocery tote with QR code

Full-color images have been around for a while. However, the inclusion of the QR code inside the color image is new. One client used the bag as a giveaway for conference attendees. When users activate the QR code, they were provided with the conference schedule and coupons for meals and local attractions that were exclusive to the QR code users.

Full-color images have been around for a while. However, the inclusion of the QR code inside the color image is new. One client used the bag as a giveaway for conference attendees. When users activate the QR code, they were provided with the conference schedule and coupons for meals and local attractions that were exclusive to the QR code users.

Take a look around you right now! What things do you see that weren’t around 20 years ago? Tell us in the comments below.

Pinnacle Promotions

Posted by Lee in Cool Promotional Products We Love, 1 comment

How 5 Brands Glammed Up With Promo Products

By Elizabeth Fenlon, Merchandising Specialist

When you think promotional products, what comes to mind? Probably stress balls, pens, note cubes? Some janky item you’d pick up at a tradeshow? You most likely don’t think of promotional items as useful products that will enhance your next event. Promotional products are not just bland, boring products that trade style and personality for inexpensive and purely functional.
The use of promotional products, especially in unique and subtle ways, can do wonders in helping to build brand awareness in your client base. Event planners and marketers, take note.

1. At an in store event, CUSP by Neiman Marcus offered refreshments to guests in simple frosted cups with their logo imprinted on them. cuspcup

2. At another in store event, Neiman Marcus gave guests a sweet treat! They are sure to take these home with them and think of Neiman’s fondly as they enjoy their tasty morsel. treats

3. Celebrity stylist and fashion blogger, Rachel Zoe, adds a subtle hint of branding to her event by supplying logoed metallic sharpies for attendees to use. sharpies

4. She also shows us logoed office supplies don’t have to be boring with these metallic journals! journal

5. Sometimes, it’s not the product, but the messaging that ties everything together. Nylon Magazine lets their personality show with these simple, metallic pencils available for purchase on their website. pencils

6. CFDA thinks outside the ‘block’ with their promotion for their studio visit with Band of Outsiders. blocks

Not sure how to find the right ‘glam’ product to enhance your next promotion or event? No matter the parameters, we have something for you! Tell us about your event and let us do the thinking for you, matching the perfect product to fit your brand and event. Trust us, we’re experts.

Pinnacle Promotions

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