Category: Wearables

Halloween is in the books, and that means we are heading directly into the festive winter season. Holiday decorations are already going up here in New York! As the season revs up, you may be wondering how to decide what promotional gifts to pick for your staff, clients, and business partners. As we often say, promotional products are especially popular when they are useful—and gifts that are perfectly suited to winter are more likely to be appreciated for seasons to come. With that in mind, here are the top ten winter promotional gifts that we recommend for the blustery months ahead!

Top 10 Winter Promotional Gifts:

#1. Blankets. Ask a busy professional to picture their dream winter vacation and chances are it involves a fireplace and a cozy blanket? Blankets are a crowd-pleaser. Cozy, snuggly, and comforting, they make a thoughtful winter gift for your valued employees and treasured customers.

#2. Mugs. As the temperatures drop, your customers will probably reach for a mug of hot tea or cocoa to keep warm. A high quality mug with your branding on it is a thoughtful gift they’ll appreciate for years to come, whether they’re enjoying a cuppa at home at breakfast time or sipping some green tea at the office.

#3. Candles. If your customers and employees could add one item to that cozy winter scene, it would probably be a candle. They’re relaxing, lovely, often fragrant, and create a perfect atmosphere for the holidays.

#4. Ice scrapers. If you like in a cold climate like we do here in the Northeast, then you know anybody who drives needs a trusty ice scraper to get them up and running after a snow or ice storm. Business partners and customers will appreciate having one of these on hand, compliments of your company, as winter approaches.

#5. Gloves. If your clients are going outside to scrape the ice off their windshield, chances are they’re going to need a nice pair of gloves too! They’re essential for protecting our hands from the elements in the dead of winter.

#6. Lip Balm. As the weather gets colder and drier, your clients, staff, and business partners may find the delicate skin on their lips is prone to chapping or even cracking. Lip balm comes in very handy on freezing, blustering days and is particularly useful for travel.

#7. Hand sanitizer. Cold and flu season is already well underway. Hand sanitizers are handy for guarding against seasonal bugs, especially since they’re so convenient and portable. They make a great promotional gift since they show care and concern for your clients’ and employees’ well-being.

#8. Beanie caps. When it’s frigid outside, beanie caps keep your clients’ ears and heads warm. Whether they’re out running errands or catching a football game, a tasteful logo will on the cap will be a positive reminder of your business.

#9. Fleece Jackets. These are very convenient to have when winter rolls around, as they keep the wearer toasty and comfortable even in cold weather. Fleece jackets are a great choice for both men and women, and they come in a range of styles and colors—even co-branded fleece jackets from the popular outdoors brand Columbia are available.

#10. Scarves. As soon as the season changes, you’ll see people donning scarves before heading outside. Scarves are a practical means of staying warm as well as an elegant fashion statement. As a corporate gift, they can also be an elegant reminder of your business.

Wondering if there are other promotional products that might be a good fit for a winter campaign or holiday event you have in mind? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for advice. If you could benefit from some creative and collaborative brainstorming, we’d be happy to share some recommendations. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be glad to advise you on custom branded promotional products that can represent your brand with style and grace.

Top 10 Fall Promotional Gifts

September 28, 2016 Advertisting & Marketing / Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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Fall is in full swing as of last week, and we’re beginning to notice a change in the air. Are you ready for the season? As autumn gears up, you may be wondering what promotional gifts are best for this time of year. As we’ve mentioned before on this blog, promotional products are especially popular when they are useful—and gifts that are perfectly suited to fall are more likely to be appreciated for seasons to come. With that in mind, here are the top ten fall promotional gifts that we recommend for the chilly months ahead!

Top 10 Fall Promotional Gifts:

#1 – Gloves. As the weather gets colder, your clients, staff, and business partners will soon need gloves to keep their hands toasty. A pair of smart touch gloves (for using smartphones) is a perfect fit for the approaching cold season and will no doubt be appreciated by customers or employees who are always tapping away on their mobile devices.

#2 – Beanie caps. Just like gloves, beanie caps are great to have on hand—not to mention stylish—when the temperatures drop and the wind whips up. They’ll keep your clients’ ears and head warm whether they’re out running errands in the neighborhood or enjoying a nice fall run in the park, and a tasteful logo will on the cap will be a positive reminder of your business.

#3 – Lip balm. This is a must-have in the fall. Lip balm soothes lips, prevents chapping, and often comes with SPF protection as well. It’s great for a giveaway, a trade show or conference held in a cold location, or a staff gift. It’s available in classic stick form, as part of a convenient combo with sunscreen, or in a small tin. Organic lip balm is also an option. There’s even glow-in-the-dark lip balm, which is perfect for Halloween!

#4 – Thermos® Drinkware: Mugs, Tumblers, & Bottles. As the air outside gets brisk, your customers will find themselves yearning for a sip of hot tea or cocoa to keep themselves warm. Thermos® drinkware is a classic choice for keeping a beverage hot and portable while on the go. There’s a wide variety to suit any need or lifestyle including travel mugs, tumblers, and bottles, and it makes a perfect gift to warm up for the holiday season.

#5 – Blankets. Who doesn’t love snuggling up under a warm blanket on a crisp fall night? Blankets are an ideal gift for anyone since they’re ideal for the season, useful, cozy, warm, and comforting. They might make a nice reward for your staff or a thoughtful gift for your treasured customers. Stadium blankets are perfect for the avid sports fan, fleece blankets are great for any situation, and there are even travel versions available for staying bundled up while on the road.

#6 – Flashlights. A flashlight always comes in handy and makes a great promotional gift. These days there are as many flashlights as you can think of—from heavy duty durable flashlights to petite LED keylight flashlights, USB flashlights, mobile power banks that double as flashlights, lantern flashlights, hanging flashlights, camping flashlights, and more.

#7 – Hot chocolate. Although fall is renowned for the pumpkin spice latté craze, hot chocolate isn’t far behind! This soothing, comforting drink is perfect for the cold weather ahead, and it’s great for a trade show or holiday gift. It comes as an individual bag of instant hot chocolate, in K-cup form, or as an eight-ounce bag.

#8 – Vests. Apparel is one of the most popular types of promotional products today, and with good cause—everyone needs attractive, well-made clothing. As fall approaches, vests are an especially good pick for both men and women. They’re great for an outdoor staff retreat in cold weather, for example, and they make a thoughtful gift for valued clients. Vests come in both fleece, knit, and down versions.

#9 – Stadium cups. Stadium cups come in handy for all kinds of scenarios, including holiday or staff parties and trade shows. They’re sturdy, attractive, and a great choice for branding your logo in a prominent way. People tend to hold on to drinkware that they find useful, and stadium cups will be a handy reminder of your brand every time your clients reach for them.

#10 – Hand sanitizers. As the temperatures drop, you can be sure that people are going to start getting colds. Hand sanitizers are a smart way to guard against seasonal bugs, especially since they’re so convenient and portable. They make a great promotional gift since they show care and concern for your clients’ and employees’ well-being. There are a few different varieties available, too: credit card sized hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer spray, and hand sanitizer gel.

Wondering if there are other promotional products that might be a good fit for a fall campaign or event you have in mind? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for advice. If you have an idea in mind that might benefit from some creative brainstorming, we’d be happy to share some recommendations. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be glad to advise you on custom branded promotional products that can represent your brand with style and grace.

Swag: Dorky and Uncool? Think Again!

September 21, 2016 Branding / Cool / Design / Wearables

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Ok, let’s be honest. When you think of promotional items, does the word “cool” come to mind? If the answer is no, you’re probably not alone. Promotional products were not historically seen as hip, trendy, or fashionable, but a lot has changed in recent years. Now swag, once looked at with more than a whiff of disdain, is cool. Even the meaning of the word ‘swag’ has been updated to mean something cool, a unique personal style, or something you approve of.

Not convinced that swag is in style? Here are a few recent developments in the world of branded merch that may change your mind:

Designers and fashionistas are embracing swag. Maybe it’s nostalgia or maybe it’s just a yearning for a return to the graphic design of old, but when it comes to what’s in style, everything old is new again. Designers are embracing old school graphic t-shirts, and major fashion houses are even elevating the humble embroidered patch to haute status.
Campaign swag has gone from dorky to desirable. Those of us who remember the 70s, 80s, and 90s can immediately call to mind the old school, blocky, and decidedly lame graphic design of political campaigns. You didn’t see Carter-Mondale or Reagan-Bush printed on a great fashion t-shirt, much less see the fashion elite wearing them. But now swag has gone upscale: major fashion designers have released gorgeous branded t-shirts promoting Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid. They’re so chic you almost forget they’re campaign merchandise.
Major brands offer items through promotional products sellers. Yes, swag can be covetable—especially when you have major brands like Victorinox, Lacoste, Nike, Kenneth Cole, Isaac Mizrahi, Moleskine Brookstone, MoMA, Umbra, and Alessi offering their own specially branded items through promotional products sellers. This type of co-branding is big right now, and it means your business can offer premier goods that might not have been available in the past.

The most important take-away to keep in mind is that there are more choices than ever before. Back in the day you might have just been able to offer your customers a not so hip foam can cooler (which, let’s admit it, is ironically cool these days). Now you have a wealth of options to pick from—each with its own unique style and sensibility. At the end of the day, one thing is certain: when it comes to branded and promotional items, this is not your grandparents’ swag!

Are you looking for branded promotional items to help your company stand out from the competition? There are a lot of ways branded goods can draw attention for your business. Get in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be glad to advise you on exceptional promotional products that can represent your brand with style and grace.

It’s Promotional Products Work! Week!

May 25, 2016 Advertisting & Marketing / Branding / Cool / Events & Holidays / Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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Did you know it’s Promotional Products Work! Week? It is, and we’ve been celebrating with the industry. Promotional Products Work! is an annual event dedicated to showing how powerful and effective promotional products are in promoting your business. Last week we shared 6 ways promotional products can benefit your business right here on the blog, and this week we are running special social media posts on our Twitter and Facebook profiles to highlight the many ways in which promotional products can make an impact.

So what’s Promotional Products Work! Week all about?

This yearly event is a chance to showcase how well promotional products get the word out about your business, generate customer interest, and create increased opportunities for sales. The promotional products market is booming, too: promotional products advertising is the fourth-fastest growing advertising medium, ranked right after mobile and digital. Here are a few stats that illustrate its popularity and effectiveness:

8 in 10 people own a promotional product.
1. Consumers especially like promotional products that are useful, attractive, informative, desirable, and fun.
88% of people who receive a promotional product remember the advertiser.
1. That’s incredibly powerful brand recall and a very cost-effective investment.
Promotional products create a favorable view of your company and lead to sales.
1. 59% of people who received a promotional product had a more favorable view of the company.
2. 85% of people who received a promotional product did business with the company after receiving the product.
They’re especially popular in the kitchen and workspace.
1. 91% of people keep promotional products in the kitchen.
2. 74% keep them in their work area.
3. 55% hold on to promotional products in their bedroom.
People hold on to promotional products for a long time.
1. 47% of consumers hold onto the promotional products they’ve received for a year or more.
Wearables and writing instruments are hot.
1. Wearables and apparel, including t-shirts and hats, get a 41% brand recall.
2. Writing instruments draw a 35% brand recall.
3. Drinkware is also quite popular, at 19% brand recall.
4. Sporting goods (15%) and pocket/purse items (13%) also do well.

Infographic: Promotional Products Work!

Promotional products can really make a difference for your company, creating increased grand recognition, a favorable view of your company, and new business opportunities. If you want to learn more about how promotional products can have an impact, check out this handy infographic or the Promotional Products Work! Week website for more information.

Looking for some expert guidance on which promotional products might be a good fit for your business? Get in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be glad to advise you on exceptional promotional products that can represent your brand with style and grace.

What Is Up with This New Campaign Swag?

October 9, 2015 Advertisting & Marketing / Branding / Events & Holidays / Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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If you’ve been following the 2016 U.S. Presidential elections lately, no doubt by now you’ve heard all about Donald Trump and his famous “Make America Great Again” trucker hat. The Donald’s hat has even become a meme on social media! But he’s not alone—the other candidates, both fellow GOP members and Democrats alike, have come out with some pretty unique and funny campaign swag in recent months. Hillary Clinton is selling pantsuit t-shirts, Rand Paul is selling Hillary hard drives, Marco Rubio is proffering onesies for babies, and popular humor site Funny or Die has even posted a parody imagining some of the most oddball campaign swag imaginable.

So what’s going on here? Why are politicians suddenly rolling out complete online stores full of branded promotional items that seem so specifically tailored to certain demographic groups? Although campaign swag itself is certainly nothing new—branded goodies intended for political supporters have been around since the days of John Adams—it certainly appears to have taken on a bigger role in the presidential campaign than it ever has before. You would think that the campaigns themselves would not necessarily want to be jumping full-on into the retail business, with all of the management concerns and logistics that involves. It turns out, however, that they have a very clear strategy behind the rollout of these expansive online campaign stores featuring all this quirky swag.

When you buy an item from a campaign store, it’s not actually counted as a sale of a product. Rather, your purchase of campaign swag is considered the “premium” you receive in return for your donation. This means that, by launching robust online shops, candidates can boost their volume of small donations. The Obama 2008 campaign was particularly successful in doing this. Beyond the money, however, what the campaigns are really interested in is the data that these purchases reveal about personal preferences along a variety of demographic groups.

As a recent New York Times article on campaign swag explained, “the choice of a product can reveal whether you are a beer drinker, a sports fan or what cellphone you use. It can suggest that there are a lot of joggers headquartered in a specific region of the country, indicating that a campaign may want to direct its health communications to that state; or that you really, really hate the other guy.” By identifying trends and building demographic profiles, the campaigns can better target their communications with particular groups or tap into a greater reservoir of funding they had not previously known about. Interestingly, according to the Times piece, this careful and very sophisticated segmenting of consumer data “would track very closely to what exists in a large or midsize fashion chain.”

So clearly, campaign swag is about more than the coffee cup or the t-shirt or even the money associated with those purchases. For the campaigns themselves, it’s about really knowing their customers and their preferences, designing branded products that speak to their unique identities, then using the knowledge they gain from the data that comes in to better segment and target their communications even more perfectly to the groups that they want to reach. It’s a fascinating exercise in both branding and sales, and a trend that will be worth keeping an eye on as Election Day approaches.

Are you looking for creative ideas or strategy to get your message across with an upcoming company campaign, special project, or an event that you may have on the horizon? If so, reach out to us on social media—we’re on Twitter and Facebook—or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be happy to provide expert advice on how you can achieve your branding goals.

Tip #4: Hiking and Biking

July 7, 2011 Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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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.

Warning Signs: Innovative T-Shirt Detects Pollution

January 23, 2011 Technology / Wearables

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We all remember Hypercolor clothes, right? Those tacky t-shirts everyone wore in grade school that just begged to be slapped as you walked down the hall to class. Well, grad students Sue Ngo and Nien Lam of the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University, have taken the concept to practical, and eco-friendly new heights with their “Warning Signs” sweatshirts. Emblazoned with a pair of lungs or a heart that change color when there’s air pollution in the immediate vicinity, the shirts use censor embedded technology in the fabric to detect high carbon monoxide levels in the air. What’s next? According to one report, the pair are considering a breathalyzer shirt to detect alcohol level. These designers are at the forefront of a growing field of wearable technology and e-textiles and there’s only more to come.

Not your grandparents’ ear muffs!

November 3, 2006 Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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Quick what’s the first thing that pop into your mind when you think of the word ear muff? Not pretty is it?

From the little kid playing in the snow with big fluffy earmuffs to novelty reindeer ear warmers sold at the holiday’s, when we think of ear warmers or ear muffs we don’t usually think of fashion, sports performance, and advanced technology.

Well a lot has changed since Chester Greenwood invented ear muffs back in 1873. When cold-weather sports performance company 180s introduced their behind the head ear warmers suddenly ear muffs got cool. 180s were designed with comfort and performance in mind. Their patented design easily collapses for convenient storage and with breathable polar fleece they’ll keep your ears toasty warm on those harsh winter days on the slope or or the street.

Fashionable, warm, practical, and ready to be customized with an embroidered patch of your logo, what more could you ask for in a great winter promotion or holiday corporate gift?

Get more information on custom embroidered 180s ear warmers

Custom Embroidered Cap $4.29*

April 28, 2006 Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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Spring, Summer, or Fall all you have to do is play ball… or at least wear a great ball cap.

This handsome 6 panel unstructured custom embroidered baseball cap is made of washed chino cotton and has an adjustable back with an elastic stretch for optimal comfort. Shown above in khaki this baseball cap comes in your choice of black, navy, kahki or stone.

Get your caps customized with your company logo, special event design or ask us about getting blank or screen printed baseball caps.

And don’t worry if you don’t have a design or logo, just ask us about our optional graphic design services. Our award winning designers can create a custom logo or design that sets you apart.

Custom Emboridered Caps:

$4.29* ~~8.73~~ (72 caps min.)
Size: one size, adjustable
Colors: black, kahki, navy, stone
Emboridery: includes 7,500-stich embroidery (max area 2″)

*some restrictions please inquire for deteails. sale price ends june 30, 2006.

Custom T Shirts Caps & Polos – OH MY!

April 28, 2006 Promotional Inspirations / Wearables

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Every month innovative new products and decorating techniques are introduced by factories around the world, but sometimes a classic promotional item like a t-shirt can’t be beat.

Wearables custom printed and embrodiered t-shirts, jackets, baseball caps, and polo shirts are the single most popluar promotional products category.

Often called walking billboards, wearables account for 29.5 percent of the $14.94 billion promotional products industry. Check out the Branding Ideas T-shirt & Wearables Catalo g for more information or check out our full catalog of business promotional products.