FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2010
For more information, contact:
Brenda Haines or Heidi Strand, Communications
(920) 230-2583

The Year of the Mobile? 4imprint’s Latest Blue Paper® and Podcast Explores Mobile Marketing

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – As the mobile community continues to grow, so does the business opportunity to reach new customers and engage current audiences. The latest Blue Paper and Podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, entitled Mobile marketing, explores these opportunities while addressing an increasingly common question: Just what exactly is mobile marketing?

“There is a great deal of interest and growth in mobile marketing as it is an extremely personal channel of communication, offering valuable content to engage target audiences at the same time,” states Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “We felt now would be a good time to explore this evolving and expanding trend.”

According to Fast Company, there are 2 billion mobile subscribers in the world today and that number is projected to jump well-beyond 3 billion by the end of the year. What’s more, mobile marketing has already become a billion dollar industry and revenue projections steadily increase as more users subscribe and technology continues to advance.

The Mobile Marketing Blue Paper presents the many areas of mobile marketing, advantages (and in some cases, disadvantages) of various strategies and tactics, how to develop and implement a mobile marketing strategy, and tools and resources for measuring return on investment. The paper also features:

• Mobile-specific Web sites, URLs, templates and mobile-friendly graphics
• Text marketing basics, opt-in guidelines and distribution services
• Promotions, contests, applications, games and content ideas

To read this Blue Paper, or to download the Podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers®
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, and serves more than 100,000 businesses with its innovative promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it Notes, custom calendars and much more. For additional information, log on to www.4imprint.com.

March 15, 2010
For more information, contact:
Brenda Haines or Heidi Strand, Communications
(920) 230-2583

4imprint White Paper and Podcast Focuses on Green Marketing

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) –What once was a marketing approach aimed at a niche consumer, green marketing is increasingly reaching mass adoption. The latest Blue Paper™ and Podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, Green marketing, explores this shift and examines advantages and disadvantages to businesses entering the green market.

From 2008 to 2009, consumer demand for green products grew 15 percent and 70 percent of consumers now say they would purchase a green product over a comparably priced, non-green option. Additionally, studies have found that a certain degree of green consumerism exists in all markets.

“Research seems to suggest that the green consumer exists in a much wider demographic base than marketers originally had thought,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, president of 4imprint. “Businesses have the opportunity to appeal to new audience segments with products and marketing materials designed with green in mind.”

In addition to illustrating this research, Green marketing offers a:
• Primer on green marketing lingo
• Summary of today’s green consumer
• Overview of FTC guidelines on green marketing
• Review of successful green marketing strategies and campaigns
• Reasons why to pursue and sell green or eco-friendly products
• Explanations on what makes a green product “green”

To read this Blue Paper, or to download the Podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, and serves more than 100,000 businesses with its innovative promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it Notes, custom calendars and much more. For additional information, log on to www.4imprint.com.

If you travel a lot, you know the dread that comes when the conveyor belt starts spitting out checked bags and they all look alike.

The Sassy Round Luggage Tags and the Sassy Rectangle Tags put an end to that.  With snappy sayings on one side (and, of course, a place to put your logo on the other), these promotional products are a great way to make bags stand out.

But, these sassy phrases are too funny to be relegated to baggage claim alone.

Luggage tags are inexpensive giveaways that people will talk about.  And, their giveaway potential is only as limited as your imagination.  For example:

• Add a little humor to the sea of matching conference tote bags by handing out these luggage tags at your trade show booth.
• Add them to gift bags you’re handing out to volunteers.
• Lighten the mood at a staff meeting by giving these away as door prizes.  (People love to put them on their gym bags and work-to-home totes.)
• Families will snap them up to label backpacks and laundry sacks.

What other creative ideas do you have for using these tags to label bags (or other stuff)?  Let me know!
-Suzanne

We just launched a new line of USB Flash Drives called ‘Palmero’ that our merchandising team designed from the ground up.

Couple of things that I think are pretty nifty about this custom USB drive as a promotional item.  It’s got a nice ‘retail’ look about it so it will have high perceived value for the recipient, it comes in great colors, the side thumb mechanism means no caps to lose and (best of all) the shape means it’s got a huge imprint area for your logo compared to most USB drives. And, it’s an exclusive which means you won’t see it everywhere – your logo will really stand out.

Custom imprinted flash drives are one of the hottest promotional items going. Great way to leave your presentation with a client, they’re a great student giveaway (USB drives are practically a student requirement these days!), a valued ‘thank you’ gift and they pass the ‘the best promotional products are those that get used again and again’ test with flying colors!

If you do several trade shows or community events over the course of a year this Rapid Change Retractable Banner is a great value.

Obviously you get the impact of great full-color graphics, but because the banner can be changed quickly, you can have different banners made up for different products, services, or events – or keep a spare of your original – and just swap them out as you need them. It’s really easy to do as Kristin demonstrates in these vids.

Do you ever pick up a product and wonder, “why didn’t I think of that?” Here are five items that made me say exactly that.

These are the kind of clever, useful promotional items that get trade show attendees talking.

Mini Business Card Jotter
This clever little notebook has a polypropylene pocket, perfectly sized to hold a business card. You’ll never be without your business cards again.

Reflective LED Keylight
Do your keys go missing in the bottom of your bag? The brightly colored reflective construction of these keyrings makes them easy to find. The LED light is useful for reading a map in the dark.

Pocket Packs
The Custom Mending Kit Pocket Pack is a classic among pocket packs. But, now these handy little pocket-sized packets come with a variety of useful contents, including the First Aid Pocket Pack, Sunblock SPF-15 Pocket Pack, Scotch Lint Sheets Pocket Pack, Snap! Hand Cleaner Pocket Pack, Kids Fun Pocket Pack, Hand Cleaner and Lotion Pocket Pack, Outdoor Pocket Pack and more.

Smart Flags – Trade Show
This giveaway is something your conference-goers will put to use right away, using these Smart Flags – Trade Show to help them remember which vendors they want to talk with again. Want a giveaway they’ll use after the trade show? Smart Flags – General tabs help flag questions, important points, good ideas and urgent matters in any office.

Now, why did I think of that?
-Suzanne

Loved the creative, slightly tongue-in-cheek imprint on this promotional pint glass from the Milwaukee Brewing Co.

As you can see, the outside is relatively standard.

But as you drink your way through the beer you see a cheeky little message inside: ‘we ship what we don’t drink’!

-Suzanne

And now from the ‘wish we had this promotional product in the US’ department….

Our UK team sells this cool imprinted tin filled with little bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk (translation to US-English = really nice milk chocolate!)

Who wouldn’t love receiving that?

P.S. – There are some cool little boxes with chocolate eggs on Ireland site aren’t bad either…!

We’ve just added couple of new products from the ‘To Go’ line that are perfect if your audience is a ‘bring their lunch to work’ crowd (and who isn’t  these days?!) or as part of a  healthy eating and wellness program.

There’s one for salad and one for cereal (my personal favorite), they’re sturdy and each feature a way to keep cold stuff cold (freezable trays or compartments) and dry stuff away from the wet – brown bagging it really CAN taste great!  These items cut down on the use of plastic baggies and wrap.  Both of these would tuck nicely in an imprinted  lunch sack or custom lunch cooler (a logo’d one is best!).

Salad To Go

Cereal To Go

We hear a lot about marketing to women.  For many organizations, they are the decision-makers in a purchase.

But, what if that’s not true for your audience?  Here’s a list of man toys (promotional products in a range of prices) that will help your organization stay top-of-mind with men.

4 Great Man Toys

1.    Swivel Toolkit with LED Light
If the guys in your target audience like the James Bond gadgets that do things you wouldn’t expect, this key ring is for them.  One end features an LED light.  Slide open the key ring cover and guys will find Philips and flat-head screwdriver bits nestled inside.  The bits fit into a screw recess on the opposite end, making this a handy tool to keep nearby.  With prices from $0.95 to $1.59 each, this gadget makes a great trade show giveaway.

2.    Primary Tape Measure
This handy little measuring tape has both centimeter and inch measurements and extends to a full meter measurement.  The bold colors make it easy to spot in a desk, utility drawer or on a basement work bench.  With prices ranging from $0.45 to $ $0.79, this is a very affordable promotional item.  If you’re looking for a more heavy-duty tape measure, check out the 25’ Gripper Tape Measure or the Contractor Tape Measure – 25’.  Or, for a tape measure that does more, try the 3-in-1 Voice Recorder/Tape Measure – 16’.  Your customers will love that they never lose track of measurements again!

3.    Grill Master Lighted Bamboo Spatula
This is a great grill gadget.  The bamboo-handled, stainless steel spatula comes with its own LED light – which makes it perfect for those nights you’re grilling dinner after dark.  Like the grilling idea, but looking for something more? Try the Grill Master Caddy Set, which includes tongs, a spatula and a silicone basting brush or the Grill Master BBQ Apron, which comes with a bottle opener, oven mitt and towel.

4.    Outdoor Trekking Set
For outdoors-lovers, this Outdoor Trekking Set is a great incentive or thank you gift.  It includes high-quality telescopic, anti-shock trekking poles and a polycarbonate water bottle.  For the gadget lovers, there is the High Sierra Digital Compass that comes in a travel sport pouch and box – for corporate gift-giving.

If your audience is mixed, you’re in luck.  Women appreciate these great gifts, too.
-Suzanne