“HOME IS WHERE the heart is,” may be perfectly cute and philosophical as far as generic cultural idioms go, but ?information-laden it is not. After all, the home is a big place, so where exactly in the house might the “heart” be? The kitchen? The crawlspace? Underneath the cushions of that old recliner you inherited from your great-uncle George, mixed up with spare change and that weird ancient crumb-dust that looks like smashed-up pretzels?
Okay. We can probably rule out the pretzel dust area. After that however, the process of elimination gets much tougher. Perhaps the best way to answer the above question would be to consult another famous figure of speech: “To each his own.”
Homes are as varied and idiosyncratic as the people who inhabit them. Some families may center around the kitchen, others the living room or backyard. Therefore, the best path to success with household promotions involves not only knowing the heart of your intended market, but also being prepared to sell to any part of the house.
THE DOGHOUSE:
Pet tags
Central to many a happy home is caring for the family pet, which is why Suhail Niazi, president and founder of ReturnMoi, a company based out of Kirkland, Quebec that specializes in promotional tracking tags for pet collars, recommended working with the love that people feel for their animals. “For many people [pets are] almost like their kids,” he said. Because of this emotional charge, he suggested products that would help the health or safety of pets. He explained that not only would the items be more likely to last, but the added value of helping to care for a pet was a great way to connect emotionally with end-users.
ReturnMoi‘s Pet Tags utilize a unique system of pet tracking that incorporates Web-based features as well as a 24-hour call center. (800) 831-0717 ext. 701
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The Hall Closet:
Safety items
Sometimes a favorite promotion is all a matter of perspective. One minute, it’s that trusted imprinted carrot peeler, but if the next minute contains a power outage, you can bet that laser-?engraved flashlight is jumping right to the front of the unfortunate end-user’s mind.
“No one talks about disaster preparedness until after the disaster,” said Paul Dubois, marketing manager for Ready 4 Kits, Keene, N.H., which is why he advocates safety items for end-buyers with preparedness as a focus, like insurance companies or municipalities. Additionally, though Dubois said disaster aid items can fit into any region, he noted it might be worth considering the hurricane-prone Southeast or the earthquake-prone Southwest as especially appropriate markets.
The Urban Survival Disaster Kit from Ready 4 Kits holds an expansive collection of safety items. Its contents can be customized, but some of the default items include Coast Guard-approved food and water, thermal blankets and a flashlight. (800) 742-2250
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The Back Porch:
Grill items
There is a leisure and prestige in barbecuing or cooking on the grill that is often reflected in the tools used. That is not to say, however, that grilling accessories lack the much-touted marketing punch of less-flashy utensils meant purely for the kitchen.
“The barbecue market has great utility,” said Bob Lipic, president of Diversified-Adtee, Normal, Ill. He explained that barbecue tools can make for a strong promotion because they cover both the barbecue and kitchen areas, meaning they may actually see more use than conventional choices like imprinted drinkware due to their practicality in meal preparation. “These are gifts that are not going to get thrown in the waste can, and they will be used for years to come.”
Dishwasher-safe, the Wood Handle BBQ Set from Diversified-Adtee is packaged in a gift box and is a good example of grill set fit for the barbecue or kitchen.
(800) 779-0038
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The Family Room:
Blankets
Anthony Romano, assistant marketing director for Pro Towels Etc., Pittsburgh, pointed to blankets’ versatility as a strength, being one-size-fits-all items that are likely to be used by the whole family. He added, “From the client’s standpoint, the large imprint area allows for maximum visibility of their logo or artwork.”
Romano mentioned that blankets given in other markets, like for sporting events or travel, tend to make their way back to the home as keepsakes, thus doubling up the value of the promotion. He gave an example of a blanket for a cruise line client that was not only printed with a functional map of the ship and intended to keep end-users warm on cool nights, but also served as a keepsake that travelers would take home.
The SB-22 from Pro Towels Etc. is an 80/20 cotton/poly blend that measures 50×60″. It is available in red, navy, royal, black and gray. (800) 547-8783
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The Bathroom:
Medical supplies
For a relatively small space, the bathroom medicine cabinet can pack a lot of powerful promotions. Said David Goldfarb, marketing manager for Evans Manufacturing, Garden Grove, Calif., “Health care products reach far beyond the health care sector,” he said, naming numerous markets that could place products in the home, like elder care centers, health-related fundraisers and fitness centers. “Advertisers often want to send a ‘caring’ message, which is best represented through health care products,” he added. “For example, when your child gets a cut and you pull out that bandage dispenser, there is a reminder of the company that helped you in that time of need.”
The Pill Cut’N Crush from Evans Manufacturing has pill cutting, crushing and storage capabilities. It is an excellent item for promotions in elder care or independent living fields. (800) 745-3826
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The Living Room:
Furniture promotions
Vince McDonald, vice president, sales and marketing for Incentive Concepts, Maryland Heights, Mo., noted that the recession has actually caused a lift in sales, especially with the company’s furniture promotions. Whereas in the past, end-?users may have been more interested in rewards that were nonessential and indulgent, like a cruise for example, he said that their desires are now shifting toward gifts that also have a strong practical component, such as furniture. “They’re looking at upgrading things that are tangible within their lives,” said McDonald. “Things that will give them real pleasure, along with real application.”
The primary reason McDonald gave for this shift was the overall shrinking of end-users’ personal budgets, but he also mentioned that people are entertaining more at home as well, increasing demand for nicer furnishings.
The Pulaski Hall Chest from Incentive Concepts contains an adjustable shelf behind its two doors and measures 35x12x34″.
(888) 862-9283
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The Bedroom:
Picture frames
Picture frames, a fixture of most bedside tables and dressers, may have a little more flexibility as promotions than some would assume. While many assure the most common use for frames may be as mementos of coporate outings, according to Neil Fine, president and owner of Illini, Vernon Hills, Ill., proms are the single largest market for these items. Certainly a fact worth noting, since traditionally athletics is the main venue for high school promotions, so having another angle with which to approach that market could be invaluable. Another interesting example Fine gave was hospitals using photograph frames to promote their maternity wards, a helpful tip for those looking for practical options outside fundraising events or other standard hospital promotions.
Possessing a distinct design, the 5×7″ Magnetic Spin Frame from Illini is available in black or silver, and can be imprinted on its frame or base.
(800) 935-5472
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The Garden:
Seeds & plants
Whether in the backyard or merely a windowsill bed, gardening is a hobby with universal appeal. “Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the world,” said Kathy DeVries, co-owner of Walters Seed Company, Holland, Mich. She then elaborated, explaining that its popularity was not only a result of a demographic breadth that crosses traditional age and regional boundaries, but also because it’s a relatively easy and low-cost activity. “It’s always budget-friendly, because you can buy an inexpensive seed packet or you can buy all-out gardening kits and things like that at any price,” said DeVries. “So it’s something for everybody.”
As for what types of plants are currently popular, DeVries mentioned forget-me-nots as best sellers for obvious reasons. She added too that organic vegetables have become very popular in the last 18 months.
Certifed organic by the USDA, the Gourmet Lettuce Blend from Walters Seed Company allows three spots for imprinting on the package. (866) 304-7333
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The Laundry Room:
Cleaning supplies
From wash buckets and stepladders to stain-removing pens, distributors have a lot of options for cleaning-related products. As for why such products would be desired in the first place, Melissa Keller, general manager for PPC/greatStuff!, based out of Mansfield, Ohio, said, “Promotional items this useful will remind the end-user that your company is just as reliable as the gift that you gave to them.”
PPC/greatStuff‘s Black Recycled 5 Gallon Bucket with Wire Handle and Comfort Grip is made from 100 percent post-industrial plastic and measures 141⁄2×12″. (800) 327-9740
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THE KITCHEN:
Kitchen items
Steven Meyer, MAS, vice president of sales for Molenaar, Willmar, Minn., described the kitchen as the “Times Square” of the home, because of its similarity to the always-busy Manhattan hub. Meyer’s metaphor was meant to illustrate the vast number of impressions a promotional kitchen product can get, but also calls attention to another issue with kitchen products: extreme competition.
Enormous and flashy, the electronic billboards in Times Square are designed to be as eye-catching as possible to compensate for how busy and cluttered the area is with competing stimuli. Kitchen promotions will face a similar dilemma, potentially overwhelmed by other items, so it’s important to make sure they stand out amongst the crowd. To achieve this, Meyer noted that, “Usefulness and functionality are always mentioned when consumers are asked why they keep promotional products.”
The World’s Best Gourmet Pizza Cutter from Molenaar is available with an optional safety sleeve or laser-engraving (shown).
(800) 328-8944
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