I often roam the TKO Graphix grounds in search of blog inspiration and ideas. So, while visiting with the TKO Marketing Solutions team yesterday, I asked Jessica, Amy, and April what was new and interesting in the specialty product world; what were customers ordering, what were they talking about, and what questions were prospects asking? We discussed several ideas—for example, Jessica suggested the history of promotional products as a blog topic. Everyone shared ideas, then Amy said “How about that umbrella that changes colors when it’s wet?” I had shared a post about the umbrella on twitter and emailed it to a few friends at work; the umbrella looks fun, you have to have fun at work, right? I answered Amy, “But the umbrella isn’t a promotional product.” And she replied with the truest words of the day, “Everything is a promotional product.”

What isn’t a Promotional Product?

Maybe, just maybe, some one of a kind items such as Tiffany & Co. jewelry, fine art, or expensive cars and boats don’t qualify as promotional products…maybe; because if the right company or person with the wherewithal to afford such items wanted to use them to promote an event—it would happen. Think I’m off my rocker? Think again, how much do organizations spend to promote themselves during the Super Bowl, paste their decal on a race car, or offer as sweepstakes—ever play Monopoly at McDonald’s? Everything and anything could be a promotional product. The real question is…

What’s the Best promotional Product for you?

While there’s nothing wrong with specialty items in a catalogue—don’t limit yourself. Look outside the box…I mean catalogue. Take the Umbrella. I didn’t find it in a catalogue, but it can be purchased and branded with a logo, name, and call to action. Wouldn’t it be great as a give-away at an outdoor event? I wonder if you can design it to have your logo appear when it’s wet.

Amy hit the nail on the head—everything is a promotional product. Finding products that your core customer, targeted audience, and employees would use and appreciate is unlimited. If it’s out there, it can become a promotional product and if it’s not—someone can figure it out. What out-of-the-box promotional items have you given or received? If you’d like to learn more about promotional products Jessica, Amy, and April would be happy to help you find your way out-of-the-box.