Toy Stories

PEOPLE TAKE THEIR playtime seriously. Just ask an employee to work a few hours unpaid overtime, a child to do a few chores or an editor to write over a weekend, and see how cranky they get. It stands to reason, then, that if you're in the business of promotional toys, you better be able to give something that people are going to accept into the precious few moments of free time. With that in mind, below are nine of the more interesting, unique or just plain fun toy promotions out there.

Crazy Aaron's Putty World's Sunburst Thinking Putty

Putty that shifts from orange to yellow via the heat from your hands. The putty can be packaged in small, medium or large tins, each with customized sticker imprints.

Why It's Great: Besides being highly malleable and colorful, the putty is also clean and odorless. Its tactile properties are so great, in fact, that Aaron Muderick, CEO and inventor for Crazy Aaron's Puttyworld, Narberth, Pa., said the putty can help children with sensory processing disorders, like autism or ADHD.

A Fun Way To Play: Muderick cited recruitment fairs as one of the places putty excels. "Millipore Inc., a life-sciences company, generated a 300 percent higher response rate with Thinking Putty than with previous gifts of T-shirts, high-end pens or other desk toys," he said. (866) 578-2845

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Aakron Rule's 91⁄4" Heavy-duty Flyer

A flying disc with a little more muscle, the Heavy-duty Flyer weighs in at 110 grams and has a matte finish that helps avoid scratching. Its weight is by no means leaden, but the 110-gram size will help the disc fly farther for adults, while still allowing young children to play.

Why It's Great: One of the most popular and recognizable toys out there, it's hard to imagine why it wouldn't be great. Denise Morgan, marketing director for Akron, New York-based Aakron Rule, also pointed to the item's longevity and how easily it crosses age brackets.