Zockets in Your Pockets
Laser Etching – Decorating Methods #1
Since there’s so many decorating methods for apparel, in addition to the standard embroidery and screenprinting, I thought it might be a good idea to talk about some of them.
The Wicking Myth – Performance Fabrics
What are “performance fabrics?” These are fabrics which are engineered to offer some special feature, usually moisture-wicking capabilities.
My First Memorable Promo Product
A family from Florida moved into the vacant unit of our duplex. They were exotic to me because they came from a land filled with swamps and alligators. Their daughters wowed us with stories of their past life in Florida. I must have been 8 or 9.
Their dad had a job doing something nobody else’s daddy did. He was working for a hamburger place that was going to be everywhere. It was 1968 or 1969 and we just didn’t have a clue yet.
One special sunny day, Mr. T (I wish I could disclose his name) took us to a field at 49th and “L” Street. I was really tickled because the field was adjacent to a best friend’s yard. Mr. T was showing my father, who was also in retail, where the construction was to begin on a restaurant he was involved with. I remember standing there, listening and wondering what the heck they were jabbering about. Then Mr. T reached into his pocket and pulled out a round wooden object. He asked me and my sister “Did you get around to it?” Of course, I didn’t know how to answer him so I asked, “What do you mean?” He repeated himself, carefully hiding the object in his hand “Did you get around to it?” I was not able to answer him. He then took my hand and placed the wooden coin in it. On it were the words “A ROUND TUIT.” On the flip side was a “coupon” stating that it was good for ONE FREE WHOPPER.
What in the world was a WHOPPER? A couple of months later, the first location opened at 90th & Center. My family made the “Grand Opening”, armed with our ROUND TUITS. I feel lucky to have witnessed the birth of a fast food giant in Omaha… I hope you have guessed by now that it was BURGER KING!
Mr. T and his family later moved from our duplex into something palatial and then to places beyond and out of our lives.
A few weeks ago, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I drove through the Burger King 49th and “L” and this memory came alive within me and it made me smile. What a clever use of a promo product. I don’t recall anything else in the past 50 years that I’ve seen that has rivaled it.
Media, Music and Merchandise
Those people that know me, know that I am a music head. I love to listen to all sorts of music. I love to play music and weirdly enough, can tell you names of songs, lyrics and artists from the 60’s-90’s.
Over the weekend, I was listening to a radio show. The discussion was regarding artists that used the internet as their new distribution model to distribute their songs for free. The group Radiohead has used this model for it’s online sales of “In Rainbows,” a 2007 record album. This distribution model challenges the music industry’s traditional distribution and sales model by allowing consumers to determine the price they are willing to pay for the album. Consumers
simply download at the band’s album for their official site.
Hmmm… So, how much do you think the average consumer was willing to pay?
The grand total is $6.00. Not bad!
It turns out that the artist makes their money with out the record label.
Now, lets think of how we find our news. Is it from the Daily Show?
No longer do journalists “rip and read” the day’s headlines off an apwire to broadcast it to us via the radio or TV. National readership of newspapers is on the decline. Both the Denver Post and the SunPost from Miami closed it’s doors, and these are only two out of many. Consumers now demand short bits of information.
I hear so many people say that they don’t have the time to read and those that do source out information. They find it via twitter or blog and not the non bias reporter.
Again, a change in the distribution model. Is it better? Are people willing to pay for news as they do for music entertainment?
And lastly, let’s focus on merchandise.
For the last 15 years, I have been the provider of solutions by finding unique brand building gifts and giveaways. My clients range from banks to public utility companies to veterinary supply companies. With the current economic times, people find themselves having many more responsibilities in the work environment but maintaining the same pay. Often times, a person takes on those responsibilities of a position that has been eliminated.
I am happy to say that the distribution model for promotional products has not changed. During the “dot com” boom, there were many online distributors, but as the “dot com” came to a bust, clients realized they missed the one-on-one attention of a sales consultant.
In this world of change and chaos, breath in and know that your consultant at The Creative J will be here. Just give us a ring.