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Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 14:20:36 +0000

Promotional Items

Except for the carrier bags that Chippy and I use to carry groceries in, I think that generally the promotional 'item' or 'gift' usually sucks. Agreed? Mine usually go directly into the trash <i>AT</i> the conference.

Unfortunately, due to some unusual circumstances, I need to help my department spend a chunk of change in the next _two weeks_. I thought I might be able to pre-buy a promotional item for the event I'll be hosting for work in November to celebrate an old, dead, famous lady. I need some ideas, ASAP.

We've already done note cards, post cards, and mugs. Has anyone gotten a decent promotional item that they liked in the recent past?
Posted by Epoisses on 2007-06-13 14:24:39 +0000
You can never have enough water bottles or travel coffee mugs.

I've never seen promotional pocket protectors.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:25:52 +0000
As you may or not already know, this is kind of what I do. And the perfect solution often doesn't exist. But... depending upon your delegates (gift/crap recipients) it is possible to find some creative solutions. How many people are we talking about? 50? 150? 500? 1500? And what is your connection to these people (what do they have in common)?
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 14:26:15 +0000
not this:

<img src="http://www.successfulpromotions.com/media/images/prodimgs/4150000/4156603.jpg">
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:31:24 +0000
A couple of generic ideas off the top of my head (all are do-able for a large group, depending on your budget):
Hemp carrier bags
Decent wine with "personalised" labels
Nicely bound blank books
Well-made small umbrellas

Edited to add: obviously you'd slap a logo and the name of the party/shindig on the thing
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:33:32 +0000
Oh, and you could have professional-looking DVDs or CDs with related material on it and a snazzy professionally-printed cover, but that's a bit boring.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:36:15 +0000
Sorry - another "off the top of my head" thing - if the dear deceased lady had any particular quirks or hobbies, that could lead to a somewhat unusual but rather effective "tribute" gift. Like if she always wore a particular item of clothing or if she was a great lover of a particular style of cooking.
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 14:38:16 +0000
These ideas are great. Did you get my email? I sent it to the address that has a word in it that kind of sounds like Elian Gonzalez.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:41:30 +0000
I just got it now. :o)

Good thing I'm a psycho who checks her work e-mail from home at 9:20pm on a Wednesday!
Posted by tendiamonds on 2007-06-13 14:41:39 +0000
I've been telling The Pants about how we need to get to a conference to stock up on chip clips.
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 14:42:40 +0000
hahahahahaha!
Posted by Miriam on 2007-06-13 14:42:59 +0000
What about some kind of medical item: stethescope, thermometer, scrubs. Or, a bobble-head of the lady, tote bags are always nice (and can be filled with event materials), leather memo holders (to fit a legal pad, pen, etc.).
Posted by Miriam on 2007-06-13 14:43:34 +0000
When I got to my first job in Nashville, my desk drawer was filled with those!
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:50:39 +0000
OK, I responded. Hopefully that's helpful. Cool project! Please just let me know if you want to brainstorm more - I love this stuff.
Posted by tendiamonds on 2007-06-13 14:50:45 +0000
Dildos!
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:56:45 +0000
The leather memo holder is a great option too - love that!

As for the stethoscope, how cool would it be if the event requires name badges and the delegates would get name badges clipped to (obviously just for costume purposes) stethoscopes?!
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 14:58:29 +0000
More appropriate for a party honoring a deceased gentleman, I think.
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 15:09:15 +0000
Your email was fantastic. I'm leaning toward the carrier bags...
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 15:10:45 +0000
Hemp? It's the new tote. :o)

PS - I am aware of a certain European conference which is going with hemp carrier bags this year...
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 15:16:56 +0000
Do they even have them in the US? It must be controlled in some way-- none of the companies I looked at had them. But they did have these:

<img src="http://www.rushking.com/images2/T/image/T-0008_item.jpg">

which SHOULD be illegal.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 15:20:20 +0000
We rarely source our "non-traditional" gifts from normal corporate-gift companies. You're probably looking at a "natural products" company who does logo-embossing as one of their added services...

Lemme have a look...
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 15:21:29 +0000
<a href="http://www.grassrootsnaturalgoods.com">These guys seem to do it</a>.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 15:27:26 +0000
Oh, but their selection isn't good. Hang on...
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 15:38:52 +0000
Wow, culture shock. The only hemp bags I can find available on American websites come with gigantic pot leaves on them. Weird.

Sorry, G - but jute is another environmentally friendly option! See <a href="http://www.epromos.com/products/jute.html">this</a> site.
Posted by G lib on 2007-06-13 16:16:40 +0000
<i>gigantic pot leaves</i>
I'm sure the old ladies I work with would appreciate that!

Then again...
Posted by pamsterdam on 2007-06-13 16:31:00 +0000
...there are the glaucoma-fighting properties!
Posted by Epoisses on 2007-06-14 03:29:41 +0000
Wadsworth: Fighting glaucoma since 1997!
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