Thursday 27 September 2012

Special Idea - Tandem Umbrella

You think that umbrellas are boring because they all look the same and have no special design?
Then we can show you an example of how to make them surely unique and interesting!



This umbrella is a great promotional idea, especially for Valentines Day. Every couple will be excited to receive such a unique umbrella as a gift with purchase. This is especially so if your company gives special offers for couples. You should really consider this promotional item for your campaign.

Not only during Valentines, offering this product as a gift with purchase can be a way to gain new customers (perhaps couples) for your company. Additionally you can brand your company logo on it to facilitate free advertising.

All in all, this umbrella is unique and may be a great selling point for your company.



Monday 24 September 2012

What is the Canton Fair?


The Canton Fair is held every 6 months in Guangzhou, China.   It is an enormous trade show where you can buy anything - a paper clip to a bus at the same venue....

Read on and you will understand just why this show is so important to those in the Promotional Products & Gifts industry.

Hosts : Ministry of Commerce, P.R.C.Guangdong Provincial GovernmentOrganizer :  China Foreign Trade Center

Exhibition Venue for Canton fair.Area A, B, C, Pazhou Complex, China Import and Export Fair, No.380 Yuejiangzhong Road, Guangzhou, China (Total Area 1,115,000 square meters)

When is the Canton Fair?     Dates for October 2012.Phase1: October 15-19, 2012,
Phase2: October 23-27, 2012,
Phase3: November 1-5, 2012
Phase 1: 
Electronics & Household Electrical Appliances, Lighting Equipment, Vehicles & Spare Parts, Machinery, Hardware & Tools, Building Materials, Chemical Products
Phase 2: 
Consumer Goods, Gifts, Home Decorations,native products
Phase 3: 
Textiles & Garments, Shoes, Office Supplies, Cases & Bags and Recreation Products, Medicines, Medical Devices and Health Products, Food

The China Import and Export Fair (or Purchase Meeting) was established in 1957 and has been honored as the best exhibition in Asia and the second worldwide. It is an international trade meeting of the highest level in China with a history over more than 50 years and covers a considerable range of product types. The customer throughputs and turnover of the meeting are both most valuable in China. The meeting is held twice a year, in both the spring and the fall.

In the 111th Canton fair (i.e. the last autumn 2011 fair), the cumulative purchasers from 210 countries and regions has reached 209,175, with growth of 1% from the 110th, 4.97% from the 109th, a record. The 104 of the latest world retail top 250 enterprises in 2011 participated, with growth of 23.8% from the last fair.  

The old buyers reached 138,579, up 2.9%. The overseas and domestic buyers reached 38,600, up 4.5% from the last year. The export contract volume reached $37.9 billion, with the growth of 3% from the 109th.
At such diffficult times in the world economy, the whole world has more expectations on the Canton Fair, and more and more enterprises hope to promote exchange and share oppoutunities on this platform.

However, the market entering criteria of the meeting is also very high due to the high level of the contents. A company needs to have its export sales no less than five million dollars to earn a stand in the exhibition. This condition results in a situation such that the stands of the state-owned companies may not be fully exploited, while other companies may not be able to get even a stand.

The preparation work for 2012 Autumn session is already on its way and all the companies interested in participation are most warmly welcomed to contact us if you need help for translation or other assistance! 

Find out about invitation letters and China visas well in advance.


Check out some informative blogs we wrote about Canton Fairs:
Don't forget to visit the HK Mega show on 20th of October.   

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Top 5 Trends in Promotional Marketing

In the promotional gifts industry, there are two distinct strands of ordering – firstly, the staple products and methods, utilising classics such as printed pens and mugs and, secondly, the trends and ‘crazes’. The latter often originate from fashions outside the promotional industry, which then filter down and become applied to promotional gifts. Being current and on-trend can be of very clear benefit to promotional gifts, making them more noticeable and sought-after. Not only can the product itself fit into the category of ‘on-trend’, but so too can the marketing approach and the personalisation.

The current top five identifiable trends in the promotions industry are as follows:

1. Social Media
Social media can be leveraged in many ways - from adding social addresses to promotional gifts - to generating online image shares. The former is not such a new technique and is currently being applied by many businesses; however, increasing social shares requires a bit more thought.
One approach is to incentivise customers to ‘share’ images of your branded merchandise through the use of competitions. Visitors to your Facebook page, for example, could be sent a t-shirt printed with your logo; then asked to upload a picture of them wearing the tee. The funniest/most creative/stylish photo wins a prize – and you benefit from all the social interactions.

2. Aurasma
Aurasma is generally considered the cooler cousin of QR codes (small digital barcodes), which have been a popular addition to promotional products.
Not only cooler, Aurasma is far more technologically advanced. It works by allowing marketers to embed audio or video content to physical objects, which can then be viewed using the Aurasma browser (a free app that can be downloaded onto smartphones or tablets). The user simply points their smartphone or tablet towards the object and the rich media content plays.
The implications for promotional products are significant since it is possible to bring marketing messages to life and engage on a much more human level.

3. Technology Products
Any promotional gifts which are technology based have a high perceived value, and as such as more likely to be used and kept. Indeed, a recent report by the BPMA confirmed that USB’s are considered the gift most appreciated by recipients.
Using the latest gadgets or technological advances to display your branding will increase the perception of your business as modern, up to date, and professional. From microfibre screen wipes and touchscreen gloves, to smartphone/tablet holders and cases, there is definitely a hi-tech option for all budgets.
  
4. Health and sports related promotions.
Perhaps a little predictable, but with such a huge emphasis on sport for 2012, a whole year of promotions have been inspired! Whilst the main sporting focus of 2012 is now ending, the hype is still very much alive, and other sporting events will of course play out during the year. This has inspired a huge increase in promotional gifts such as sports bottles, pedometers and a sudden but vast upturn in frisbees.

5. Colour
Every year, PANTONE Inc determines the trend colours for the season, the results of which quickly infiltrate into everyday life. Many promotional products can be printed with a pantone match, in addition to a stock range of colours, making it possible to tie in company colours with the latest hot trends. The up and coming colours for autumn are based on a contrast between neutrals such as rose smoke and titanium, and vivid hues such as tangerine orange and bright chartreuse. For any business looking to make 

Lorna Walkden is part of the marketing team at Ellenell, a promotional products company based in London.  

Contact your local Promotional Products Specialist for more trends.

Monday 17 September 2012

Royal Unibrew Summer Promo Gift

The Danish company Royal Unibrew has held weekly competitions on their Facebook page, with some awesome promotional gifts, throughout the whole summer period.

Here you can see some of them, which vary from key hangers, t-shirts, bags, phone covers, and many other cool gifts.  The theme of the marketing campaign is We Own the Summer. Get 1 step closer to owning the summer when using these cool promo items.

What themes have worked well for your company when planning Promotional Products Marketing Campaigns?




Friday 14 September 2012

Promotional Product - branded blanket

Thinking of a promotional product that is cost-effective and easy to produce? Then why not have a look at this branded blanket!   Manufactured in client colours, a rich embroidery or print is possible to provide nice prints, messages or designs.
Promotional Product - branded blanket
This promotional item is worth considering due to several reasons.First of all, it could be a free advertising tool for your company.   Furthermore, blankets are cheap in production,  have low production cost, which means that companies can afford to produce in large quantity and cater to a wide range of customers.

Additionally, a blanket is a promotional gift that is suitable for all branches, from food industries and ending with oil companies. 

Monday 10 September 2012

Promotional Idea - Shark-Shaped Tea Infuser

Another great promotional idea for tea companies!A funny shark-shaped tea infuser, which is a great solution for on-pack promotions or promotional giveaways.




All you have to do is to put your tea in the bottom compartment, fix the rubber fin-shaped top back on and let the Sharky swim around the cup. It releases the full flavour of your tea in a clever, funny manner. For best horror effects, use with a red coloured tea, such as Redbush (rooibos) and use a glass teacup.If you want to add some bite to your tea gifts, then put a Sharky Tea Infuser into your basket! The effect of the tea infusing into the water from the shark appears both beautiful and exciting.

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Plush Toy - Promotional Product

If you have not noticed, plush toy is another common promotional product used by many companies. This is especially useful for companies with brand mascots.




Plush toys are well-liked among young children. It is often used as a gift with purchase promotional gift to complement an expensive toy. Plush is a versatile item and can be fully customized in terms of size, material, etc…
For instance, it can be customized as a mobile phone accessory and function as a screen cleaner.
As seen in the picture above, the company brand name can be printed on the cloth of a plush toy.

Alternatively, one can also choose to brand the label or tag on the plush. This will help to boost brand awareness and strengthen brand recognition…


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