Square, canary-yellow sticky notes are an example of clever convenience that most office supplies just can’t rival. That’s what makes them such awesome promotional products! Nowadays you can get many more colors and fun shapes, too, from speech bubbles to dollar signs, cats to coffee mugs, even Swiss cheese! Shape up your next promo with clever shaped sticky notepads that fit any budget.

The sky’s the limit for adhesive notepad shapes, but a Paris-based design company’s Post-it® Notes creation takes the cake! PA Designs has come up with watch-shaped Post-it Notes you can actually wear!

Jot your note on the “face,” wrap the strap around your wrist and secure the sticky end to keep the note handy until you can complete your task. It’s like the old trick of tying a string around your finger, with a modern, fun twist!

— Moriah

They say necessity is the mother of invention. If you’ve never tried it before, it’s kind of fun to think about a problem or something that is missing and try to come up with a product that would fill the gap. Here are a few promotional inventions that are not only thoughtful gifts, but also make you think, “I wish I would’ve thought of that.”

Problem: Umbrellas like to flip inside-out in the wind.

Solution: Aerodynamic, wind-vented umbrellas. Our ShedRays version even offers UPF 50+ sun protection. This umbrella is helpful, come rain or shine.

Problem: You’re tired of lugging all the different bags you need for your daily supplies and work lunches.

Solution: A versatile cooler with a removable lining. It’s a cooler AND a duffel. We have a personalized 12-can and a 24-can version. Problem solved!

Problem: You open a can of beans or dog food and only use half. You want to store the leftovers.

Solution: This three-step lid fits over the three most common types of human and pet food cans. Genius!

Problem: Buttering your sweet corn on the cob is messy and awkward.

Solution: The Champion Corn Butterer evenly coats your cookout fave without getting hands greasy.

Instead of offering simple common giveaways at your next event, impress your guests with an imprinted gift that is truly inventive.

~Jessica

Filtered water bottles are a great answer for some of your biggest drinking requests. A reusable bottle instead of a disposable one? Check. Filled with filtered water? Check. No access to that big filtered water pitcher in your fridge? No problem. And you get to attach your logo to this great idea too!

We now offer several customized solutions for you and your health-conscious customers:

For the cost-conscious, we have the Water Filtration Sport Bottle, starting at just $8.95 each. To top it off, the logo’d bottles also boast a freezable wand and built-in water tracker. Score!

For the style-conscious, the Camelbak® Filtered Sport Bottle gives you the same popular bottle style from a brand you already trust.

Built-in filters reduce any concerns you might have about refilling from the sink or water fountain. And replacement filters are readily available for both.

These promotional bottles are great for road races, wellness programs, fitness magazine promotions, gym memberships, healthcare fairs and much more. Getting your 8-a-day could hardly be any easier!

~Jessica

Make any business bag or backpack laptop-friendly with this 4imprint Exclusive laptop sleeve! The Tuckaway promotional laptop sleeve is a cushioned, zip-close neoprene case that adds a touch of impact resistance and scratch protection while you transport your technology in a favorite backpack or bag (or even on its own!).

But the Tuckaway is more than just a cover for your portable PC. Three special external pockets give this techy treat dedicated storage spots for a mouse and two USB flash drives, too! Everything you need for a coffee shop study session, trip to the library or an evening of take-home work fits neatly inside.

The black zip-close neoprene case holds laptops up to 10-3/4″ x 15″ and features contrast stitching for functional style — choose between blue, red and grey accents. Order as few as 25 of these dandy digital helpers for just $9.99 each! Quantity discounts are available, too, so you can outfit your team with customized tech protection for even less!

Where can you see yourself going with this one-of-a-kind tech accessory?

— Moriah

Any other Kitchen Nightmares fans out there? On the show, top-ranked chef, Gordon Ramsay, visits failing restaurants and helps them overhaul their businesses and community images. My favorite part of the show is when Ramsay’s team does an overnight restaurant makeover followed by a highly-publicized re-grand opening. Usually, the menu is updated along with the entire restaurant interior. This idea of reinventing your image would be such a great way to give any business a jumpstart.

Are you opening new doors or re-launching your restaurant?  Or maybe you’re just unveiling a new menu item at your establishment. Keep your patrons in the loop by featuring your exciting news on these enticing promoters:

*Scented pencils are a very cost-effective way to promote your new catering business or bakery grand opening. Just print the juicy details on the aptly-scented barrel and give away with abandon!

*Get your patrons excited about your new dessert menu. Send your regulars a coupon code on a tube of chocolate lip balm. After all, scents are one of the strongest memory triggers. Customers will be craving your sweet selection with each application.

*Lure new visitors to your tavern grand opening with a chance to win something truly exciting, such as this wine and cheese set.

Check out our selection of restaurant and bar advertising specialties for even more great ideas! Or check out the show for great tips and tricks from the gourmet guru himself. I’ll be watching right along with you.

~Jessica

In recent years, both consumers and corporations have started to change their behavior in an effort to preserve our world for future generations. Corporations have introduced products made with alternative materials like biodegradable corn plastic and repurposed tires, or redesigned packaging to be less wasteful. As consumers, we can opt for reusable shopping bags instead of plastic, replace bottled water with refillable bottles or use public transportation to cut down on vehicle emissions.

One of the most impacting eco-friendly decisions we can make is recycling. It sounds simple, but have you ever been confused about what you can recycle, and how? I have! The little arrow triangle and number system in place now can be overwhelming and downright baffling.

Not to worry! A revamp of the familiar recycling codes is rolling out now on select grocery products as part of a nationwide pilot program. The new symbols clearly identify what parts of a product can be recycled and provide better instructions, like “recycle if clean and dry,” or “empty & replace lid”.

The organization behind this new program is called GreenBlue Sustainable Packaging Coalition, whose goal is “[to create] a clear, well-understood and harmonized label that enables [the] industry to convey to consumers how to recycle a package.” The GreenBlue Sustainable Packaging Coalition has an informational site at http://www.how2recycle.info/. Keep your eyes peeled for this new feature at a grocery store near you!

-Moriah

At 4imprint, we do our best to provide a hearty selection of recycled promotional products to support green initiatives, community clean-ups, local recycling centers or any event that makes environmental responsibility a priority.

Fall is the season of leaf-jumping, harvest-picking, pumpkin-carving and hot chocolate-drinking. It also happens to be a great time to spice your promotions up with a seasonal twist. Get your employees and customers into the spirit of the season with these great giveaways:

1. Pumpkin Patch: Give each adult a pumpkin stress ball personalized with your picking dates and phone number.
   
2. Warm Cider: The dark red version of this promotional pen is scented with a spiced cider aroma, conjuring warm memories of holidays at home.
   
3. Snuggling up: While avoiding turning on the heat just yet, cuddle up to this super-soft, logo’d chenille blanket.
   
4. Kickoff of football season: Keep the cold ones coming inside this football-themed custom can coolie.
   
5. Campfires: While everyone is gathered around the bonfire, begin a new fall tradition with complete personalized S’mores kits.
   

As a mom, I know firsthand how troublesome it can be to keep children entertained in public places. It’s particularly daunting in places where you need to be quiet, wait for any length of time, or avoid disturbing your neighbors.  Airplanes, churches, libraries, grocery stores, restaurants and doctors’ offices all require some kiddy arsenal to make the visit more tolerable for all involved.

While the kiddos are waiting to be served in your restaurant, you might offer them a coloring placemat and crayons to keep them engaged.

Taking a child on a plane ride can also seem quite overwhelming, what with arriving early, long flights and layovers. Airlines and travel agents can support their school-age travelers with an activity pail. Fill the pail with items of your choosing to engage children with some quiet activities. When they’re back on land, the kids can use the lid for a good old-fashioned game of catch.

Set out a few puzzles in the waiting room of your medical or dental clinic. Older children and adults alike will grab for the Rubik’s® cube or Tangle® puzzle. This might also be a welcome distraction, keeping their minds off of any uncomfortable situations.

Anticipating customer needs at your family-friendly business is tremendously valuable for encouraging their business. Check out our selection of coloring supplies and children’s toys for even more great ideas. Trust me, your parent patrons will thank you!

One of the simplest ways to prevent check washing is to use a gel ink pen, because regular ballpoint ink can be “washed” off of paper quite easily. However, according to Experian, ink from a gel pen “will permeate the fibers on the check,” making it difficult to alter signatures and payees.

The uni-ball® 207™ is one of the most trusted anti-fraud gel pens around. Not only is it great for writing checks, but it’s also handy for writing prescriptions and signing legal documents. With your logo imprinted on the barrel, your customers will know you have their best interests in mind.

Check out the video to learn more about the pen and its ink features:

We’ve also just added the Pentel® HyperG™ Gel Pen, which has been designed with document safety benefits in mind. And the exciting color options do wonders for your promotional message!

Bic® even makes a Secure Ink version of their ever-popular Clic Stic® pen. And the price and color selection certainly can’t be beat!

Check out National Check Fraud Center’s website for even more fraud prevention tips.

Reaching out to a crowd of early adopters, young people or technophiles? Consider trying QR code marketing!

I’ve been seeing QR (“quick response”) codes everywhere from raisin boxes to business cards to the latest sneaker ad. These black-and-white, pixel-y squares (or colored triangles for Microsoft’s Tag codes) use a mobile phone’s camera and a reader app to link phone users to online content. QR codes are free to create via many online generators.

Who’s Using QR Codes?
Up to 6.4% of the mobile population, or about 14 million users, have scanned QR codes from their smartphone, says the latest comScore press release. Among this group, the most likely to scan QR codes are males (60.5%), or those in the 18-34 age group (53.4%). Is this your audience? Then read on!

Though the codes are traditionally confined to print media, product packaging or storefront signage, innovators can find plenty of cutting-edge ways to distribute QR codes elsewhere using promotional products. Get around limited imprint areas with the endless promotional space QR codes lead to: the internet!

What Can QR Codes Do For You?
A QR code pointing to a landing page for your special event, email opt-in page, catalog request or latest product “buy” page provides an effortless conversion flow for your target audience.

The biggest consideration when choosing promotional items for QR code marketing is that the imprint method is clear enough to render the code, so opt for digital printing that can provide enough detail for the average phone camera to read. Contrast and size are also important factors. The code should be printed in a dark color or black on a light-colored, opaque background, and the code should be at least 1.25” square (32mm) to be properly scanned. Always be sure to consult with your customer service rep about a particular product before ordering to be absolutely sure your QR codes work as intended.

This new method of connecting businesses to potential customers is yet to reach widespread use, but for the right demographic, the QR code is a familiar and flexible way to promote services and products, with the added benefit of using an opt-in (voluntary) marketing approach.

Some of my favorite ideas for QR code marketing include custom mouse pad notepads and everyone’s favorite acrylic cup, the Spirit Tumbler!