Archive for November, 2010

While some companies make use of creative promotional items to develop their brand name, others rely solely on their product to promote itself. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream is a prime example of this. The Vermont-based ice cream company was started by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield back in 1978. Right from the start, the now ice cream moguls knew they wanted to do something different. Established competitors like Haagen-Daz and Dreyer’s had already perfected the standard flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Ben & Jerry’s immediately recognized that the right decision was to create original flavors.

From this perspective, the duo was able to develop a unique brand based on several principles that other ice cream companies did not have. The most important aspect of the Ben & Jerry’s brand is its sense of humor. Ben & Jerry’s clearly does not take itself too seriously, and that is a very refreshing quality for consumers to be presented with when surfing the aisles of the supermarket. Their goofiness can be witnessed in everything from the names of their flavors, to the attitude of the co-founders themselves.

Ben and Jerry show off two of their many original flavors of ice cream

The naming of their ice cream flavors is another crucial aspect of the Ben & Jerry’s brand. While another company would call their chocolate flavor “Chocolate”, Ben & Jerry’s adds some extra toppings to it and calls it “New York Super Fudge Chunk”. Sure, the ice cream itself is absolutely delicious but which name sounds more appealing – chocolate or New York Super Fudge Chunk? It was a no-brainer for Ben & Jerry’s, and this is part of the reason why their product promotes itself.

Just look at the packaging of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s too. Pictured below is a pint of the flavor, “Phish Food”. This flavor was created along with the legendary rock band Phish with the proceeds going to the Lake Champlain Initiative in Vermont. That front of the container has the Ben & Jerry’s logo (notice the fun, light-hearted font that is used) as well as a picture of a cow grazing in a pasture (you need cows to make ice cream). Below, is the flavor name “Phish Food” in a nifty and original font, as well as a graphic of all the add-ons that you will find mixed in with the ice cream itself. The container is anything but boring, and it maintains the entertaining positioning of the Ben & Jerry’s brand that was previously discussed.

Finally, Ben & Jerry’s was an eco-friendly company was before the concept of “going green” began. Of course, the environmental consciousness of the company has helped them generate even more respect in today’s market, but that’s not why they did it. Ben & Jerry’s started as an environmentally-responsible company because it was the right thing to do; no “green washing” necessary. That genuine quality of caring is what allowed consumers to have respect for Ben & Jerry’s in the first place.

The end of the year is a very special time in the promotional products industry. The holiday season gives way to a ton of theme promotions which are distributed throughout the country. Most importantly, companies use promotional items during the end of the year to show appreciation for both their clients and employees. That is why promotional gifts have become the most popular item during the holidays.

There are a ton of different promotional gifts that are used by businesses, each with different function and appeal. Take the corporate holiday cards for instance. These cards are mailed out by companies to clients around Christmas time to express gratitude for their continued business. The holiday cards feature some visually-pleasing images of the winter snow or Christmas decorations, and are meant to put the recipient in the holiday spirit. The cards also include a choice of various verses imprinted on the inside that make the item much personalized. As an added bonus, a large variety of holiday cards include a music CD with songs that the recipient can listen to at the company party or in the comfort of their own home.Another of the most well-liked promotional gifts to send your customers is promotional gift baskets. The practice of sending these gift baskets has been established in business for many years, and clients have come to expect them during the holiday season. The most successful holiday promotions are the ones that exceed the expectations of people in your customer base. In order to take full advantage here, you want to dazzle your customers with the presentation to start. Take a look at this Maple Ridge Farms Home-Style Cookie & Brownie Basket as a good example. Note the rustic-looking wicker basket that the goods are packaged in. They are also wrapped in a satin ribbon. Of course, the treats look so mouth-watering that you can taste them just by the picture. Finally, companies often try to show their clients how much they care by getting as personal as possible. This type of promotional may not relate to the holiday season, but is designed to show customers that they are each receiving individual care. The best personalized gifts are often corporate in nature, and can be used by any business person on a daily basis. This will help remind the recipient of where they received the item, and develop a positive association with your company. Check out this zipper desk planner for a good example.

So, now that you know what the most popular promotional items are during the holiday season you can use this information to capitalize for your business. Follow along as we update the hottest promotional products throughout the entirety of the year.