ORE ASSOCIATIONS AND organizations are starting to realize the power of promotional products. In the past, some [nonprofit] organizations would be skeptical about spending money on a pin because they felt every penny should go to research. We’ve now seen that nonprofits are realizing that they can increase their donations by offering a small item.”
These sentiments expressed by Kelly Grant, vice president of business development at Sonoma Promotional Solutions, Sonoma, Calif., should give distributors interested in the nonprofit/cause-related market reason to rejoice. It is precisely this kind of thinking that has been instrumental in the growth of the promotional awareness product category, with many suppliers now offering entire product lines dedicated to awareness. Here, two suppliers pinpoint many of the causes that are beginning to take center stage and the kinds of products that would suit awareness efforts well.
TIME TO SHINE
Most would agree breast cancer awareness has been by far the most recognizable cause-related initiative in recent memory. One reason for this is organizations dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness have successfully created an arsenal of reminders—the use of the color pink, traditional forms of advertising, outdoor events and of course, promotional products.
However, there are other equally important causes that require the same amount of publicity breast cancer awareness enjoys. Grant advised distributors to tap into organizations that raise awareness for the following: autism, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, amyloidosis, Lupus, skin cancer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, AIDS and organ donation.
“Most grocery chains are focusing on breast cancer awareness, but Alzheimer’s leads diabetes as the sixth leading cause of death,” Grant said. “Maybe if different companies diversified their causes, we could raise awareness and funds for multiple diseases.”
Along those lines, Shelley Sake, director of sales and marketing at Evans Manufacturing, Garden Grove, Calif., suggested support for U.S. military troops as another option for distributors looking to diversify donations. “Behind pink breast cancer ribbons, supporting our troops with yellow awareness ribbons comes to mind immediately,” she said. And ribbons are exactly the products Sake said are ideal for organizations looking to promote any case. “Anything in the shape of a ribbon symbolizes awareness and support,” she explained. In fact, Sake noted 80 percent of Evans Manufacturing’s awareness line comes in 29 colors, so “we’re very capable of producing items in the awareness color of choice,” she said.
MONEY MATTERS
Given the subject matter, “lucrative” may seem an unlikely term to associate with the margins distributors could achieve when selling awareness products, but Sake said it is an accurate description. “This is a very lucrative category for distributors to consider,” Sake said. “Many of the event-driven causes are annual events or national campaigns that are supported by hundreds of regional and local events. Recipients want to be associated with supporting many of these causes, so the items are sought after and highly appreciated.” Furthermore, she said advertisers who support and promote causes “receive very good PR in return for distributing awareness-related items. It’s a win-win-win situation.”
Grant also noted opportunities for sales abound within a distributor’s local community, citing banks, grocery chains and schools as but a few institutions looking to associate their names with a good (tax-deductible) cause. “People remember that and are more likely to be repeat customers if they feel there is a personal connection rather than just a big-company feel,” she said.
CAUSE & EFFECT
With new causes coming to the forefront every day and vying for their fair share of air time, not to mention old standards forging ahead with their awareness efforts, both Sake and Grant predicted the promotional awareness product category is poised to experience long-term growth. “I think awareness programs are here to stay, and that distributors have an opportunity to create something unique for their customers by using ribbon shapes or just awareness colors,” Sake offered.
Grant added, “We are all competing for every dollar spent [and] it will become increasingly important for big companies to associate their brand with a good cause.”
