PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS AND OBAMA

It has been about week since I returned for the annual convention of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and as promised I would report on the event. Well I actually have some real life examples to share with you on where and how effective promotional products are used.

During the Inauguration of President Obama was a great place to illustrate the value of this $19Billion a year industry. Here are just a few:

A One-of-a-kind crystal bowl from Lenox was used to commemorate the moment. Recognition is a large part of the promotional industry as so many items can be used as a keepsake and celebration reminder of the times. This is a great example. View a video story here


You may have noticed how cold it was that day, but don’t despair as everyone was kept warm with a custom embroidered blanket shown here. This is the best coverage of the day and warmed more than your heart.

Then next day the new President signed all of his documents with a custom made CROSS pen made right here in the US. This shows his signature on the timeless gift. You can watch the video of this historic moment.

There were hundreds of examples that day from hats, signs, bumper stickers, buttons and more. Remember that promotional items reach across all audiences and at almost any budget. To learn more contact me at 330-963-3664 x 2 or email me at brucefelber@felberandfelber.com.

Bruce

The "People" didn't "Ethically" treat their vegetables

So as we gear up for Super Bowl Sunday, the buzz is all about PETA - you know, the "People for Ethical Treatment of Animals" organization who last year started debuting racy magazine ads. Well I think they've outdone themselves. According to this article on clevelandleader.com you can read all about the controversy and if you really want to, you can view the commercial that will never air - at least in its current state.

For now, I don't think the People Ethically treated their vegetables.

More to come on Super Bowl, or "Commercial Bowl" Sunday as I call it.

~ Michelle Hirsh, Felber & Felber Marketing

2009 is now underway

Here we are January 14, 2009 and the year is already up an running. So where am I? I am at the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) annual Expo in Las Vegas. This event is where promotional professionals gather to foster new and creative ideas to bring to our clients. There is something for everyone from educational seminars, social networking events, accreditation training and a three day trade show.

The trade show has over 8 miles of exhibit space all dedicated to showcasing promotional products, premiums and incentives all designed to grow brand recognition and assist with communcation and public relations campaigns.

I have been formally installed as a new Director of PPAI for a four year term. Life has been non-stop since I arrived on 1-11 and I have not set foot outside the convention center yet. I can tell you the mood is upbeat and encouraging from most of the 12,000 attendees. Today I facilitated a Peer2Peer luncheon where new and creative ideas were explored.

Upon my return I will share more details.

Bruce

Happy New Year!

I want to wish all of our readers a very Happy & Prosperous 2009. It is with great anticipation that we say goodbye to 2008, especially the last few months, and hello to 2009. We have so many changes on the horizon so let us all stand together to rebuild our country and individual lives.

Best of luck in the new year.

Bruce Felber

Gotta Love Lists

Who doesn't love a list of top ten weight loss tips, best new year's resolutions and banished words... wait, what? Yes, there is a list of banished words. As public relations professionals, we can appreciate strange lists like this one: Lake Superior State University's List 2009 List of Banished Words.

In 1975, the LSSU public relations director and his colleagues started a list of words that were overused, mis-used and just not useful. Some of this year's banished words are green, maverick, bailout, Wall Street/Main Street and the first emoticon that resembles a heart: <3.

So do you agree with this list or are they missing words that should be on there?

As Merriam-Webster adds words each year, LSSU banishes them! Have a little fun and brush up on your vocabulary. Make it your New Year's Resolution to learn a new word each day!

~ Michelle, Felber & Felber Marketing

Don’t accept the doom and gloom you hear about the recession

Last week I conducted a seminar for the Industrial Round Table of the Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce. Our theme was 'We refuse to participate in the recession - how about you?' I partnered with Jim McClintock a sales training coach with The Training Center in Chagrin Falls. We both spoke about the sales and marketing process and how important that the sales and marketing departments always talk with each other. Jim presented on why the sales process is more important in tough economic times and how to get more closure while increasing value. I spoke on the need to keep your marketing efforts strong and ways marketing can assist and create new and better sales leads. The industrial manufacturing sector of the economy is still strong especially in the B to B arena. The reaction from participants echoed this thought as well.


Here is a comment I received after the presentation:

Bruce,

Thanks for the presentation you and Jim made at the Industrial Roundtable last week. The information presented gave me a different perspective on the recession. It's easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom of the recession but the idea that we shouldn't accept that attitude and instead continue to make sales calls made sense. I also thought the idea that we had to be prepared for a longer sales process made sense. I think we sometimes get discouraged if the sales don't close in the amount of time to which we are accustomed. But I know I deliberate more when I spend any money now. The direct marketing campaigns were also very interesting. With the sales environment becoming more competitive we do have to find a way to stand out from the crowd. The examples you showed did exactly that for your customers. The typical marketing materials that have been used in the past won't accomplish that. All-in-all the presentation gave me a new perspective on how to approach the recession and survive.

I also enjoyed the discussion afterwards about other topics that would be helpful to the industrial companies. I think the group came up with some good ideas. It also made me realize that we're all facing the same issues. I'm looking forward to future roundtables.

Thanks,

Joe Snee
HR Generalist
Deluxe Corporation

My advice for 2009 is to not look back at 2008, but keep forging ahead for the future is waiting for those who will grab those opportunities.

Happy and more prosperous New Year.

Bruce Felber

McDonalds vs Burger King

So we all have our favorites. Kind of like Pepsi or Coke, right? I just saw a fun, clever commercial for "The World's Purest Taste Test" by Burger King. Basically BK's Thailand commercial is about how BK traveled to a place where the word "burger" doesn't exist, documented which burger people liked better - Whopper vs. Big Mac and then the commercial drives you to www.whoppervirgins.com!

Tonight, the world will find out which burger won the taste test. Now we know who will win because otherwise why would BK air the spot if the Big Mac was the best?

This TV spot is sparking a lot of controversy from people who think this was insensitive by exploiting people. By clicking that link you can also view the other Burger King commercials.

What do you think?? Leave your comments here.


~Michelle Hirsh, Felber & Felber Marketing

Advertising in Tough Economic Times

Hello AIM readers.

Continuing from my last entry regarding advertising in slow economic times I came across an interesting article and a study. (Reference Advertising in Tough Economic Times By Pete Michuda (EZine Articles.com)

How to market in tough times? Take advantage of the opportunity! Economic downturns are Darwinian events in the marketplace. The weak perish and the strong and agile survive, even thrive. During downturns, some companies disappear or are swallowed up by rivals. Others emerge stronger than ever. There are basic principles which apply during all downturns. How those principles are dealt with determine which companies will eat and which ones will be eaten.

What's a marketer to do? Cut prices? Ask Detroit how rebates worked for them. When sales stalled, the three American car companies flooded the market with so many off-price deals that nobody would buy Detroit again without a big rebate or a 0% financing offer. Cut product quality or service? Remember Schlitz? Just thirty years ago The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous was America's second-best-selling brew. Someone decided to trim costs by switching to high-temperature fermentation. Customers wouldn't notice, right? Wrong. Six years later the company was out of business. Cut advertising? When Netflix began making serious inroads into Blockbuster's customer base in 2005, Blockbuster cut its $154.2 million advertising budget to $44.7 million. No surprise that Netflix grew from 4.2 million subscribers then to 7.1 million now. How'd the ad cut work for Blockbuster? In 2007, they closed 500 stores and saw a $33.4 million profit turn into a $125 million loss through the third quarter.

The Opportunity? Absolutely! Advertisers should go all out in the media that produce quantifiable results, especially since their messages will be more prominent as competitors reduce spending. No matter how deep the recession is or how long it lasts, it's the perfect opportunity to become aggressive and grab market share as competitors scale back their marketing efforts.

An aggressive approach will pay some dividends early but down-the-road rewards are even greater. Companies that gain share during downturns historically keep that increased share when the economy bounces back. Each share point gained during the recession is worth incrementally more as the market eventually recovers.

A McGraw-Hill study showed that four years after a downturn, companies that maintained or increased marketing communications during the economic slowdown typically experienced 14 times more growth than companies that cut back. As far as today's overall gloomy consumer confidence, there is one thing that is emerging. Even though consumers are cutting back, they're not doing so entirely. Consumers are finding ways to maintain their quality of life.

Even in a time of belt-tightening, Americans are demonstrating a strong reluctance to give up on everyday pleasures. According to CNNMoney.com on 7/15/2008, many are leaving the car in the garage and staying home. A whopping 50% of Americans plan to buy an HDTV in the next year.

Also, despite the expense, consumers are refusing to give up entirely on vacationing. Even in these tough times, 59% of Americans plan to take a trip of 100+ miles in the next six months. To grapple with fuel costs, they just plan on closer-to-home trips: Epcot instead of Europe.

Pete Michuda is a Certified Radio Marketing Consultant and Certified Professional Commercial Copywriter working in the Chicago market radio industry. He's successfully worked with many small to mid-sized businesses by helping them learn how to properly market their companies and how to realize a positive net return on their marketing investment. He can be contacted via e-mail at pmichuda@nextmediachicago.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Michuda


Bruce