This is our last post matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff. Hope you’ve enjoyed the series.
One good way to keep yourself cool is to pour yourself a tall glass of kumquat-aide (see Tip #3 below), find an airy comfortable place to sit, and take a look at our corporate gifts and summertime promotional ideas.
From cushiony stadium seats, perfect for company outings, to custom temporary tattoos, a fun and different way to make your mark, we have cool, colorful and creative ideas and items to help you make your company or business felt, like that elusive cool breeze we all need during the dog days of summer.
And while we are on the subject, is that an expression you wonder about? We used to think the days of summer were doggy because we all walked around with our tongues out, looking for popsicles to help us stay cool.
But, no, that is not why the hottest of days from July to September (at least in our hemishpere) are called “dog days.” The ancients thought that these hotter than hot days were caused by the proximity of the constellation Sirius (AKA the dog star) to the sun. What did the Romans do to try and stay cool? The Romans sacrificed a brown dog, hoping to appease Sirius, whom they thought was the cause of the swelter. If only they had offered some dog biscuits to the enraged Sirius, things might have turned out differently.
Tip #1: Keep Yourself Cool in the Heat Waves
Tip #2: Brush up on Your First Aid
As we near the end of our series matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff, we offer a bandaid…
Well, actually, a first aid kit.
Or rather: many first aid kits to help keep your staff and customers safe in all seasons. Inside or out, summer or winter, it’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit on hand just in case accidents occur. And we’ve got a range of kits — from the cute Retro First Aid Tin to the Smart Medic — with lots of choices in between for you to choose from.
Also take a look at our June is Safety Month post for additional suggestions on staying safe.
Tip #3: Tend the Perfect Bar
This is our eighth post matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff.
© Becky Luigart-Stayner
Once you’ve poured over the recipes and suggestions at Lifehacker, give us a call and let us help you design custom-branded coasters, glasses, bar accessories, and other cocktail-related items that will live on long after the party or celebration ends. And if you are looking for a cooling, non-alcoholic refresher, try adding a small handful of thinly sliced kumquats to a large pitcher of water in the morning, and by early afternoon you’ll have a cooling and tart kumquat-aide.
Tip #4: Hiking and Biking
Today’s post is our seventh in a series matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff.
For some biking suggestions and Cyclist’s Special, a great short film produced by the British Rail film board in 1955, check out our May Calendar post.
“Put one foot in front of the other…”
Moving under your own steam is a fun and healthy way to get around as well as the best way to see any place you may be visiting. You can make summer walking and outdoor activities more comfortable for your customers or clients by providing branded hats or sun visors. Also check Tip #8 below that has resources to help you find a sunscreen that will protect you from the sun without exposing you to chemicals that are dangerous. Lip balm is another good thing to consider. Then all they’ll need to have are a good pair of shoes and liquid refreshments.
Tip #5: Make your own Backyard Fun
Today is post six in our series matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff.
Nothing like a little outdoor activity followed by some relaxation on a summer day…Way back when, in days of yore, we would gather in the side yard and play croquet. Sometimes we’d play badminton. Both are great summer games to play on a grassy field or lawn. We’d drink gin and tonic (come back the day after tomorrow for cocktail tips!) and fancy ourselves…fancy. Occasionally rest was required and while lying on the green grass can be nice, it can also sometimes be a bit moist. An easy to carry solution is a Performance Blanket Tote, fleece on one side, nylon on the other.
Tip #8: Avoid and Sooth Nasty Sunburns
Today is the third post in our outdoor series matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff.
Today we have some suggestions for protecting your skin as well as a recipe for a soothing balm in case you do get burned.
The Environmental Working Group has a mission to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. They have an action fund that advocates on Capitol Hill for “health protective and subsidy-shifting policies.” They also have a great set of resources on their website, including the 2011 Sunscreen Safety Guide (also available for iphone) to help you find a sunscreen which will protect you from the sun without exposing you to chemicals that are dangerous. To make your own soothing Calendula salve, and learn a few culinary uses of the fiery orange blossom, check out WNYC’s Last Chance Foods: Herbal Flower Power .
Calendar of Events: July
Branding Ideas has been compiling monthly lists of possible occasions worth celebrating this summer. Remember to always seek out holidays and special occasions that fit with your business’s brand and message. Not surprisingly, July is National Grilling Month and National Hot Dog Month, but did you know it’s also Social Wellness Month and Women’s Motorcycle Month? If any of those occasions spark an idea for a special promotion or marketing strategy, run with it! Or drop us a line for some help in coming up with ideas for how to celebrate. National Baby Food Week starts July 21st and Moby Dick Week beings July 31st. Daily observances include National Hug Your Kid Day (July 20th) and National Day of the Cowboy (July 25th). Unfortunately, today is the last day of Be Kind to New Jersey Week, but keep our Garden State friends in mind for next year!
Promotional Gift Ideas for Summer
All summer long we’re going to be brainstorming ideas for new and exciting promotional items and gift-giving ideas for the season–while we’re lounging poolside, of course! There are plenty of affordable ways to promote your business, brand or project for the warm weather. One of our favorite ideas is a 6-inch multicolor inflatable beach ball, which gives you big fun at a little price. There’s plenty of space to place a logo, picture or slogan, and they’re easy and affordable to ship too. Mail them as invitations in a standard envelope or give them away at a summer beach party! Another great beach/backyard gift is a 9-inch recycled fun flyer. Made from recycled material with an enhanced biodegradility additive, it’s a fun, eco-friendly way to promote your message all summer long.
Summer isn’t the time of year people expect corporate gifts, so why not surprise your very best, valued clients with a special family gift that will keep you and your business on their minds all season? The portable Mini Fridge Personal Cooler/Warmer allows users to enjoy cold drinks in the hot summer and warm food in the chilly winter, which means that with your logo or brand printed on it, it’s a summer gift that keeps giving throughout the year! Another great corporate gift for summer is the Catalina Riviera Edition Picnic Basket for Two, a classic style picnic basket, the durable wood and designer fabrics of which are fresh, summer, European pattern-picnic perfect. And it comes filled with glasses, napkins, plates, utensils, salt and pepper shakers, a tablecloth, food storage containers, a cheese cutting board, and more!
Check back here throughout the summer for more promotional and gift ideas!
