Sometimes adding just a simple bit of artwork can transform a promotional product into something eye catching, or even turn the product into something new alltogether (like a ‘to-do list!). Here the our design team has come up with several ways to make Post-it notes ‘pop’!

You can see a whole range of these Post-it designs here.  Need help adding fun or innovative design elements to any of our products to include with your logo? No problem – just say the word!

I was in Indianapolis this weekend for the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) Patient & Family Conference. AA&MDSIF is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting Bone Marrow Failure Diseases like Aplastic Anemia, MDS and PNH through patient support and research.

Given that this is a topic near and dear to my heart (full disclosure alert – I’m on the Board of Directors and our family has been personally touched by these diseases), I could go on and on about the event, the work the Foundation does, education on these little known diseases, etc.  However, given that I try to keep this blog broadly focused on marketing, promotional products and creative ideas I thought I’d share this photo:

The Foundation put together the first ever ‘Hope, Steps and a Cure’ walk as part of the event, to raise awareness and to show people how they can put a walk together in their hometown.  The team at the Foundation that put this whole event (and the walk specifically) together, did an oustanding job in every way and they paid attention to many, many details. One important detail was the use of color in the walk t-shirts and other promotional items/materials.

This photo doesn’t begin to do justice to how it really looked when a sea of 200 bright red t-shirts weaved their way around downtown Indy.  At times it literally looked like blood flowing through the veins of the city. It drew a ton of attention and the banner at the front of the walk (which I was helping to hold when I took this shot which explains why you can’t see it!) tied it all together.

When you’re tyring to get attention, don’t forget about color. Choosing a bright color and sticking to it consistently throughout an event makes a big impression.

Got this great picture in from our customers Dave and Helen at Pumpkinland Iowa. Pumpkinland is a third generation family farm in Orange City, Iowa. And they do more than just pumpkins at Pumpkinland (although they do pumpkins pretty darned well!) - they have a maze, a store and much more. Dave and Helen (aka ‘Grandma and Grandpa Pumpkin’) made a decision to grow the business and as you can see from their website that’s been keeping them plenty busy.

Amongst other things, they’ve purchased Keep-It Clips from us that they told me were a big hit at a recent business expo (these clips are a great giveaway at home and business expos – very, very practical which means your logo will be seen for a long time!). Helen mentioned that they love the color orange and use it in all of their marketing – and you can see what she means by looking at the picture!

Focusing on a color is a smart move and can really pull all of your marketing together. If you’re interested in more the subject of color, here’s a solid article on the subject.

On a recent trip to Target(TM) for washing liquid and shampoo, I took a little walk around. (As a shopper and a merchandiser, Target is an important barometer of trends and product development.  So, I like to keep an eye on what they’re doing.)

I was absolutely delighted to find Target has discovered Orla KielyTM and come up with an affordable line of housewares that is the perfect backdrop for Orla’s recognizable colorful graphics.

A quick check on Google shows me two things.

1. 1) I’m a few weeks behind in noticing this
2. 2) our local store only has about a third of the range!

Left: Orla Kiely in Target, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
(before I bought anything!)

Below: A few items I ‘had’ to purchase

If you don’t know about Orla, then you are about to find out as this range rolls out to the US. Click here to see the whole collection.

Orla is Irish by birth, graduating from London’s Royal College of Art in the ’90s. Her individual style has resulted in success predominantly in the UK and Asia.  While she has her own line, she has also completed projects with key British retailers such as Habitat, Millets and Sainsbury’s. Prior to the Target collaboration, products were found solely in the US at fashion retailers such as AnthopolgieTM and PiperlimeTM. It will be interesting to see what happens now.

–Suzanne