Archive for August, 2007
The uniform has traditionally been seen as a way for customers to recognise your staff, with the added benefit of developing and promoting your brand. Organising a suitable uniform can be a costly and problematic experience, factors such as practicality, staff acceptance and cost all need to be carefully considered before settling on a design. After all if you spend hours formulating the perfect design for your uniform, only to discover that your staff are not amenable to that particular shade of lime green then valuable time and money will have been wasted.
The best solution is often the simplest, and companies that manage to design and produce a fantastic stylish uniform are often able to sell them on to customers.
A great example of this is at the Esplendido hotel in Mallorca which has a reputation for style and design. Their staff uniform is a simple white or black t-shirt with the hotel name emblazoned across the front. T-shirts are probably the cheapest item of corporate uniform and can be easily replaced when they begin to wear out, perfect for staff on the go. The t-shirts are also on sale at the hotel gift shop for 22 Euros (£15) apiece and are very popular.
Companies often get so caught up in trying to formulate complicated designs and logos that they forget the simplest designs can be the most eye-catching. And what could be simpler than an uncomplicated typographic logo glittering across the front of a white t-shirt?
August 30th, 2007
BBC News recently reported about a man who’s t-shirt slogan was deemed “offensive” and was told he would be hit with an £80 fine if caught wearing it in public again. The offending slogan read “Don’t piss me off! I am running out of places to hide the bodies” and was sported by Mr. David Pratt at his local bus stop. Asked whether he would wear the T-shirt again, Mr Pratt replied: “I am wearing it now. If I get a written apology I will wear it in the city centre again”
The incident has captured the minds of internet users, who are mostly outraged at the draconian measure imposed on what is clearly intended as a humorous t-shirt. If you ask me the only justification for a fine would be the poor production values on the t-shirt, Mr. Pratt clearly didn’t know that you can purchase printed t-shirts with any slogan (and I mean any) printed in a wide variety of fonts available for next day delivery.
August 28th, 2007
The National Incentive Show (NIS) “is the UK’s most established event for the incentive, motivational and promotional marketing industry”. Of interest to Marketing Professionals, Agency Professionals, Brand Managers, HR Professionals, Executive Secretaries or PA’s this show promises to provide a platform for all of the cutting edge promotional techniques.
This is the shows first year organised by Touchstone Exhibitions and Conferences Limited after 12 successful years under Reed Exhibitions. A major area that they are concentrating on is the availability of seminars, with 16 a day over the three day duration of the show. David Jones, MD of Touchstone, says that they “firmly believe in adopting a consultative approach in order to deliver an event that meets the needs of both suppliers and buyers”. The seminars are set to cover key areas of interest such as innovations in green incentives, new promotional ideas, reinventing old promotional techniques and running a successful incentive scheme.
With companies such as The Promotion Group and the British Promotional Merchandise Association in attendance this is a show you should attend if you are struggling with ideas for a promotional event. You need to register if you wish to be a visitor and can do so Here. Perhaps you wish to initiate a large promotional event which you need ideas for and can be supplemented with promotional wear (still by far and away the largest area of promotional goods).
The show will take place on the the 25-27 September 2007 in Hall 10 at the NEC Birmingham, opening at 10:00am each day. If you are going to the event, please comment and let me know what you thought of it!
August 23rd, 2007
Promotional items have long been used by as diverse people as Presidential candidates and schoolchildren to raise awareness about a brand or issue. According to Wikipedia, “Promotional items are widely appreciated and often requested because they appeal to all ages and effect all five senses”. The demand for promotional items has never been higher, in an age of businesses competing for ever more specific and targeted customers brand recognition is key, and promotional items are still the most cost-effective means of boosting yours.
According to the Promotional Products Association International sales of promotional products in the US in 2006 were $18.8 billion dollars, a 4.25% increase over the previous years. The industry is growing at a faster rate than newspaper or radio advertising and is larger than internet advertising ($16.8 billion), cable television ($16.9 billion), Yellow Pages advertising ($14.4 billion) and outdoor advertising ($6.8 billion) and this trend is followed in Europe.
And by far the largest and most popular promotional item are ‘wearables’ including t-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, caps , hats and even aprons which “make up more than 30% of the total”. With so many choosing to invest in customisable clothing for its tactile presence and effectiveness over internet or television advertising don’t you think its worth a try?
August 16th, 2007
I don’t know about you but I associate the words ’sports day’ with a day off school, tripping over in a sack, cheating in the egg and spoon race and competing against that ludicrously over-developed kid from the year above who is two feet taller than everyone else. And of course the inevitable “its the taking part that counts” consolation after coming last again.
So it was with fond memories that we were again pleased to receive an order for the professional service giant PricewaterhouseCooper’s annual sports day. This is the second time we have been asked to provide t-shirts suitable for their fun and competitive day out, with PricewaterhouseCooper’s logo emblazoned on the front in different colours for the competing teams.
Cherry, an Executive in Public Services, explains that “when the day comes around it’s all about having fun and getting involved and meeting people. We represented the public sector team and were pitted against the private sector. It can get a bit competitive but it’s all good fun in the end. Interns right through to partners like to get involved.”
Which could leave quite the dilemma. Its all well and good tripping up the leaders in the three-legged race at school but could you go out in a race and try to beat the boss?
August 9th, 2007
About Style have recently released a report about what is essential for a top brand’s clothing ranges to contain. The apparel environment is becoming ever more competitive, and nowhere is this more true than in the promotional wear sector. With customers becoming ever more fashion conscious and discerning, and the proliferation of quality clothing at similar prices, brands are going to have to pay attention to several key areas outlined in the report if they wish to remain successful. These areas can be broken down into four distinct categories:
1) Adaptability:
With today’s promotional wear more in touch with the fluctuating fashion stakes than ever a highly flexible approach is needed if the increasingly discerning customer is to be convinced that this brand works for him.
2) Innovation:
Follows directly from adaptability, innovation is just as necessary in the promotional world as in its more mainstream partner. Rather than initiate true fashion innovation promotional wear typically will take its lead from the more established fashion houses as a gauge of what is ‘in’ for the upcoming season, ensuring that your promotional wear is at the cutting edge of fashion. Good examples of this are the introduction of features such as raglan sleeves or slim-fit t-shirts to ranges that have been traditionally viewed as separate from those of fashion.
3) Branding:
Each brand needs to carry a distinct message and philosophy or else it risks drowning in a sea of same-looking products, a risk that could be termed ‘bland branding’.
4) Consistency:
Perhaps the most important of the four areas a promotional clothing manufacturers needs to concentrate on. A brand must first and foremost establish itself as reliable and durable before embarking on innovating. The consumer must know that they are purchasing a reliable brand that will not fail them in an active environment.
Here at Clothes2Order we constantly monitor brands and their fulfilment of the above criteria, enabling us to provide you with a choice of the best available clothing brands such as Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, JHK, Gildan, Stedman and Regatta.
August 7th, 2007
We do all types of embroidery or printing for promotional wear here at Clothes2Order, and you may not realise where the best place for your logo is or what the available options are. This guide should help you decide on the most effective positioning for your requirements.
Front:
1: Left breast:
The most popular position for a company logo, prominent and the typical place one would expect to find the company name of the polo/t-shirt wearer.
2: Right breast:
Usually used in conjunction with the company logo on the left side this position is typically utilised to promote a business partner. This option is also worth considering for the company logo if you want to create an ‘uncanny’ effect on the viewer, causing them to do a double-take at the irregular position and perhaps focus attention on the logo.
3: Chest:
The most prominent position viewable from the front this area is often used to highlight a primary sponsor in the same manner as a football shirt. Alternatively this area could be printed with the name of the event it is being used for.
4 and 5: Corners:
An unusual position which can be used as a platform for advertising individual products or company slogans.
Back:
6: Sleeves:
These positions are extremely useful in promoting sponsors that you perhaps do not wish to bring to as prominent attention as if you had used the chest area. Ideal for secondary sponsors, either one or both can be embroidered.
7: Collar:
A small area, this is most often filled by the company web address or a website dedicated to the event in question.
8: Back centre:
The largest area available this is typically requested for outdoor wear created for team-building activities. T-shirts and polo shirts can also be printed or embroidered on this position by request.
Of course any combination of the above positions can be ordered, from one to all 8!
