Today is a bittersweet day for me as it marks the two-year anniversary since the day I graduated from college at Emory University. A few vivid memories stand out in my mind from that day – one of which involves a promotional product:
A view inside Highland Cigar Company.
This weekend I ventured to Highland Cigar Company in Atlanta’s Inman Park Village and must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience at a so-called “cigar bar.” Though not a cigar aficionado by any means, I almost felt like one as I lounged against the warm leather sofas lining the room, while sipping a glass of twenty-year old port, and puffing my bourbon-vanilla flavored cigar.
Upon doing so I joined the statistic that about 11% of Americans aged 18 to 25 had smoked a cigar within the last month (compared to the average of 5% from all ages) – data that may allow one to infer that cigar accessories as corporate gifts or other means of branded merchandise can be well received by young professionals, as well as the old.
taken by Jared Leto on the stage at the Tabernacle
Last night, I attended a 30 Seconds to Mars concert at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, Georgia. While I do not attend nearly the amount of concerts as I used to, I’m still a sucker for a great band, live music and the energy that emanates from the audience at a rock show.
While we had a great time listening to the music we love, I – being in the promotional products industry – couldn’t help but be attracted to the marketing and branding efforts going on throughout the entire event.
Independent shops, theaters, bars and restaurants depend largely on their fans to spread brand awareness through word of mouth. Since they don’t have the big budgets to fund traditional advertising, they mostly limit their merchandise to promotional stickers or buttons that sit at the cash register.
These special release 7-inches were just the beginning of promotional merchandise on Record Store Day.
Promotional products were out in full force last weekend for Record Store Day.
Keep reading about smart sponsorships at Atlanta’s Record Store Day.
Last night I had the pleasure of viewing Rosemary’s Baby at the Plaza Theater here in Atlanta. I had never before seen Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic, and Splatter Cinema sufficiently hyped the movie beforehand with “authentic recreations of some of the most graphic scenes of the film” right in the theater lobby. Anybody know where I can find the picture of me posed with a bloody babydoll next to a cloaked man wielding a knife? Thanks.
The lobby also held a table of branded t-shirts, coozies, and handmade horrific handbags. This kind of branded merch and other advertising products for non-profits have a dual effect: both spreading awareness about the brand and raising money to support the organization.
Having been born and bred in Georgia, I am no stranger to the distinctive green and yellow logo featured on John Deere promotional products. Okay, so I grew up in the metro Atlanta area, where farmland is sparse and suburban residents have no need for heavy duty John Deere agricultural equipment to manicure their manageable front yards… Nevertheless, I had peers who would not leave home without their trademark John Deere trucker hats. I always knew that the brand had a longstanding, loyal following in the Southeast, but during my teen years, I viewed it as more of a trend- wearing John Deere paraphernalia made people my age appear “rugged” and “outdoorsy”. Looking back, I wonder if even half of the John Deere-clad teenagers I knew had ever stood within 3 feet of an actual tractor!
An article on BrandFreak.com discusses John Deere’s current campaign, called “What Will You Create.” It features actual customers who have accomplished amazing agricultural feats using John Deere equipment. For example, take Larry Carlson, a New Yorker who transformed a 5 acre potato field into a Tuscan-inspired panorama of gardens and mazes using tractors made by- you guessed it- John Deere. Keep reading…
True story.
Wednesday night my parents came over to our new house to cook dinner for my husband and me. I know. Super sweet, huh?!
So we enjoy a delicious meal of home cooked Mexican fare. Beans, flour tortillas, spicy cheese dip. Yum. My Dad’s a pretty amazing cook :) .
So we shoot the breeze, discuss all that’s transpired over the last, oh, two days since we’ve seen each other. Then I begin my homeowner’s duty of cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.
So picture this. And trust me – time is now moving in slow motion.
I’m standing between the fridge and sink. My Dad shouts “heads up” and pitches a zippered bag full of diced onions across the kitchen to me so that I can stick them in the fridge. So I, with quite unparalleled talents, reach one hand up and seamlessly catch the small baggy in one hand.
Then it all goes terribly wrong.
The plastic baggy does not live up to its tried and tested zippered-action power. The bag opens and tiny bits of diced onion fly freely across the kitchen floor. (I actually don’t think I could EVER get that kind of floor coverage again!)
Being that these are onion pieces strewn about. I had to swing into action to get the smelly mess cleaned up quickly! So in two bounds I was in the laundry room and retrieved my broom. I swiftly gathered the onion bits into a large (I really don’t know how all of those onions fit into such a small bag to begin with!) pungent pile in the middle of the kitchen.
(Now at this time, I bet you’re wondering to your self: “Self. What in the world does this crazy girl’s story about flying onions have to do with promotional products – or at the very least – marketing?” Well trust me. You are about to have all of your perfectly legitimate questions answered.)
After perfecting the pile – which even required some minor sweeping of the carpet in the living room adjacent to the kitchen as well (those suckers can fly!) I went back to the laundry room. Put up my broom. And grabbed my…
wait for it…
promotional dustpan and broom.
Yes friends: my promotional dustpan and broom. It’s a small blue pan with a brush, complete with bright orange bristles and pink and orange flowers. The lovely promotional product was given to me by my husband’s grandfather (I think it was a little too on the girly side for him!) after a non-profit organization sent it to him.
And the moral of my story? Well it’s twofold:
1. Promotional products are everywhere. Even in your laundry room.
2. Never. I repeat. NEVER toss a zippered bag of onions. You don’t want to clean that up!
During a trip to New York City this weekend, I learned that Jaime could not be more right about the value of the traditional promotional business card magnet. I was in the Big Apple visiting my college roommate, Amanda, and on my first night in town we ran into a group of girls that we were friends with in school but with whom we had since lost touch completely. Now, Manhattan holds the title of the largest city in the United States (based on population) and if I had to guess, I’d say the city is home to the most bars and restaurants too. With such an assortment of options, what are the odds of randomly encountering old friends at a restaurant? The chances are a lot smaller than one would think, when taking the company’s effective use of promotional products into account.
Consider this scenario: Amanda was excited for my visit and, since our love of food has always been something over which we bond, she was looking for a fun, new restaurant to try. She narrowed down the various locales (she picked the slightly edgy Meatpacking District), but still seemed overwhelmed by the number of choices. After reading restaurant reviews online and coming up empty-handed, she needed a break and walked into the kitchen for a refreshing glass of water. And it was there, on the freezer, that she discovered the answer. Amanda’s roommate had enjoyed the fine fare of a French restaurant in Meatpacking District the previous month and had subsequently brought home the restaurant’s promotional business card magnet. As a personal recommendation from another foodie speaks highly about a restaurant, we decided to try to the French café.
The cuisine was delightful and so was the atmosphere, especially because we spotted our 
former friends as soon we walked into the quaint little restaurant. After the hugging and giggling subsided, I asked them how they picked the place. Their reply: “a business card magnet, of course!”
One of my favorite things to do in Atlanta is attend the festivals and shows that come to town in the spring and summer. From art events, such as the Inman Park Festival, to music festivals, like Corndogorama where up-and-coming bands can be showcased (and of course – a corn dog eating contest!), I love getting out of the house and walking through these festivals. Regardless of the event, I enjoy the good food, great music, artistic talent and festivities that come along with these festivals.
Secretly, I also love checking out the promo items companies are giving away!
My friends tease me when I look at the bottom of a mug or the tag in a bag and recognize the product, but I also enjoy seeing what products people go crazy over. Whether recipients appreciate the brand – a popular beer or alcohol drink, an insurance company, or a small publication or radio station – or the item itself, it’s fun to see the products in action and to see people’s response to the items first hand.
I’ve seen everything from cardboard speakers to coconut shot glasses and retro slap-bracelets to full-size custom camping tents and sleeping bags (those were incredibly hot with everyone trying to win the items!) Recently, I attended a festival and actually stood in line to win a promotional item an airline was giving away; the item was so timely that I just couldn’t resist. It was a rainy day and a company was distributing nylon, water-resistant cowboy hats – perfect for people that forgot an umbrella.
I’m actually working on a project for a customer now where I’ve attended the event for the last three years. I have seen the items this customer gives away, as well as items from the other sponsors of the event. I am able to put my experience to good use while brainstorming unique items that I know people attending the event will love.
I think it’s official: I’m a promo-junkie and I love it.
Avett Brothers enjoying Corndogorama in Atlanta: