Super Bowl Schwag: The Science of Product Choice
February 8th, 2010
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their Super Bowl 44 victory! The game was a great one, but it was the promo marketer in me that couldn't help but notice the NFL's promotional product strategy as the game came to an end.
The NFL chose two specific promotional items to give to Saints players as soon as the game ended - custom hats and printed t-shirts. We see this schwag on display every year after the Super Bowl, but the product choice is definitely no accident!
First off, shirts and hats can be inexpensively made and quickly handed out to players right after the game in order to receive maximum exposure (as opposed to say, custom bobbleheads). Secondly, t-shirts and hats are the products that Saints fans are most likely to purchase and wear. By using these two top-selling, high-visibility products, the NFL got free marketing for their official gear all throughout the trophy presentation ceremony.
Simple, but extremely effective!
Side note: I can't wait to see where the first set of "Indianapolis Colts: Super Bowl Champions" shirts will leak out onto the internet.
Air Freshener: Drunk Driving Awareness
February 5th, 2010
This custom car air freshener has a good cause to match its good scent. The iconic tree-shaped air freshener was distributed in Romanian gas stations to raise awareness about the surge of drunk driving that occurs around Christmas time. This is a perfect place to imprint a warning against drunk driving - drivers can't help but see (and smell) it every time they get into their cars. The dent in the tree is a nice touch also!
Personal Soundtrack Attack
February 5th, 2010
If you're the kind of person who can't stop at just telling people about the music you listen to - whether they don't "get it," or they simply haven't heard of any names you mention and you're tired of being misunderstood - this shirt allows you to program an included ...
A Shirt Full of Bricks
February 5th, 2010
I love ThinkGeek for their unapologetically weird merchandise, but this "Brick Construction" t-shirt is a little out there even for me. The shirt comes with an attached "baseplate" on the front, to which you're supposed to add any of a number of compatible brands of blocks (Legos, K'Nex, PixelBlocks, or ...
War in Your Slurpee
February 5th, 2010
Yes, this is exactly what it looks like - 7-11 is offering limited edition plastic cups featuring God of War III artwork for their Slurpees this week, which is pretty much a gamer geek’s dream come true. There’s even a themed Slurpee for the promotion, a blackberry-lime flavor in a fetching shade of blue called “Kratos Fury.” Ok, that doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but let’s face it, neither does the word “Slurpee.” Does this make them any less addictive? Of course not. Anyway, when you buy a Slurpee in one of these promotional cups, you receive point codes that can be used toward promotional game merchandise like wallpapers, Playstation themes, videos, and in-game costumes for characters when you redeem them at Slurpee Rewards. Not a bad deal, considering how many of the sugary beverages you could end up slurping down this week…
[via Technabob]
Don’t Judge A Laptop by Its Cover
February 5th, 2010
I'm not sure if this laptop sleeve was designed for stealth purposes or just to look flat-out awesome. Most of the laptop bags I've seen have trendy and modern designs, but this "leather book" cover easily stands out. Logo laptop sleeves are becoming a popular employee gift as more workers are required to travel with their computers.
Spring Is Coming…
February 4th, 2010
...and that means it's almost company picnic time! Whatever your company does for "outings" - whether you have a company picnic, softball game, golf classic, or other outdoor event - corporate gifts are a great way to extend invitations that get noticed.
If you're holding a picnic, why not pass out branded picnic supplies to employees in advance, customized with the date and location of the event? Whether it's something small, like a blanket, or something more significant, like a picnic hamper, it adds weight to your invitation and shows that you really care about the recipient and want them to attend. By no means should employees be expected to cater the event themselves, but if they want to bring a favorite dish or two, encourage them - everyone has a specialty, and they may still be talking about those great brownies from the HR director at the next picnic!
Embarrassment First
February 4th, 2010
Fitness First, a gym in Amsterdam, had the amusing (if a bit mean-spirited) idea to shame people into working out by publicly revealing their weight. They hooked up an ad on the side of a bus shelter to the bench inside so that whenever anyone sat down while waiting for ...
Picture Frames
February 4th, 2010
Employees - especially those hardworking, dedicated individuals who spend a lot of time at the office - often don't get to see their families as much as they would prefer. Whether it's because they travel frequently, have conflicting schedules, or some other reason, work time often cuts into personal time. To reward your employees for making the sacrifices necessary to do their job well, it's important to remind them that you understand they have a life outside the office. Let them know you appreciate their work with a high quality personalized picture frame - that way, they can keep photos of family and friends on their desks and be with them in thought even if they're stuck at work.
Digital photo frames are especially popular at the moment because they allow the user to switch between a number of stored pictures without the need to physically print photos from a camera. While they are a bit pricier than standard frames, they have a high-perceived value that will let your star employees know that you truly appreciate what they bring to the company. Other employees will see the frame on the recipient's desk and understand that it is a reward for outstanding achievement, not a run-of-the-mill handout to be obtained through merely average performance.
Milk Madness
February 4th, 2010
Lately I've been seeing a lot of ads like this one placed on revolving doors. It's a good way to get the attention of commuters who are so set in their routines that changing billboards or other advertising surfaces like subway posters don't reach them - someone walking through a ...