Chef's Choice
Are you a master of the microwave, or do you delight in creating culinary masterpieces in a professional-grade Viking kitchen? You don't have to cook like Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray or Giada De Laurentiis to enjoy gourmet kitchen and household products. Whether your joy of cooking comes from simple flavors or complex gastronomical experimentations, having the right tools is key. And for advertisers that tap into this need for the right tools, you can find a recipe for success with the tips below.
Understand the Effectiveness
Why do kitchen and household items make such effective promotional products? "Everyone has a kitchen, and the kitchen tends to be the 'nerve center' of the home, where everyone comes to gather," said Nathan Baine, e-marketing manager for The Magnet Group, Washington, Mo. "Because of their usefulness, kitchen and household items tend to have a universal appeal to a mass audience."
Dan Norris, president of Starline Inc., Grand Island, N.Y., added two more reasons kitchen and household products are successful brand builders. "First, people use these products daily or weekly in the kitchen or around the house. Items such as knife blocks, BBQ sets or cutting boards are often on display with the logo prominently showcased—providing that long-lasting impression advertisers desire," he explained. "Second, some kitchen and household promotional products can be considered 'premium' products—entertaining accessories such as cheese boards, serving trays or wine accessories, for example—ones that people may not necessarily buy for themselves due to cost or because the items are only used once or twice a year. But people love receiving them as gifts."
Standing Out
Kitchen and household products can give you options when clients are looking for something out of the ordinary. "Kitchen and household items are outside of the traditional items most people think of in terms of 'promotional,'" said Shannon Colamarino, senior category manager at Leed's, New Kensington, Pa. "However, they can be some of the most impactful promotional products as they carry a wide variety of applications and price points."
Since 1998, Lisa Horn, CAS, (a.k.a. The Publicity Gal) has been reporting on the issues that matter most to the promotional products industry. Currently, she writes about brand safety and responsible sourcing on behalf of Quality Certification Alliance (QCA). Reach her at lisa@lisakhorn.com.





