When a distributor is picking out a product for a client’s campaign, they usually rely on sight. How does the look of this product capture the vibe and the brand story of the client? They can use touch, too, especially in print. How does the product feel? What does it convey through its texture?
Kate Vanmarum, in her role as sales representative for The Promo Addict (asi/302225), has to add a third sense to her work: taste.
“We do a lot of things incorporated with seasonings and sauces because the owner of our company also owns a seasoning brand,” Vanmarum says. “It allows us to have access to a unique product that not everyone can get.”
Vanmarum finds that these seasoning kits accomplish one of the primary goals of any good promotional campaign: The end-user is actually going to use it.
“If someone gives me seasoning, I’m going home and I’m going to cook,” she says. “I’m going to try it. It’s a good way to get your brand on something that’s actually functional.”
In creating these branded seasoning kits, The Promo Addict also has to get creative with its print pieces to turn what’s essentially a collection of loose grocery items into a cohesive and exciting kit that tells a brand story. Each seasoning bottle also uses creative labels to keep the brand identity in full view during use.
“I love packaging, labeling, everything,” Vanmarum says. “I think it’s something that is ignored. People think about putting your brand on a product, but not on the package that you’re giving to someone.”
Vanmarum also says that print can have a home in just about any sort of promotional campaign, regardless of whether it’s apparel, hard goods or food.
“It’s the little details that you don’t think about, but you’re going to remember,” she says. “If someone gives me a gift bag and there’s print on that tissue paper, I’m just like, ‘Wow, they thought about the details.’ It’s those little things that kind of make your brand different, and I love that.”
Podcast Chapters
0:30: Intro to Kate and The Promo Addict
1:10: How spices and seasoning kits stand out in promo
3:00: Finding space for print in all sorts of promos
4:20: Case studies for barbecue kits
5:15: Selecting flavor profiles for different clients
7:00: Managing size logistics for kits
8:00: Branding flexibility of labels
9:10: Advice for distributors to stand out
Key Takeaways
• Kate Vanmarum explains that seasonings work especially well as promo items because recipients use them, unlike items that may be forgotten or discarded. The act of cooking with the product creates a functional, memorable brand interaction.
• Vanmarum sees packaging like boxes, labels and printed details as an often-overlooked branding opportunity.
• Vanmarum shares examples of branded kits created for industries ranging from oil and gas to seafood distributors and barbecue retailers. These projects often combine seasonings with themed packaging and complementary promo items, tailored to the client’s audience and use case.
• The Promo Addict (asi/302225) clients can participate in tasting and selecting flavor profiles, while print design reinforces brand identity – such as using coastal imagery for an East Coast seafood distributor – to create a cohesive, sensory brand story.
