We speak in great length about branding here and for good reason. Not only do we specialize in helping people brand their company, event or cause, but for the past year or so there has been a re-branding frenzy! Some have been successful and some have not, while still some may not yet know the impact that their re-branding will have. But all this change got me thinking. Maybe I haven’t been paying as close attention all these years, but it seems like this a new trend. Of course many companies have re-branded before, but I don’t think it has happened nearly as often as it seems to be happening now. We’re in a new millennium for 9 years now but maybe its because everyone wants to finally modernize their brand to catch up with the times. It could even be a case of following the lead of others. It could be a combination of the two, and I think that there’s even a healthy dose of desperation mixed in as a result of the struggling economy. A new logo certainly draws attention to your brand, but as I have mentioned before, re-branding can be a risky endeavor considering the cost to execute it and no guaranteed return or boost in sales. Whereas promotional products are a much more cost effective way to draw attention to your business or brand. And I’m not just talking about your traditional products like promotional keychains, promotional stressballs, printed bags and promotional flash drives. The promotional products industry has grown by leaps and bounds since its early days and there are brand new exciting and innovative products being created everyday. I have seen promotional products that I didn’t even know existed in general, let alone having the ability to print your logo or contact information on them. Granted the following products may not the best examples of the obscure ‘never knew it existed’ variety, but they are definitely not your father’s promotional products.

Starting with the email voice recorder that conveniently connects via USB cable and with the push of a single button, you can easily record memos, ideas and reminders for playback later. But what’s even better is that it automatically converts your recording to an mp3 so that you can easily attach your message to an email. I’d say that would be more useful and more exciting than receiving an imprinted wall calendar.

The computer power-saver button easily connects via USB cable as well. It couldn’t get any simpler than one giant button, kind of like Staples’ ‘easy button’. When you press it, your computer goes into ‘economode’ which saves more energy than the standard sleep mode. Compatible for both Mac’s and PC’s, this is definitely an attention getter with a large imprint area that’s sure to create a buzz and save money for its recipients!

Last but not least, it’s the ‘I’m not a paper cup’ Travel Tumbler. Yes, a travel tumbler is really nothing new to the promotional products world, but this product’s design will have people talking for days because it’s a dead ringer for a Styrofoam cup with both its size and design. Especially the lid, which looks like the weak, flimsy lids that you typically get with your on-the-go coffee. Plus, it is eco-friendly in more ways than one. Not using actual Styrofoam is a great start. You get many uses out of this one cup rather than disposing of it when you're done with your drink, and its made of biodegradable plastic. So before you re-brand your company logo, consider a promotion that is 'outside the box' to stimulate your business.