Everyone, please welcome Cinnabon to the ranks of the branded swag experts. The cinnamon roll company has just joined other restaurants, such as Taco Bell, McDonalds, Arby’s, and Kellogg’s, in promoting their brand with deliciously clever clothing and products.
January 8, 2019
Everything You Didn’t Know About Producing Awards
Submitted by Kelly Glass
It’s award season, everybody! Get ready to see your favorite celebrities up on stage, giving speeches and brandishing awards that we normal people would be lucky to even touch, let alone win. These fancy awards — think the Emmy, Oscar, Golden Globe and even MTV’s Moon Person — are one of the biggest money makers for any promotional products company, thanks to the small batches and extremely high price points.
December 18, 2018
Stay Safe from Cybercrime
Submitted by Kelly Glass
By 2021, research firm Cybersecurity Ventures expects financial damages from cybercrime to small businesses will reach a cost of $6 trillion. We hate to break it to you, but promotional products companies and other small businesses are a prime target for malware.
December 13, 2018
Dunkin’s Line of Fake Merch Mocks Promo Swag
Submitted by Kelly Glass
No doubt inspired by the full slate of fun branded merchandise put out in years past by other big brands such as Taco Bell, McDonalds and Wendy’s, Dunkin’ (formerly Donuts) has released its own line of quirky branded swag . . . sort of.
November 27, 2018
Graphic Design Trends for 2019
Submitted by Kelly Glass
In 2018, we saw big, bold graphic design, with bright colors and fonts that seemed to have more impact rather than just being new or novel. Will these trends continue into 2019? Vengage created an infographic detailing what the eight big trends will be in graphic design over the next year. These are the highlights:
November 13, 2018
Quiz: Is Your Logo Working?
Submitted by Kelly Glass
A logo is arguably one of the most important parts of your branding strategy. Think about it — when you see the golden arches, what’s the first thing you think of? McDonald’s. You may even get a bit hungry. That’s because the McDonald’s logo is doing its job. It’s reminding you of the brand and the products you get from it, and potentially triggering an emotional response. Granted, we can’t all sell hamburgers, but your business’s logo should elicit the same reaction from people.
November 6, 2018
#PinGameStrong: The History of Enamel Pins and the Current Craze
Submitted by Kelly Glass
One of the biggest trends right now among Millennials and people in their mid-30s hearkens back to ancient Egypt and battling soldiers: enamel pins. It’s not unusual these days to find a social media picture of a pin, with the hashtag #pingamestrong. On Instagram alone, there are more than 510,000 posts. Essentially, if you haven’t yet tapped the enamel pin market, you’re missing out.
October 30, 2018
Promote the Vote
Submitted by Kelly Glass
The upcoming midterm election will likely be one of the most closely followed elections in a long time, punctuating a political term that’s been rife with debate and protest. But the problem remains that many of the eligible voters in the United States still don’t come out to the polls. According to FairVote, only about 60 percent of eligible voters show up for presidential election years and the number is even lower for midterm elections — hovering at about 40 percent. Primaries and local elections?
October 23, 2018
Make Your Embroidered Products Stand Out
Submitted by Kelly Glass
As embroidery digitizing experts, we here at Idea Custom Solutions know there’s not much more professional than a smartly embroidered garment or accessory for team members or customers. But logos and monograms are far from the extent of what you can do with the art form. Try offering your clients promotional products with more innovative styles. Perhaps you can take inspiration from one of these stunning examples of alternative embroidery.
October 16, 2018
5 Tips for Reducing Employee Stress
Submitted by Kelly Glass
It’s a sad fact of life: two-thirds of full-time employees are either completely stressed out at work or already in a state of burnout. According to The American Institute of Stress, that is the result of a few different factors. An employee’s workload accounts for 46 percent of that stress, interpersonal issues at work is 28 percent and job security and work-life balance is 6 percent.