Promotions That Really Make Sense
May 2008
THERE’S NO OTHER industry that appeals to and satisfies the five senses quite like the promotional products industry. If a treat is needed
to sweeten a business deal, there is no shortage of companies offering up the right confections. If a tune is required to spread good will, a selection of suppliers can be found on the playlist. The five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell battle for equal airtime in an industry that’s all about getting customers’ names out there. Following, industry suppliers offering products representa-tive of each sensory category share their take on why their items are the most “sense-ible” promotional choice.
With sight-based promotional products— particularly lighted ones—it’s the “wow factor” that makes them ideal for marketing and branding, according to Laura Bayless, marketing director at Buztronics, Indianapolis. All of the company’s products incorporate L.E.D.’s in some way to “enhance the appearance through the extra pop of light,” Bayless said.
So, what makes lighted products so desirable as a promotional or branding medium? Linda Gillette, Buztronics’ ASI sales manager, swears by
the products’ unforgettable nature. “Look around at products in the market and tell me the name on a mug or pen you used last; but I will bet you can remember the name on the light-up plastic ware you received from your last trip to the Rainforest Cafe,” she challenged.
“Lighted products naturally catch the eye, drawing extra attention to the item, and to the branding that is imprinted on the item,” added
Bayless. And like Gillette, she said the products lend themselves well to memory retention. “People tend to remember the light-up items
and company or person they received them from more often than a standard, non-lit item,” she affirmed.
Both Bayless and Gillette agreed the items are most useful for trade shows to generate booth traffic and at events that involve low-lighting, such as parties, wedding receptions, night clubs, concerts and ball games.
LOUD AND CLEAR
They say music is a universal language, and by default, it has reached the promotional products industry. In 1986, Joel Schaffer, president/owner of Sound Line, Randolph, N.J., launched Downtime Broadcasting Co., the forerunner of today’s Sound Line, which produced an audiocassette magazine titled Specialty Tracks. “It ...featured two announcers reading educational materials on how to sell and how [promotional products] are made,” Schaffer explained. Although the magazine was initially created as a benefit for distributors, who could listen to the pre-recorded messages from a Walkman or while traveling in a car, Downtime Broadcasting Co. eventually began producing custom audio magazines for major businesses, such as Duracell. “It was a very early incantation of podcasting,” Schaffer said.
to sweeten a business deal, there is no shortage of companies offering up the right confections. If a tune is required to spread good will, a selection of suppliers can be found on the playlist. The five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell battle for equal airtime in an industry that’s all about getting customers’ names out there. Following, industry suppliers offering products representa-tive of each sensory category share their take on why their items are the most “sense-ible” promotional choice.
With sight-based promotional products— particularly lighted ones—it’s the “wow factor” that makes them ideal for marketing and branding, according to Laura Bayless, marketing director at Buztronics, Indianapolis. All of the company’s products incorporate L.E.D.’s in some way to “enhance the appearance through the extra pop of light,” Bayless said.
So, what makes lighted products so desirable as a promotional or branding medium? Linda Gillette, Buztronics’ ASI sales manager, swears by
the products’ unforgettable nature. “Look around at products in the market and tell me the name on a mug or pen you used last; but I will bet you can remember the name on the light-up plastic ware you received from your last trip to the Rainforest Cafe,” she challenged.
“Lighted products naturally catch the eye, drawing extra attention to the item, and to the branding that is imprinted on the item,” added
Bayless. And like Gillette, she said the products lend themselves well to memory retention. “People tend to remember the light-up items
and company or person they received them from more often than a standard, non-lit item,” she affirmed.
Both Bayless and Gillette agreed the items are most useful for trade shows to generate booth traffic and at events that involve low-lighting, such as parties, wedding receptions, night clubs, concerts and ball games.
LOUD AND CLEAR
They say music is a universal language, and by default, it has reached the promotional products industry. In 1986, Joel Schaffer, president/owner of Sound Line, Randolph, N.J., launched Downtime Broadcasting Co., the forerunner of today’s Sound Line, which produced an audiocassette magazine titled Specialty Tracks. “It ...featured two announcers reading educational materials on how to sell and how [promotional products] are made,” Schaffer explained. Although the magazine was initially created as a benefit for distributors, who could listen to the pre-recorded messages from a Walkman or while traveling in a car, Downtime Broadcasting Co. eventually began producing custom audio magazines for major businesses, such as Duracell. “It was a very early incantation of podcasting,” Schaffer said.
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