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While value may imply lower cost, to add value means the recipient finds worth. When clients are looking for a low-cost item that consistently delivers in VALUE- a pen is a perfect fit! Why? Well, let's start with 89% of consumers own a branded writing instrument and 20% have more than one branded pen! More stat's here. It's National Ballpoint Pen Day and pens deliver great value! Besides delivering on utility, frequency of use, and low cost a pen can add more value when positioned with your brand values. How? Today I opened a box featuring new trends, one item was an antimicrobial pen that has tremendous value for your brand message. Do you have a full-color logo? Check - imprint can be in full color! Challenging logo or lots of messaging to include? Check - the imprint area is generous! Are you interested in a greater good? Check - The manufacturing partner is committed to the environment and making a social impact through numerous products in their line. Would you like to add a layer of protection to recipients? Check - the plastic is made with antimicrobial additive in the manufacturing process which remains for the life of the pen, neutralizes 99% of active bacteria, and reduces odor. What's the difference in antibacterial and antimicrobial? Antibacterial kills bacteria only, antimicrobial kills bacteria plus other microorganisms that can cause human illnesses. Read more here. Besides, the pen writes well, looks sharp, and until August 31 has a special price and FREE SET UP! Take a look at all the special in our red box, here. Let's add value to your marketing message by working together to layer in products that fit your message and distribution needs. Smart partnerships are always the WRITE choice!

Social media has made our eyes tired- it takes something unique to stand out from the crowd. How can you grab consumer attention? Simple, the power of touch. Our industry is full of new product ideas and a bit like an episode of Love It or List It- are these products right for you? 1. All-in-One Home Office Essentials For those that must have organization is this desk organizer & charger right for you? Love it or Leave it? 2. Added Protection Germs, forget about them with antimicrobial products like this mouse-pad provide a print-rich surface for your brand story. Add calendars or favorite take out numbers, even a QR code to a video or online ordering system. An antimicrobial preservative is incorporated into the fabric of the mouse pad to protect the surface by suppressing the growth of bacteria, fungi, and dust mites. How do antimicrobial products work? Love it or leave it? 3. Fanny Packs are Back! Yep, from fashion runways to influencers’ Instagrams, there’s no denying fanny packs they are back. Why? Modern waist packs like this Koozie brand Fanny Pack holds 3 cans of your favorite beverage and keeps them chilled. Plus, the front zippered pocket holds other essentials while keeping your hands free, is great for solo hikes or dog walks, and serves as a personal cooler. Love it or leave it? 4. Awesome Augmented Reality DIY projects are at an all-time high, put a twist on the classic calendar and you have 365 days or 52 weeks to consider your next big project! The DIY Projects Calendar includes 12 DIY videos using the Pixaction 2.0 app so you can watch it, do it and make it! Keep your brand in front of customers for a whole year with the unique (and useful) augmented reality via Pixaction 2.0 technology. Love it or leave it? 5. Packable Apparel Taking a trip may just feel like a dream right now, but for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers, packable garments like the Champion® Packable Jacket are always must-haves. This all-weather outerwear conveniently folds into a hidden front zipper pocket for easy storage that also takes up less room in a pack. Plus the lightweight polyester micro-poplin on this best-seller is water- and wind-resistant. A great spring-time promo for unpredictable weather that gets your brand out there with every errand. Love it or leave it? Which of these products would you love to have left in your hand to use?

Bruno Mars might sing about running off to a chapel for an impulsive wedding, but most couples, okay brides, plan out weddings down to the last detail. You might not think of us as a wedding partner but we've done our fair share of wedding items over the years. What exactly can we help you get for your special day? Toasting Glasses Engagement Gifts Bridal Party Gifts Announcements and Save the Dates Koozies Shot glasses and other accessories for bachelor and bachelorette weekends Reception favors & so much more! We have some great ideas to make your special day one to remember. With the ability to visit our showroom and see products before you buy, you can have one less thing to worry about during your planning process!

Let's start with Gen Z, a generation that is quickly becoming the face and the influential decision-maker for purchases. Global Management Firm Kearney estimates that by 2026 Gen Z will become the largest consumer population, representing 82 million consumers. Right now, $150 billion in buying power is in the hands of Gen Z consumers, according to McKinney, a US Management & Consulting Firm. This generation grew up with digital access and they want transparency, efficiency, and free shipping. Who is Gen Z? It's individuals that were born between 1996 and 2010 and they've just started to enter the workforce. Take a look at these facts: According to Facebook, 68% of Gen Z expects brands to contribute to society. Searching for the positive impact, according to McKinney’s research, 90% expect a company to address environmental and social issues. Words like sustainable, reusable, and recycled are part of Gen Z’s identity. 48% of Gen Z wants inclusion for brand choices, not gender-specific so the trend back towards unisex styles is expected to rise. What and how are they buying? While this generation has limited buying power, they do hold influence over what their family buys. When it comes to what types of items they are buying, 66% want high-quality items (Institute of Business Management). Ensure your campaigns showcase the value of what you're offering them. Entice new consumers by offering them a coupon or discount with their first purchase. This seems like common sense, why is this important for Gen Z? Well, 65% want to get the most for their money and see the value in coupons, discounts (Institute of Business Management). However, be careful with how you present them with information, 67% find online ads disruptive. What else do you need to know? Gen Zers tend to want instant gratification over traditional loyalty programs. This is also true for any platform they interact with your brand - website, app, phone call, etc. they aren't known for their patience. (Vision Critical) Gen Zers want tangible experiences, face-to-face interactions, and social media-worthy opportunities. This generation expects brand interactions to be meaningful. 53% choose brands who understand them as an individual and as such, expect to connect on a more personal level. Purely digital interactions are cold to them, Gen Zers want tangible experiences, face-to-face interactions, and social media-worthy opportunities. (Vision Critical)

You've probably heard by now that you can change your wallpaper behind you on electronic meeting platforms to show some personality, but what about what you are wearing? I am not referring to the pants we can't see, instead, I am referring to what we can see- your collar. Video meetings have become the new norm. Team meetings, doctor visits, and client appointments have all gone virtual, and as the moratorium on in-person events continues, the need for brand visibility in the virtual world is at its peak. One way to achieve this: high-impact branding on your team's apparel. One of our favorite partners for giving your brand a boost with decoration options is our partner at Trimark, part of our PCNA family. Choosing a highly visible imprint location puts your logo front and center, where everyone can see it. It also gives your team a professional and cohesive look for the camera. A traditional left chest logo may be cut off by the camera, but imprinting your logo somewhere higher up will attract more attention. Market research shows it takes between five and seven impressions to be remembered. Collar and shoulder imprints generate more impressions and are more likely to be seen on video calls. Trimark offers these unique locations standard, so there's no added cost for that extra visibility. Learn more with our white paper here. Another critical element in creating brand visibility? The decoration. We recommend a high-impact method for a bold and modern look. We love the eye-catching HXD method, shown here because it can be customized with metallic, texture, or backgrounds to help bring your logo to life. Need more reasons to try this method? Check your monthly newsletter - we have a special offer right now just because you are one of our partners!

Harnessing a horse is not about dominance, it's about controlling the outcome of your relationship through cues and mutual respect. Social media is about relationships- what you project and what others perceive. Rather than waiting for a letter to arrive with photos, electronic communication has allowed us to instantly share our thoughts and imagery. However, unlike written word, where letters evolve into love or chapters turn into a complete story, the ability to share instantly is often spur of the moment rather than an organized plan. Your social media efforts should reflect you - your company's values, services, and personality. If there is more than one employee, your posts reflect not only you but those around you. Establishing a set of guidelines is an important step. Just like developing a brand guide, there should be a standard for tone & appearance for a cohesive story to your followers. This way, no matter when they join your digital conversation, your brand has a clever message. Where do you start? When we begin crafting a social media brand guide we start by examining your company's graphic guide. After establishing how your graphics will be adapted into social media posts, it's time to explore key areas before developing content. For example, which platforms are right for your story? How much time do you have to allocate or do you need help with not only the graphics but the content & management? It's also important to set an expectation around the frequency of content to be posted. If consistency and time management is a challenge, you might consider using a management tool, such as Hootsuite. If sharing stories does not come naturally, content prompts from popular platforms such as LinkedIn & Facebook can be a life-saver. Since we are immersed in the world of touch- branding; when we are partnering with you to craft your social media, we always suggest inserting national dates & cause-related campaigns that make sense for your company story. Followers will find you authentic when your brand stays on point. Savvy consumers know when a message seems forced, copied, or unauthentic. Still not sure where to start? No worries, we have 3 quick start documents around creating a content calendar, managing your social media and content generation. Collaboration and planning will determine your success. Current clients need only ask for these complimentary guides and new clients will receive as part of our new partner branding package.

Brand consistency can easily fall by the wayside, some brands have multiple people pushing out marketing material which means potential for tone and voice to vary. The result? the strength of your brand can take a hit. Staying consistent in all marketing efforts means your customers will be able to easily recognize your brand without the need for excessive branding. How can you ensure you're maintaining brand consistency? Define your mission & vision. Who are you? What is the goal of your brand? Why was it created? What's your vibe? How do you communicate, what do you believe in, what lines won't you cross? If you know the answers to these questions, use them to guide you in the choices you make for your brand. If you know them, make sure your audience does too. Individuals like supporting brands that align with their values. Build brand ambassadors from the inside out. If your employees don't know what makes you tick, they can't articulate that to others and they can't adhere to guidelines. Similarly, if your employees don't believe in what you offer and don't trust you, how can you expect your customers to believe in you. Having employees as brand ambassadors reassures customers who interact with them that your brand is ethical and worth it. Reward those employees with company-branded swag they'll want to wear and use outside of the office! Walks like a duck, must be a duck. Make sure what you say about yourself, reflects your actions, and crosses over all your communication channels. No matter where your audience interacts with your brand, you want them to be able to recognize you! Be social. Show your personality on social media platforms, but be selective. Pick platforms that fit your brand rules- back to #2; your vibe. Don't take on more channels that you have time to support. Remember, it's better to be good on a few platforms than bad on all platforms. Have a manager. While it might be a team of people or departments, have one person that controls the overall look and tone; don't let folks go rouge, even if they are the owner. Now that you know how to create a consistent brand message, let's see how you can tell your brand story!

Every generation has ideas that plant roots into our culture, but in 2020, media has become less about syndicated control and more about individual access. Social media influencers are making recommendations and endorsements that are driving consumers to brands. Are there local personalities that you want to become an influencer for your brand? Smaller companies rely heavily on social media to increase brand awareness and grow their audience. Hubspot defines micro-influencers as "well known" individuals who work or specialize in a particular vertical and regularly share a lot of social content about their interests. How can you get others talking and thinking about your brand message? Your ability to cross your story over from a digital platform to another medium simply lies in the power of physical touch. Tangible advertising delivers unforgettable results, in fact, 88% of people remember the advertiser on a promotional product. If your imprinted ceramic mug includes a client testimonial or a motivational suggestion that your loyal fans associate with you then you've increased the reach and influence as they engage with their morning coffee break. Was your company voted a great place to work? A wordle that captures the comments by employees could be made into an image for a tee shirt to wear from work to leisure, or your laptop bag helps both you and the environment, or maybe the coaster that greets them each morning at their workstation has a fun graphic showing what your company values are. People keep promotional products. 82% say they own one and 47% say they have kept them for over a year. Employees are staying connected and engaged with the message of your awesome company culture. By engaging your senses, tangible products are an incredibly powerful marketing tool, interacting with consumers at a sensory level creates an experience that makes them memorable. Retro items like buttons and patches are trending right now, but did you realize that George Washington used commemorative buttons back in 1789 when elected president? Learn more about the history of PPAI and promotional marketing here. * Research comes from PPAI- Promotional Products Association International

We love sublimated products! Why? The options are only limited by your imagination- vibrant colors, repeating patterns, photographs, and signatures can all be captured on fabric, vinyl and metal. How does it work? On fabric, the process requires printing the art on special transfer papers, then using heat to move the ink from the paper to the fabric. In the process, the heat allows the ink to turn from a solid to a gas and penetrate the fabric for a permanent bond. Not only is the result stunning to the eye, but it's soft to the touch and easy care! It's no wonder it's one of our favorite decoration processes. Craft your own message on a hoodie. Similarly, a traditional plaque is elevated by sublimation applied to the surface, allowing a mixed media effect that combines etching with full color the wow factor. How can sublimation solve challenges? A trade show and office basic is the lanyard. Share a message of unity with sublimation by displaying a repeating logo on one side, with a tagline or value statement on the second side. Does your conference have a broad range of attendees, employees and speakers? Sublimation makes it easy for us to use the same graphic format but change out the color of each lanyard. Make a statement at your next event. Instead of a boring tent, create a game, photo wall, interactive selfie space or create an education center with maps and photos by adding a backwall with sublimation. Make each side different! Welcome visitors to your business with an image that captures your services or hang around the office or home for years with mouse pads and jar openers. No matter your reason to create branded products, whether awareness, identification, fundraising, education or consumer loyalty- sublimated products offer vibrancy for your brand.

Overcoming obstacles, rising to challenges, and adapting to circumstances are all phrases associated with demonstrating resiliency. One's emotional strength is tested in a crisis and there is no doubt that stories are abundant for individuals going above & beyond to solve challenges and forge ahead. Today I'd like to acknowledge our industry partners. We value the relationships we've formed over the past 13 years. Some industry partners we see with frequency through shows or visits, while others are so far away, it's only through phone calls & emails that we have become friends. Yet, we share jokes and personal stories that connect us as individuals. A client recently summed up the past 8 weeks as a "dumpster fire" of chaos. The 4th quarter of our industry is always a fire & fury for pace and volume in the production queue- it's an expectation to meet demand. However, no one saw COVID coming. Within days, many of our partners were deemed essential, pivoting to provide PPE products such as masks, barriers, signage, touchless tools and antimicrobial products. Electronic flyers were suddenly replaced by videos and zoom calls. Reduced staff in production facilities were still producing orders around social distancing and safety guidelines. Stock and supply chains relied on communication and quick action to make necessary changes- it was an amazing transformation. Despite the challenges and changes, we all took the time to hit pause in the chaos. Orders were important to livelihoods, but relationships were even more valuable. We needed to connect, to stop and share jokes, uplift spirits and ask about our families & communities. I've heard it said that friends are the family you choose and it's true. Our industry is a huge family- with our own culture & "inside jokes". John Evelyn once said, "Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world." We are delighted to have such great friends in our industry, responding to challenges every day to help us be the best partner we can be for our clients.

June is National Safety Month. Planning & training help prevent accidents, which extends to planning a successful safety incentive program. Reward employee behavior with branded gifts! I know what you're thinking, well you sell branded products so of course, you would suggest branded gifts. However, Scott Geller, Ph.D., a safety incentives expert at Virginia Tech points out, "People will say they want cash, but it isn't special enough. Safety awards should be a symbol and a remembrance." That is why more companies are turning to useful, high-perceived-value items as safety incentives. When items are branded with safety campaign messages and used daily, products shape behavior, drive awareness and make a significant impact on the bottom line. Creating a culture of safety. Creating a culture relies on personal engagement and buy into goals. Employee recognition and goals go hand in hand. What type of program should you create? Think beyond your grandfather’s program awarding a watch. Sure, there are some amazing watches, from name brands to tech watches that track your health. While individuals still like knowing their personal efforts matter, modern programs are focused on team-building, rewarding shared goals, creating camaraderie, and of course eliminating accidents! A well-trained team knows the rules to keep them safe, but a cohesive team adheres to protocols because they feel part of the company's reputation. Back in December, we offered some simple ways to engage employees. Recognition can take many forms. Your social media is a simple way to share achievement, like safety compliance, while personalizing your company to consumers. What are some additional ways to share the culture of your company? Installing a recognition wall will captivate visitors. Using milestone markers from stickers on hard hats to awards on the desk should dot your company's landscape; whether your workplace is on a ladder or behind a desk. Besides, acknowledging years of service speak to a culture that makes people want to stay! Actions speak louder than words! In developing a program, it's important we collaborate about the budget, frequency, and model that will work the best for your company. Our team is an expert in comparing options and outlining platform advantages. We will ask questions about when and how you gather, to design a program that works around a virtual gathering or in house meetings. For example, modern redemption programs around an eCommerce store are popular with remote workers or a national brand, because products ship directly to the recipient. Ready for some safety incentive inspiration? Add logos and safety slogans to brands like Carhartt or other quality name brands for out in the field. The key to safety is in your hands- ready to plan?

One thing is for certain, COVID-19 has increased the number of people headed outdoors. Whether its a bike ride or a walk in the park, the great outdoors are a great solution for social distancing activities. According to a survey by CivicScience: 43% of those surveyed will be doing more outdoor activities 15% said they planned to do more hiking 11% said they will be going to the park more Some of our outdoor must-haves with our partners at PCNA are: A place to sit. This hammock is ideal. It has a 500-lb capacity, tree-friendly and it weighs under 2-lbs making it perfect for those day hikes! Wet grass? No problem. Nothing is worse than planning a picnic and not having a dry place to sit. We love the fact that this picnic blanket has PEVA backing and foam padding to keep us dry. Bye Bugs. It's all about being prepared for the elements. This wellness travel kit is perfect for a day at the park or a hike in the mountains. Not to mention, it has hand sanitizer! Follow the beat. We are all about the music here in the office. It's no surprise that we love our wireless speakers. This one is waterproof and doubles as a wireless power bank! Stay cool. Nothing is worse than a warm drink in the heat of the summer! We love the look of this cooler, the large insulated compartment is big enough to pack everything you need without looking bulky!