5 Horror Movie Marketing Tactics You Can Steal for Your Brand
On October 14th, 2020Horror movies claw into our minds to exploit our worst fears. Ghosts, zombies, monsters, clowns, girls with long…
All
Promo History
How It's Made
Office Life
Company News
Industry Insights
Marketing & Branding
Miscellaneous
Marketing & Branding
3 Brands With a Great Sense of Humor (and What They Can Teach You)
We all have that one friend who takes themselves too seriously and therefore never lets loose or has fun. They’re great to have around when you need to think about things from a mature standpoint, but when it comes to taking our mind off those…
Office Life
Sleeping on the Job: Can Napping at Work Increase Productivity?
Many of us office workers have felt it: those early hours of the afternoon, after lunch has settled, when our eyes begin to droop and our minds go fuzzy with drowsiness. For me, that bout of intense sleepiness hits right around 2:30 pm, and suddenly…
Miscellaneous
5 Types of Social Network Vampires: Which One Are You?
If you’re a living, breathing, human being, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of social networking. If you’re an active social networker, then you already know how physically and emotionally draining it can be. And if you’re a true social network enthusiast, then you…
Marketing & Branding
Branding on a Budget: 5 Dos and Don’ts from Six Flags Great America
Last week, I used one of my precious vacation days to take a family trip to Six Flags Great America. My family tries to go at least once a year, and I have fond memories of rides, characters, and in-world branding. But Six Flags filed…
Miscellaneous
The 9 Most Unintentionally Horrifying Clip Art Images You’ll See Today
With our fabulous in-house Design Team, Quality Logo Products® always brings our A-game when it comes to quality graphics on our website. But for the sake of interest, let’s take a walk on the wild side and see what else we can find. In an…
Industry Insights
7 Ways to Use QR Codes on Your Logo Items (and 7 Items to Use Them On)
Marketers are going QR-code crazy lately; you can find black-and-white squares on everything from cereal boxes to billboards. So what can you do to use this scanning trend to your advantage? How do you make the most of QR codes for your giveaway items? You…
Marketing & Branding
How Converse Gets All of My Money for Chuck Taylor All-Stars
I love shoes. While I’m no shoe connoisseur, I do have approximately 100 pairs hanging out in my closet. Of those 100 pairs, 42 of them are Converse’s Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Yes, 42. That means if I wear a different pair of Converse shoes every…
Marketing & Branding
Are Loyalty Cards and Customer Reward Programs Worth It?
Take out your keys right now; I bet you have at least one customer loyalty card looped on there. I have three on my keychain — CVS, Jewel and Panera Bread — and I use them whenever I spend money at those stores. After all,…
Miscellaneous
How to Deal with Difficult Customers: The Victim, the Nitpicker, the Groundskeeper, and the Power Tripper
Following a “how to deal with difficult customers” script is a great way to save yourself the time and energy of treating people like individuals. In fact, by simply researching steps on how to react to challenging clients, you’ll be able to take away the…
Miscellaneous
Nickelodeon Responds to Customer Feedback and Takes Social Media By Storm with ‘The ’90s Are All That!’
The big, real world is a scary place. But maybe it will be a little more bearable with the help of Clarissa, Pete and Pete, Lori Beth Denberg, Kenan and Kel. At least that’s what Nickelodeon is hoping for. Millions of fans cried out for…
Marketing & Branding
Promotional Products in Action: An Interview with Caroline Krause, Assistant Director of Security at Elmhurst College
When I read Jill’s blog post on Achieve Beyond Therapy Service and its success with promotional products, the little hamster wheel in my head started turning. Why not continue this successful promotional product campaign profile series with another satisfied Quality Logo Products® partner? Meet Caroline…
Industry Insights
Barcodes, Badges, and Scanners at Conventions: Are You Taking the Wrong Approach?
Last Wednesday, I attended the ASI Show in Chicago with several of my colleagues. The convention was well organized and the booth variety was impressive; more than 700 exhibitors showed up to promote their goods and services! However, despite the fact that I enjoyed my…
Miscellaneous
Why Prepaid Cell Phones Are Making a Comeback for Business and Pleasure
Think you have to pay a lot for a cell phone and put up with bad service? Think you have to wait a year or two before upgrading your device? Think you have no option but to use one of the few major cell phone…
Miscellaneous
Amazon Versus Google: Which Cloud Service Is Right for Your Music?
Storing and accessing music files online is a fairly new phenomenon, and one that many people still aren’t aware is an option. Well, thanks to “cloud storage,” housing large song banks online is an option, and our friends at Amazon and Google now have cloud-based…
Miscellaneous
McDonald’s Breakfast Hours Should Be a Lot Longer [OPINION]
Love it or hate it, McDonald’s is going to be around for quite some time. I’ve pretty much accepted that. One thing I won’t accept, however, is the fact that Ronald still refuses to sell breakfast after 10:30 AM, sharp! Why can’t he serve breakfast…
Miscellaneous
Supply and Demand, Disney-Style: Why You Shouldn’t Copy Their Methods
I have been waiting for Finding Nemo to come out on Blu-ray since the day I got a Playstation 3 and a 1080p TV. Not only is it a great movie (my favorite Pixar flick), but animated movies just look incredible on Blu-Ray. So where…
Miscellaneous
Scented Television Is Headed Our Way: Are We Ready for It?
Have you ever seen those Dove-brand chocolate commercials on TV—the ones where dense pools of melted milk chocolate fill the screen and turn into vortexes of luscious, velvety goodness? Well, one day soon, you may be able to smell that chocolate as you’re watching it.…
Marketing & Branding
Facebook Marketing: 10 Dos and Don’ts for Your Business Page
Facebook. The social networking giant that we all love to hate. Whether you love it or hate it, you and your business can not live without it. Every month, Ignite Social Media creates a list of the “Top 50 Branded Facebook Pages.” By analyzing the…
Marketing & Branding
Promoting Your Company During Golf Season: ‘Fore’ Tips
Golf season is in full swing. Has your company done anything about it? If you’re looking for a way to use the summer months to your advantage but want to veer away from the short-term holiday-themed promotions, then it’s time to take your business to…
Industry Insights
What Are Your Logo Colors Really Telling Customers? Read This.
Imagine summing up your entire personality and all of your values and ideas into one color. Seem daunting? Now imagine that you have to choose a color for your company’s personality, values, and ideas that would potentially be in consumers’ minds forever. Talk about a…
Marketing & Branding
Today Just Got Better: The Sincerity of Panera’s New Campaign and Slogan
There’s no sense in playing coy: I friggin’ love Panera Bread! The brand, I mean—not just the bread. To me, there’s just something appealing about Panera as a restaurant; something I can’t quite put my finger on. Of course, now that they’ve launched a new…
Industry Insights
How Promotional Product Samples Benefit Your Business
The promotional products industry can be confusing to those who don’t work within it. All of the terms and items can seem overwhelming. But for a business, using promotional products is essential in today’s market. It’s all about going above and beyond for customers! And…
Miscellaneous
The Most Commonly Misused Words in the English Language
Maybe English class was the bane of your existence in high school. However, we’ll try to make your grammar lesson a little less of a bitter pill to swallow. In the professional world, you will make a donkey of yourself if you start dropping any…
Marketing & Branding
Want to Attract Qualified College Graduates at Job Fairs? Use These 7 Giveaway Ideas!
Now that the school year is over and summer is in full swing, recent college graduates are entering the “real world” that they have been preparing for for the past 16+ years. They are eager and waiting to put their hard-earned degrees to work, but…
Marketing & Branding
How to Get Prospective Homebuyers to Remember Your Name
As a recent first-time homebuyer, I can attest that the entire viewing and purchasing process is a whirlwind of information. My inbox quickly filled up with correspondence from realtors, lenders, insurance reps, and attorneys because I researched my options like a savvy little shopper; there…
Marketing & Branding
Quality Over Quantity: What Craft Beers Are Doing Right
Have you ever heard of brands like Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, Goose Island, Great Lakes, or Bear Republic? If you haven’t, don’t worry, because it’s very likely that you will eventually. They’re just a few of the up-and-coming beer brands that have enjoyed a steady…
Office Life
How to Stay Safe at Work During Severe Weather
Northern Illinois has seen some wacky weather lately. Sometimes it feels like April rather than the end of June! Even though it’s officially summer now, we are still getting a ton of thunderstorms, dangerous high-speed winds, and tornado warnings. So, I thought it would be…
Miscellaneous
Squeaky Wheels May Get Grease, But Polite Wheels Get Genuine Service
Since the 1800s, we’ve been hearing that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. This idiom is overused but its message is truer now than ever: he who complains long enough will get what he wants. That may be accurate on a surface level, but there’s…
Miscellaneous
What the Heck Are QR Codes and Why Should I Care About Them?
“What are these black-and-white, square mazes I see?” If you’ve ever asked someone (or yourself) this question, then you are not alone. It seems like new technology is available daily, and one of the newest marketing tools out there is the Quick Response Code (or…
Miscellaneous
The Sims Social on Facebook: Can EA Games Compete with Zynga?
Ever have the problem where you want to play The Sims but you can’t because you also have to check your e-mail and browse Amazon.com’s deal of day? Me too. All the time. Luckily, soon there will be a way to have your cake, eat…
Office Life
5 Killer Things You Can Learn From Dexter Morgan About Professional Conduct
Dexter Morgan is the main character in Showtime’s hit series, Dexter. He is a serial killer just trying to get by in the normal world without landing in the electric chair. He’s a Blood Spatter Analyst for Miami Metro: Homicide by day, and a serial…
Miscellaneous
Fan Sites Are Free Promotion: An Interview with Magnus Lekay from Chuck Fan Site, Chuckgasmic
This series focuses on creators and maintainers of fan sites for the most popular fandoms around. Fan site creators work as unpaid promoters for record labels, movie studios, book publishers, television networks, and more. They often put their own time and money into a marketing…
Marketing & Branding
3 Ways to Learn from LeBron James and Avoid a Personal Branding Disaster
Being out of touch with reality will destroy your personal brand. Don’t believe me? Just look at LeBron James. Last year ago at this time he was one of the world’s most revered athletes, and now he is one of the most reviled. He went…
Marketing & Branding
How to Successfully Self-Market Your Band or Business: Interview with Nickolas Blazina from ‘State and Madison’
You haven’t been to a concert in ten years, but I bet you fifty bucks there’s still a band t-shirt in your closet. Whether it’s been saved because for continued fan support or for sentimental value (I can’t bear to toss my ‘N Sync t-shirt…
Marketing & Branding
McDonald’s Gets a Brand Image Overhaul: Will Customers Start Lovin’ It?
Remember the last time you ate at McDonald’s? I don’t. And I’m not talking about hitting up the drive-thru at 2 a.m.—I mean physically walking in, ordering, sitting down, and enjoying a meal. In all honesty, I can’t remember doing so in the last few…
Marketing & Branding
How Does This Business Thrive Exclusively on Word-of-Mouth Marketing?
They say bad publicity is better than no publicity. What if no publicity was better than any publicity? The Safe House, a spy-themed restaurant in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, seems to think so. Although this establishment has been in business in downtown Milwaukee since 1966 and…
Miscellaneous
5 Dos and Don’ts of Creating Coupons for Your Business
Coupons are commonplace for businesses, but they’re not always done right. You have to think long and hard before you broadcast sales or savings to customers; otherwise, you could end up losing money and a whole lot of credibility. How do I know this? Read…
Miscellaneous
How to Become a Social Media Monster Like Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga recently bumped Oprah out of her number 1 spot on Forbes Magazine’s Celebrity 100 list. How’d she do it? She dominated social media outlets. Lady Gaga is the first person to do a lot of weird things: like wear a dress made out…
Miscellaneous
7 Commonly Misused Words You Need To Stop Mixing Up
I’m saving the flowery lead-in chit-chat for another post. We both know why you’re here. Open my post on parts of speech in another tab, and let’s do this. INSURE/ASSURE/ENSURE This is wrong: I can insure you that this zombie repellent works. This bat will…
Industry Insights
9 Trade Show Tips for Vendors and Exhibitors
There are many ways you can advertise as a new business. Maybe you’ve tried all the tricks of the trade. Your commercial starring a talking monkey aired on primetime cable. A giant billboard of you in a contemplative pose is above the busiest highway. Plus,…
Marketing & Branding
How Product Placement, Social Media, and Fan Engagement Work Magic for ‘American Idol’
The tenth season of American Idol is wrapping up; although it’s mainly about music, there’s a lot you can learn about marketing from the show. For example, there’s product placement, social media, the marketing of the contestants, and of course the word-of-mouth buzz that Idol…
Marketing & Branding
Fan Sites Are Free Promotion: An Interview with The Hob, a Hunger Games Fan Site
This series focuses on creators and maintainers of fan sites for the most popular fandoms around. Fan site creators work as unpaid promoters for record labels, movie studios, book publishers, television networks, and more. They often put their own time and money into a marketing…
Miscellaneous
How Many Brand Impressions Do Promotional Products Actually Get? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Today’s businesses have seemingly unlimited ways to market themselves. Facebook ads. Google AdWords. Billboards. Super Bowl commercials. The question most marketers seem to be asking themselves is not just “What marketing method is right for this business?” but also “How much is it going to…
Miscellaneous
Improve Your Business Writing with Things You Learned Before 6th Grade (And Forgot): Now with Zombies!
Advanced writing skills are valuable in any industry. Not sounding like a moron is the bare minimum. I’m here to help you with that second half, so let’s get back to basics. When I write posts on writing mechanics, I use words that talk about…
Miscellaneous
Want to Hire the Best Crew? Here’s Advice from Captain Malcolm Reynolds!
Generally speaking, hiring managers are one of few people in a good position when there’s a bad economy. With more people looking for jobs and motivated to keep them, there are higher numbers of overall applicants and more qualified applicants suffering from layoffs. However, there’s…
Industry Insights
9 Envelope-Ready Giveaways for Your Next Direct Mail Campaign
I have a confession to make: 99.9% of the sales letters I receive end up finding a new home in the shred pile almost immediately. And believe me, between the correctly-addressed envelopes in my mailbox and the ones seeking out “Current Resident,” I have plenty…
Industry Insights
Interview With ‘Free Comic Book Day’ Founder, Joe Fields | Why Freebies Work
“How am I supposed to make money if I’m paying to give something away for free?” That’s the major question most marketing managers run into when they’re deciding whether or not to make custom promotional products part of their advertising campaign. And it’s a fair…
Miscellaneous
Extreme Couponing for Lazy People
While the economy is chilling in the U-bend, people are constantly looking for ways to save a buck. Many have done the easy things: cutting back on luxuries like vacations, designer clothing, and dining out. But there are certain things that simply can’t take out…
Shop Top Promotional Products at Quality Logo Products®