The Redbows Promotional Gifts Blog

Well my other half made it back from the Portuguese Moto GP this week and boy did it look as though he had fun. Packed with corporate merchandise and giveaways from the stalls outside the ground he walked into our office proudly waring his latest fleece. Later in the week panic set in as he noticed that the top of his ears had started to turn black and peal. He stated categorically that had he fallen when drunk there would have been far more damage. He thought the worse and we decided to let him sweat a little till we pointed out (in a giggle) that his other ear was also pealing - this modern day marvel had sunburn! Shame…Now the winner of this race was a new rookie Jorge Lorenzo and he certainly looked like someone worth watching.

Well you have just got to take your hat off to Danny Bamping of Bedlam Puzzles. We became a fan after watching him on Dragon’s Den and it is amazing to see how his company has grown since then. In a recent interview in Promotions Buyer, Bamping says that the promotional merchandise and corporate side of the business has grown to 15%. Now promotional toys and puzzles are a growing area for Redbows with sliding puzzles being a firm favourite. I guess what appeals is that they are so easy to brand, are great fun and come in at a relatively low unit costs. We have not really found anyone who has not experienced a winning formula and have seen these types of gifts used in campaigns targeting various demographics. Food for thought perhaps.

With our company mascot, Coco, never far from my feet, I still had to chuckle at the BMW advert in the Daily Telegraph on April Fool’s day. My husband is an ardent collector of these. This year’s - on a Canine Repellent Allow Protection system - was another master stroke. These adverts have been running since 2000 and are produced by their advertising agency WCRS - for a complete list of BMW ‘innovations’ click here. Off course as a Promotional Gifts Consultant I would be looking to provide something a little kinder for a pet promotion such as a our plastic pet bowls or branded dog leads.

It is really nice to see that Fairtrade has extended its reach into the realm of promotional gifts. This is a result of suppliers now actively looking for materials and sources of Fairtrade produce. The first such gifts ranges coming through are chocolate and confectionery items. As we try to take a very ethical stance in all our lives, this now gives marketing people the chance to support this worthwhile initiative. We will keep you up to date with developments in this area and our environmentally friendly gifts over the next few months as we bring more products to market.

Sheilas Wheels is probably one of the best female targeted marketing campaigns within recent years. It has all the elements of a classic promotion in being fun, focused and with a catchy little tune. Now the photo is not one of me and my Promotional Gifts Consultants team out for a jolly down the coast but it does raise to mind a factor that you should consider for any promotion - gender. Just think about corporate clothing for a second. Fleeces, t-shirts and pullovers come in a whole range of sizes, shapes, colours and patterns to suit men and women. Whatever your marketing objectives, ‘think Sheila, think Fella’ to make sure your promotion is an immediate and long term success.

Some clients are surprised to learn that we can get most of our paper products in recycled form. Sticky Notes are just one of these popular items. We have clients that can prove just how ’sticky’ these types of gifts are. Not only do sticky notes get valuable desk space for your brand but they become almost addictive because they are so very useful. We see clients repeat order these products because they are such an effective marketing tool. Sure there is sometimes a premium for recycled products but in this case we think the extra effect of ‘green’ credentials is worth the price.

In our bid to deliver the best possible customer service within the promotional gifts industry we publish articles and guides. This latest one on Solving Artwork Problems is probably one of the simplest we have ever produced. We basically went back to the drawing board with our Promotional Gifts Consultants team and brainstormed the major problems that client have with artwork. The resulting list covers 8 different areas. If you get a chance to review it please feel free to send me an email and let me know if you were left in any doubt as to how to produce the best possible artwork from which to create your branded gifts.

The promotional gifts industry is pushing hard to improve its impact on the environment. We have ECO product ranges using recycled materials and suppliers who have actively engaged in environmental management systems. I myself have come up with two simple ways that could affect the whole planet. Firstly, I think all car manufacturers should ask if you want a spare tyre when you purchase a car. I would just to love to know what percentage of vehicles actually suffer a tyre failure during their lifetime. I bet that more than 95% of spare tyres never get used and eventually are simply scrapped because the rubber has aged or the vehicle is kaput. At Redbows we actually supply promotional coasters made from recycled tyres.

My second idea concerns electronic gadgets supplied with chargers. How often do you end up with a box of redundant power supplies because you already have one – mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders are typical examples. There is a real opportunity here for manufacturers to capture some brand loyalty and make a real impact on the environment. Why not promote a generic supply (or supplies for different ratings) and offer discounts if you have a charger already ?

Congratulations to anyone taking part in Sports Relief this weekend. I take my hat off to them for finding the time not only for keep-fit but also to raise funds for this worthy cause. I introduced medical health insurance at Redbows recently and could not help feeling that it was very much a corrective rather than preventative action – as the ISO9001:2000 mantra goes. Now, what we really need is a private keep-fit instructor (that guy from the Aero adverts would do). For the moment our company mascot Coco, has this privileged role and perhaps that is just as well. Good luck anyone raising Sports Relief funds this weekend - go buy the socks.

We were expanding our IT network this week and had a very late night at the office. Around 11:00pm one of the sales lines rang with a call from an Australian-baed advertising agency. They had come across the kites in our Fun Collection (or to be precise our selection of ‘The Smallest Kites In The World’ and yes they actually do fly).

The call really brought home to me something you just don’t get from studying webstats and Google Analytics – we are dealing with real people, solving real needs, on a 24/7 global basis. Two colour print Logo Kites in Sydney within 3 weeks – no problem.