Promote Healthy Choices with a Cut-it Board

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture has officially released the new dietary guidelines for Americans. What was once a complicated pyramid is now a single plate that clearly displays the percentages and types of food Americans should be consuming at each meal. And, half of the plate is filled with veggies and fruits, a call for parents to start chopping on their Cut-it Board™.

In a recent study, researchers from Ohio State University found that only 22% of children ages 2 to 5 were eating the daily-recommended servings for veggies. Even more startling, is the way children were meeting those recommendations. About one third of that 22% were eating fried potato chips, french fries, and juices; hardly what the USDA had in mind.

When you take a look at the “MyPlate,” the name of the new dietary guide as shown above, half of the plate is filled with natural fruits and veggies. To get the kids, and even adults, to consume the proper amount of raw fruits and veggies, a colorful Cut-it Board™ and other fun gadgets could help! Colorful and kid safe gadgets, personalized products, and involving your kids in the cooking process will help them befriend those brussels sprouts.

By incorporating fun promotional products, like the Cut-it Board™, and involving your children in the cooking process, you are teaching them how to be responsible and proactive about their health!

Let Your Brand Shine in the Sun With Custom Beach Towels

Looking for a great summer promotional giveaway? Then consider purchasing custom beach towels! These items can be fully customized to feature your company name and logo to make sure you are getting the maximum brand visibility at the beach, the pool, the park and wherever your recipients take them.

Any company a part of any industry can use custom beach towels as part of a summertime, beach-themed marketing campaign. And they lend a lot of advertising potential because they can be used by practically anyone – males and females, young and old. There are tons of different towels to choose from too in different colors and styles to fit any purchaser's marketing needs and promotional marketing budget.

Promotional Puzzles: A Great Giveaway All Year Round

Promotional puzzles are a fun and innovative item that recipients can use all year round. From mind trap 3D puzzles to bamboo brain buster games, these great giveaways are an engaging and entertaining way to appeal to your target audience. Not only do promotional puzzles boast the benefit of a universal appeal but they also provide the opportunity for you to challenge recipients with an item that communicates the unique and creative approach of your organization. Plus, here's one situation where an increased level of difficulty bodes well for your brand. The longer it takes to successfully complete the puzzle, the more time recipients will spend focusing on your marketing message!

101 Reasons to Give Away Promotional Sunscreen

Okay, maybe 101 reasons why promotional sunscreen makes a fantastic branded giveaway would be excessive, but I can, however, highlight a few of the most important reasons.

• Sunscreen is expensive! A small bottle of sunscreen at the drugstore can cost upwards of $7, with premium brands running as high as $15+. For those of us who burn easily, a week at the beach may require more than a few bottles of SPF30, so recipients will definitely appreciate the sentiment when you provide them with sunscreen bottles imprinted with your logo.
• Sunburns are not only painful, but they can also cause lasting skin damage and even skin cancer. Your brand’s consideration for their health will resonate in their minds, reinforcing strong business relationships and future collaboration.
• Global warming continues to worsen, making humans more susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays. Show that your organization is mindful of environmental conditions by combining promotional sunscreen with educational collateral.
• Lastly, giving away promotional sunscreen sends a message to your target audience that you want them to have fun in the sun, while being conscious of their safety. As recipients lather on sunscreen, your prominently imprinted marketing message will remind them of your company’s thoughtfulness and generosity.

Look Cool and Stay Safe with Rubberized Custom Sunglasses

School is almost out and summer is almost here, which means that the days are getting longer and hotter every week. Kids will be spending a lot of time outdoors, but that doesn't have to mean that they'll be in danger from the sun's powerful rays – at least, not with rubberized custom sunglasses.

Rubberized custom sunglasses come in a variety of popular styles and colors, making them a hot item among kids and adults alike.

If your brand wants to target cool kids this summer, consider adding your logo to a pair of rubberized custom sunglasses to make a big impression with a little budget.

Royal Wedding Promotional Gift Baskets, a Perfect Party Favor

All around the world people are celebrating the marriage of His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, by throwing themed viewing parties.

With all the craze around this royal event, it is no surprise that businesses have created a multitude of Kate and William branded beverages, mugs, snacks, dolls, promotional gift baskets, and the list continues.

So, if you happen to be one of the many fans who plans to throw a royal wedding viewing party later today, you can make this day even more special by handing out royal wedding promotional gift baskets full of commemorative products. For those short on time below are some speedy and simple ideas that will make your party, like the royal wedding itself, a memorable event!

- Although the Will and Kate greeting card and teabag promotional tea is quite "cheeky," you can always throw in traditional English black tea instead.

- Make sure to grab some mini "bangers," an english term for sausage, from your local grocery store. And, if you're looking to recreate one of the couple's favorite meals, you can whip up some "toad in the hole," where sausage and batter are baked together and topped with onion gravy!

With a royal wedding promotional gift basket customized with traditional favorites, your guests will feel like they are sitting front row at the royal affair!

photo courtesy of: biscuiteers

Promotional Coolers Make a Great Summer Giveaway

Success of a promotional item is not only measured by its aesthetic appeal, but also by how useful the product appears to potential recipients.

With summer just around the corner, more people are opting to spend time outdoors, which makes promotional coolers an outstanding choice to help with your companies marketing efforts.

Whether recipients are headed to the park, pool or a local festival, the rolling collapsible cooler's spacious, fully insulated interior provides a convenient way to bring along all their food necessities. And, no matter whether they choose to carry or wheel their promotional cooler, they are bound to enhance your brand visibility and help you successfully meet your marketing needs.

Celebrate Spring with Non Woven Bags

Regardless of your industry, correlating your promotions with the season is an effective marketing strategy for all organizations. When compared to other marketing techniques, timely promotions generally yield the greatest return on investment. With spring quickly approaching, now is a great time to consider branding your company with non woven bags - items that encourage recipients to be active while simultaneously encouraging sustainability. Recipients can carry blankets, water bottle, and sports gear in their non woven bags as they head to the park, or use their reusable bags instead of plastic shopping bags at the store. No matter how they choose to use these functional and Eco-friendly items, they will increase your brand's visibility every time people see them carrying it around town.

Shade Yourself From the Sun With Custom Hats

It is officially Spring in the northern hemisphere and along with April showers and May flowers come longer days as the season progresses and additional hours of sunlight. While many may revel in the thought of extra hours of exposure to the sun, it is still important to have proper protection from its powerful rays – and custom hats can serve as shields for the skin. They can also, of course, serve as advertising tools for your brand when you customize them with your company's name and logo. Companies should consider offering custom hats as gifts to employees for their annual company picnic, or use them as giveaways to market their business at outdoor events. And because custom hats are fashionable accessories, in addition to sun protection, they don't have to be limited to promoting dermatology companies!

Have fun in the sun with custom flip flops

Spring is here, which means that summer is on the horizon! If you're like me and you've already packed up your sweaters and filled your dresser with the promotional tank tops and custom flip flops that were hidden away for far too long. In fact, my custom flip flops are far and away the best part of my wardrobe, because they're the only piece of apparel I own with a bottle opener built right in. Because in the summertime, nothing tastes better than an ice-cold bottle of... Coca-Cola, of course.

Whether you're planning a beach vacation, a weekend getaway, or just a day at the park, make sure you plan to wear or bring along your custom flip flops. They're lightweight, comfortable, and won't interfere with your tan (which is the most important characteristic I look for in anything I wear when the sun is bright!)

Promotional Workwear: A Crucial Element of Construction Marketing

I live on a construction site. Well, not really; but my choice to live in a “live-work-play” development means that my apartment building is surrounded on 3 sides by construction. Luckily, my unit overlooks the pool and I have yet to hear any noise caused by the heavy machinery. This morning when I left for work, I couldn’t help but notice all of the promotional signage featuring the name and logo of the construction company handling the development. In addition to the enormous posters plastered around the site, the workers themselves are outfitted in promotional workwear to ensure their safety while on site. From reflective vests to imprinted hardhats, these men certainly promote the name of their employer as they tackle their daily responsibilities! Passersby can’t help but recall the name of the company associated with the project, so investing in gear for these workers is definitely a worthwhile decision.

Get Festive for St. Patty's Day with Custom Disposable Cups

St. Patrick's Day is one of those holidays were the more themed or green promotional products the better! As a veteran Savannah St. Patty's Day Parade attendee, I have to emphasize the importance of having custom disposable cups while celebrating in the square. This handy promotional item is the perfect accessory for your green beverage or tailgating snack.

If you plan to attend one of the many festivals, host your own gathering, or bring a gift to the host, everyone will appreciate their own personal St. Patty's themed custom disposable cups. Not only are they an affordable gift, especially for large parties, but you have the freedom to get creative with your personal logo or phrase. Promotional products such as these add those special details that really make a celebration memorable and one of a kind!
Top o' the mornin' to ya!

Stay Trendy With Promotional Sunglasses

Promotional products, from drinkware to apparel, tend to follow the trends of the retail industry, as the merchandise offered in this arena are generally the styles of items that are popular to consumers. Therefore, retail-inspired promotional items are more likely to be kept, and used, by recipients, offering greater advertising opportunities for the businesses that distribute them. Additionally, showing that one's company is in tune to the trends of their target consumers can help to craft a more positive perception of one's brand, especially those that want to project themselves as being current and 'trendy.'

The most recent items to appear in the promotional products industry with a trendy makeover are promotional sunglasses. Promotional sunglasses are now available in styles such as the aviator and the wayfarer, two classic styles first made popular by retail producer Ray-Ban back in the 1980s that have each experienced a resurgence in recent years. Businesses can customize these sunglasses with their company name and logo on the temples or corner of the lens for great advertising potential.

The 16 oz. Spirit Promotional Tumbler: a Great Reusable Gift

I've noticed lately that many coffee shops, delicatessens and local watering holes are encouraging customers to return to their establishments by offering discounts on refills when they purchase a reusable promotional drinkware item. This promotion not only increases the amount of return business a location receives, but also spreads brand awareness and promotes environmentally friendly behavior.

Businesses can increase the success rate of such a promotion by choosing drinkware that customers will love to purchase and carry with them wherever they go. The 16 oz. Spirit Promotional Tumbler is a great example of a fun product that will likely help retailers achieve a high ROI and drive customer loyalty.

It may look like a plastic cup, but the 16 oz. Spirit Promotional Tumbler is made of durable acrylic and can be refilled again and again with your favorite beverage. With a large imprint area and several attractive colors to choose from, this item is a popular choice for small businesses and franchises alike looking to boost return visits and brand visibility.

Unique Promotional Products that Change Your Life

Last week, the marketing crew carpooled to Cobb Galleria for the GAPPP trade show. As we met with vendors and looked at all the unique promotional products for 2011, one in particular caught my eye.

While at the Gemline booth, their salesman gave a great pitch on a new product via his iPad. Although iPads themselves are wonderful, what really intrigued me was the iPad Bluetooth Case he was using as a display. As he flipped open the cover and sturdily adjusted the case to the perfect viewing angle, I realized this promotional product was the perfect presentation, trade show, everyday product.

This unique promotional product's many features makes it possible to transport and use your iPad all day, every day, for any purpose. Whether you're giving an interactive video presentation or just taking notes via the wireless bluetooth keyboard, it can be done effortlessly through this functional product.

It has been hard enough to restrain from buying an iPad, but I think the iPad bluetooth case may have just pushed me over the edge!

Gym-worthy Custom Sports Bottles

Now that my gym no longer has a complimentary water cooler, I have been testing out a variety of custom sports bottles in attempts to identify which one is the most “gym-friendly.” So what makes a water bottle suitable for toting to a workout facility? Is it a particular shape or size that makes a piece of drinkware conducive to exercising? How important is the drinking mechanism in determining “gym-friendly” sports bottles?

In my opinion, there are several key factors for consideration when evaluating a sports bottles’ aptitude for enhancing a gym trip:
1) How durable is the bottle? I know that when I move around the gym using assorted machines and equipment, I tend to tote my water bottle around as I go, and I am not always careful about where and how I set it down. Sports bottles that are resilient to scratches and wear and tear are best suited for an athletic environment and will serve you well over the long-run as you hydrate yourself on-the-go.
2) How much liquid can a bottle comfortably hold? Is it too big, so as to become unwieldy, or does it not hold enough water to quench my thirst? Personally, I prefer larger bottles, but compact compartments in exercise equipment are not made to accommodate bottles larger than a certain size.
3) What about insulation? Does the sports bottle keep my beverage at the optimal drinking temperature? Nothing is worse than lukewarm water after a strenuous workout!
4) Last, but not least, how easy is it to sip from the sports bottle? Does it require me to stop what I am doing for a water break, or can I efficiently drink from it without spilling on myself or my equipment while I continue exercising?

Drinkware comes in an endless array of styles, so consider your desired end users and their lifestyles when determining what custom sports bottle to incorporate into your marketing efforts.

Trade Show Items That Help You Stand Out From the Crowd

No matter what industry you're in, chances are good that you've been to, been invited to, or heard about a trade show related to what you do. Trade shows are a great opportunity to establish your brand and share ideas among your peers as well as your current and potential customers, but it is important to make sure that visitors to your booth come away with the right message. You want them to remember you, and the best way to ensure that they do so is through the use of trade show items.

Trade show items should represent the value that your brand holds for the visitors who receive them. They should be memorable gifts that recipients will keep and show off. Some popular trade show items that we love are USB drives, unique pens, and reusable bags – all of these are useful objects that recipients can use both on the trade show floor and as they go about their day-to-day life, creating an impression that lasts long after you've packed up your booth and left the venue.

What Do your Company T-Shirts Say About You?

Everyone's heard the old adage, "you are what you eat." But in today's age, are you what you wear? Valerie Andrews, at the Loyola School of Mass Communications, mulled over this question in an interesting blog post earlier this morning. After being mistaken for a Texan, thanks to her "Keep Austin Weird" t-shirt, she was surprised by how many people identify others based on their apparel.

Here in the promotional products industry, we know that t-shirts are like billboards, but with an added advantage of providing a personal endorsement; however, as Andrews discusses, rarely do people consider themselves a form of advertisement when they put on a t-shirt. And that's why company t-shirts are a cost-efficient and functional means of promoting a brand. Through her post, Andrews enforces why it is necessary to put a lot of thought into your giveaways and select company t-shirts that are intriguing and eye-catching while still consistent with your brand guidelines. So, the next time you buy branded apparel, be sure to think about the message that you want to communicate.

A Promotional Flashlight Saves the Day

This morning, there was an unusual occurrence in the Pinnacle Promotion's office that inspired me to write about a very handy promotional product…promotional flashlights!

Just as Pinnacle's hard working employees were settling in to their normal routines- e-mailing, making calls, and more, the power in the entire facility went out. Helplessly we all cautiously (because it was dark) convened, awaiting for the power to restart. And there we sat waiting…until out of the darkness came a glimmer of light.

It grew brighter and brighter until we realized our COO, Dave had come to save the day with one of our promotional flashlight samples. With the bright light guiding him through the many switches and wires, our fearless leader had us back and running in no time. The moral of this story…for safety and efficiency every office should have promotional flashlights. You never know when the lights will go!

Promotional Ice Scrapers to the Rescue!

Last week, Atlanta, Georgia saw up to 6 inches of snow accumulation that left the city in a state of emergency with roads coated in sheets of ice, grocery store aisles scarcely stocked and schools closed for a full week. And it left me, with a newfound appreciation for promotional ice scrapers. As a citizen of the state of Georgia for almost twenty years now – nine of which where I had reached the legal driving age – I have experienced very few occasions that necessitated the use of promotional ice scrapers, but this past week certainly was one. Thanks to a dear friend, I was able to make use of the Ice Scraper Hand Mitten – a 4 ½ inch heavy duty ice scraper blade connected to a mitten to keep your hands warm and dry – it did and they were.

Get Out Your Promotional Radios, Here Comes Ted Williams

Ted Williams, a homeless man from Ohio, made national headlines last week after The Columbus Dispatch broke news of his "golden" voice. Within a matter of a week, Williams went from living on the street to something of a pop culture icon, making appearances on the Today Show and CBS' Early Show, to name a few. He also lent his voice to a Kraft Mac & Cheese ad, which aired Sunday night, and was offered an announcer position with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former radio host hopes to return to the airwaves soon, so tune in on your promotional radios and listen to the voice that propelled Williams to fame.