Redbows Blog

Promotional Chocolates as a Popular Marketing Tool

Wed, 24 May 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Promotional chocolates are a popular marketing tool used by businesses of all sizes to promote their brand, increase customer loyalty, and generate new business. These delicious treats are a versatile and affordable way to get your brand noticed, and they offer a number of benefits that can help you achieve your marketing goals.

One of the biggest advantages of using promotional chocolates is their versatility. There are a wide variety of chocolate options available, from small chocolate bars to custom-shaped chocolates that can be molded into any shape or design. This means that you can create a unique and eye-catching product that will make your brand stand out from the competition.

Promotional chocolates can be used in a variety of different ways to promote your brand. For example, you might give them out at trade shows or other events to attract potential customers and generate leads. You could also offer them as a free gift with purchase to encourage customers to make a purchase or as a thank-you gift to show your appreciation for their business.

Another great way to use promotional chocolates is to include them in your direct mail campaigns. By sending out a chocolate bar or other chocolate product along with your marketing materials, you can increase the likelihood that your mail will be opened and read. This can help you to get your message in front of more potential customers and generate more leads for your business.

Promotional chocolates can also be used to build customer loyalty. By offering a special chocolate gift to your loyal customers, you can show them that you appreciate their business and encourage them to continue to choose your brand over the competition. This can help to build long-term customer relationships and improve the overall success of your business.

When it comes to using promotional chocolates in marketing, there are a few key tips to keep in mind. First, it’s important to choose high-quality chocolates that will appeal to your target audience. If your chocolates are too low-quality or unappealing, they may not be effective in generating leads or building customer loyalty.

Second, it’s important to customize your chocolates with your brand logo or other branding elements. This can help to reinforce your brand message and make your chocolates more memorable to customers. You might also consider adding a personalized message or tagline to your chocolates to make them more unique and memorable.

Finally, it’s important to distribute your chocolates strategically. Consider targeting specific groups of customers, such as those who have made a recent purchase or attended a trade show. You might also consider offering your chocolates as a referral incentive to encourage your existing customers to refer new customers to your business.

Overall, promotional chocolates are a versatile and effective marketing tool that can help you achieve a variety of marketing goals. By choosing high-quality chocolates, customizing them with your brand elements, and distributing them strategically, you can generate more leads, build customer loyalty, and improve the overall success of your business. Whether you’re a small business owner or a marketing professional at a larger organization, promotional chocolates are a valuable addition to any marketing toolkit.

Marketing With ECO-Friendly Printed Giveaways

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

With billions of tons of trash filling landfills around the world each day, more people have started looking for a more ecological way to reuse items in order to reduce the amount of rubbish. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. With this in mind, we have a great selection of eco-friendly gifts that will surely please anyone who cares about being more environmentally-friendly. In addition these eco gifts won’t break the budget.

Panther ECO Ball pens

Ever wonder what happens to all those CD cases that you throw away. Many of them go into the production of these excellent ball-point pens. Each pen comes with blue ink and a push button mechanism. Pens are available in a variety of colours and are ready to be stamped with your logo or company’s contact information

ECO A4 Rainbow Card Notepads

Made from 100 percent recycled cardboard and 100% recycled lined white paper. You have a stunning choice of colours to choose from when placing your order. Simply have your logo or company design ready to be placed on the cover. Your customers will love these little notebooks.

Plastic Mugs – ECO Recycled Plastic

Made from recycled plastic these stylish mugs come in a great choice of colours. In addition to being made from recycled plastic these mugs won’t chip so you can drop them as many times as you want and they won’t crack. These make great gifts for anyone who works in a busy office space where their mugs may accidentally get knocked over onto a hard floor.

Coloured Bottle Opener Key rings R1

The nifty little key rings are produced from 95% recycled materials and are strong enough to be used to open your favourite bottled beverage. They are available in the colours yellow, green, and white. These great key rings are ready to be labelled with your logo or design.

Ready to get those eco-friendly gifts designed and ordered? Visit our website today and start designing your wonderful eco-gifts. A trained specialist is ready and waiting to help you make your order complete and to your satisfaction.

Sunflower Plant Pots

Inspire your client’s with a promotional gift that will keep on giving. What better method to show your customers that you care than giving a plant-based theme which also gives back to the environment. Inspire your clients on a daily basis and let them watch your gift grow. Everyone remembers who gave them a gift they love.

On a daily basis we look out the window and wonder what will the British weather do today? Do I need an umbrella? Maybe a coat or a jacket will be required! What can we do to await the delights of t-shirt weather? Why not bring some colour to your desk and grow some plants? We have a variety of desk top ideas available and a variety of plants you can grow too.

There are the following benefits for placing a plant at your desk:

One of the main benefits of having a plant on your desk is that it cleans the air around you. Did you know that indoor air is known to be more polluted than outdoor air? Some ornamental plants have been proven to help reduce the pollutants around therefore turning this negative air around you to positive air. This can only lead to a positive effect of productivity too in the space that you work.
Psychological Feel-good quality as they can improve your mood and lead to feelings of well-being and reduce stress which can only be a good thing.
Did you know that plants have been also associated to boost creativity too. Lots of us need a source of inspiration on a daily basis. What better way to watch a plant grow from seed and nurture this along to fully grown. Imagine what this also may lead to in your working life.

Additional plant-based items available from Redbows:

Small seed packets are a great option to send via the mail.
Matchbook seed packets are another bestseller promotional mailer option where you brand the outside. All you have to do is place the seed stick in the ground to generate growth.
Living Pouches are one of our bestsellers and these are filled with soil coins and seeds.
Aluminium pots are another option you can have where we fill them as a kit for you to grow your own choice. They are also look good too and give a very modern styled image to your interior.
Tiny terracotta’s are a personal favourite of mine and you can have a choice of either the cubes or the sleeves in which you can personalise. Certainly give the feel of bringing the outdoors in.
Even Kellogg’s have advertised this theme on their adverts recently. What a way to start your day!
Plants are extremely important for the balance of nature itself so what better message would you be giving to your clients when sending them such a gift!

If you cannot find the right plant or seed from our Eco Plants for your campaign let us know and we can source them for you.

Whether you want to promote a specific product or brand, you can make your popularity rise by taking a green approach to your promotional campaign. Keep in mind that people are starting to get wise to companies who offer environmentally friendly promotions while their business practices are anything but green. If you aren’t as environmentally friendly as you could be, it’s better to let customers know that; along with letting them know the strides you are taking to get there.

You can start by using Earth friendly promotional products from Redbows. Your giveaways will be branded with your logo and artwork so that people know exactly where they came from.

Water bottles: these reusable bottles can be branded with your logo and some kind of Earth friendly saying or image to remind people to take care of the planet. Since they are reusable, they present an Earth friendly reminder in their own right.

Bottled water: there may be a lot of hype about plastic water bottles, but that’s because not all of them are recyclable. These are recyclable and can be wrapped in artwork that reminds people to recycle the bottles. You can also set up an area where people can take the bottle when they are empty so that they can be recycled. This is a proactive approach to a green promotional campaign.

Standard seed packs: nothing says “go green” like life in a https://www.redbows.co.uk/matchbookseedsticks. The people you give these seeds to, can plant them anywhere they like, but they won’t be able to say your company doesn’t think about the planet when you are handing out seeds to recreate the planet!

Living pouches: some people will lose their seed packets or forget about them. When you give them a packet with a plant growing out of it, you aren’t just saying you are going green; you are green and sharing it! These packets hold one plant and have your logo or company name on the outside of the packet. Branded items like these tend to quell any suggestions that you don’t care about the planet.

Tea Parties Help To Promote Organisations and Causes

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Celebrate National Tea Day with us!

We offer a wide selection of tea products along with various branding options including full colour printing, screen printing and laser engraving. Around 84% of the population drink tea every day. As a country, Britain consumes approximately 100 million cups every day, which is almost 36 billion cups every year. Green tea and black tea are sourced from the same plant called Camellia sinensis and contains half the amount of caffeine in coffee. (Source: https://www.tea.co.uk/tea-faqs)

National Tea Day was founded in 2016, the date of April 21st, and was chosen because it’s also Queen Elizabeth’s birthday.

How to Celebrate National Tea Day

Host a virtual afternoon tea
Gather your sandwiches and sweet treats and share your passion and knowledge of tea with family, friends or work colleagues, particularly those who are unaware of the variety of tea options available on the shelves nowadays and the multiple health benefits. Green tea is full of antioxidants and gives you a more stable boost of energy than coffee.
Share on Social Media
Share your love for tea on social media with the hashtag #nationalteaday and join millions of people debating the best way to create and enjoy the perfect cup of tea. Check out the latest tea gadgets and trends in the industry.
Learn the history

In 1662, England, Catherine of Bragaza married King Charles II and in her dowry was several crates of loose leaf tea, which she drank every day. The royal court promptly adopted the practice. However, the invention of tea is closely associated to a mythical figure in Chinese legend called, Shennong more than 5000 years ago. (Source: https://nationaltoday.com/national-tea-day/)

Tea parties are an age-old tradition in which friends and family gather to catch-up eating scrumptious little treats and drinking the finest tea available today. But a tea party can be much more than a gathering of friends it can also be a delightful networking opportunity. In fact, many people who represent charities, small businesses, and even political parties gather for tea socials to share information and gain new associations. We can help make your next tea gathering even more successful with providing you with a host of promotional items that you can design and use in a tasteful manner.

Personalised Tea Bags

Every tea party has tea and tea is generally found in the form of a tea bag. So why not offer tea bags that have been personalised with your charity’s logo or the name of your business? Our tasteful and flavour filled tea bags are perfect for customising with your design. Your customers will undoubtedly notice the designs on the tea bag’s label which will lead to discussion about the logo as they sip their tea.

Customised Travel Mugs

Being Eco-friendly is important to many supporters of local charities and businesses. This is why we offer promotional travel mugs online. These promotional travel mugs are great for personalising and using during any social gathering as a way of quietly promoting the reason behind the gathering. They make great take-home gifts following the gathering as well.

Designer Coasters

Promotional coasters are a must for the protection of any service against the scratches or marks that can be left by a mug or tea cup. The hard top coasters found on our website are perfect to advertising your cause while protecting your furniture. Have several of these available at your next tea party for people to use as they learn about and discuss your charity or business.

Our favourite products

One of our favourite products is Tea Bags with tags printed with a full colour design or logo on the front with the option of a branded tag at an extra cost. Branding is available on both side of the sachet. Additional flavours available include lemon, tropical fruit and forest fruit.

Americano mugs are a long-time favourite in the marketing industry. Used as an eco-friendly alternative to disposable coffee cups, Americano travel mugs can be branded on the silicone grip or alternatively as a wraparound print to the mug itself. Available in a selection of popular colours to suit any brand or logo. Mix and match the lid or go completely bespoke. Request a free virtual visual today by sending in your logo to our sales team.

Go on an epic camping adventure this summer or a picnic event with our Enamel Mugs available with a direct print in White, Black, Red or Blue with a silver rim. The minimum order quantity is only 60 pieces. Brand with your imprint or logo and send out to clients as a great marketing opportunity.

We can supply different sizes of branded napkins including smaller cocktail napkins and napkins for substantial meals including lunch and dinner. The most common print method is to apply an imprint using a pad or screen printing. Our napkins can be recycled and turned into other useful recycled paper products. The number of teas available in the shops are endless. However, differences are made by how the leaf is processed, the weather conditions for growth and the location of the plants. Herbal teas are slightly different to black, green and white, as they are infusions of other types of plants such as chamomile or peppermint leaves. The popular drink is hydrating as its 90% water!

A survey conducted of more than 2000 adults across the UK, found that younger adults aged between 18-34 are more likely to make a hot drink during the day than before the start of lockdown, as working habits changed. Juggling Zoom calls, remote working, home schooling or online events, has meant younger workers are now taking tea breaks to cope with working from home. (Source: https://www.tea.co.uk/news/article/our-lockdown-love-affair-with-tea-is-here-to-stay) Whatever you need for your tea parties and events, we are sure to be able to help.

For more information on our tea collection range, please contact our sales team on 0800 158 3080 or contact us by email: sales@redbows.co.uk
Alternatively, you can find all of our products, prices and templates at www.redbows.co.uk/promotional-tea-bags

Biomaster® - Protection Against the Dangers You Can’t See

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Redbows is delighted to announce the newest additions to the Health Products collection. These products contain ‘antimicrobial’ protection (manufactured by Addmaster) and can be found on the Covid-19 product page. Biomaster® technology pro-actively prevents/disrupts the growth of bacteria on treated surfaces and inhibits the growth of most types of harmful bacteria.

The first product to include the additive includes the Americano® Pure. Redbows is now offering the bestselling Americano mug with Biomaster® technology, providing a second line of defence against harmful bacteria, ideal for an item designed for re-use. New versions of the popular Face Mask Straps and Hygiene Keys are also available, plus the new Hygiene Handle.

As this is a great feature, more products containing Biomaster® technology will be announced over the next few months. The active antibacterial technology is built into the product during the manufacturing process and remains effective for the lifetime of the product. It binds to the cell wall and disrupts the growth of harmful micro organisms such as bacteria and mould. The addition of Biomaster® does not affect the products:

Function
Decoration options
Smell and taste
The end-of-life recycling options

On this blog post you’ll find all the products containing the Biomaster® antimicrobial additive and further information explaining how the additive works. The FAQs are listed at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions, please contact our Sales team. For additional information about COVID-19, please visit https://www.nhs.uk

Our solution: the Biomaster protected coffee cup

Introducing the Americano® Pure treated with active antibacterial agent independently tested to ISO 22196. The additive is built into the cup during the manufacturing process and lasts for the lifetime of the product. Biomaster® is completely safe to use in food and water applications. An independent test was run by Aston University and found that cups treated with Biomaster technology showed an effective reduction in the level of bacteria on the inside of the cup and the external and internal lid.

Where can I buy an antimicrobial coffee cup?

The Americano® Pure Travel Mug with inbuilt Biomaster protection is currently available here.

Antimicrobial product protection for the lifetime of your cup Biomaster® antimicrobial technology provides durable 24-hour product protection against the growth of harmful micro-organisms on the surface of your drinking vessel. Effective for the lifetime of the treated article, Biomaster® does not affect the characteristics of the material in any way and offers a low cost added benefit to your design.

Brite-Americano® Pure 350 ml insulated tumbler
Double-wall insulated tumbler with twist-on lid. Features a full colour wraparound design moulded to the product. The lid and inner contain Biomaster antimicrobial technology which provides protection against the growth of harmful micro-organisms on the surface of your mug. This is effective for the lifetime of the product, and doesn’t affect the recyclability. Dishwasher safe and microwave safe. Volume capacity is 350 ml. Made in the UK. Packed in a home-compostable bag. 99% PP Plastic and 1% Antibacterial additive.

Face Mask Straps
Strap that allows face masks to be worn comfortably for prolonged periods. The strap has small hooks for holding a mask’s elastic taut, relieving any pain or discomfort from the elastic being in direct contact with the wearer’s ears. This product contains Biomaster® antimicrobial technology that provides protection against the growth of harmful micro-organisms for the lifetime of the product. 99% PP Plastic medical grade and 1% Antibacterial additive.

Hygiene Keys
Hygiene Keys a simple but effective hygiene tool that allows the user to open doors and push buttons without any direct contact with hands. Manufactured from strengthened materials for extra durability. This product contains Biomaster antimicrobial technology that provides protection against the growth of harmful micro-organisms for the lifetime of the product. Supplied as a keychain. 98% ABS Plastic and 2% Antibacterial additive.

Hygiene handle with keychain
A robust hygiene tool that allows the user to open doors and push buttons without any direct contact. Manufactured from strengthened materials for extra durability. This product contains Biomaster antimicrobial technology that provides protection against the growth of harmful micro-organisms for the lifetime of the product. Supplied as a keychain. 98% ABS Plastic and 2% Antibacterial additive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Biomaster® safe?

Biomaster® is used in medical, food and water applications and is based on silver ion technology.

What’s the difference between antimicrobial and antibacterial?

An antimicrobial inhibits the growth of, or destroys harmful micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and moulds. An antibacterial specifically prevents the growth of bacteria.

Has Biomaster® been tested?

Yes, repeatedl. Biomaster® is tested to ISO standards. We also undertake on-going quality control tests and environmental trials.

How long is Biomaster® effective for?

Biomaster® is effective for the intended lifetime of the product it’s added to. It is built-in and doesn’t wear off or leach out.

Does Biomaster® affect a product in any way?

No. You can’t see, smell or even taste Biomaster.

Can a Biomaster®-treated polymer be recycled?

Yes, it can be recycled effectively without any complications.

Is Biomaster® effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria?

Yes. Biomaster® has been proven to be affective to antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Is Biomaster a substitute for regular cleaning?

No. Biomaster® protects product surfaces in between cleans.

Does Biomaster® use nano-silver technology?

No. We don’t use nano technology due to ongoing safety concerns.

Why is Biomaster® better than other silver based antimicrobial additives?

Biomaster® pioneered the use of antimicrobial additives, and remains the recognised leader and most trusted supplier of antimicrobial technology for polymers, textiles, paper, paints and coatings.

How do I know if a product is Biomaster protected?

Unless it shows the Biomaster® symbol, it doesn’t. Please contact our sales team to check.

For more information regarding Biomaster® products please contact our sales team on 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk and our Promotional Gift Consultants will be happy to help. New products containing Biomaster technology are due to be updated soon. If you would like to be the first to know, sign up to our newsletter for regular updates. All of the products advertised above are best incorporated into a normal hygiene routine, including frequent handwashing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water as advised by the World Health Organisation. For further marketing ideas check out our range of branded hand sanitisers and printed face masks available with printing in up to full colour.

Hand Washing: Printed Hand Sanitiser For UK Businesses

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Using hand sanitiser regularly (with an alcohol content of at least 60%) is recommended by the World Health Organization. Soap and running water may be the most effective way to remove chemicals and germs – the scrubbing creates friction that helps lift dirt, grease and bacteria. It takes at least 20 seconds to disinfect your hands completely with soap, (remember to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice as you scrub, and if you want to be extra thorough, don’t forget the hip-hip hooray!), so it’s handy to have a hand wash in your bag or in the car if you can’t get to a sink.

The UK government announced new restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. The new restrictions took effect from the 14th September. For more information about local restrictions please consult the government local guidance page: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-restrictions-areas-with-an-outbreak-of-coronavirus-covid-19, for advice on what you can and can’t do to help control the outbreak.

Products such as hand sanitiser and face masks are vital forms of protection. Even if you have 2020 vision, no one could have predicted the events of 2020. The idea of wearing a face covering when going to the local supermarket, to the hairdressers or while commuting to work might have looked like a scene from a movie this time a year ago, however we’re all having to adapt during these ‘unprecedented times’ to tackle COVID-19.

Following the advice of the World Health Organisation, the UK government recommends everybody take the following precautions to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus:

Regularly clean your hands with an alcohol-based cleaning gel (60% alcohol content) or wash them with soap and water for 20 seconds. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based products kills viruses that may be on your hands.
Wear a face mask or covering indoors where social distancing cannot be maintained, such as public spaces. Face masks help prevent widespread community transmission and are a key tool in the fight against COVID-19.
Maintain at least 2 metres apart from people you do not live with, or 1 metre with social-distancing products in place (such as face masks or indoor ventilation). Why? When someone speaks or sneezes small liquid droplets escape from their nose or mouth. These droplets may contain the virus.

Hand Sanitiser Products

At Redbows we offer a wide selection of promotional hand sanitiser products, ranging from sprays and gels for people on-the-go to disinfecting stations ideally suited for the workplace. Choose from our top five products selected by our promotional gift sales consultants.

Whether you’re a university welcoming new students, a business preparing for the winter months, or simply looking for a product to promote your brand we’ve got the perfect solution for you.

Hand Sanitisers 500ml Gel
From £3.10
500ml pump bottle containing UK made gel: containg an active substance intended to make harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, inactive. Please note supplier details must be stated on the label as a legal requirement.

We offer a range of dispenser products including our Stainless-Steel Disinfection columns supplied with 5 bottles of 500ml hand cleansing gel (70% alcohol) as standard. Branded with a full colour printed dome label to the front. The 500ml option is perfect for office and public places. Ensuring visitors disinfect their hands before entering a workplace is a good practice to maintain over the colder months. Perfect for offices, schools, shopping parks and restaurants.

Hand Sanitisers 60ml Gel
From £0.99
60ml flip cap bottle containing UK made gel: containing an active substance intended to make harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, inactive. Please note supplier details must be stated on the label as a legal requirement.

Looking for a cost-effective solution? Our 60ml Gel Hand Sanitizers are one of our best-selling products. The minimum order quantity is only 50 pieces. Perfect for small businesses. Brand with your artwork or logo on the label in up to full colour digital print. These are the perfect size to take with you on a trip to the shops.

30ml Oval Hand Sanitiser
From £0.91
30ml oval atomiser containing HSE licensed UK made consisting of a 75% alcohol WHO formulation: an active substance intended to make harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, inactive. Please note supplier details must be stated on the label as a legal requirement.

We can also supply Credit Card Sprays for ease of use. These fit perfectly inside a coat pocket or handbag and offer generous print areas and branding options to suit all artwork styles.

Hand Sanitiser Gel 30ml with Carabiner Clip
From £1.05
30ml bottle with handy carabiner clip containing UK made gel: containing an active substance intended to make harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, inactive. Please note supplier details must be stated on the label as a legal requirement.

Carabiner Clips can be used to hang shopping bags to the headrest of a car. No need to search under car seats to find those pesky groceries that slipped out while driving, your carabiner clip has you covered. Pair it with an alcohol-based gel and you’re more than prepared for your weekly food shop.

Hand Sanitiser 10ml Atomiser
From £0.57
10ml atomiser containing HSE licensed UK 75% alcohol WHO formulation: an active substance intended to make harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, inactive. Please note supplier details must be stated on the label as a legal requirement.

Our 10ml Atomisers are the perfect size for your handbag, backpack, pocket or car storage holder. A quick and effective solution to cleaning your hands while you’re out. Frequent hand washing reduces the potential for coronavirus to spread to other people and objects.

All of the products mentioned above are best incorporated into a normal hygiene routine, including frequent handwashing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. From branded hand sanitiser to promotional face masks, Redbows has everything you need. For more information contact our sales team on 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk

Looking for something different?

Creating a mailing campaign to promote your business? Why not try one of our most popular and in-demand products: Tea Bags. Highly convenient for posting, with large print areas for branding. Choose from a range of flavours including Fruit, Camomile, Green, Peppermint, Lemon and Ginger, Apple and Cinnamon or a standard Tetley tea bag supplied in a full colour, digitally printed card envelope.

Alternatively, get ready for Christmas with one of our promotional advent calendars. Whether you pick a traditional 25 door, a 24 door desktop or our 12 day advent calendars you’ll get a chocolate behind every door. Our festive free stock designs are available on selected products and are editable to coordinate with your brand. Contact our sales department on 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk to receive your free visual. Choose our luxury Lindt Advent by the start of October to get deliver in time for December.

Product Highlight: 450ml Oregon Black Travel Mugs

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Part of a wide collection of Promotional mugs from Redbows – the 450ml Oregon Black Travel Mugs has a coloured PP plastic interior, base, handle, top band and screw top lid with secure sliding sipper. The handle has even been manufactured to be more rigid for enhanced grip. BPA and PVC free. Available in eight stylish colours: Amber, Black, Blue, Cyan, Green, Pink, Purple, Red and Yellow. The colourful yet classic design compliments the vibrant trim colour scheme.

At Redbows, we individually laser engrave and personalise each Oregon Black Travel Mug. Your name will be applied to the front of the bottle as per supplied artwork. Our displayed pricing includes the cost of engraving to one position. With Laser Engraving the artwork is etched directly into the surface of the mug using a laser. The technique creates clean lines and a premium look. Laser Engraving is perfect on metal, glass or wooden products.

Printed Travel Mugs are one of the best branded gifts for companies looking for mass exposure, and a positive brand reputation. This is because branded travel mugs are taken to coffee shops, offices, conference centres and events. Members of the public may take note of the name or logo and become customers themselves. Travel cups can be used at any time of year when you want to take a hot drink with you. Ideal for picnics, road trips or sports games.

These mugs help protect the environment as they can be used for takeout drinks at cafes and coffee houses that allow customers to bring in and use their own mug. We also supply Thermos Flasks, Bone China Mugs and Ceramic Mugs. Encouraging the use of travel mugs will show a commitment to ethical business and reduce the amount of waste throw-away drink cups create. No one wants to see bins piled high with takeaway cups at an event or in the office. It looks untidy and shows a lack of care for the environment.

Product Specification:

Product Size: 180×85mm dia.
Engraving Area: 60×50mm
Colour Options: Amber, Black, Blue, Cyan, Green, Pink, Purple, Red

To enquire about product personalisation or specification please contact our sales team on 0800 158 30808. We supply a number of different finishes including colour, paint and recycled options on selected mugs. Promotional mugs are one of the most popular pieces of merchandise in the market (https://www.bpma.co.uk/). Order today for delivery in 5-10 working days from artwork approval.

2020 Promotional Marketing Fitness Trends

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The Health and Wellness industry has grown rapidly over the last decade, and there are no signs of this growth rate slowing. Worth over £21.7bn last year, the industry covers a wide range of topics from staying fit, eating healthily, as well as the need to look after both mental and physical health.

There have been some amazing developments during the last 10 years in terms of health and wellness. Wellbeing has risen to the top of many people’s agendas, both inside and outside work. We’ve seen people go crazy for meditation apps, wearable technologies, and even dog yoga. It is not surprising therefore, that the promotional industry has responded in kind and developed a range of products to keep up with the trend.

For more information on the health and wellness industry and the latest market research visit:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/491348/health-and-wellness-united-kingdom-uk-market-value/

The Best Products For Your Fitness Campaign

Here are just a few of the health and wellness realted promotional products available from Redbows that we have seen a surge in demand for. We expect this trend to continue into and beyond 2020.

Chamomile Tea Envelopes

Chamomile Tea Envelopes in a full colour, digitally branded card envelope. Chamomile Tea contains one of the most versatile medicinal herbs known to mankind. Dried chamomile flowers have numerous health benefits due to their high content of disease-fighting antioxidants. We also offer fruit tea, green tea, lemon and ginger, peppermint and standard black tea.

Mood Vacuum Bottles Powder Coated

Mood Vacuum Bottles Powder Coated 500ml uses the latest insulated technology meaning your drinks will always stay fresh. Featuring a powder coated finish, giving it extra durability and grip when in use. Supplied with a leak proof screw on lid. All Mood bottles are made from high-quality 304 stainless steel, preserving the flavour and taste of your drink during the day. Keep your cold drinks cool for up to 24 hours and your hot drinks piping for up to 12 hours.

Cashew, Blueberry & Yoghurt Granola Bars

Cashew, Blueberry & Yoghurt Granola Bars flow wrapped and branded with a full colour digital print to the film. Also available Cocoa and Ginger Granola Bars and Coconut, Apricot and Yoghurt Granola Bars.

Rectangular Mint Cards

Rectangular Mint Cards with approximately fifty sugar free mints from the Mints collection. Available in five popular colours including White, Red, Neutral, Cobalt blue and Pale green. Branding is to one side in up to full colour digital printing. Delivery approx. 10 working days as standard, from artwork approval. Express delivery available. Please contact us for details.

Duro Pocket Notebooks

Duro Pocket Notebooks with colour matched ribbon bookmark, elastic closure and rounded corners, from the Redbows notebooks collection. Contains approx 192 pages of lined ivory-coloured 80gsm paper. Brand with your logo in up to full colour digital printing. Pocket-sized notebook.

Polyester Bicycle Covers

Polyester Bicycle Covers made from 190T Polyester with a PU interior coating to make it waterproof. The bicycle cover is available in a range of popular colours including black, white, yellow, orange, red, pink, lime and cobalt blue. Brand with your logo or imprint on the top side in pad or transfer printing.

Adult Slapwraps

Adult Slapwraps made from EN13356 Road Safety Approved material, from the Redbows safety clothing collection. Available in 4 sizes. EN71 approved. Choose from White or Yellow. Branding is to one side in up to 4 colour screen printing.

For more information or sample products from our health and wellness collection please contact us on 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk.

Introducing The Mood Collection

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Introducing the Mood™ Collection a range of essential lifestyle products featuring Vacuum Insulated Bottles, A5 Notebooks, Ballpens and Mechanical pencils available with soft-touch materials and bold colour options. Each product blends style and modern technology with exceptional attention to detail to create premium gifts that help your business express its individuality.

Mood™ Vacuum Bottle

Mood™ Vacuum Bottle available in 11 striking colours and three finishes including plush powder-coating, white gloss finish or stainless steel. Mood™ Vacuum Bottle made from high-quality 304 stainless steel with a leak-proof design durable enough to withstand modern life without affecting performance. Brand with your artwork or logo in spot colour printing. Ensure your marketing message stands out with sleek laser engraving available on the stainless-steel finish only. Full colour dye sublimation available on the gloss white version in January 2020. All MoodTM Bottles are supplied with matching coloured lids or stainless-steel lids at no extra cost.

Mood™ Notebook

Keep your important notes in one place with the Mood™ A5 Notebook. The soft-feel PU cover is available in 23 striking colour options and includes 160 pages of sustainable FSC® certified paper. The notebook lets you keep on top of things with a convenient section at the front of the notebook to add your contact details to ensure your Mood™ Notebook is returned should you lose it while on the move. Complete with a back pocket for loose papers, a convenient ribbon holder and secure elastic closure. The Mood™ A5 Notebook can be relied upon to keep your life in working order. Combine with the Mood™ ballpen using the secure pen loop – the perfect pairing for a busy modern lifestyle.

Mood™ Ballpen

The Mood™ Ballpen and Mechanical Pencil feature a soft-touch rubberised coating for a sophisticated comfortable writing experience. The ballpen and mechanical pencil can be paired with the Mood™ Notebook using the secure elastic pen look which holds either firmly in place. Available in 23 popular colours from contemporary corporate colours to floral pastels to suit your logo. The Mood™ Mechanical Pencil is available in 6 colours, including sleek jet black, cool silver and a stunning royal blue.

Make an impact that stands the test of time with our specialist Chromark® engraving system producing a chrome mirror-finish on the pen barrel. Screen printing is also available, along with pad printing. Maximise your brand creativity and message visibility with the Mood™ Ballpen and Mechanical Pencil.

Printing Services

Enhance the appeal and sophistication of the Mood™ Collection products with our unrivalled array of branding options to deliver an impactful marketing message or choose bespoke personalisation. The Mood™ A5 Notebook is available with eight branding options, including full colour printing, screen, spot UV and digital transfer printing, as well as foil blocking, digital embossing, debossing and de-doming.

Create a truly unique product with the Mood™ Vacuum Bottle, available with a choice of cutting-edge branding options sure to make an impact. Available options include screen printing and laser engraving on our stainless steel and powder coated finish bottles, and full colour dye sublimation on our gloss white version (available from January 2020) From spot colour printing, pad printing and laser engraving to screen printing around the barrel, there is a choice of options available to achieve the perfect finish and customisation for the Mood™ Ballpen and Mechanical Pencil.

Lead Times

Your Mood™ Collection product will be despatched within 7-10 working days of the order being placed from signed artwork approval. 5-day express services are also available. Terms and conditions and additional charges may apply.

Packaging

To display your Mood™ Collection product we offer the following options:

Option One: Contemporary card and foam presenter showcasing printed samples of the Mood™ A5 Notebook and matching Mood™ Ballpen. Presenter includes a tactile swatch to represent all available colour and branding options.
Option Two: Beautifully crafted wooden presenter box adapted to include your company logo. Presenter includes a printed Mood™ Notebook, three printed Mood™ Ballpens and swatch booklets to display full colour range and branding options.

Contact sales@redbows.co.uk for more information or visit The Mood Collection.

The Best Reusable Water Bottles Branded With Your Logo

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Metal, plastic or glass: what type of bottle should I choose?

The past couple of years has seen a growing awareness around single-use plastic. In the UK alone, it’s estimated that 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day, and approx. 15 million are not recycled properly. As of 2017, a million plastic bottles were bought across the globe each minute, with many of these ending up in landfill or the ocean rather than local recycling centres. We’re only just coming to terms with the effects this may have in the future. So why not do your bit and invest in a reusable water bottle? Not only will it save you money, it also means you’re more likely to drink the recommended two litres of fluid a day.

Water bottles are used in everyday life, so it’s no wonder why businesses choose them to promote their brand. There are several types, but the main ones you’ll come across are metal, glass or plastic. It’s important to consider your options when it comes to choosing which reusable bottle to brand with your logo and why you should be using them in your marketing over other advertising gifts. Some (mostly metal), can be used for hot or cold drinks – usually with a guarantee of 12 and 24 hours respectively.

An article by the Telegraph quotes Tim Field, an environmental scientist at Daylesford. “Stainless steel is very robust and stable. It can be washed time and again, though it has to be hand washed, as they often come with a thermal lining that can’t be machine washed.”

Steel also has eco-credentials. “From my perspective as an environmentalist, steel’s great because it’s very easily recycled. If you do end up driving over it, if it somehow breaks, or that cap loses its seal, it can be recycled.”
Glass bottles are particularly popular and another good option as some people don’t like the metallic taste you can get from metal bottles. If you ever need to dispose of your bottle, it can be recycled, like stainless steel. However, glass bottles won’t keep drinks warm for long and can be a potential hazard for young children.

Plastic bottles are often machine washable, but you’ll have to consider the environmental impact of plastic production. “The problem with plastic,” says Field, “is that you can only ever down-cycle them, never recycle. It degrades every time you recycle it. Steel and glass are fully recyclable.”

Other options include bamboo and aluminium, although some report a strong impact on flavour.

Plastic Water Bottles

Foldable Plastic Water Bottles

Foldable Plastic Water Bottles with a belt clip and 420 ml capacity. The product is available in a range of popular colours including white, silver (not transparent), orange, red, pink, light blue and light green. Brand with your logo on the front or back in Pad Printing. The product features a popular roll-up design and offers great value for money.

Available Colours: White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Pale blue, Pale green, Silver, Blue

Baseline Bottles 500ml

500ml Baseline Bottles from the Redbows promotional water bottles collection are available in a wide collection of standard colours and caps and can be wrap round printed. The bottle has a screw on cap with push pull opening and is BPA free.

Available Colours: Black, Blue, Clear, Cyan, Dark blue, Green, Purple, Red, Silver, White, Yellow.

Metal Water Bottles

400ml Aluminium Water Bottles

Aluminium Water Bottles with a 400ml capacity and a handy carabiner belt clip attachment. Available in a selection of popular colours including black, red, light green and silver. Brand with your logo on the holder or front in pad or laser printing. Ideal for camping trips or outdoor adventures. Product Dimensions: Diameter 66 × 175mm- Print Area: 190 × 80 or 40 × 40 mm

Available Colours: Black, Red, Cobalt blue, Pale green, Silver

Arsenal 510 ml Vacuum Insulated Bottles

Arsenal 510 ml Vacuum Insulated Bottles double-wall stainless steel vacuum construction, which allows beverages to stay cold for 15 hours or hot for at least 5 hours. The construction also prevents condensation on the outside of the bottle. Stainless steel screw-on lid. Volume capacity is 510ml. Stainless steel.

Available Colours: black, blue, green, red, silver, white

Thor 510ml Copper Vacuum Insulated Sport Bottles

Thor 510ml Copper Vacuum Insulated Sport Bottles durable, double wall stainless steel vacuum construction with copper insulation, which allows your beverage to stay cold for 48 hours and at least 12 hours for hot beverages. The construction also prevents condensation on the outside of the bottle. On-trend, durable powder coating. Stainless steel screw-on spill resistant lid. Volume capacity is 510ml. Presented in an Avenue gift box.

Available Colours: solid black, silver, white, grey, blue, red, mint

Glass Bottles

Oasis 650ml Glass Sport Bottles

Oasis 650ml Glass Sport Bottles single-wall glass bottle wrapped in a soft grip silicone sleeve with non-slip bottom. Features a screw-on top and stainless-steel lid with a comfortable silicone handling loop. Do not freeze, do not microwave. Volume capacity is 650ml. Presented in an Avenue gift box. Glass with silicone.

Available Colours: Black, Grey

Hover 590 ml Glass Sport Bottles

Hover 590ml Glass Sports Bottles wrapped with protective silicone sleeve. Single-wall clear glass bottle, with screw-on lid with carabiner hook. Dual opening construction allows you to add ice cubes and clean easily. Not suitable for hot beverages. BPA Free. Volume capacity 590 ml. Presented in an Avenue gift box.

Available Colours: black, green, blue

To view our full collection of reusable drinkware visit https://www.redbows.co.uk/promotional-water-bottles

The Redbows Christmas Shop

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0100

A collection of festive products from the Redbows Christmas shop including Drinkware, Giveaways, Technology, Stationery, Home and Living and Sweets. We offer a wide variety of Christmas products for the holidays. Many are printed with your logo and delivered within 10-15 working days.

According to research from Amazon looking at the festive shopping habits of UK consumers, the average Brit will buy 1,386 gifts, hang 1,827 baubles, pull 252 crackers and eat 1,008 sprouts and 504 mince pies in their lifetime. The study also found the must-have Christmas stocking gifts include chocolate coins (59 per cent) followed by Satsumas (39 per cent), socks (23 per cent), and miniature toiletries (17 per cent). (https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8042092/christmas-figures-revealed-mince-pies-diet/)

Find a great range of Christmas gifts on a budget, and impress with our great selection of water bottles, teddy bears, pen gift sets, mobile phone power banks and advent calendars. Our collection of festive chocolate boxes are sure to put you in a jolly mood, while our fantastic range of hampers will help you to find something that’s sure to delight your customers this December. This year, the elves have been working hard to make gift giving a breeze. Select products from under £100, under £250, under £500 and under £1000 from the Redbows Christmas Gift Shop.

Under £100

38mm Chocolate Medallions

38mm Chocolate Medallions wrapped in gold foil. Branded with a full colour clear vinyl sticker to one side. For a free visual sent by email please click on the Virtual Visual button. Delicious 30% cocoa milk chocolate. Choose from five different sizes.

Santa Bugs

Santa Bugs printed up to full colour on the satin ribbon. Simply choose your Bug Feet Colour, Satin Ribbon Colour and Pom Colour from the colour guide. The promotional friend that never gets thrown away. Made in the UK.

Under £250

Hot Chocolates on a Spoon

Hot Chocolates on a Spoon with marshmallows packed into a clear bag tied with a bow and branded tag. 1. Simply pour 160ml of milk into mug. 2. Heat the milk on full power for 2 minutes in a microwave (700w) 3. Slowly stir chocolate on stick in warm milk until all the chocolate has melted. 4. For the final touch add the marshmallows and enjoy. Branding is on the tag in full colour print.

Ice Scraper Curved

Ice Scraper Curved shaped for comfort with a frosted effect. The wide face of the scraper offers excellent brand exposure for your business. Perfect for eco-friendly promotions. Available in Black, Clear, Dark Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White (other Colours And Recycled Material Available From 1000 Pieces)

Under £500

Thor 510ml Copper Vacuum Insulated Sport Bottles

30cm Barney Bow Bears

30cm Barney Bow Bears are a cheeky new addition to the Redbows range. The Bear is available in two colours Biscuit or Chestnut. Available branded with your logo, in up to three colours on a Satin Bow. Simply select your bear, then add your choice of accessory and send your artwork and order. To receive a personalised quote please click on the Quick Quote button above. Also available in 20cm.

Under £1000

Pierre Cardin Avignon Ballpens

Pierre Cardin Avignon Ballpens etched and hand-filled with black enamel, from the Pen Brands collection. The pen is finished in highly polished chromium plating, with heavy gauge brass as the base metal. The clip is machined from a single ingot of brass, triple-plated and fastened to the body of the pen using tiny concealed rivets. Supplied in a foil sleeve or gift box at an extra cost. Includes high-quality Dokumental refill.

Maxi Festive Gift Hampers

Maxi Gift Hampers filled with a selection of chocolate items. The hamper includes: Snack Tube filled with Mini Shortbread Biscuits, Snack tube filled with Mince Pies, Chocolate Selection Box, ,Mini Paint Tin filled with Champagne Truffles, Ballotin Box filled with Festive Fudge, Chocolate Caviar Tin, Flow Wrapped tray with Chocolate Santa’s, and out NEW 12 Baton Chocolate Bar. The hamper comes tied with a white ribbon and branded with a full colour card tag to the lid.

Top Products For Your Summer Marketing Campaign

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning your summer campaign. At Redbows we offer a wide range of products suitable for Hotels, Corporate Businesses, Charities, Schools, Non-profit organisations and more.

Does your business rely on local clientele? If so, product marketing at summer events like car shows, street fairs, carnivals, food and drink festivals or outdoor concerts can provide an ideal opportunity to promote your business and attract new customers within your local community. The summer months are packed with a wide variety of events scheduled across local areas. In some cases, the type of event that suits your business will be obvious, such as a food festival to market local produce. Others you’ll need to find out if the crowds are part of your target market. As people take advantage of the glorious summer weather, why not make sure your branded products are out there too? Below we’ve listed some marketing ideas to ensure your summer campaign reaches its full potential.

Printed Parasols

Parasols are perfect for promoting hotels, beer gardens, cafes and restaurants. This product provides a large print area for your imprint or logo, which can then be seen clearly from afar. A big branded object like this is sure to catch the eye of prospective customers seeking shelter and refreshments. Printed parasols keep customers sheltered whatever the weather. Printing is available in up to full colour with multiple options to ensure maximum brand impact.

Branded Fans

Fans are the next best promotional summer item. On selected styles the fabric can be printed in up to full colour with your artwork. Printing is also available on the handle. Fans are a cost-effective way to kick-start your summer marketing campaign.

Custom Printed Beach Bags

Every time your customers use reusable bags, potential customers will see your name and logo. Giving your brand continuous exposure throughout the year, no matter the weather. Ideal for the beach or can be used on family days out or the weekly shop.

Personalised Water Bottles

Water bottles are great giveaways at events where single-use plastic is most commonly found. In fact, Glastonbury festival recently revealed they will no longer sell single-use plastic water bottles. Many event organisers around the country are taking a step in the right direction in order to cut down waste. Set a precedent within your industry by incorporating water bottles into your marketing strategy. All our bottles can be printed in up to full colour or four spot colours with your logo or marketing message.

Picnic Blankets

Printed picnic blankets are the perfect giveaway item to loyal customers this summer. With so many different sizes, colours and materials to choose from, you can customize your blanket with your logo or artwork. Perfect for sporting events or summer picnics. Such a practical gift is sure to be received with thanks. Plus, your brand will gain maximum exposure in huge crowds.

Branded Lollipops

Personalised lollipops are a great giveaway item for summer events as they are easy to store and hand-out to visitors. The lollipops we supply can be personalised with your logo, either on the outer sweet wrapper or directly onto the lollipop itself. Each product is available in a range of flavours. We can also supply sugar-free lollies typically using dextrose sweeteners.

Summer Marketing Products

At Redbows we offer a range of summer products, from water bottles to printed picnic blankets and lollipops. Our studio can provide unlimited free visuals for your chosen product. We also offer free samples on selected items to provide quality assurance. Speak to one of our Sales Consultants today for more information.

Why Logo Branded Bags Are So Popular

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Branded bags are one of the best ways to promote your company or organisation. In the 2018 market research report by Sourcing City, bags were the top of the first 20 products most people enquire about achieving 14% of all enquiries made. So what are bags, branded with a logo imprint proving so popular?

Environmentally Friendly Bags

The world is literally awash with waste plastic and as we see every day retailers of all types are at the forefront of trying to move shoppers away from plastic bags. Many now offer ‘bags for life’, bags made from plastics that are more biodegradable and bags made from alternative materials.

It is the ‘alternative’ materials that really makes the difference here and promotional shopping bags are now one of the firm favourites with people who contact Redbows and are interested in an environmentally friendly bag. What we offer here is a wide selection of shoppers in different sizes, colours and with short or long handles. The materials include recycled cloths and papers to organically grown cotton farmed in more sustainable ways.

Branding Options

The take-up of alternative shopping bags has been quick and extensive. When I go shopping, I often have two or three cloth bags with me so that I can easily manage my shopping. I’ve also started to watch others at the checkouts to see whether they are now bringing their own bags or opting to buy a new one. Most bring their own.

Shopping bags tend to be of a good size; they must be if they are to be useful when you pop down to the shops. What this means for promotional companies is that they provide a good-sized print area onto which to print a logo and marketing message. Every time these bags are brought-out they provide a superb platform for promoting their supplier.

Of course, promotional shoppers are only one example of the branded bags available. There are many others including backpacks, cooler bags, document, duffel and laptop bags, sports and toiletry bags. Each offers a good imprint area and is a very useful product both for the recipient and the supplier looking to promote themselves.

In fact the range of bags available for branding and promotional purposes is quite extensive. This means that they can be used by a wide variety of organisations ranging from public sector to private companies, charities to sports clubs.
Corporate Image

As well as being a functional piece of merchandise, branded bags also help to promote the organisation that gives them in a more subliminal way. If your company has taken the time to invest in environmentally friendly bags, then it is also promoting sustainability and the need to protect the environment. Imagine giving out a range of promotional merchandise to new university students during ‘freshers’ week. Not only does the bag provide them with a ‘welcome pack’ but the bag itself can be re-used and helps to promote both the educational establishment and its eco and well-being values.

So if we were to sum up the value of branded bags, what would be in our top 5?

Repeated Brand Exposure: as the bags will be used more than once, they provide repeated brand exposure and the higher the quality of the materials, the longer this benefit should accrue for.
Functional Merchandise: these are products that are kept generally until they are no longer useful. Bags can be cleaned and generally hardwearing with imprints that can be screen printed or embroidered.
Multifunctional: we have a range of bag types, but the types do not restrict the function. Bags can be used for all sorts of functions whether its to carry goods or cloths, sports equipment or shopping or a multitude of different items.
Integrated Marketing Tool: bags can be a one-off giveaway item but can also easily be incorporated into wider marketing programs. They can be used to promote specific events and exhibitions as well as promotions that are designed to generate enquiries or drive traffic to a specific website.
Sustainable and Eco-friendly: bags are one of the most popular promotional gifts because of their eco credentials and sustainability towards our planet. Every time we use plastic, we perpetuate a problem that future generations will have to cope with. Cloth and paper bags can be recycled as part of their end-of-life disposal.

There is no doubt in our mind that branded bags will continue to grow in popularity amongst our client base and with new visitors to our website. As part of our own commitment to the environment we continue to source the best value and sustainable bags and have also made it possible for clients to purchase these on-line from our website. Clients can also upload their own artwork or ask us to generate this for them as part of our design studio services.

We look forward to discussing your need ‘bag’ project and to help you select the right promotional bags for your next promotional campaign.

The Sourcing City report we refer to is available to Purple Club Members like Redbows. The report is titled ‘Promotional Merchandise Industry (UK & Ireland) Market Report 2018’.

Top 10 Eco-Friendly Products For Your Marketing Campaign

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Eco-friendly products have been sweeping across mainstream marketing channels recently, thanks to their ability to promote positive sentiment and sustainable practices. Environmentally friendly items boost a brand’s value to customers. By incorporating these products into your overall marketing strategy, you will be appealing to consumers that look for sustainable products while also setting a precedent within your industry. To check whether a product is eco-friendly visit (http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0226-shopping-green) The Green Guides enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. This is a brief overview of the Top 10 Eco-Friendly Products For Your Marketing Campaign (just in time for spring).

1. Baby Tree Kits

Winner of an Award in 2018 in the Communicative Products category. Our Baby Tree Kits are supplied in a DIY package with a bamboo stick, binding material, bottom pile and birth certificate. Recipients also gain exclusive access to an online community which provides advice to keep the Baby Tree healthy. The trees are grown in the Netherlands and are fully sustainable. Choose from Apple, Cherry, Pear or Plum trees.

We can fully customise the packaging, the label of the tree and internal card insert to suit your marketing needs. Eco-friendly packaging made from 100% recycled cardboard, can be fully customised with any branding. We can offer full colour print coverage on the box, label and card insert. You can even add your branding to the online community.

2. Biodegradable Straws

Made from PLA, a plant-based material with 67% less embodied carbon than oil-based PP plastic. Our white straws are made from Ecovio, a plant-based compostable material ideal for drinks up to 40 degrees. Custom-Printed Biodegradable Straws are from 5 mm to 10 mm in black, white with a green stripe or in clear biodegradable plastic. You can even choose a custom-printed wrapper to boost the impact of your brand.

Our straws are designed for commercial composting together with food waste. However, our compostable packaging is not expected to break down in a marine environment, so please dispose of the straws responsibly. Choose from a range of design options – both full colour or single colour printing available on our biodegradable straws and their paper wrappers.

3. Biodegradable Carrier Bags

Our Biodegradable Carrier Bags are made from certified corn-starch and are 100% biodegradable and compostable. Cornstarch is derived from renewable and non-GMO corn and produced in Europe. It is processed into the granulate Mater-Bi®. The Mater-Bi® material is 100% biodegradable and compostable according to the European standard DIN EN 13432. The degradation process takes place either in an industrial composting plant, or in the in-house compost, within 8 to 12 weeks. The material decomposes CO2-neutral into its naturally occurring, renewable and non-toxic starting materials.

The granules are sourced from a company who own over 800 patents and has received numerous international awards and prizes. Biodegradable Carrier Bags are a sustainable, resource-saving and environmentally friendly alternative to a plastic carrier bag. Custom-printed with your brand message. Choose from 1-4 colour printing with 30% colour coverage using Flexo print – an eco-friendly alternative to more common print options. The colours used for the finishing and dyeing of the material are water-based. They contain no pollutants, are odour-free and harmless to your health.

4. Seedboms

Seedboms are eco-friendly bombs that ‘explode’ with seeds. Simply drop in a patch of untended earth, and the packaging will degrade, to let the flowers grow. The eco-friendly packaging is made from recycled paper organic peat-free compost, non-GMO seeds, 100% recycled and recyclable glue free cardboard packaging. The paper shells retain the moisture in the plants and will bio-degrade into the environment leaving only plants behind.

Lead time approximately 1-2 weeks. Seedboms have been used by companies likes The Eden Project, Diesel, RHS and Stand up to Cancer. The sleeves are fully customisable. We can adapt an existing design or create something new. There are various print options available and we can design your sleeve to your exact specifications. If you prefer to work on the design yourself, we offer our templates and design specifications.

5. Sprout Pencils

The Sprout Pencil is an eco-friendly, sustainable pencil that can be planted after use. At the end of each Sprout Pencil you’ll find a water-soluble seed capsule (instead of an eraser) that can be planted in soil. Use like a normal pencil, but when it becomes too short to write or colour with, just plant the pencil into some soil then watch it grow.

Fully customise your Sprout Pencils with an engraved logo or message. Orders over 2,500 units can choose from full-colour packaging for each individual pencil. This practical eco-friendly product is great for campaigns aimed at either children or adults. Choose from a wide selection of seed varieties to suit your needs. We offer: Sunflower, forget me not, daisy, carnation, cherry tomato, basil, thyme, sage, coriander and Chia.

6. Seedsticks

We supply custom-printed Seedsticks. These eco-friendly printed products are of our most popular plant ranges making them a great choice. Each pack of Seedsticks looks just like a match book, but each match contains a seed that will grow when planted in soil. A great product that will get a business remembered each time a customer looks at their blooming garden.

These products are ideal for garden centres, retailers, charities, sports clubs and environmental campaigns. Fully customise the design of the branded matchbook from full colour printing to bespoke cut shapes. There are many design options for available – get in touch to find out more.

7. Seed Paper

Plantable Seed Paper is a great eco-friendly item. Each sheet of paper is embedded with seeds, then can be planted and transformed into flowers, herbs or fruit and vegetables. This is a versatile product that can be made into eco-friendly business cards, bookmarks, marketing materials, instruction sheets, greetings cards and more. The Paper is biodegradable and made from recycled post-consumer materials. Even the ink is eco-friendly. After planting and seed germination, the paper composts away, leaving no waste.

We offer full-colour printing. Seed Paper can be cut in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit your brand. Seed Paper is available in a range of colours including full colour print inside and out on biodegradable eco-paper. All printing uses soy and vegetable ink. Seed and growing instructions are always included as is expected germination time, botanical and common name of the planet.

8. Eco Coffee Cups

Each year, 100 billion single use coffee cups end up as landfill. That’s why the Ecoffee Cup was created – an environmentally responsible, reusable cup. Made with naturally organic bamboo fibre, featuring a silicone band for holding. These cups also consist of a detachable piece from the lid, allowing your contents of the cup to cool down without having to remove the entire lid. It’s BPA and phthalate free as well as being light and sturdy. It’s biodegradable when you’re finished with it. It’s also fully dishwasher safe and has a fully sealable non-drip lid. Not suitable for microwave. Displayed in a presentation box with several sizes available. Print on cup or silicone sleeve. Single-colour on sleeve. Up to four colour print on Cup.Choose base Cup from existing stock. Four sizes: 8oz, 12oz, 14oz, 16oz.

9. Seed Paper Carrier Bags

We’re pleased to offer a carrier bag with a twist. Our Paper Carrier Bags are made from plantable seed paper. The carrier bags can be reused again and again because they are embedded with seeds, they can be buried in the ground when finished with. The seeds will germinate, plants will grow and the seed paper will degrade away. Comes with a mix of summer flowers as standard, but for orders of 1,000 units or more we can offer different seed mixes.

The seed paper carrier bags can be printed up to 3 PMS colours and are available in runs of as low as 100 units. Our paper carrier bags are available in small, medium and large. The print area starts from 16cm x 16cm and provide the perfect blank canvas for your clients marketing messages. We offer full-colour printing with 100% print coverage. Comes with summer flowers as standard, but we offer a range seed varieties for orders over 1,000 units. You can choose printed seeds that fit their branding and promotions. However, do bear in mind that larger sized seeds will make the seed paper rougher and more difficult to print on. Get in touch for more information on seed options.

10. Reusable Water Bottles

Our Reusable Water Bottles are a great choice for any brand looking for an eco-friendly product that contributes to solving the plastic problem. The bottles are practical and will help reduce the amount of plastic waste individuals use. It’s important that we all do our bit to cut plastic waste. An added bonus is that the bottles will be promoting an eco-friendly brand message each time they are reused. Made from double-walled stainless steel. Suitable for both hot and cold drinks. Complete with a leak proof screw cap and matte finish topcoat. Not suitable for dishwasher use. Print on the centre of the bottle to retain the metallic look but we can also provide it. Full colour print is available on the entire bottle.

Why use Printed Travel Mugs?

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Why use printed travel mugs? It’s no surprise that in today’s climate businesses are now asking themselves this question when planning marketing strategies and selecting the products they could use to take their marketing to the next level.

Nothing beats drinking from a brand-new Promotional Travel Mugs on a cold winter’s morning. At Redbows, we stock hundreds of different products to help keep your drink warm (or cold) when you’re on the move. If you’re looking for answers, you’ll find them here. We look at the important question, ‘Why use Printed Travel Mugs?’ – and hopefully give you some ‘drink’ for thought.

Are you looking for travel mugs or more cups, bottles or drinkware products? Shop our Mugs collection.

They’re universally appealing

Printed travel mugs can be used on the morning commute or to transport liquids to a picnic or outdoor event. They make ideal gifts for people who spend most of their time in their car and are perfect to take on long walks. They are especially popular with those who love the outdoors. If you’re looking for a product that appeals to everyone you could be onto a winner. So why use printed travel mugs? Simply, because they are universally appealing and a great fit for any type of business.

They’re an effective way to promote your business

If you’re asking yourself the question ‘why use promotional travel mugs?’ it might be because you want to reward loyal customers for their business or you’re promoting an event or competition. These products are designed to last and certainly gain the attention of a crowd if deemed, ‘free’ at an event or exhibition. Businesses promote themselves with pens or pencils before moving onto something ‘different.’ If you’re looking to buy, our top tip is to buy in bulk. Sometimes this is more cost effective than buying in lower quantities and re-stocking every few months. This ensures you have plenty of materials to use during the year and prevents the high express charges from last minute orders.

They’re environmentally-friendly

Reusable travel mugs are the solution to the ever-growing plastic cup epidemic. Many have the best intentions of separating the plastic lid from the cardboard cup on their commute to work but this often doesn’t happen. Smart business can utilise the opportunity by branding take away cups with their company details, logo or message. Wherever your client takes their coffee cup, people will notice the stylish mug and instantly recognise your brand.

In today’s climate, promotional travel mugs are one of the best gifts for companies looking to increase their brand reputation. They are the best ethical choice and marketing choice for advertising gifts this winter.

They’re made to last

Why use printed travel mugs? Because unlike traditional mugs that are easily chipped and smashed, they’re designed for the wear and tear of travelling. If you’re looking to buy there are plenty of options available. Send them in the post or hand them out at exhibitions or events.

The best marketing practice is testing different strategies. You could spend months analysing which product may suit your business, but thinking is no substitute for actually getting out there and trying different products. With that in mind, why not place your order with Redbows today?

How do they retain heat?

Double walled Travel Mugs function similarly to a thermos or flask, with walls constructed out of stainless steel, with a reflecting layer between to conduct and retain heat. When sealed the warmth will be kept within the mug, by the inner and outer walls. Double walled mugs are not vacuum treated.

Warm beverages lose heat through evaporation, even a thin plastic lid serves a vital role in keeping the drink hot. They are designed with no handles as they are easier to grab when on the move and in many cases have a narrower base to fit stably into a wide range of mug holders. They are usually well-insulated and completely enclosed with a spill proof lid to prevent leaking.

Terminology

The terms are thrown around constantly, but do you understand what they mean? All you’re looking for is a cup that most importantly, retains heat. Whatever your preference we’re here to clarify and make your life easier. Looking for further information? Visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug

Travel Mugs

Not all travel mugs are thermal and not all thermal mugs are designed to fit in drinks machines or cup holders. A travel mug is designed to transport liquids. A thermal mug is designed to keep liquids warm. Both terms can be used but it is important to look for certain features such as whether the mug has insulation or not.

Thermal Cups

A thermal cup is a general term for any cup or mug that keeps your drink piping hot or ice cold. It provides thermal insulation.

Vacuum Cups

Vacuum cups rely on a space almost completely rid of air to provide insulation. The vacuum chambers are coated with a reflective material, like silver, to prevent heat loss by radiation. Molecules inside the chambers transfer heat by conduction.

Insulation Cups

Also known as double wall cups, insulation cups house an inner and outer wall to maintain the drinks temperature. The inner wall is usually stainless steel while the outer wall can be anything from stainless steel to plastic, ceramic, glass or any other kind of proprietary materials. Suitable for those who dislike the metallic taste when drinking coffee from a metal cup.

The Contigo range is available from Redbows. Try our Contigo West Loop Thermal Mugs featuring vacuum insulated technology to keep hot drinks warm for up to 5 hours and cold for 12 hours. Autoseal technology seals the lid between sips to ensure no spills. Mug has a double walled design. Lid is dishwasher safe and 100% spill and leak proof. 470ml capacity. No matter your colour preference, it’ll keep your coffee hot for up to five hours and will not leak or spill.

To find out more about our range and what we can do for you, please email sales@redbows.co.uk or call 0800 158 3080

Chocolate's Place In The Marketing Mix

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

In the UK we typically consume an estimated 660,900 tones of chocolate each year with an every of 3 bars per week or 11kg per person per year. Chocolate appeals to a very wide demographic and modern manufacturing and packaging techniques mean that there are more varieties, shapes and tastes available than ever before. It’s no wonder that chocolate is also an important ingredient in the marketing mix of many companies and organisations.

A Brief History of Chocolate

We tend to think of hot chocolate drinks as a further invention to the humble chocolate bars, snacks and individual chocolates supplied in boxes that we know so well today. The history of chocolate reveals that chocolate drinks came first and started to appear around 350 BC.

It was the Aztecs who first started to farm and harvest chocolates. They believed that the Cacao seeds were a gift from their gods and were so valuable that they were used as a currency. An Aztec hot chocolate was so different to the drinking chocolate that we use today. Their drink would have been bitter and mixed with spices (chilli) and corn puree. The drink was believed to provide aphrodisiac powers and strength to the drinker. The word ‘chocolate’ derives from the Spanish language. Drinking chocolate arrived in Europe around the 16th century and became more popular when sugar was added to it.

Chocolate is derived from the bean of the Cacao tree, a native of the Mesoamerica territory. The bean is brownish-red and almond-shaped and is harvested from a sheath that hangs from the tree. The beans themselves are bitter due to the alkaloids in them and there is evidence that they could have been fermented as early as 1400 BC to produce an alcoholic beverage. Today most of the world’s chocolate is grown in Western Africa.

To turn the Cacao beans into the chocolate requires roasting at a temperature of between 120-149ºC. This develops the brown colour. The beans are then crushed to release the ‘nib’ which is extracted from the debris following placement in an air tunnel which blows the shell fragments away. The nibs are then grown down into a thick brown liquid called a cocoa mass. The mass is then pressed to release the cocoa butter and powder.

It is the cocoa powder that is used in drinking chocolate, confectionery and cooking. To create chocolate bars, the cocoa butter and cocoa mass is combined with sugar and milk in varying proportions. The process is stirred over several days (referred to as ‘conching’) to create a chocolate with a smooth texture. The chocolate is then cooled slowly (referred to as ‘tempering’) and the resulting mixture (referred to as ‘couverture’) is the basis for most of the chocolate bars, individual chocolates, chocolate spreads, flavours and toppings consumed today. Other ingredients may be added including milk, vegetable fat, nuts, nougat, fruits, mints and chilli spices.

As everyone is aware chocolate typically comes in three types: milk, dark and white. The different mixtures have different melting points due to the mixture of cocoa and milk fats. Milk chocolate has a higher proportion of milk and so a lower melting point and for dark chocolate the ratio is reversed. When chocolate melts slowly it tends to remain smooth. When melted quickly the mixture can become lumpy and bitter. The melting point of milk chocolate is around 30-32ºC. This is less than normal body temperature and the reason why chocolate melts in our mouths.

The 19th Century saw many developments as chocolate manufacturing became more industrialised. A Dutch Chemist (Coenraad van Houten) introduced alkaline salts to reduce the bitterness in 1815 and in 1828 he created a press to half the cacao butter fat which allowed for a more consistent chocolate mixture. In 1847 Joseph Fry introduced moulded chocolates in the shapes of the first chocolate bars and individual pieces. Lindt and Sprüngli was another pioneering chocolate company that started out in 1845. Others include Nestlé and Cadbury as well as the US-based Hershey company.

Printing, Packaging and Promotional Chocolates

For hygiene and to prevent melting, chocolate products must be packaged and stored properly. Even when we buy individual chocolates from a confectionery shop today, the chocolates are put into a paper or plastic lined paper bag, cardboard box with a plastic tray, tub or tin. The chocolates may be even individually wrapped as are chocolate bars.

Packaging has always played an important role and the first chocolate bars and boxes had printed wrappers to advertise their contents, brand and the company that manufactured today. For most promotional chocolates the packaging forms the central branding point. Some individual chocolate products also offer the opportunity to mould the logo into the chocolates themselves. An example would be a chocolate coin or 3D moulded chocolate bar. Some chocolates can offer an edible top that can also be logo printed.

Chocolate has always been considered a treat and one for special occasions. Its consumption is associated with many national and religious holidays and calendar dates. Classic examples include advent calendars for Christmas, Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies for Easter and Valentine’s Day. For promotional marketers these events also provide an opportunity for companies and organisations to promote themselves with a branded chocolate product.

Aside from seasonal marketing campaigns, branded chocolates can also be used for other types of marketing campaign including giveaways at events and general as a general ‘thank you’ to new and existing clients in the form of boxes and chocolate bars. We tend not to recommend their usage at events such as exhibitions and tradeshows where the ambient temperature may be higher leading to a softening of the product. Where you can distribute the chocolate within a moderate temperature environment there is no end to the marketing possibilities.

Chocolates remain a firm favourite marketing product for many organisations. They can be used for wide variety of customer and potential client interactions and touch points and always go down well. As well as the traditional types, sugar-free, diabetic and lactose-free types are also available as well as chocolates made from Fairtrade materials (https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Farmers-and-Workers/Cocoa) and some flavoured with alcohol.

There is no doubt as to the future for chocolate. It is guaranteed to remain a firm favourite whose popularity will continue to grow with each new generation of consumer. More Avant Garde flavour combinations will continue to evolve but the mainstream flavours will remain as milk, dark and white chocolate and there will continue to be national and regional tastes and preferences.

How To Plan For Exhibition Success

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Exhibition planning doesn’t have to be one of the most stressful marketing activities you undertake. We’ve put together an exhibition planning checklist that will help you to plan for your next event and make it a great success. The list is more generic than definitive so you may need to adapt it for your own organisation and industry but it does include a lot of the marketing related activities that can sometimes make or break an event.

1. Write A Stand Brief

Whether you are going for a Space Only or a Shell Scheme write a stand brief listing your objectives and overall aims for the show and what you want to show.

There are several key areas within a stand brief. Typical items cover:

an overview of your company
your contact details, website and social media accounts
aims and objectives and how you will measure the event for success
your marketing message and strapline
corporate logo and colours and other company graphics
key announcements and press information
previous stand designs and events attended
national and local language considerations
stand needs in terms of working, demo, meeting and storage areas, stand personnel numbers and corporate clothing, utilities including local Wi-Fi, cleaning and stand catering if required

No matter what the size of the company or organisation, it is important to consider all the stakeholders in the generation of the brief. Their early involvement can ensure all the bases are covered and potential problems avoided.

2. Get Bids From Stand Designers

Send the brief out to up to 15 stand designers and ask them to send you a costed proposal for evaluation on a set date. Review the proposals to get a shortlist.

If you only want a shell scheme, then the stand brief will be useful for your marketing agency whom you should engage with early in the planning process. They will help with pop-up banners, wall graphics and other materials. If you want space only you will need a stand design and construction company. Most exhibition websites will provide a list of these that you can contact. They may also share your contact details so expect stand companies to contact you.

3. Remember to BAFO!

It’s a competitive world. Ask your shortlist for a Best and Final Offer. Then review all the bids against your brief and budget. Involve your marketing agency in the review.

Create a shortlist of proposals and discuss these with your marketing agency. They will provide a different point and external view of the project. Whether the show is overseas or in the UK it is useful to negotiate with the shortlisted companies and seek any clarifications or final changes to the designs before making a final decision. Select the company with the best proposal and ask for references from them. This especially important if you have not met them in person.

4. Exhibition Manuals

Once you have booked a show you will get access to an on-line portal or be sent an exhibitor’s manual. Read, plan and execute.

Exhibition organisers generally run smooth operations. They want to provide a successful show and make it easy for you as their client. One of the most important documents they provide is a timetable when you need to have completed forms back to them. Make sure you read this, note key dates in your diary and leave enough time to complete the forms and any other information they need including logos, social media, contact details and press releases.

5. Hotels, Travel and Personnel

Like the forms in the exhibition manual you cannot leave these decisions to the last minute. Especially for major shows.

In your stand brief you decided on the number of people needed for the show, right? Well review this and build in some contingency. Make sure they are available and prepared to travel to the event. Book hotels well in advance along to get the best rates. You need to be as near to the event as possible to keep your team fresh but may need to balance this against your budget. Book any flights or trains in advance to guarantee seats and prices.

6. Set-up and Packing Logistics

Proper preparation and planning prevents potentially poor performance. Your logistics pre and post event must be right.

Your company insurance may cover exhibitions and goods in transit, but it is always worth checking. You may decide to use your own vehicles or transport using a recommended carrier from the exhibition organisers. Book well in advance and find out how they handle packaging pre and post event. If you need to move heavy goods you may need to hire on-site fork-lift and additional personnel. Remember to aim to complete set-up at least 24 hours before the event opens.

7. Plan Your Marketing Activities

What momentum building activities will you undertake to make the show a success for your company?

What does success mean? Refer to the objectives in the brief for the show in terms of visitor numbers, takeaways, sign-ups and after show follow-ups in terms of orders and new clients. Plan a marketing campaign for the show that fits into your wider marketing program and includes all aspects of engagement including social media #hashtags, exhibition editorials, advertising and PR. Include invitations to the show for your clients and prospects.

8. Marketing Collateral

What will your stand visitors take away from your stand in terms of brochures, samples and promotional merchandise?

You may have new products to launch, new service announcements, demos and competitions. Once a person walks off your stand, how will they remember their visit to you. What can you give them to take away that will reinforce their memory of the visit and motivate them towards moving forward in your opportunity pipeline. Brochures, graphics, samples, promotional products, corporate clothing, branded confectionery, drinks and snacks need to be planned into the schedule.

9. Review The Plan Regularly

Remember that show success is a team effort. Hold regular review meetings and generate a task list to review at the next meeting.

A lot of different skills are needed to make a show a success. It is a team effort and you need to make sure that everyone is onboard. Plan through the logistics of delivery and stand build. Make the after-show take-down and packing as easy as possible as well as your team will be tired and ready. After the show take time for a post-show audit, listing what you liked, what worked and didn’t. Make it a learning experience for all concerned.

10. Make A Don’t Forget List

There are always last-minute overlooks that creep into event planning. Here’s a few to consider.

Adequate stock of business cards, name badge holders, data capture, stand security, stand cleaning, waste bin and bags, a first aid kit, a tool box, IT cables and wires, extension leads with local plug adapter, spare tape, a stationery box with pens, pads, a stapler and spare staples, emergency contact numbers and a letter of authority from the company for overseas travellers.

For more information on UK exhibitons and shows please refer to https://www.eventseye.com/fairs/c1_trade-shows_uk-united-kingdom.html.

You can also download a copy of this How To Plan For Exhibition Success Checklist as a PDF with additional room to make your own notes or a copy of the exhibition planning infographic we have published.

Choosing The Right Umbrella For Your Clients

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100

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Umbrellas are a superb promotional tool and tick the box in terms of providing a useful function and large advertising area. Choose the right umbrella and you will give your clients a product they will keep and make plenty of use from. There are several types of umbrella to consider and for each type several options that allow you to customise your choice.

Umbrella history can be traced back over 4,000 years (https://www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-the-umbrella-1992592). Umbrellas were originally designed to provide shade and protection from the sun. The modern umbrella usage of providing protection from the rain can be traced back to China, where umbrellas were coated with wax paper to make them waterproof. The downside of a paper-based umbrella was that it was not strong enough to cope with winds of course and umbrella usage took off in Europe when stronger materials were used. More modern materials like nylon and polyester eventually became the norm and off course provided water-resistance as well.

So the purpose for a modern umbrella has not change since its inception many centuries ago. What has changed is improvements in design and manufacturing technologies that allow for customisation and stronger and more durable products.

One of the most durable is the vented umbrella. This is ideal for use in windier conditions. As well as providing protection from the rain a vented umbrella can withstand higher winds thanks to its vented design. A vented design removes the potential for umbrella damage in the form of ripped materials or damaged ribs and poles.

Vented umbrellas can include a double canopy, elastic cord and stronger materials than a traditional umbrella. The double canopy does what it says. The umbrella design has two canopies that overlap with the internal canopy having pressure vents which prevent pressure building up on the umbrella canopy to protect the internal infrastructure. An internal elastic cord can support the umbrella from strong winds as it runs from the canopy to the umbrella shaft. The use of stronger canopy materials and tempered steel also helps to provide protection from strong winds.

Folding tote type umbrellas is another popular type. These are small umbrellas that can be easily closed (automatically) and carried around in a handbag, briefcase, rucksack, laptop bag or even kept within a car. Folding umbrellas have the added advantage of being easier to carry around than a full-sized brolly. They can have smaller-to-medium sized canopies which can still be used to carry a good-sized imprint and advertising message. This type of umbrella is also typically supplied in a matching pouch that can be used to provide storage protection.

Walking umbrellas are another popular type. As one can never predict the weather in a country like the UK, walking umbrellas are a popular take-out item when leaving the house at the weekend or running an errand from the office. Walking umbrellas will be full-sized versions and there are several options to choose from that can include: wind-proof designs, handle grips (plastic, wooden or rubber), panels and materials.

Golf umbrellas are a type of walking umbrella and can have larger canopies to provide greater protection. Whilst designed for the golf course, due to their versatility they have become very popular with walkers and use at a wide variety of sporting events and outdoor clubs. In comparison to a folding umbrella, golf and walking umbrellas are harder to store and carry around but most people who use them find a way to solve this issue. They either carry in the boots of their cars or leave in an outside porch or umbrella bucket for easy access.

Budget umbrellas are another popular type. These are ideal for tighter budgets and can be just as powerful a marketing device. Again similar decisions must be made about canopy size, handles and print options.

The quality of most promotional umbrellas around is very high and when you select the right type for the target audience you can rest assured that you will be giving them a product that will be well received.

Umbrellas printed with a company logo are great advertising platforms. They are always well received and especially by people who need to venture outdoors or do so as part of their social or work activities. The right type of giveaway umbrella can see years of service for its user and be a constant reminder of the company who gave it and the brand printed on it.

What is the average life span for a promotional umbrella? This all comes down to the durability of the product and how it is used and maintained. Most umbrellas will last for several years. As with any product like this it is important to make sure it is dried out after use and cleaned if it meets mud and dirt. This will prevent corrosion to any exposed metal parts and protect the fabric from the risk of tarnishing as well as damage to the imprinted logo.

So finally let’s consider the ordering process.

The first stage is to choose an umbrella type and quantity that meets your budget. When considering your budget please take into account how many panels you wish to print on and the number of colours within your logo imprint as these two factors will impact the overall unit and total price.
If you need a sample for inspect then this can be requested from our sales team.
Consider whether you need a virtual visual. This can be generated by our design team and will show you how your logo could look on your chosen umbrella.
Once everything is agreed you can order online or send a purchase order with payment confirmation.
Following receipt of your order, an artwork approval form will be sent to you for sign-off. Production can only start when the artwork has been formally accepted and signed-off and all lead times are quoted from artwork sign-off.
After your logo has been printed, the finished umbrellas are despatched to you. Normal packing includes a polythene sleeve over the umbrella with the final product in an individual cardboard outer. Each individual package may then be placed into a larger cardboard box for shipment.

For ideas on the types of umbrellas and parasols that we can supply please see our promotional umbrellas collection. If you need more information, a visual or sample please let us know. We can also source other designs via our supply chain and even assist with custom designed umbrellas.

How to Go Green on Your Next Promotion

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100

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When you use environmentally friendly promotional products in your marketing, you make a very positive statement about your company and your brand. Just how green you make your marketing depends on the choice of products you use and today companies like Redbows offer a very wide selection.

Going greener may be part of your company policies and general commitment to lower your carbon footprint and help to preserve natural resources. Policies covering this could include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental Management.

Whether your organisation has made a positive and formal commitment to the environment or not we all have an obligation to help preserve our environment. This was recently highlighted in the landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC – http://www.ipcc.ch/). The report stated the need for urgent and unprecedented changes within the next 12 years to prevent global temperatures rising above 1.5C.

So how can promotional merchandise help preserve resources and contribute towards environmental commitments?

Firstly, a conscious choice can be made to use eco-friendly products like the ones available from suppliers like Redbows.

The term ‘eco-friendly’ relates to the use of recycled or reclaimed materials or those that are manufactured from organic or sustainably farmed resources. Recycling has a growing role in the UK and many organisations have recycling streams as do most UK households. When materials are put into these waste streams for recycling, they are general grouped in a processing centre into plastics, rubbers, papers, woods, metals, clothing and other materials.

Recycled plastics and the rubber from tyres can be made into a range of promotional merchandise including rulers and coasters as well as plastic mugs. The finished product will have the durability and quality as one manufactured from first-time use materials. Paper can also be recycled and turned into paper pads and notebooks as well as cardboard and other compacted forms. Some plastic forms can be even be recycled into clothing and caps.

Cloth is another material area that can be used as a product base material in eco-friendly clothing and bags. Here organic cotton, jute and hemp can be used to manufacture various types of Tote and shopping bags. Organic cotton can also be used for t-shirts and other clothing items.

Sustainable farm management is another aspect to consider. Forests can be sustainably managed to ensure that they have the least impact on the environment and are managed so that harvested trees are replaced with saplings ready to take their place in future years. Wooden materials like this can be used for a pens and pencils as well as other products.

Other products that can be used for eco-friendly type promotions include seeds and plants. These products can also be used for wellness type marketing programmes.

It is always to interesting when considering eco-friendly type promotions to consider the impact of global consumers and millennials. There is a definite shift in world markets towards societal purpose and social impact and this ca be achieved using environmentally friendly promotional merchandise.

Other ways to impact society and the environment in general is to offer the promotional merchandise alongside a joint promotion. Bottled water could be used at events with an offer to donate a sum to a chosen charity for each bottle returned for recycling. This type of promotion could be used with any other type of promotional product and is therefore not solely limited to those with using eco-friendly materials.

Alternatively ask about shipping costs and origin of manufacture. The closer a product is manufactured to its intended point of use, the lower the shipping costs and environmental impact from transportation. UK manufactured eco-products are ideal for UK promotions. The cost might be higher than ones manufactured in the Far East but their impact on the environment will be much lower.

In terms if imprint most eco-products tend to restrict the number of colours that can be used within an imprint to one or two. Digital may be available but only for a selection of products in an eco-product collection.

Finally, consider the amount of product being ordered for a specific event or to carry as stock for future use. It is always better to have just enough rather than too big a safety stock. All you need is for your logo to change or a gadget to go ‘off-trend’ and you end up with stock that must be recycled.

No matter what type of organisation or business you are, there is always the need today to demonstrate your green credentials and to show your commitment to the environment and society at large. You can use promotional merchandise for this, but care must be taken to choose the right items and ones that fit with both your commitments to the environment and marketing campaign.

Please let us know how we can help you with your next marketing promotion if you want to add a green and eco-friendly product element.

The Health Benefits of Herbal Teas

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0100

For thousands of years, tea has been considered the key to good health and mental wellbeing. Advancements in modern science, has allowed researchers to find supporting evidence for the traditional uses of herbal teas in the East. Studies have shown that some herbal teas can encourage weight loss, lower cholesterol, protect against certain types of cancer and bring about mental alertness.

Green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea and pu-erh tea are all derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant. The shrub, native to China and India, contains antioxidants called flavonoids. Antioxidants can prevent and reduce the number of damaged cells in the body, typically caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules, produced when the body is exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays, X-rays or gamma rays from radioactive materials. They can also occur from breathing in cigarette smoke, car exhausts and industrial fumes. Free radicals are theorised to contribute to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. They may also have a link to aging, which is a gradual accumulation of free-radical damage on the body.

Herbal teas are generally made from dried fruits, flowers, spices or herbs. Processed teas such as Oolong and Black teas are oxidized or fermented so they contain fewer flavonoids than other herbal teas. However, their antioxidizing power is still high.

Below we’ve listed 6 herbal teas and their potential health benefits.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is most commonly known for its calming effects. Dried chamomile flowers are derived from the Asteraceae family of plants and are used for various herbal and natural remedies. Chamomile tea has been praised for its numerous health benefits and the presence of flavonoids, sesquiterpenes and other powerful antioxidants. Chamomile tea is said to protect the skin, lower stress levels, regulate sleep and soothe menstrual cramps. It is also believed to boost the immune system, treat gastrointestinal issues and reduce belly bloating.

Chamomile tea is frequently used as a sleeping aid. According to research, drinking a cup of chamomile tea before bed can help you fall asleep faster. Chamomile contains tryptophan which is an amino acid known for its calming effects. The properties act as a relaxant in our bodies and help to induce sleep. Regular sleep is linked to lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

In one study of 80 postpartum women, drinking chamomile tea for two weeks led to fewer symptoms of depression and improved sleep quality. Chamomile tea is often used in the treatment of stress and anxiety. The soothing effect of Chamomile Tea can increase serotonin and melatonin levels and help eradicate stress and worry. It also provides relief for migraines and headaches.

SUMMARY:

Chamomile is well known for its calming properties, and preliminary evidence supports this. It is believed to boost premenstrual symptoms, regulate sleep, lower stress levels and boost the immune system.

Reference: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/beverage/chamomile-tea-benefits-uses.html

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is one of the most widely consumed herbal teas. Although peppermint is typically consumed for digestion, it has significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities as well as strong antioxidant, anticancer actions and antiallergenic properties.

Peppermint tea is brewed from plant leaves and the essential oil of peppermint. The leaves include rosmarinic acid and several flavonoids including eriocitrin, luteolin and hesperidin. The main components of peppermint oil are menthol and menthone. Peppermint tea helps ease digestion by encouraging bile flow. Peppermint can also reduce pain and discomfort from gas and bloating and support healthy cholesterol levels.

Human studies on the effect of peppermint leaves are limited and are based on animal model studies. Most of these effects have not been studied on humans, so it’s not possible to know if they might lead to the proposed health benefits. However, several studies have confirmed peppermint’s beneficial effects on the digestive tract.

SUMMARY:

Peppermint tea supports healthy cholesterol levels, relieves pain and discomfort from gas and bloating and helps ease digestion by encouraging bile flow. It contains strong antimicrobial and antiviral activities as well as antixoidant and anticancer actions.

Ginger Tea

The use of ginger as a natural remedy dates back thousands of years. However, modern science has only recently accumulated enough evidence to support its health-promoting properties. Research shows that ginger contains compounds like gingerol, shogaol, paradol and zingerone. Gingerol is believed to contain the most beneficial effects. The compounds can help fight free radicals, reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Ginger tea is best known for being an effective remedy for nausea and has been used to treat motion sickness and morning sickness for centuries. Several studies have found that ginger can help relieve period pain and offer health benefits for people with diabetes. Ginger can relieve nausea, boost brain health, enhance weight loss and control blood sugar levels.

Ginger stimulates circulation to relive rheumatic aches and pains. In one study, published by Arthiritis and Rheumatism, ginger extract significantly reduced knee pain caused by osteoarthiritis. Further research by Georgia College found that ginger decreased exercise-induced muscle pain. Some research has found that, ginger root could help protect against Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease as it has powerful inflammation properties.

SUMMARY:

Ginger root reduces inflammation, stimulates the immune system and relives rheumatic aches and pains. Ginger is also an effective remedy for nausea and menstural pain.

Reference: https://draxe.com/ginger-tea-benefits/

Lemon Tea

Lemon tea is a healthy alternative to various carbonated drinks and coffee. It contains black tea and lemon juice which contains strong antioxidant properties. The presence of polyphenol antioxidants in tea can help protect healthy cells against damage and prevent the growth of cancerous cells. Lemons contain compounds called limonoids which can help fight against mouth, lung, breast, stomach and colon cancers.

Lemon is nature’s natural antiseptic. It contains anti-bacterial and antiviral properties. It is an excellent detoxifier and helps cleanse the body by removing toxins from the system to prevent diseases and infections. In terms of psychological benefits, Lemon tea can remove the toxins that trigger various mental health illnesses. Lemon tea is also great for headaches, low vitality, lethargy and fatigue. In case of cold or flu, lemon tea is helpful in relieving a sore throat and boosting your immune system to fight off the infection.

According to the Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, lemon tea contains flavonoids that can reduce lipids and inflammation to prevent blood clots in the arteries. It provides protection against heart disease. Tea can interfere with the absorption of iron by your body. However, Lemon tea contains vitamin c which can increase the non-heme iron absorption. Adding Lemon juice to tea can counteract the adverse effects.

SUMMARY:

Lemon tea cleanses the body and removes toxins thought to trigger various mental illnesses. It relives a sore throat and can protect against heart disease by preventing blood clots in the arteries.

Reference: https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-lemon-tea/#gref

Black Tea

Black tea is stronger in flavour and contains more caffeine than other herbal teas. Incorporating black tea into your diet is an easy to way to increase the level of antioxidants in your body which can potentially reduce the risk of diseases.

Black tea plays an important role in maintaining a healthy gut. The bacteria in your gut may help reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and even certain types of cancer. The polyphenols in black tea will promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and prevent the growth of bad bacteria such as Salmonella. Black tea contains antimicrobial properties to improve a healthy gut by repairing the lining of the digestive tract.

Black tea contains caffeine and an amino acid called L-theanine which has been found to improve focus. The amino acid increases alpha wave brain activity. Studies have found that beverages containing the amino acid L-theanine and caffeine have a greater impact on improving alertness.

Black tea may lower sugar levels which have been found to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and depression. The pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin when your body consumes sugar. The hormone carries the sugar to the muscles to be transferred to energy. If you consume more sugar than your body needs, the extra sugar gets stored as fat. Researchers concluded from one study that several compounds in tea increased insulin activity.

SUMMARY:

Black tea may lower blood sugar levels and improve focus. Studies have also found that it may reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and even certain types of cancer.

Referece: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/black-tea-benefits#section11

Green Tea

Green tea contains the amino acid L-theanine which can increase the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA to improve brain function. Green tea increases dopamine levels and the production of alpha waves in the brain. Many people have reported experiencing more energy when drinking green tea than compared to coffee.

Green tea contains bioactive compounds which contain large amounts of important nutrients such as polyphenols and a catechin called EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate). EGCG is one of the most powerful compounds in green tea and may be the reason why green tea has such powerful medicinal properties. Studies have been conducted involving the consumption of EGCG to treat various diseases. The catechin can also have various effects on neurons in the brain, potentially lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

SUMMARY:

Green tea is rich in antioxidants and nutrients known to improve brain function, lower the risk of certain types of cancer and stimulate weight loss.

Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea#section1

Apple and Cinnamon Tea

Apple and Cinnamon are naturally warming flavours. It is one of the most pleasant, woodsy, sweet flavours in our collection. Known for their individual health effects, when combined with the rich-antioxidant tea, the potential health benefits increase dramatically. Drinking apple and cinnamon tea is a great way to improve overall health.

To understand the overall benefit of this tea, you need to consider all the ingredients. Apple and Cinnamon tea is made with apple peels, cinnamon and brewing tea. Tea is rich in polyphenolic compounds and other antioxidants. Apple peels contain natural antioxidant compounds and calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde and other water-soluble nutrients that will be infused into the tea.

Research into the effects of Apple and Cinnamon Tea has found that the compounds regulate blood sugar, balance cholesterol levels, increase weight loss and digestion. Cinnamon has been directly linked to lowering blood sugar and regulating insulin levels. Both apple and cinnamon are known to reduce triglyceride levels in the body and lower cholesterol levels. Apple peels contain compounds that speed up the metabolism of cholesterol.

SUMMARY:

Apple and Cinnamon tea contains compounds that can regulate blood sugar, balance cholesterol levels, increase weight loss and aid digestion.

Reference: https://www.organicfacts.net/apple-cinnamon-tea.html

Conclusion

At Redbows we offer a range of Herbal Teas available fully personalised with your imprint or logo, from the Redbows Tea Bags and Sachets Collection. All our products are available branded with your imprint or logo on the envelope, sachet or box. We offer Green Tea, Fruit Tea, Peppermint Tea, Chamomile Tea, Apple and Cinnamon, Lemon and Ginger Tea and Standard Black Tea.

Tea Bags and Drinks Sachets are perfect for sending out to clients, especially in the autumn and winter months. Check out our fun ideas list below to help get you started planning your next campaign.

Relax! We'll do the rest...
Wake up with 'Your Company name'
Take a break with 'Your Company name'
Stay warm this winter
You're totally tea-riffic! Thanks for your business in 2018
We think you're quali-tea! Thanks for your continued support
Thanks for being a tea-m player!
Team is spelled tea...mmm
It's a brew-tiful day!
It's a beau-tea-ful life!
Congratulations smart-tea pants!
A drink fit for your majest-tea
We're a business that treats our customers like royal-tea
Fresh ideas are brewing! Check out our new product range
You've got good taste. Thanks for choosing us!

To view our full collection visit Promotional Tea Bags.

Additional References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-herbal-teas#section11

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits#2

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-21754/The-true-benefits-herbal-tea.html

Everything you need to know about Branded Advent Calendars

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0100

The deadline date for ordering your promotional advent calendars is fast approaching. Don’t miss out on a fantastic opportunity to engage with your customers and create a marketing buzz around your brand.

We offer a range of Branded Advent Calendars at affordable prices with branding options for full or part personalisation. Our most popular advents are the A5 Lindt Desktop Advent Calendars, Traditional A4 Advent Calendars, A5 Desktop Advent Calendars and Napoli Advent Calendars. We also offer custom designed Advent Calendars to match any bespoke layout or shape. This includes the option for a large window for number 25. Please bear in mind, this would need to be developed in advance with artwork signed off before the end of September. Call us today to find out how promotional advent calendars can promote your organisation or business. Sample calendars are available on request.

Deadline Dates:

15th August 2018: Lindt, Milka and Toblerone Advent Calendars
15th October 2018: Traditional, Desktop Advent Calendars, 10 Day Advent Calendars
15th October 2018: Napoli Advent Calendar, 10 Day Advent Calendars, A3 Advent Calendars, A4 Advent Calendars

For further deadline dates on promotional advent calendars, please contact us.

Printing Options available on Advent Calendars

Essentially, there are two types of personalisation available. We can provide space for an imprint, into this we can print your artwork which can include your company’s logo, website or contact details. With a fully customised design, the whole cardboard outer and even the inner doors can be personalised with your artwork. Choose from a range of stock designs or create an advent calendar design unique to your company. We can also arrange this for you. Additional print areas include branding on the chocolate wrappers. This is an excellent way to engage with your customers and market a new product, service or promotion every day. Other options include bespoke moulded chocolates, foil lidding, print to the inside of each window, chocolate wrappers and to the outer carton.

When we receive your artwork, we can provide a full PDF proof, showing you how your artwork will look on your chosen promotional item. Once the pdf proof is approved we can dispatch a hard copy, which we will be sent in the post. The lead time starts from when the hard copy is approved. We can hold onto your order until a date that suits you. We recommend delivery before the 1st of December to leave time for delivery to your clients. Remember, you really need your artwork signed off early and definitely before the last print runs in October.

Choose a style to suit your artwork

We offer a wide range of Advent Calendars at Redbows, including our Traditional A4 Advent Calendars, Napoli Advent Calendars and 12 Day Advent Calendars. It is important to consider the timing when purchasing promotional Advent Calendars. Those ordering in early September can experiment with different artwork templates with our unlimited Virtual Visuals. Once we reach mid-September it's important to guarantee delivery, especially if your planning to post your advents. The cut off date for our Lindt, Toblerone and Milka Advent Calendars is mid-August.

Choose colours that compliment your logo and give impact.
Whilst white space works well the imprint area is relatively small on our A5 Desktop Advent Calendars and 12 Day Advent Calendars.
Design an imprint layout that compliments your logo and calendar style; A3, A4, A5
Choose an advent calendar layout that matches your logo orientation; portrait or landscape.
Check your contact details; contact number, website address, social networks.

What to consider when buying Printed Advent Calendars

Delivery Options

To ensure your advent calendars reach your clients in impeccable condition we can provide postal cartons. The postal cartons keep the advents and artwork in pristine condition during storage and delivery. Postal Cartons are an optional extra but essential if delivering to more than one address across the UK. At Redbows we also provide a complete fulfilment service. So, all you have to do is provide us with the names and addresses of your team and we can do the rest. We will mail your branded Advent Calendars to your clients for you. Please contact us for further requirements.

Early Discounts for orders in August

Take advantage of ‘early order’ discounts in August when we provide extra incentives for printing advent calendars. Incentives can also be held in September and October, but it depends on supply and demand. To guarantee early order discounts we suggest ordering in late August or early September. This ensures your Advent Calendars will be delivered on time and to a date that suits you. For Lindt, Toblerone and Milka we suggest ordering by mid-august.

Quantity over Print Colours

We always recommend setting a maximum spend no matter what promotional items a company is considering. Once you have set a budget, our sales representatives will work with you to maximise the effect of your chosen items. If quantity is essential, we recommend choosing a part-personalised calendar over a full colour digital advent calendar. This means you will receive more calendars to promote your brand to a wider audience.

Chocolate Types

If you need a specific chocolate type or a custom mould for the chocolates, then this can also be arranged. Milk chocolate is the nation’s favourite, but we can also supply dark, white, Fair Trade, Vegan, Vegetarian, UK-manufactured or Belgian Chocolates. If you have special requirements let us know. We also offer Lindt, Toblerone, Raffaello and Milka Advent Calendars which are an esteemed favourite in the office.

Artwork Service

Redbows offers a complete artwork service. Simply send us a rough layout of your design or logo and we will show you how your imprint will work on your chosen Advent Calendar.

Set Your Dates. For the most impact

You should aim to get your advents delivered a week before the start of December. This year’s target date is: Friday 23rd November 2018.

Advent Calendars available:

The deadline date for the Lindt, Milka and Toblerone range is the 15th August. Enquire now for prices on an fully personalised Advent Calendar. For more information please call our team on 0800 158 3080 or view our full collection page http://www.redbows.co.uk/promotional-advent-calendars online.

Personalised Sweets in the Summer

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Our personalised sweets collection is packed with sweets that can be used in a variety of marketing campaigns. We offer a wide range of confectionery items to promote your business or organisation including; Candy Floss, Lollipops, Flying Saucers, Traditional Fudge, Fruit Atomz. Sugar Free Sweets and more. Personalised sweets are perfect for schools, corporate dinners, trade shows, product launches, conferences or site visits. Sweets are extremely cost effective and can be handed out liberally, spreading your impact far and wide amongst your target audience.

Personalised confectionery as a promotional vehicle is unaffected by age, gender or demographics. By using promotional sweets, you can really set your company apart from the rest. Sweets are popular, affordable and available with several custom branding options. You can reward loyal customers or attract new ones with any of the 10 delicious sweets we’ve listed below.

Candy Floss

Candy Floss supplied in a plastic tub, sealed with a foil top. The candy floss is available in yellow, orange, light red, green or blue weighing approx 40-45g. Candy floss is the perfect go-to product for summer campaigns. Branding is on the Front in Digital printing. Ingredients printed on back. Shelf Life: 6 months - Print area: Front sticker: 82 x 90 mm, back sticker: 63 x 34 mm for ingredients only - Product dimensions: 120 x 95mm

Fruit Atomz

Fruit Atomz - 16g Tasty fruit or mint flavoured ATOMZ in a flip top plastic case with a full colour label. Choose from mint or tasty fruit flavours including Orange, Lemon, Lime, Green Apple, Strawberry, Raspberry, Tropical, Blackcurrant, Fruits of the Forest or Cola. Please note we do not mix mint with fruit flavours. Branding is on the front of the label in Digital Printing. Ingredients on the back. Shelf Life: 18 months - Print area: To fill label 29 x 103mm - Product dimensions: 58 x 38 x 15mm

Tasty Traditional Fudges

Tasty Traditional Fudges (12g) in a paper wrapper branded with your imprint or logo in up to full colour Digital Printing. Standard delivery approximately 15-20 working days from artwork approval. Fudge is a traditional summer favourite and is perfect for promoting your business. Simply brand with your logo and hand out to customers during events or site visits. Print area: label size: 68 x 73mm - Product dimensions: 35 x 21 x 12mm - Shelf Life: 4 months

Twist Marshmallows

Twist Marshmallows (6g) supplied in a white or transparent wrapper. Vanilla Flavour. Brand with your imprint or logo on the wrapper in Flexographic print. Gluten Free. Simply send us your artwork to receive your free Virtual Visual. For a quote please click on the Quick Quote button. Print area: as template - Product dimensions: 70 x 23mm - Shelf Life: 15 months

Mini Flat Round or Heart shaped Lollipops

Mini Flat Round or Heart shaped lollipops (5.5g) in a white or transparent wrapper. Branding is on the wrapper in up to Full Colour Flexographic print. Available Flavours: strawberry-cherry, lemon, apple or cola (5,000 per flavour) Print area: as template - Product dimensions: 120 x 50mm - Shelf Life: 36 months

Custom made gummy (1pc)

Custom made gummy (1pc) in a small bag with a full colour label (2-10g) Branding is on the on the front of the bag in Full Colour Digital printing. Custom Made Gummy’s moulded to the shape of your logo with a full colour label. The range includes Custom Made Gummy (2 pc) and Custom-Made Gummy (3 pc). Custom made Gummy’s are perfect for businesses promoting a product range. Each gummy can be moulded to the shape of a specific product and supplied in a small bag. Product dimensions: 60 x 40 mm (bag) - Shelf Life: 12 months

Dextrose Lollipops

Dextrose Lollipops (10g) in a white or transparent wrapper. Branding is on the Wrapper in up to full colour Flexographic print. Flavours available: strawberry, orange, lemon, cherry, cola. (5,000 per flavour) Print area: as template – Product dimensions: 85 × 35mm – Shelf Life: 36 months

Flying Saucers

Flying Saucers made from rice paper and filled with sherbet. The sweets have two different coloured faces; blue/green; white/pink; yellow/orange; pink/pink. Branding is one side of the saucer in up to Full Colour Digital Printing. Print area: 20 × 20mm – Product dimensions: 40mm Diameter – Shelf Life: 8-12 months

Hard boiled Single Twist Sweets

Hard boiled Single Twist Sweets available in a wide range of flavours including lemon, cherry, mandarin, green apple, cola, strawberry, blackberry, lime, mint, pineapple, vanilla or liquorice. Branding is on the wrapper in Flexographic print. Shelf Life: 6 months - Print area: 25 x 20mm - Product dimensions: Wrapped approx.: 55 x 30 x 17 unwrapped: 26.2 x 19.8 x 11.1mm

PVC Bags

PVC Bags (62g) with Jelly beans and a pocket to insert your company’s business card. Attract customers to your stand with branded PVC bags printed with your logo. The product is supplied Plain Stock and is perfect for customers mindful of budget. Shelf Life: 6-12 months - Print area: 90 x 55mm - Product dimensions: 105 x 60 x 40mm

For more Promotional Sweets visit our Promotional Sweets collection where you can find even more sweets to tickle your taste buds.

How to Place an Order?

If you have any questions or would like to speak to one of our Sales Representatives about an order, phone 0800 158 3080, email sales@redbows.co.uk or click on the Enquiries button in the homepage header. Our sales representatives will help guide you through the ordering process, from artwork preparation to final delivery. .

How to view prices?

Prices on the website are based on a 1 colour, 1 position imprint. For additional colours and delivery and origination costs, please click on the Quick Quote button and upload an image of your logo. One of your sales representatives will then email across a quote for you. .

Unsure how your artwork will look on your chosen product?

The Redbows Design Studio can quickly generate a Virtual Visual showing you how your artwork will look on your chosen product. All you need to do is send us a file of your logo in a suitable format -preferably a JPEG, Gif or PNG file. We can then proceed to provide a proof for you. We will email you back an electronic proof in PDF format to view. Virtual Visuals are free and unlimited. .

How to Pay?

We have several ways to order. If you need a proforma we can send this to you with a link to allow you to pay online using a credit card or PayPal. We can also set up a credit account subject to status. We can also take payment information over the phone and process an order for you. If you want to pay via cheque or BACS or make an international payment we can provide our bank details.

Sustainable Alternatives To Plastic Bags

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

There is a definite shift in the UK away from single-use plastic carrier bags to more eco-friendly ‘bags for life’ and ones made from more natural materials including cotton, jute and canvas. Not only is this good for the environment but it is also opening up promotional marketing opportunities for marketers looking for a useful and reusable promotional product.

Tote Bags

Tote bags are a common form of bag and one that can be used for a variety of carrying functions including shopping. The word ‘Tote’ means ‘to carry’ and can be traced back to the 17th century. It was not used in relation to bags until the 1940s when the US-based retailer LL Bean launched their famous Boat Bag; a large open bag with handles. Tote bags become popular as they were easier to carry than duffel bags and general luggage and could be used on a more every day basis. Their use expanded rapidly with the rise of consumerism in the 1950s and the growth of retail stores.

Tote bags today are still a relatively simple form of bag that can be used for shopping and other carrying functions. They can be supplied in a variety of colours with either short or long handles. Whilst they were originally made from natural materials, the rise of cheap plastics saw a shift towards the plastic shopping bag that we know so well today.

Plastic Carrier Bags

Celloplast, a Swedish company came up with the design for the plastic carrier bag in the 1960s. Plastic carrier bags offered a lower cost alternative to tote bags and their use was widely adopted by retailers in the 1970s. The lower the cost of the bag the more the retailer could give away for free to encourage shoppers to buy more.

Today we are all more conscious of the environment and the damage caused by plastic carrier bags. They require a considerable amount of energy to make and generally plastic is not bio-degradable. However, today’s plastic bag is different from the ones used in the 1970s. The plastic used for plastic carrier bags is polyethylene (referred to as PE) which is a substance derived from oil. The material is not bio-degradable unless treated with additives that speed up the breakdown process. Today’s plastic bags use up to 70% less plastic than bags from the 1970s and can also be made from recycled plastics.

Whilst plastic bags can be recycled the majority are not and the UK government’s plastic bag tax was one way to try to limit the use of carrier bags which. DEFRA reported in 2017 an 83% reduction in part thanks to the plastic bag tax. More information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/single-use-plastic-carrier-bags-why-were-introducing-the-charge/carrier-bags-why-theres-a-5p-charge

Plastic bags can be made to be more bio-degradable. Plastic that is bio-degradable is referred to as ‘oxo-degradable’ or ‘UV-degradable). Additives are mixed with the PE during the manufacturing process to accelerate the degradable process which break down under UV (ultra-violet), oxygen, heat or mechanical stress. The break-down process is quicker taking several years as the plastic material breaks down into constituent materials including water, CO2 biomass and other elements.

Bio-degradable plastic is not the solution however as there are still environmental concerns when it comes to the manufacture of polyethylene which is linked to oil production and the break down of plastic into smaller particles that could enter the human food chain. Alternative materials include paper, canvas, jute and cotton which can more environmentally friendly and less damaging to the environment. A shift which takes the industry back to the original materials of the Tote bag.

Paper Bags

Paper carrier bags offer another alternative solution and can be made from renewable and biodegradable sources. Paper bags are not as strong as plastic ones and in terms of their impact on the environment may require more energy to manufacturer, whether made from new or recycled materials. Landfill exposure may also lead to the release of methane gas as the paper breaks down.

Natural materials offer what seems the best solution for carrier bags and promotional shopping bags. A recent survey by Redbows found that people tend to carry a selection of jute or cotton promotional shopping bags with them as they are strong and hard wearing and light to carry when not in use.

Canvas, Jute and Cotton Bags

Canvas, jute and cotton are plant-based materials which are farmed and therefore have an environmental and carbon footprint. The materials need water, fertiliser and energy to grow and for processing into their final raw materials and finished products. Once again, the materials can be recycled at their end of life but if taken to landfill can release methane gas as part of the breakdown process.

Eco Friendly Bags

So how eco-friendly is a recycled bag or one made from sustainable materials? The use of canvas, cotton and jute when manufacturing tote and shopping bags has greater eco-credentials.

The UK Environment Agency reported that cotton canvas bags (the type used for promotional shopping bags or tote bags) must be reused over 300 times before they can match the carbon expenditure of a single plastic bag. Tote bags made from recycled polyethylene plastic require over 25 reuses.

However, the wider availability of eco friendly bags can discourage users and consumers from recycling and simply to consider these types of bags to be as disposable as a plastic carrier bag.

Therefore, greater education is required to encourage reuse of promotional shopping bags and their eventually recycling or disposal in an eco-friendly manner.

The Future In Terms of Bag Technologies

All industries experience revolution and we in the midst of another when it comes to retailing and big data. It is not too far in the future that we will be selling intelligent promotional bags at Redbows that will include RFID (radio frequency identification) and biometrics to ‘enhance’ shopping experiences. It may be only 5-10 years away but whatever the time frame we have to ensure that we continue to reduce our reliance on plastic bags and move toward more sustainable alternatives.

At Redbows we supply a wide of bags that can be used for promotional marketing campaigns. We use a wide range of materials and can provide eco-friendly shopping bags that clients will reuse and whilst doing so provide your organisation with free advertising and brand promotion. Simply call us on 0800 158 3080 for more information or browse our promotional bags range.

The History Behind Promotional Teddy Bears

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0100

The name ‘Teddy Bear’ originated from an incident involving former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who was commonly known as Teddy. In November 1902, Roosevelt attended a hunting trip in Mississippi where several other hunters were competing. Most had already killed an animal and a group of Roosevelt’s attendants cornered and tied an American Black bear to a tree after a long chase with the hounds. They called Roosevelt to the site, but he refused to shoot it, deeming it unsportsmanlike. He instructed the bear be killed to ‘put it out of its misery’.

The Washington Post published a political cartoon on the incident on November 16th 1902. The original sketch, by Clifford Berryman, involved a large Adult Black Bear and a disgusted Roosevelt. However, in later versions, the bear appeared smaller and cuter, to dramatize the symbolic overtones of the event.

Morris Michtom, a businessman and inventor, saw the drawing and asked Roosevelt for permission to use his name. He later created a soft bear cub toy and placed it in his shop window with a sign labelled ‘Teddy’s Bear’. The toys were an instant success and Michtom founded the company Ideal Novelty and Toy Co which, after his death, would become the largest doll-making company in the United States.

At the same time, in Germany, the Steiff company exhibited a stuffed bear at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903. The bear was seen by a buyer for the George Borgfeldt and Company in New York. An order was placed for 3000 bears to be delivered to the US. Although Steiff and Michtom were both making teddy bears at around the same time, neither would have known of the other's creation due to poor communication channels.

Style and Material

Since the creation of the first teddy bear, the iconic children’s toy has been celebrated in film, story and song. Over the years, teddy bears have greatly varied in style, colour, material and form. Early teddy bears sought to imitate the form of a real bear with extended snouts, beady eyes and twany mohair fur. Whereas modern teddy bears are styled with baby-like features such as larger eyes and foreheads and smaller noses to enhance the toy’s cuteness. Teddy Bears are made in a variety of materials, most commonly synthetic fur but also velour, denim cotton, satin and canvas. Teddy bears can be decorated with sashes, t-shirts or ribbons. Sewn teddy bears are made from a wide range of commercially available material, including cotton, felt and velour. Other non-stitched teddy bears are made from either knitted or crocheted yarn. Plywood and other craft materials are also used.

The Impact of Teddy Bears

Retail sales of stuffed animals totalled $1.3 billion in 2006. Teddy bears have grown increasingly popular in recent years as ‘do-it-yourself- chains have opened throughout the UK. Among some of the most popular are Build-A-Bear Workshop and Merry Thought. Mass-produced teddy bears are predominantly made as toys for Children. These must either have safety joints for attaching heads, arms, and legs, or sewn joints. They must have securely fastened eyes that do not pose a choking hazard for young children. Teddy Bears marketed to Children in the European Union and United states, must meet a rigid standard of construction. Popular mass-marketed bears made today include Sooty, Rupert, Pudsey and Paddington Bear. At Redbows, all our Teddy Bears conform to EN71 and CE regulations for toy safety. Even after 100 years, teddy bears are still among the most popular gifts to give to children. Teddy bears signify love, congratulations or sympathy and carry a lot of weight in terms of positive association.

In popular culture

Ted (2012), and its sequel, Ted 2 (2015), are comedy movies where children's teddy bears come to life.
Winnie-the-Pooh is a fictional character based on a teddy bear owned by A.A Milne’s son, Christopher Robin. Milne wrote many stories which were later adapted by the Walt Disney Company into theatrical shorts or movies such as The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and the 2011 film Winnie the Pooh.

Promotional Teddy bears

Among some of the most comforting gifts available are teddy bears. These are excellent for a wide range of potential customers because they can be given to children, collectors or even to people who may put them on a shelf in their office. Teddy bears are universally adored and are perfect for promoting charities, universities, schools, organisations or businesses. One of the best things about Teddy Bears is that you can add anything you want to them. Teddy bears are great promotional tools because they allow you to present information about your company in an informal way.

T-shirt bears provide enough room for you to promote your company information, products and services or slogan. One way to use these is to place your logo and company information on the t-shirt so that your customers will have your contact details all year round.
Bow Teddy Bears offer enough room for a slogan or phone number.
Sash Teddy Bears are perfect for adding your company phone number, slogan or email address. Sash bears are great for charities to use as products that can be handed out during events.

Promotional teddy bears are great for helping to cultivate an association image between your company and something as welcoming as a teddy bear, but the fact that you can fine tune them with personalised decorations means that you can further drive home any concept you are trying to convey. We offer a wide variety of Teddy Bears at Redbows, ranging in size, colour and style. Popular accessories are bows, sashes, t-shirts, hoodies and graduation gowns. Some of our best sellers are listed below.

Cappuccino Bow Bears

Cappuccino 12cm Bow Bears with a satin bow printed in up to 3 colours. The bear features hand-sewn patches on its head and feet. The Cappuccino 12cm Bear is also available with a sash, t-shirt or as plain stock. *Please note: All our Bears conform to EN71 and CE regulations for toy safety. Dimensions: 12cm – Print area: 60×13mm

Fudge T-shirt Bears

Fudge 15cm T-shirt Bears with a t-shirt branded in up to full colour with your logo. The Fudge bear is also available with a Bow or Sash. These cute and cuddly bears are guaranteed to put a smile to your customers’ face. Dimensions: 150mm x 120mm – Print area: 50 × 13mm

Cocoa 20cm Bears

Cocoa 20cm Bears available with a printed bow, sash or t-shirt branded with your logo. Simply select the bear of your choice, accessorise with a bow, sash or t-shirt send us your artwork to order. The Cocoa Bear is also available in 25cm and 15cm. Print area: Template available

Sparkie 20cm Graduation Bears

Sparkie 20cm Graduation Bears with a cap and gown printed with your company’s logo. Graduation bears are perfect for raising funds for schools, organisations or companies by selling online or in-store for graduation ceremonies. The Sparkie Bear is available with a range of accessories including bows, sashes, t-shirts and hoodies. Delivery is approximately 10-15 working days from artwork approval. Dimensions: 20cm – Print area: 45×40mm

To view our full collection visit "www.redbows.co.uk/promotional-teddy-bears":www.redbows.co.uk/promotional-teddy-bears

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear

Why do we have Chocolate Eggs at Easter?

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

For millions of people, Easter is one of the most important dates in the Christian calendar as it signifies the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The symbols surrounding this event have all been incorporated into our understanding of what Easter is today- except rabbits. No one quite understands where they came from and we’ll talk about that later. Even chocolate Easter eggs are significant as they represent the tomb Jesus Christ was laid to rest in. There are a lot of questions surrounding Easter such as why do we have Easter eggs or more importantly why do we have chocolate Easter eggs? And Why do we decorate eggs? Hopefully we’ll be able to answer a few of them below.

What is Easter?

Easter is part of Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Christian faith teaches that Christ died on the cross on Good Friday and came back to life three days later, on what became known as Easter Sunday. The symbol of Eggs in Christianity are meant to represent the tomb Christ was laid in to rest before he was resurrected. However, in other beliefs, Eggs are simply seen as a symbol of fertility which coincided with the Season of Spring as one of rebirth and renewal.

The term ‘Easter’ owes its origin to the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Dawn – Eostre. The Goddess was associated with spring and fertility and was celebrated by pagans at the beginning of spring, in a month that became known as Eosturmonath. Although we now call it April, the associations surrounding the holiday remain the same. The name Dawn signifies the rebirth of a new day so Easter was associated with the rebirth of spring.

Why do we have Easter eggs?

In medieval times, eggs, milk and meat were banned by the church during Lent. This was to honour Christ who sacrificed his flesh on the day of crucifixion. Abstinence in Christianity was a form of penance and asceticism, which was the practice of self-denial to grow in holiness. Preserving food during Lent proved difficult as this was in pre-refrigeration days. However, unlike meat and dairy products, eggs did not perish quickly and were therefore the obvious choice for breaking the fast on Easter Sunday. Decorating and presenting eggs as gifts became a popular custom because of the surplus that would exist by Easter. Flesh meat banned by the church, during Lent included beef, pork, chicken and turkey. In former times meat was more expensive and therefore often associated with celebrations. Fish was not included in the flesh meat category and was how the tradition of eating fish on Good Friday began.

When was the first Chocolate Egg?

Chocolate Easter Eggs were first recorded in Europe in the early 19th Century. During this time hollow-shell moulds had not been invented and were made with dark chocolate rather than milk. The Chocolate Easter egg we know today owes it’s evolution to the machine created by the Dutch inventor Van Houten in 1828 which separated the cocoa butter from the cocoa bean and the cocoa paste created by the Cadbury Brothers in 1866. The Cadbury factory made cocoa butter readily available in large and small quantities. However, it was not until 1875 that Cadbury made their first Easter Eggs which was made with dark chocolate and filled with sugar drops. The first Easter Egg was made in 1873 by J.S Fry of Bristol, a company which would later merge with Cadbury in 1919. The tradition of filling eggs is still around today which is why you may find a pack of chocolate buttons hidden inside your egg. Decorating eggs soon followed and by 1893, the Cadbury Brothers had 19 different Easter designs.

The History behind Decorating Eggs

Over the centuries, different cultures have established their own traditions surrounding the practice of decorating eggs.

In Christianity, eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ
Austrian Easter Eggs are often decorated with plant and fern designs.
In Russia it is common to have eggs decorated with silver and gold.

In 1885, Tsar Alexander III was one of the first to begin this tradition when he had one made for his wife, the Empress Marie of Russia. His goldsmith, Peter Carl Faberge, combined both tradition and ingenuity in his creation. The eggs outer shell was made with white enamel and opened to reveal a small golden egg inside, resembling an egg yolk. The smaller egg, in turn, contained an enamelled golden hen that held a jewelled replica of the Imperial Crown and a ruby egg pendant.

The Emperor was so impressed with Faberge’s creation that he bestowed the title ‘goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown’ and commissioned Peter Carl Faberge to create another for the following year. The Emperor gave the jeweller free reign over his designs. His only request was that they hid something inside. Both the pendant and the egg were lost during the revolution and are only known from a photograph.

The story of the Faberge firm is indistinguishably linked to the reign and tragic fate of the Romanov family. The firm is encased in history dating back to 1825 and remains a fascinating read for history fanatics. For more information visit https://www.faberge.com/the-world-of-faberge/timeline

(Image Source: The World of Faberge Timeline – Image Accessed 05/03/2017. Available at https://www.faberge.com/the-world-of-faberge/timeline)

Developments in the Easter Egg Market

Many of Richard Cadbury’s designs from the Cadbury Easter range were said to be inspired by French, Dutch and German designs. The Launch of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate in 1905 provided an essential ingredient to the Easter Egg Market. The popularity of the chocolate increased sales in both chocolate bars and Easter Eggs and in time established the items as best sellers at Easter.

Now it is custom for chocolate eggs to be in-moulded with an Easter design, wrapped in the brightest foil, packed in a box and filled with chocolate. Easter has become not only the biggest event in the Christian calendar but also in households all over the country. The Easter Egg market is predominantly milk chocolate but the variety of flavours available is rapidly expanding. To start with, there’s mint flavoured chocolate, strawberry, honeycomb, vanilla, coffee, coconut, caramel, salted caramel, fruit and nut, orange, ginger, peanut butter and the list goes on.

Another important development in the Easter Egg Market revolves around the carton designer William T Horry who went on to revolutionise Easter Egg packaging. During the early 1950s, Chocolate Easter Eggs were very fragile and often wrapped in paper. William T Horry was working on light bulb packaging when he had the idea to use a similar design on fragile Easter Eggs. Cadbury was the first to implement the change on the Roses Easter Egg packaging. The carton provided space for branding and colourful designs paving the way to what we know today.

Today’s Easter Eggs Market

Today’s Easter Egg market is one of the most popular confectionery markets. A variety of new products and chocolate flavours attracts new consumers every year. The most popular chocolate egg worldwide, is the Cadbury’s Crème Egg which was first introduced in 1971. The Bournville factory are said to make 1.5 million Crème Eggs every day. That’s over 500 million a year! Hollow Easter Eggs are still one of the most popular products. Every year, over 80 million chocolate eggs are sold. Impress your friends with facts and statistics about Easter from the Cadbury Brand Fact Sheet.

Approximately 80 million chocolate eggs are sold in the UK every year.
The UK Easter Egg market is worth approximately £220 million with sales growing every year
Approximately, £150 million is spent on Easter Eggs and novelties, £70 million on creme eggs and £30 million is spent on mini eggs with Cadbury’s Mini Eggs being popular in the Easter Egg Market.
Cadbury dominates the market with more than a 50% share
In Easter 2005, eight of the top ten selling eggs were Cadbury
The number one selling egg was the Cadbury Crème Egg.

The Easter Bunny

The origins of the Easter Bunny are shrouded in mystery. There are no references in the bible to a creature that delivers painted eggs to well-behaved children and yet the Easter Bunny has become a prominent Easter symbol. According to some sources a rabbit was the symbol for the goddess of Dawn, Eostre, who was celebrated at the beginning of spring. The rabbit traditionally symbolized fertility and new life because of high-reproduction rates.

According to http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/easter-symbols the Easter Bunny originated in Germany before surfacing in America in the seventeenth century.

“According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its coloured eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping.”

Happy Easter!

Whatever your beliefs, Easter is something every family can celebrate. Either by running around the garden searching for eggs, attending a church ceremony or gorging on chocolate eggs. Easter gives us the opportunity to stop and be grateful for what’s important in our lives. The concept of Easter may be shrouded in history and tradition but it’s our interpretation of the event that makes it special. It’s the fond childhood memories we look back on and the traditions we continue in adulthood.

We have a wide variety of Easter products available, ranging from Chocolate Easter Eggs to Easter Sweets and Biscuits. Our Easter range includes Chocolate Easter Eggs, Easter Sweet Hampers, Mini Easter Eggs, Easter Chocolates and Easter novelties including Easter Bunny Bugs and Easter Chick Bugs. It’s best to get your order in to guarantee delivery. Take a look at our collection at Easter Eggs collection.

Have a great Easter!

Additional references:

Easter Facts and Statistics – EAUK – Article accessed 05/03/2018. Available at http://www.eauk.org/culture/statistics/easter-facts-and-statistics.cfm
Cadbury World Easter Brand Fact Sheet- Cadbury – File Accessed 05/03/2018. Available at https://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/schoolandgroups/~/media/CadburyWorld/en/Files/Pdf/factsheet-easterbrands
Evening Standard – Eggonomics: breaking down Britain’s Easter egg consumption by numbers – Article accessed 05/03/2018 – Available at https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/eggonomics-breaking-down-britains-easter-egg-consumption-by-numbers-a3210946.html
Medievalist Errant – Medieval Easter Traditions. Article accessed 05/03/2018. Available at https://medievalisterrant.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/medieval-easter-traditions/
Christianity Today- ‘How the Fast of Lent gave us Easter Eggs. Article Accessed 05/03/2018. Available at http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2010/february/how-fast-of-lent-gave-us-easter-eggs.html
Article- Time: ‘This is where the Word Easter Comes from’ Article accessed 05/03/2018. Available at http://time.com/4738876/easter-word-origin-history/
Information from Catholic Hotdish – ‘Why no meat on Fridays in Lent?’ Article accessed 05/03/2018. Available at http://catholichotdish.com/the-pastors-page/why-no-meat-on-fridays-in-lent/
Chocolate Trading Co- History of Chocolate Eggs. Article accessed 05/03/2018. Available at
http://www.chocolatetradingco.com/magazine/features/history-chocolate-easter-eggs

The Top 5 benefits of Advertising Gifts and Marketing Products

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Below we have listed the top 5 benefits of advertising gifts and marketing products. Increasing your understanding of the benefits is an important aspect to any successful marketing campaign. Researching your target audience and selecting the right product for your business are also important developments. A study by the PPAI, Marketing Products Association International (PPAI) revealed that ‘83% are more likely to do business with a company if they have received a marketing product from them’. These findings highlight the necessity of advertising gifts in the marketing industry and their effective role as an advertising vehicle.

We have a wide range of marketing gifts available for every campaign, business and promotion. Simply browse through the product menus above and select the category that appeals most to you and your business. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please contact us on 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk for more information.

Do Advertising Gifts work?

When asked ‘Do advertising gifts work?’ My answer is always yes. You may think that’s because I work in the industry but the insight I receive on a daily basis helps me understand their importance to any successful marketing campaign. The trick is to select a product that your target audience will find useful. This will increase the likelihood of them buying something from you as the longer they keep your marketing gifts the more exposure your brand receives.

Your customers will ask themselves two questions when handed an advertising item; do I want it? and do I need it? If the answer is ‘yes’ to both, then you’re a winner in the short and long term as your customer will decide to place the product in the safety of their bag, car, home or office. From there, it will play on the subconscious of the individual by advertising your brand without the consumer even realising it.

It’s all about finding the ‘right’ product for your target audience and sometimes it’s as easy as – 1. Selecting a product – 2. Approving your Artwork and 3. Awaiting Delivery

What are the benefits of Advertising Gifts?

It is becoming increasingly evident that advertising gifts are one of the most powerful forms of advertising as found by the PPAI study. The brand exposure created from a customer simply picking up a product at an exhibition or event can sometimes be greater than the remaining advertising channels combined. The item may be taken home and placed in the kitchen or at work, on a desk. In both cases, the item is placed somewhere it will be seen daily.
The driving force behind this multi-million-pound industry is that your advert is in the hands of your customer rather than on the screen in front of them. The repercussions from a simple act such as this are immense.

Who doesn’t love receiving something for free? Whether it’s a free chocolate with every purchase in store or a branded calendar in the post, consumers appreciate the products handed out by a company, even if they are forms of advertisement. Instead of spamming your customers with emails regarding the latest deals or calling your clients with potential offers, you can put something in the hands of your customer and let them come to you.

1. Advertising gifts are excellent Ice Breakers at exhibitions and events

Do you want to attract customers to your stand? Advertising gifts start off the conversation. Simply point your customers in the direction of their free giveaway and you’re halfway there. Start speaking about your company and what you offer and listen to what your ‘potential’ customer has to say. Without realising it you will have started a conversation that may not have happened if not for your giveaways. Leave the event feeling satisfied that your products will continue to work for you even after your long journey home.

Engaging with customers is an essential part to any successful business. Experience in the industry reveals that people are more likely to visit a stand at exhibition or events if ‘free giveaways’ are involved. Sometimes marketing gifts are the difference between a customer passing your stand and listening to your pitch. Marketing products help businesses engage with their customers and consolidate future sales. They are essential at exhibitions and have become a necessity within the advertising industry.

2. Advertising Gifts and Marketing Products help create strong client relations

Thanking customers for their continued business is not only excellent customer service but essential in building strong customer relations. The average customer will search for the lowest price from the quickest competitor, regardless of previous dealings. So, with competition between businesses growing fiercer by the day it is now more important than ever to consolidate these relationships. A study by the PPAI found that consumers who received branded gifts were more likely to ‘increase brand loyalty’. This means that consumers appreciated the kind gesture and associated this good feeling with your brand.

At the end of the day, customers choose to do business with you and thanking them for their orders is a great show of appreciation. Your customers will be grateful for the free gift and they will want to continue doing business with you. It shouldn’t always be ‘business is business’ especially with customers. Being polite and friendly can sometimes get you a lot further than were you were previously.

3. Advertising Gifts increase sales enquiries and attract new customers

The length of exposure a marketing gift achieves determines the level of influence it generates. The PPAI found that ‘Roughly eight in ten admit to looking up the brand after receiving a marketing product from a company.’

When a product is assigned a call to action such as phone 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk the success rate of the product increases dramatically. This means that customers are more likely to buy something from you, if your website or phone number is printed directly onto the product. This additional information enhances the success rate of your marketing products by increasing enquires and attracting new customers to your website.

The PPAI study also revealed that 81% of customers keep a marketing product for more than a year. This vital time after the event ensures that your company message is seen. This benefits your business because the longer a customer retains your product the more exposure your brand receives.

4. Cost effective Marketing Tools

Drown out the sound of TV commercials, radio jingles and video promotions and listen to the impact of an advertising gift being placed into the hands of your customer. There’s no pushy voiceover or heavily documented storyline and yet your clients are more likely to buy something from you. In fact. “82%t of consumers agreed that their impression of a brand positively changed as a direct result of receiving a marketing product” as found by the PPAI study.

Redbows offer thousands of marketing products for budget-friendly promotions including pens, promo bugs, paper pads and cotton shoppers from 80p each! In terms of impressions, which is the number of views your ad achieves, advertising gifts guarantee your product is seen by 1 individual. If the item is placed on a desk at work, it could be seen by two, three or even the entire office.

Instead of shouting out into open space on social media and hoping someone sees your advertisement. You can guarantee impressions by handing out your advertisements to the people who are more likely to buy something from you.

5. Marketing Gifts help raise awareness of your brand

Sending out branded gifts can benefit your brand identity and help distinguish your business from competitors. The emotional response triggered from receiving a advertising product can help your business generate sales and raise awareness of your brand as emotions have been found to affect consumer buying behaviour, as found by the PPAI study.

The study found that the emotional response from receiving a promotion product varied with 71% happy, 52% interested and 46% thankful. Your customers will associate this ‘happy, interested and thankful feeling’ with your brand. So, the next time they come across your business, all the emotions will come flooding back to them, increasing the likelihood of them buying something from you.

According to the ‘2015 Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience Internal Study, advertising that produced the best emotional response generated a 23-percent lift in sales volume.’ This highlights the idea that marketing products help generate sales.

Summary

To summarise, advertising gifts and marketing products are excellent ice breakers at exhibitions and events, they help create strong client relations and increase sales enquiries. They are cost effective marketing tools in terms of impressions and they help raise awareness of your brand. With all that in mind why not take a look at our extensive range by clicking on the product menus above. If you need any further information, please phone 0800 158 3080 or email sales@redbows.co.uk

*Mapping Out The Modern Consumer – 2017 PPAI Consumer Study. Images and Article Accessed 22/01/2018. Available at www.//bpma.co.uk/resources/ Copyright © 2016 Promotional Products Association International. PPAI Research™. All rights reserved.

What are Christmas Marketing Gifts?

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

It’s CHRISTMAS! For for the office workers already sipping on mulled wine and singing their hearts out to Christmas songs played on the radio. For the rest of the office without holidays to take, there’s almost two weeks to go. At Redbows these weeks are sometimes filled with tight deadlines and order commitments as we work hard to get your orders out in time for Christmas. We understand the importance of marketing your business during the holidays which is why we work extended hours to help you get it right.

Christmas Marketing gifts are products with a festive theme branded with a company’s logo or imprint. Sometimes this can include additional information such as an email address, slogan or contact number. We have a wide selection of Christmas Marketing Gifts including Reindeer Bugs, Gold Share tins filled with Quality Street and Square Mince Pie Tins. Below is an image of the ‘Stars of our Show’ with our best-selling Christmas line up for 2017. To see more visit our Christmas collection.

Why are Christmas Marketing Gifts Important?
What Christmas Marketing Gifts should I choose?
Top 5 Christmas Marketing Gifts
Summary

Why are Christmas Marketing Gifts important?

Christmas Marketing gifts have the potential to increase sales for the following year if handled correctly. Christmas gifts usually only last from December to January but their purpose differs to products sent out during the year. This means they are either intended to spread some Christmas cheer or to thank clients for their continued support. Many companies aim for the smile on their customer’s face once they receive their item in the post as this feel-good effect will then be associated with the logo printed on your Christmas item.

Christmas is a time for giving, spending time with family and overindulging in food you’ll probably regret eating once January arrives. Whether your festive tradition involves roasting chestnuts on an open fire or listening to carols being sung by a choir; Christmas offers a fantastic opportunity for your business. We have a wide selection of Christmas products including branded Hot Chocolate Spoons, Christmas Bugs and Hampers. Many of our products are available with no minimum quantities and fast delivery times however larger quantities may take up to 15 working days.
Everyone loves receiving a gift at Christmas but what product is right for your business?

What Christmas Marketing Gifts should I choose?

There was a time when Christmas cards were the most sought-after marketing gift leading up to the Christmas Holidays. However, times have undoubtedly changed. We now find ourselves depending heavily on the internet and the information it can offer. We have local and global news, weather information and friends contacts in the palm of our hands. Distance has become a non-existent hindrance in an online world where we now find ourselves reaching for our phones to send out Christmas greetings rather than the post box down the street. Cards were once praised for their low-cost value but how effective are they as Marketing Gifts?

The best a card can do is sit on your client’s desk where it may trigger a subconscious impulse to buy something from you. At worst the card is spoken about for a minute upon arrival and again in January when the decorations are put away for another year.

A business should search for something that achieves the ‘Wow Factor’ and not an item that blends easily into the background. At Christmas, you need to think differently. You need to send out marketing gifts that are unique to your company and that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot. Sometimes a little can go a long way.

To help I have comprised a list of five items that will help your company stand out this Christmas.

Top 5 Christmas Marketing Gifts

Here is a list of our top 5 marketing gift ideas to send out to Clients.

Hot Chocolates on a Spoon- This product has been the talk of the office for weeks. Chocolate on a spoon with mini marshmallows is the perfect answer for cold winter days at the office. The product is packed into a clear bag and tied with a bow of your choice and a branded tag. Simply pour 160ml of milk into mug. Heat the milk on full power for 2 minutes in a microwave (700w) Slowly stir chocolate on stick in warm milk until all the chocolate has melted. For the final touch add the marshmallows and enjoy. Hot chocolates on a Spoon offer fast delivery times and no minimum quantities. For more information please contact us either by email or phone.
Gold Share Tins- Christmas is the perfect time for sharing chocolates in the office. This Christmas tin is filled with Quality street and branded with a domed label on the lid. The product packaging is decorated with festive snowflakes and is available in gold or white. Available fillings include gourmet Belgian Chocolate Chip Cookies, Shortbread Biscuits, Luxury Mince pies or the ‘Nations favourite’ Quality Street. Simply brand with your logo and send out to clients.
Gold Square Mince Pie Tins- Small – Approx 4 mini mince pies presented in a gold tin embossed with a black bow. Indulge in a buttery, crumbly mince pies with rich, mouth-watering fruit and spice. Perfect for handing out to clients or enjoying over a cup of tea in the office.
Gold Walnut Whirls- Finished with edible gold spray and presented in a clear cylinder with a personalised domed label. This timeless classic is filled with delicious vanilla marshmallow and covered in chocolate. Impress your clients with great tasting Walnut Whirls this Christmas.
Glitter Reindeer Bugs- Decorated with a red nose and card antlers on a glitter pom pom. The bug is available in 8 glitter pom pom colours and the ribbon attachment can be printed in full colour with your seasonal message. Glitter Reindeers are the ideal choice for any festive event. Christmas bugs are now available on a 48hr service from artwork approval. For more information please contact us.

Summary

Whatever you choose to do this Christmas, make sure you use the opportunity as a way of promoting yourself to others. Everyone loves receiving a gift at Christmas, so use that festive spirit to create something wonderful for your business. Simply choose from Christmas Bugs, Branded Hot Chocolates on a Spoon or Gold Share Tins filled with Quality Street and brand with your logo to create a product your customers will love. Good Luck and Merry Christmas!

Halloween Marketing: Is it a trick or treat?

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Halloween is approaching like a ghost in a kid’s film; quickly and dramatically. The focus as with most holidays is in the build-up to the event and popular brands like Asda and Aldi have utilised the hype that surrounds the holiday. Their multiple TV adverts and social media campaigns have helped emphasise the power of Halloween marketing and the opportunities available for businesses.

There are many marketing activities you can choose to help advertise your brand but I’m going to focus on two marketing campaigns that have captured my attention before suggesting one for your company.

Asda:

Advert: The Asda advert begins with a green strike of lightening manipulating the house’s electricity and possessing a young girl to dance and sing along to Halloween music. When put like that the scene is quite sinister but the overall effect is a fun advert with a catchy tune. The advert ends with the girl’s green eyes transitioning into the logo above an Asda store. This is where the brand identity is revealed and solely focused on.

Conclusion: For a well-known supermarket like Asda, creating a fun TV advert where the products are shown and not highlighted may be more beneficial than the other way around. This way the advert will be shared across social media platforms and liked due to the fun childhood aspect. It will create greater brand exposure rather than potential sales and whether that is right or not depends on your business.

At the end of the day, Asda have created a fun advert that will make their customers smile. My issue is that the overall message is lost in the creation of the fun advert. I question what information I’ve gained from watching and if I think about it, very little. Product prices aren’t shown, and really neither are the products but perhaps a minimalistic advert is what they were going for. Maybe the public are already aware of what’s on offer at Asda and that’s why they don’t need to highlight their products.

Aldi:

Advert: The Aldi advert focuses more on the products available, finishing with the brand image at the end. The advert begins with two children magically changing into Halloween costumes with the Aldi price appearing alongside them. It then goes on to show a pumpkin and various Adult Halloween costumes at similar low prices. This is all created with the Adams Family theme tune playing in the background.

Conclusion: Aldi have created a clever advert that showcases the products you may not associate with Aldi. Pumpkins, Halloween costumes and Haribos are all available at very low prices. This is the message that is portrayed, and it is easily interpreted compared to Asda’s. Maybe it comes down to personal preference or simply the Adams family theme tune but in my opinion Aldi have created a rounded advert that combines both brand and product exposure.

What do you think? Have we crowned the right winner? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Your Halloween Marketing Campaign:

If you haven’t created a marketing campaign for Halloween and you’re searching desperately for the perfect idea, we may have a suggestion. Social media is great for low-cost marketing, so we recommend a Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest. The method and execution are simple. Create a post with the following rules and let your followers scramble over Halloween pumpkins to collect your prize.

Step 1. Carve a fantastic pumpkin
Step 2: Send us a picture on social media and don’t forget to tag us!
Step 3: Wait until Halloween to find out whether you’ve won our fantastic prize.

All you need to do is reveal who won on social media. The prize can be anything from discount vouchers to a hamper full of chocolates. Competitions are a great form of marketing and with social media they are easy to advertise. The focus will be on your brand and customers will engage with your social media account to win.

To help we have created a quick graphic to promote your competition.

Happy Halloween!

Small Business Marketing On A Shoestring Budget

Sun, 22 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

There has never been a better time to start a business. Whilst legislation and financial regulations have got tighter, the internet and associated marketing technologies around the world wide web provide access to extremely low cost and effective ways to market your new start-up.

Here are a few steps that in my view are important to consider when starting up a new business venture. Aside from the company structure, financial structure and legal entity the most important points to consider all have a marketing angle. Let’s take these in turn and then see how they all link together.

Company Name and Structure

One of the hardest things (and it is getting harder) is to name your new venture. Do you go for a ‘catchy’ company name or one that follows the advertising theme of ‘does what it says on the tin’? Personally I prefer a company name that is not to restrictive. This is important because you have to take a long term view to your company and how it will develop. During its life you will take twists and turns and how you start out may not be where you end up during the next 10 years. Take Amazon who started out providing books on the internet and is now one of the largest datacentre cloud providers.

Once you have a good idea for a company name the next thing is to check out if that company already exists. Two ways to do this. First you can do a search on your favourite search engine, which will more than likely be Google. Secondly, you should check out (if you are in the UK) the company name at Companies House. Companies House is a great place to check on UK businesses (mainly Limited company structures).

So now you have a company name that sounds perfect to you. Now we have to take into account the fact that you need clients. Joking aside you need to market test this name with friends, relatives and preferably a few people you don’t know. Just ask them in passing what they think about the name and what it conjures up to them. If your new company name ticks all the boxes you are well on the way to developing a marketing and branding position but there are a few other things to check out first.

Website and Email Structure

Memorable company names are one thing but remember to make sure that the website domain exists. This will also form the basis for your email address structure. Length is important here also. You really don’t want a website domain longer than say 20 characters in length and you need something that is easy to spell and communicate to people over a phone or in conversation. This is where we come back to not using too ‘quirky’ a company name. Also the longer the website name the longer the email structure and the print space you will need on business cards.

Another aspect to think about is how you will name a person using your website/email name. Do you go for Christian name (dawn@), Christian and Surname (dawnkoffler@, dawn.koffler@ or dawn_koffler@)or a combination dawnk@. Whilst you want to have a personalised email address you also may not want to be too small and to plan for when you have more staff in your team.

Social Media Accounts

We all know that social media is now becoming one of the most important aspects when it comes to promoting your business. What you really need now is to look at how you are going to build your brand and show to your clients and prospective clients that you are more than a small start-up and flyby night business.

So now you have a website name and company name, you need to check out all the usual social media names and grab yours. This includes checking Twitter, Instagram and Google+ in particular. These social media platforms are important because of their limited character naming schemes. Facebook and LinkedIn must also be checked but it is very unusual not to be able to generate a page to cover your new business.

Check out if your company name is available or a variant of it or use a phrase that is close to what you offer as a product or service. The important point is to ‘land grab’. Get your social media accounts even if you think you will not use them immediately before someone else does. You’ll be surprised how quickly they can go.

Remember that clever marketing will seem almost subliminal to your website visitors and target audience. Linking up a solid theme between your company name, website, email and social media will help to present a far stronger and structure organisation to your audience.

Logo Design, Branding and Corporate Profile

The new stage is to think about your logo. Most people have a relatively clear idea of how they want their logo to look. My advice is always to engage with a graphic designer. Give them a brief and let them come up with a few ideas. Your brief should include the usual marketing communications elements such as what you want communicate, to whom, how and where.

Where is important as there are so many places to consider when it comes to promoting your company and where your logo could be printed. These include the website and social media platforms we have discussed above but could also include signage, company vans, corporate workwear, letterheads, brochures, business cards and giveaways items that you will use to promote your new business venture.

Most graphic designers will come up with two to three corporate designs and logos and the process is somewhat iterative. You may need to go through two or more rounds of design to get a logo and branding you are happy with. Don’t make the final decision without input. As I discussed above when it came to naming your company ‘ask people’. The same rule applies to your logo and corporate profile. Live with the ideas generated by your graphic designer for a few days. Look at them at different times of the day to see how light affects the designs and ask for input from those around you.

Summary

Starting a new business venture is one of the most exciting things you can do. At some stage you will have to consider marketing and how to promote your company. The earlier you can cover the basics above, the easier will be your journey going forward and hopefully you will create the next ‘big thing’ within your chose industry. If you need any promotional or marketing advise, please feel free to contact me at Redbows. Good luck with your new business venture!

Why is Social Media Marketing so important?

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

The general consensus around social media is that it’s a global phenomenon that has helped change the way we look at the world. Instead of talking to each other while sitting in a café during lunch we are looking at the screens in the palm of our hands. Instead of communicating through letters and phone calls we are finding more information being spread directly through social media channels. Promotions, product information and news about upcoming events can all be posted at the press of a button. The widespread influence of social media has helped create this bubble for marketers to interact with their customers.

Many businesses use social media effectively and help increase their business’s sales in the process but there are also those who go about it the wrong way. Some followers may feel bombarded with adverts if a business continually posts content that is the same or so many times a day. This not only affects your social presence but it can have a detrimental impact on your business. People may unfollow your account or refuse to buy products from your business if they feel like they are being harassed. Yet there is potential for businesses to grow through social media. So here’s why social media marketing can help improve your business.

Opportunities- Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram or even Pinterest these sites all have the potential to grow your platform. Once you start building a fan base for your account you will have access to hundreds more people than if you were to send out letters locally. The internet is an extensive place with information being shared constantly. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a small comment on a blog post, or a like on your Instagram page. If content is being shared across your social media platforms your customers old and new will see this. It all starts with a like and then you have access to hundreds more people.
Increased traffic- If Social Media is used correctly the chances are people will click to follow through to your site. Even if they don’t they might in the future and this increased traffic is what’s going to help your business. As long as your website is of good quality and your exit rate is low then you have no need to worry. Customers will browse through your products and hopefully see something they like. Social media marketing is great to help increase site traffic and drive customers to your website.
Customer insights- You can gain a lot of information about your customers through social media. Customer insights allows you to see how long your clients stay online and when they are likely to do so. Some sites also allow for demographic information. This information is important for you to produce relevant content that is more likely to get increased traffic to your site. Knowing your client base is essential in social media marketing.
Nothing to lose- Social media is a free platform that gains the interest of millions of users. This alone should convince the uncertain business owners because there is nothing to lose. You can gain access to a potential pool of new customers and all it takes is a simple post with promotions for different products. The more engaging a post is the more interaction it will create and this alone can help your business with increased traffic.
Brand recognition- It may sometimes seem like there are thousands of different businesses advertising their products online and that the completion is fierce but simply getting your post out there is a step in the right direction. If your company is seen through social media it will make your business appear more accessible for new customers and more familiar to existing. The top brands in the world utilise social media because they recognise the importance of it. Businesses like Coca Cola, Next, Asda, Tesco and Apple all use social media to promote their products through campaigns targeted at their customers. The use of trending has tags in social media is another story.

Conclusion-
We live in a digital society and the potential for businesses to grow through social media increases every day. The opportunities, increased traffic and potential customer insights is why social media marketing is so important. Sometimes it is the difference between a business failing its monthly targets and achieving them. Forbes have a brilliant article on the Top 10 benefits of social media marketing which is a thoroughly interesting article.

Why choose Branded Hoodies for your club or society?

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

It’s official! School has started and universities have opened their doors to new and returning students. Societies and clubs are hard at work recruiting members for their teams and planning activities throughout the year. The Guardians article on university societies, advertises the popularity of fencing, lacrosse and kayaking and explain why joining a group is beneficial when it comes to writing your CV.

At Redbows we have a variety of products for every event, business and organisation but the one I would like to take a closer look at is the Awdis College Hoodie. After all, what better way to promote your club or society than with a hoodie branded with your name and logo! Branded Hoodies are essential when going on trips to rival schools. There’s nothing better than entering a room wearing a personalised hoody, making your group look like a team. If that isn’t enough to convince you then take a look at our list of features below.

Awdis College Hoodies are the perfect product due to their extensive range of colours. There’s black, blue, green, light blue, orange, purple, red, white, yellow and more! Choosing the right colour for your brand is an essential part of the creation process. Send us your artwork by email or Quick Quote to receive your free virtual visual with your logo attached to the product image.
Additional features. The design studio has put a lot of effort into the small but subtle features that make a hoodie extra special. There is the double fabric hood that is an essential feature when caught walking home in the rain, a front kangaroo pouch pocket to keep your hands warm and a small hidden opening for your earphones when you just need to listen to some music.
The product is available in a range of sizes from x small to xx large and will help you get out of bed during those early morning lectures.
Branding is on the breast, front or reverse and can be printed with a variety of options such as direct to garment or digital transfer. Direct to garment involves printing the item with ink that goes straight through the fibres. This means that you won’t feel it if you touch the print area. Digital Transfer on the other hand is for high-resolution images that require a lot of attention. Choosing the one that is right for you depends on your logo but don’t worry our sales team are on hand to help. They will be able to help you through the buying process.

*Colours: Black, Blue, Green, Light Blue, Orange, Purple, Red, White, Yellow (more colours available, please ask for details)

For more information please call our team on 0845 8386 368 or view our clothing collection online

The guardians article on clubs and societies – (www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2013/sep/17/university-societies-freshers-week)

Glorious Sweets

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0100

As the title suggests even Redbows are fond of the glorious substance called sweets. From promotional biscuit tins to personalised sweets, Redbows can supply a range of promotional items to satisfy your sweet cravings.

I have selected a few of our favourite products for inspiration on what to buy when there are hundreds of different products to choose from. Our IT team have recently added new products to our ever-growing sweets collection and I wholeheartedly thank them for it. The only problem now, after my routine dentist appointment next Tuesday, is narrowing it down to five!

1= Great 2=Brilliant 3=Amazing 4=Exceptional 5=Spectacular

Our Top Favourites List:

Rectangular Mint Cards: My Dentist will thank me for including these cards that contain approximately fifty sugar free mints. We’ve all been there before a big event or meeting searching for a pack of mints to dispel bad breath. They may not be as exciting as Strawberry and Champagne lollipops but they’re still worthy of a spot on our favourites list. Your clients will keep these mints in their purse or at the bottom of their bag and thank you when the need for fresh mints arises. I’ll be giving you the bold, brilliant and unique but to start with I give you the sensible selection of sugar free mints.
Swirly pops: The product image may make you dizzy but the amazingly unique flavours are sure to tickle your taste buds. We have Strawberry and Champagne, Sherbet Orange, Blackberry, Birthday Cake, Lemon Meringue, Blueberry, Cookies and Cream, Sour Apple and Sour Cherry. What more could you ask for? Branding perhaps? A digital label printed with your logo is stuck to the outside wrapping of the lollipop to ensure your message is conveyed effectively to clients. The products shelf life is 12 months, meaning you can enjoy the lollipops all year round. The flavours are what set apart these lollipops which is why they earn a respectable fourth place on our favourites list.

*Available flavours: Strawberry and Champagne, Sherbet Orange, Blackberry, Birthday Cake, Lemon Meringue, Blueberry, Cookies and Cream, Sour Apple and Sour Cherry
Calendar Tins: I’ve always thought that Calendars were a great promotional product due to the fact that they stay on your client’s desk all year round. These Calendar Tins however offer a little extra more with delicious fillings to munch on throughout the year. The product offers a large print area on the sides and lid and make for great desk tidies when only the wrappings of sweets remain. My favourite fillings are the Werthers Originals due to the low price and great taste.

*Fillings available: Beanies, Celebrations, Chocolate buttons (milk/ white), Chocolate malt balls (milk/ white), Fruit Caramel, Mint imperials, Retro, Skittles, Speckled Chocolate Eggs, Werthers Originals, Chewits, Goody Good Stuff Koala Bears, Polo Fruits, Jesters, Jelly Beans
Candy Bags: Our branded candy bags give off a retro vibe even before opening the bag to see what’s inside. A variety of fillings are available including retro sweets, rock sweets, celebrations and popcorn (sweet/salted). My personal favourites are the retro sweets as they include all the classics such as a Loveheart roll, Refresher, Rhubarb & Custard Boiled sweet, Gobstopper, Flying Saucer, Fruit Salad and Black Jack. Branding is on the label that encloses the bag so it is sure to be seen by your clients before they tuck in. It’s a retro sweet lover’s dream and if it doesn’t get you reminiscing about your childhood then I recommend a double dose of flying saucers and black jacks.

*Fillings available: retro sweets, rock sweets, celebrations and popcorn (sweet/salted)
Bus Tins: Nothing says British like tea and biscuits! Our branded Bus Tins are of exceptionally good quality and with a variety of fillings to choose from who can complain? Branding on the lid and sides maximises the full impact of the large print area and allows for greater promotion of your message. Not to toot our own horn but these are one of our favourite products due to the fact that the tin can be used again and again. Unlike other promotional sweets the branded Bus tins are a promotional product that keeps on giving. Even at Redbows head office we have a bus tin in the kitchen full of tea bags. It makes for great storage space once all the sweets are gone.

*Fillings available: Shortbread, Beanies, Celebrations, Chocolate buttons (milk/ white), Chocolate malt balls (milk/white), Goody Good Stuff Koala Bears, Jelly Beans, Mint imperials, Polo Fruits, Retro, Skittles, Tea and Biscuits, Tea bags, Shortbread

Biscuits are one of our favourite products at Redbows and with so many different choices it can all get a bit overwhelming. To see what the Huffington Post rates as the biscuits you need to try in your lifetime click here

Sweets available:

For more information please call our team on 0845 8386 368 or view our sweets collection online.

Click to view the screen size Our Top Favourite Sweets

*Tried and tested by a chocoholic and sweet tooth ;-)

Why Pantone Colours Don't Always Match

Sat, 05 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

The use of Pantone Guides as a colour reference chart is common in many industries today. The guides form part of the Pantone Matching System (PMS), developed by an American company that defines a unique reference for each colour listed. This allows different companies from around the world to print or colour their products and materials to a specific Pantone reference.

A classic example of Pantone colour matching uses the four-colour print process known as CMYK. This uses cyan, magenta, yellow and black in different mixtures to produce a specific colour or Pantone reference. The Pantone reference guides also include spot colours and a coating.

You can imagine that Pantone guides have helped many industries including design, manufacturing, advertising, marketing and our very own promotional merchandise industry.

Using Pantones For Promotional Goods

When you have your logo designed by an advertising or marketing agency they will present you with various concepts. From these you will work your way down to a single logo that encapsulates all that you want it to as logo. As part of this process the agency will typically show you a range of materials and how the logo would look including a website screen, literature and printed materials including paper, business cards and with compliment slips.

Once you have finalised your choice down to one final concept logo, this may be ‘tweaked’ slightly and a final version produced. The marketing agency may then provide you with printed copies of everyday documents and business cards as part of the project, together with a corporate image guide.

The corporate image guide is very important. This is a guide that will help you achieve consistency whenever and wherever your logo may be used. The guide should include what we refer to as artwork. This is a layout of the logo showing any colour layers and defining the Pantone colours used.

Sometimes marketing agencies only provide an artwork file. This can be a Photoshop rasterised file or a vector file in a .PDF or Indesign file. What’s important here is that provided a promotional marketing company like Redbows can open the file in Photoshop or Indesign, we can then use the eye dropper tool to click on any part of the logo to find out its colour reference whether this is Pantone, CMYK or RGB (if only a screen version is provided). Once we know the colours we can then look to match up with the right promotional goods.

Choosing Pantone Matching Products

The next part of the process is to choose whether to selecting complimentary or contrasting coloured products. In the promotional merchandising industry we can Pantone match some products. Some may be completely matched or we can find products that provide a neutral colour to print on but with Pantone matched trims. Pens are a classic example where the barrel could be white but with a colour matched pen clip and grip. Where this is not possible it may be necessary to look at a neutral or contrasting colour as a background.

Light and Material Differences

Even when Pantone matched there can still be shading differences and to uncover why it is important to consider the material the product we applying the logo imprint to and how this interacts with light.
When we see a colour what we are viewing through our eye is a light reflection of certain wavelengths which is then processed by our brains. This is why the same image or colour can appear different to two or more different people. We each have our own perception of how we see colours.

Secondly, product materials can be different. Matt and Gloss finished are obvious examples as they will reflect light differently. Smooth and textured finishes will also different in their light reflection and therefore could show colour contrasts. The material could be a woven fabric as in the case of clothing or a sustainable eco material like bamboo or wood. Thirdly the print process could be different for the different goods. Here the clothing may have an embroidered logo or screen printed, a CMYK four-colour process or a spot colour.

The point is that colour variations can be ‘seen’ due to light reflections, how our brains process colours, the materials we are printing onto and the logo imprint process. So how do you achieve a balance?
The first and probably most cost-efficient way to achieve consistency is to choose common materials to apply the imprint to. As soon as you mix materials there is a risk of a colour variation being seen. Some colours are also more notorious for this and certain blues and purples are more known for problems in this area.

The other solution can be a bit more trial an error. Based on experience or a first off sample, the Pantone reference may be changed to get a consistency across the range of goods. This could well mean, where promotional goods have been supplied by another company, comparing the colour of that product to a Pantone reference guide and the person doing the comparing having a very good eye for this level of detail as well as experience of print processes.

The Future For Colour Proofing

Today it is very common to be provided with a black and white artwork sign off form which references the imprint position and Pantone or colour makeup of the imprint on a particular promotional item. This is how the industry has worked for years.

Technology is moving on now to allow 3D electronic samples but again with a black and white sign off form. With IT monitor, laptop, tablet and mobile screen technologies improving at such a rapid rate it is not beyond the imagination that in near future artwork sign-off will be electronic and ‘on-screen’.

Where the technology has to really improve is in the renderings shown. In order to show any colour variations between products on screen it will be necessary to achieve CAD (Computer Aided Design) type quality rendering. CAD is a process of drawing used in engineering from which manufacturing drawings can be generated and it is a process that demands high-end computing power.

If our industry can get to a level where it is possible to provide CAD quality images to clients then on-screen sign-off is not only possible but the image should also be a 100% match to the final goods. When multiple goods are ordered, it will be important to view artwork for all the goods ordered on a screen at the same time and to be able to rotate and see these all in the same light.

Of course one final obstacle remains; the material background which will always result in imprint differences no matter whether a Pantone colour is matched or not. Perhaps experience and an eye for detail is one thing that IT will never be able to replace in our industry, at least not yet.

How To Fall In Love With Hashtags

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Did #LoveIsland leave you head of over heels with Kem and Amber? Were you one of the millions who got hooked and watched the #ITV show every week? I have to say that it was hard to meet anyone who had not heard of this summer’s hit reality TV show.

We loved it at Redbows and as well as watching the show spent far too many hours (after work of course) following the stars on Twitter and Instagram.

Hashtags made it so much easier and we even managed to get a few likes and retweets when it came to the #loveisland hashtag. We also watched the #loveislandreunion last night and are now eager to find out what the latest spin-off hashtags will be but think that Mike’s #staymuggy might not catch on!

Hashtags like emojis have become a part of our everyday communication whether on social media or during every day speak. The word ‘hashtags’ has become so popular that it is not recognised in the Oxford English Dictionary and even the official Scrabble Dictionary. The other night we also noticed the Emoji film is soon to launch this summer.

So, what is a hashtag? Well firstly let start with this symbol ‘#’. Put a hash-sign before any word any word and it becomes a ‘hashtag’. In the world of internet marketing and search indexes on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn or Pinterest, hashtags help to index relevant content from other social media users, whether personal or organisation or business related. As well as text content, hashtags can also be used to tag photos and images.

How To Use Hashtags In Promotions

Good marketers know the trends in their industry and the generic keyword search phrases and themes that people search for. The same applies to hashtags and the more specific the search phrase or hashtag the more granular your target market segment becomes. Hashtags therefore allow you to segment your market and send out those users and clients and potential clients, targeted marketing communications including images, text, offers and promotions.

So, what’s a good example? Suppose we had a summer time offer for golfers. We may then look to use hashtags including #golf #sports# summertime #promotion #specialoffer.

Follow thought leaders in your industry, your competitors, suppliers and key organisations to build-up an understanding of their strategies and track their content and engagement.

Your Hashtag Strategy

Of course, it’s important to make sure you use the right hashtag strategy for the platform and content you are using. Twitter and Instagram differ in that on Twitter hashtags refer to the text of the content. On Instagram they refer to the content or context of the image or video.

It is also important to get the right strategy and content for your chosen social media platform. Research what’s trending and what your competitors are using and pick the right hashtags for your company and what you want to achieve.

Early Mover Advantages

If you can select a hashtag strategy that your competitors are not following and then ‘hashtag-the-hell’ out of it. By this we mean generate regular content so that you dominate the content stream for that hashtag.

This is how you get to raise your profile within your industry. Be the first to use a new hashtag and remember that you can create your own hashtags. The more creative and memorable the stronger the chance that others will pick them up. Get enough momentum running and you could go viral #goviral.

Time Your Content

How often you post to your chosen social media platform is important. This can depend on how regularly you can generate or create original comment and content. The ideal guideline is to post around three times a day and you can make these posting on a range of subjects.

Look to build up a content silo by taking notes and collecting links and articles, photos and videos that you could use in a posting. This makes sense if you also use a scheduler program to launch your social media information; a useful idea when holidays or days out of the office come up.

What’s driving social media as well is the use of smart phones. Remember to download your favourite social media applications #apps onto your phone and then collect content during your day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly this process can build-up content for you to post from your phone during the day. As you open up to the idea and practice of acting like your organisation’s very own reporter you will be surprised how easy it becomes to generate and post content.

Social Media Engagement

This term refers to whether anyone actually comments, likes or reposts (retweets) your content. Each engagement shows that your content is reaching the right audience. Comments from individuals are like gold and should be responded to positively and with a mention of that users’ social media name to help expand their network.

An important point is to block or report anyone who posts abusive or negative comments. Negative comments are always something that can put off people from using social media to promote their organisations or themselves. It does however go with the territory. If a client complains on social media by making a negative comment, the best way forward is to take the conversation off-line and then solve their particular issue and then to ask them to make a follow-up comment. This can be a very effective strategy when it comes to negative comments. For people who are abusive or pushing content that is not deemed acceptable for the market you want to build, the only way forward is to block or report them.

Social Media Metrics

A social media strategy should also have a scientific basis like all good marketing practices. It is important to plan out your social media strategy and identify what worked and what didn’t.

For your social media campaign, the simplest method may be to start a spreadsheet for each content piece, the keywords used, date released, comments and to track likes and resends and engagement.

The final metric that people tend to focus on is their number of followers. This may or may not be relevant. What counts is quality rather than quality. Remember to take your time and to build a quality audience with plenty of engagement and comments. Over time this approach will help to build a more useful social media platform.

The Role of Social Media In Your Marketing

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Social media has grown into a major new marketing platform. Traditionally the marketing communications mix consisted of a range of marcoms channels including direct mail, advertising, publicity, packaging and sales promotions.

Social media turns everyone into a modern day diarist and provides them with a way to capture their daily lives, write about hobbies and moments in their personal histories, work life and even their wider nations. Everyone now has the ability to be a Samuel Pepys who became most famous for the diaries he wrote for nearly 10 years as young man.

Not only has social media given us a range of new platforms and marketing communications channels. We now also have new terms such as ‘blogger’ and ‘vlogger’ to describe people who keep their own blogs and video-based blogs. We also of course has Emoji’s and some people can write whole sentences without having to use a single word. Emoji’s are of course not new. The Egyptians and many cultures used icon or graphic based language to describe stories thousands of years ago.

When it comes to the marketing of businesses and organisations each needs to decide just where social media fits into their own communications platforms. The social media marketing mix is diverse and includes a range of every growing mediums:

Blogs: whether built into a website or part of popular platforms including Wordpress and Blogspot.
Pinterest: a picture-based portal where you can attach photos to clipboard themes.
YouTube: a video-based channel for sharing video content generated as a full professional production or one made on a smart phone.
LinkedIn: a platform mostly concerned with business topics and used to share company or industry related information and build a contact base.
Instagram: a photo-based platform for sharing photos whether personal or business related, with comments.
Facebook: probably the main personal social media channel for connecting individuals and used by organisations and companies.
Twitter: a text based platform to which you can attach photos and videos for sharing.
Google+: Google’s version of Facebook which still has relevance and links to a Google+ profile and local business listing.

All of these social media channels can be interlinked if required to allow multiple channel content sharing.

So how do you choose the social channels that are right for your business and organisation? The mix is very much dependent on what you are trying to achieve. The information graphic in this blog post shows the longevity associated with each channel and gives a fairly good guide in terms of the length of time a post can be relevant. Of course all your content builds up over time to create a portfolio and the important point is to consider the content you will use.

Content marketing is now a term in its own right. Copywriters now have competition. Traditionally a copywriter or ‘Wordsmith’ would be employed to write copy for your adverts, brochures, websites, manuals and so on. The copy was professionally written and edited and then printed and used. One of the reasons for using a copywriter was that it was costly to change written text one printed. Imagine finding an error in a piece of literature and having to destroy and reprint them.

The ease with which social media content can be generated, edited and even deleted if not wanted has almost de-skilled copywriting. Whilst there is an every growing demand for quality content, modern social media platforms and the wide spread use of laptops, tablets and smart phones allow anyone to generated their own content. Within internet marketing itself, there are now many companies who call themselves content marketing specialists. These companies will generated content for your campaign, company or organisation and then post it for you.

When looking at which social media platforms are right for your marketing campaign, its important to look at the content you have and where it will be generated. One of the biggest complains from a marketing department is that they struggle to get even bad content from people within the company. This is partly an education process and also one of engagement. Once sales and service teams realise the importance of a client testimonial or site installation photo, potential content can start to flow.

Brands tend to use Instagram and Pinterest if they have photos made for sharing. Facebook company or organisation pages can also be used for this purpose and can be linked to Instagram or Twitter to get more ‘bangs per buck’ from the content generated and shared. LinkedIn provides another avenue for content sharing but this tends to be more industry and business related.

Timeframes are also important considerations. Just how quickly do you want to disperse content and your marketing message into the world? As important is how often will you post? Regularly posting are better than sporadic ones. There is nothing worse than seeing a company Twitter account with the last post dated 2 months or more ago.

The golden rule of social media marketing is to be consistent in your content generation. Generate and issue content regularly. Instagram for example is one channel where it is not uncommon to post up to three times a day. Twitter account users may post even more often.

Finally a thought on followers. Social media marketing has a way of becoming a vanity project if you are not careful. You can buy followers and use the number of followers you have as a key performance indicator (KPI) but just how useful is this to you? As with any marketing communications channel the demographics of your audience is as important as the reach and spread. A small number of high value followers can be worth far more than a 1000-fold number of general followers who really have little interest in your business and lack the ability or desire to buy your goods or services.

As with any marketing, the key to social media marketing is to start in such a way that you build an audience that suits your marketing needs and that you provide this audience with timely content that is valued and useful.

Choosing Brand Names and Designing Company Logos

Sat, 15 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

We all have favourite brands whether its cars, clothes or even chocolate. Over time we build up what’s called ‘brand loyalty’ and buy these products or services because we trust them and know exactly what we are going to get in return. Some brands even manage to combine both products and services. Take Amazon Prime. Is it a product brand or a service brand or both?

A brand name is something you build and that helps to distinguish what you do from your competitors. So, what does a brand consist of and why is it so important in the marketing of a company or organisation. A brand is a combination of many factors. On the face of it, a brand consists of a logo and text. This is the visual side of what you see. There could also be an audio side as in the case of a rock band. What’s behind the brand is more emotive and personal. Do you ever think that your name is a brand and your appearance or signature the logo?

Brand is very important when it comes to marketing. Any investment in a brand should be considered a long term one. Your logo may change over time and this can also be considered a refresh or boost to the original branding. What’s importance is to make sure you get the branding right from the start.

When staring any new business or organisation the first thing to consider is the name to be used. Some organisations prefer a functional name and others a quirky one. The point is that choosing a company name is rarely scientific as most companies and organisations start small. Few organisations carry out brand research and test marketing. If you’re lucky friends and relatives might provide some useful insight.

Choosing a company name these days is also not that easy if you are looking for an internet presence. You’ve got to check not only that your website name is available but also the associated names on social media whether this is Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or many of the other social media channels.

Company Name and Brand Checklist

Here’s a short list of things you could check when choosing a company name.

How unique is it and does it sound similar to anyone else and/or a competitor?
Is the name available for company registration?
Is the name available for your website domain and social media?
Does it sound right for your business?
If you shorten or lengthen or use just initial abbreviations are there implications?
Is it easy to pronounce and remember?
How does it translate into other languages?
Do you need to add a local or geographic element?
What will the email address look like?
Will the name be easy to pronounce on the phone or always need spelling?

There is a golden rule in marketing and that is to ‘not laugh or make jokes about your brand or organisation’. Therefore, quirky names might sound great but don’t always present the most professional image.

Rightly or wrongly we chose the name ‘Redbows’ for our company name many years ago. We wanted a short name that could also be used for a promotional marketing company and had the image of a red bow and seal in mind; the type you used to see on old scroll documents. We checked out all name at Companies House and on an internet domain provider and a few of the relevant social media accounts. Then rest is history as they say.

Logo Design and Graphic Designers

Once you’ve got a company name, you may then want a logo. Now things can get contentious, as everyone will have an opinion on that. Often company logos start out based on the company name and can be quite simple. A checklist for the logo would be very like the one above in terms of looking for uniqueness and to a degree simplicity. Nike is one of the most recognised logos in the world and it’s simply a tick with the company name, thought up by a design student for a token fee. For the Redbows logo we wanted no more than two colours and something simple and personal to use. We used a graphic design who specialises in Feng Shui to come up with a design that incorporated ‘infinity’ and two energy levels (red and blue).

Next, we had to consider a tagline. This is small statement saying what you do. It’s not a mission statement per say but can be. At Redbows we chose ‘Promote Yourself’ with ‘self’ for us being a person, team or organisation and so at Redbows that is what we do, we help people to promote themselves.

Why do company names, branding, logo designs, colours and taglines matter? The best way to describe this is to think of them as building blocks for your advertising and marketing campaigns. When it comes to the types of promotional gifts we supply at Redbows, these factors can impact the choice of gifts, their colours, print and branding options so that we can make sure your logo and brand stands out, your contact details are clear and the products we supply help you to build your brand and promote your organisation.

If you need a logo designing or advise on a refresh the best place to start is with a graphic design company or advertising or marketing agency. They will ask you for a brief and some times of what you want to see and get across as brand values. One of the best ways to do this is to use the 5Ws and H checklist (who, what, where, when, why and how). Also if you have time sketch down some ideas on paper and do your own internet research. This will not only shorten the design process but could reduce design costs.

When graphic designers generate logos and ideas they often do a mixture of three to give you a complete range to consider. Very often no one ideas is perfect and your comments will give them the input required to focus on a final design. One of the best pieces of advice is to live with a design for a few days before commenting. Look at the logo in different lights and if you can try it out on different marketing materials. What may look right on a van or building sign might not be the same on corporate workwear or promotional materials.

Above all don’t ignore how important this stage is in setting up a new company. Often people are in a hurry to crack on and get trading. The decisions you make now will affect the brand profile you build in the years to come. Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Why Your Imprint Artwork File Is So Important

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

When it comes to many forms of marketing, one of the most important factors is artwork. This can be a combination of graphics, photos, drawings, text and colours which combine to form an advertisement for your business or organisation.

What makes your artwork successful when it comes to promotional marketing is no different to the factors associated with any other element of the marketing mix. It is all about impact, your marketing objectives and the call to action you want to achieve, combined with the medium of promotional gifts.

Think about this phrase ‘a picture paints a thousand words’. In our world the ‘picture’ is a combination of your artwork file and the promotional gift that you chose to have the artwork file applied to. We also refer to the artwork file as an imprint file. Artwork file is a term that graphic designers may use, and imprint file the term used by our printing team.

Artwork File Considerations

One of the biggest considerations is the size available for printing on your chosen products. This is generally sized in millimetres (mm) and shown as a width x depth (wxd). This printing space can be a block or wraparound. When the product is circular, the dimensions may be shown with a diameter dimension.

The size of the print area very much determines how much information you can print and its size. Print the text in too small a font and the writing may be illegible to some of the product users. Not all of your target audience will have ‘young eyes’.

Typical items to include in an artwork print area include: logo, website address, contact telephone number, call to action and company slogan.

Some of our clients have their own graphic designers and can provide us with a complete artwork file. Where this is not possible we have our own design studio and graphic design team. Just let us know the information you want to have and we can generate the artwork file for you. If you need a logo design we can also provide this as a marketing design service.

Imprint File Considerations

Artwork is a great starting point but to get this onto your items we need to turn this into an imprint file. In the print world this means providing us with an ‘Vectorised’ file. This is one that mathematically scales and can be enlarged or reduced proportionally. Thing of a vector-file as one where every pixel has a reference (like an cell in an Excel spreadsheet). The text in a vector-file also has to be converted to ‘outlines’ rather than shown as filled-in spaces.

Sometimes clients send us files they have generated in Photoshop. These types of files are ‘Rasterised’ and even though you can scale them on a computer screen, they do not scale automatically and are unsuitable for printing from.

For more information on file types we can use see our Guide To Promotional Marketing Artwork

Product Considerations

Print are or imprint area defines the space available into which to apply your artwork or imprint file. One other point to emphasise when it comes to products is the background colour.

In order to make your ‘advert’ stand out you need to have a contrast between the artwork file and the background onto which it is printed. The background in this case is the promotional product. Some products are only available in a single colour but others we supply may be available in a range of colours. Try to choose a colour that provides a contract to your artwork in order for your advert to stand out. The best combination would be a combination of your logo colours and corporate identity.

Virtual Visuals

Remember that phrase ‘a picture tells…’ well one way we can show you how your advert will look is to provide you with a visual or what we call a virtual visual. This is a common tool in the world of marketing and advertising. What we do we apply your logo and text to a product, showing you how this will look in the print space and position(s) available. We don’t charge for our virtual visual service and it is there to help ensure you choose the right products.

Artwork Approval Process

Another factor to consider in the supply process is the artwork approval process. When we receive your artwork file we will check to make sure it is a ‘vectorised’ file and/or convert this into this format. We will also check the font size to make sure there is no chance of infill and advise accordingly.

We will then send you an approval form showing how your artwork will appear. This is not a virtual visual but one for your to check all your text against. This is vital. Get one spelling wrong or print an incorrect contact number and you’ve some or all of the impact you wanted to generate.

This approval process is no different to any other marketing sign-off whether for an advertisement or printed literature. It is the last chance to make any adjustments or corrections. It is also important to note that any lead times quoted for product delivery are given from ‘artwork sign-off’. If you’ve ordered 24hour express delivery items don’t’ procrastinate. We quote from sign-off as when there are teams involved getting agreement from all parties to proceed can take some time and this is something beyond our control.

Marketing Campaigns

There are many uses for promotional gifts. You may have an event such as a seminar or exhibition and simply need some giveaways or you may want to have a range of products for use as part of your general advertising. The important thing to remember is that your promotional marketing is an important element and part of your longer term marketing mix plans. Any investment in marketing is iterative with a cumulative effect.

Your choice of promotional product and artwork are not mutually exclusive. There are many factors to consider to create the right response and maximum effect from this advertising medium. What I’ve tried to do is give a few ideas and points to consider. If you need help selecting the right product for your campaign or want some general marketing advice, just call me or one of my team and we will be only to happy to help. At Redbows we solve promotional marketing problems for our clients every day.

How Important Are Reviews To You?

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Customer testimonials have long been a great way to promote a business. I can remember in the first days of starting this business how thrilled I was to get a positive comment from a client that we had done a great job for a client. Occasionally a client would send in a ‘thank you’ letter which we would put along with the emails into a client ‘pitch book’ for when we get a chance to sit with potential clients to help explain what we do.

Today the collation and analysis of reviews has turned into a mini-industry itself. If you offer any form of internet-based service, the chances are you will have incorporated a review platform into your website. At Redbows we use Reviews.co.uk. If you operate an ISO 9001 quality management system, such a service greatly helps when measuring customer satisfaction.

Of course if you operate a review service you are open to both positive and negative reviews. There is a normative bath-tub curve/distribution when it comes to customer comments. Most of your responses can be highly positive or highly negative with few in between expressing a point of view. Your drive therefore has to be to reduce your negative comments to zero by reacting quickly with a corrective action when a product or service delivery issue occurs and then building preventative actions into your management policies to ensure such a negative review can never occur again. So, reviews help to drive continuous improvement and can be a real driver for change and innovation in a business. Reviews keep you ‘on your toes’.

So when it comes to requesting and responding to review requests what are the key points?

Requesting Reviews

At Redbows we gave an open platform where a client can comment through our Reviews.co.uk service. We also send every client a review request email at the end of each month and respond to every one we receive back from them. We do this once a month as part of our management practices. We could also build this into our on-line order process as an automatic post delivery function but prefer the monthly personalised email approach.

Responding To Reviews

We are very fortunate at Redbows in that we have a very geographically dispersed client base. This means that we get to travel and meet clients and suppliers across the UK, Europe and even the Far East. We will use review websites like TripAdvisor to post our own reviews as well as search out hotels to stay, places to visit and restaurants to try out.

When it comes to creating a review we always try to following these simple guidelines:

We always remember that our review will be public and can be either positive or negative for a business. We are very happy to be able to post positive reviews but only consider writing a more negative one if the experience is very poor with any issues we have raised not tackled by the staff at hand. Sometimes people have an off-day and it’s important to recognise this and look at the business as a whole.
Where the review service requests a title we always try to write a concise one that summarises our experience.
We cover the relevant facts and what we want to get across. Sometimes the check list 5Ws and 1H really helps with this: Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
Tone, grammar and good English are also useful tips to remember. Solicitors always recommend waiting 24hours to respond when you are annoyed or angry. This allows you to calm down and be more reflective and logical. We always try to use a tone and descriptive language the reflect our experience. It’s also important to remember that English is our native language but not everyone reading your review will be English; avoid jargon and colloquialisms.
Review quickly whilst the memory is fresh in your mind but remember if your not happy to perhaps take the time to calm down so that your review is factual rather than emotive.
Photographs can speak a thousand words but make sure if you post any that they are good ones and well lit. This is possible even with a smart phone these days; just touch the screen to adjust the focal point and lighting/exposure settings.
Always give the place you are reviewing the chance to respond and correct for a poor experience. No one is in business to turn-off their clients and wants to give poor service. Very often managers and owners want to know when something has gone wrong. They also want to know when something has gone well especially when it comes to rewarding a team or individual.

Finally when it comes to reviews it’s also worth remember that Social Media provides a great way to review an organisation. Facebook pages can allow visitors to post their own reviews and rate an organisation. Also you can do this on Google Places if a business is registered for this service.

There is no doubt that reviews have become an integral part of how we search, select and purchase goods and services today. Reviews are here to stay and an important indicator of how well a business looks after their clients.

Setting Up Your Social Media Accounts

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Social media and customer reviews are fast becoming one of the most important elements within the marketing mix and one you cannot afford to ignore if you have a business to promote. Whether you have just one main social media account or mix your social media across Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest doesn’t seem to matter so long as you have a clear marketing communications strategy and are consistent in your approach.

The key to social media marketing is to decide which social media platform is right for your business and then to define how to you will use it. Your social media strategy should also align with your general marketing strategy both in the digital and traditional media.

One of the best ways to assess which social media platform is right for your business is to look at what your competitors and industry associations are doing. This is not as perverse as it sounds. Competitor analysis and tracking should be something you do and very often you can learn from the leading businesses and organisations in your industry. Once you have assessed which social media platforms are being used and how, it is time to pick the most relevant for your organisation.

This next step involves looking at exactly what you are truing to promote and what you are looking for in engagement with your social media audience. As with any marketing it comes down the message, contact, offer and audience demographics. At Redbows we are in the promotions products industry and as the saying goes ‘a picture paints a thousand words’. Clients want to see product images and descriptions of how we have applied imprints and how our clients have used our products to promote their own organisations and achieve their marketing communications objectives.

When it comes to your social media platform try to pick consistent account names that relate either directly or indirectly to your company and website name. Then it’s time to sign up and set up your social media platforms. This will take some time and it’s important again to be consistent here. Use the same graphics for your platform as your website and complete all the details requested in the set-up boxes including a clear description (SEO optimised) of what you do, your website address and contact details.

You will need an official or semi-official social media manager. Don’t think that social media is a passing whim. It is here to stay and will become more and more important in the promotion of your business and organisation. If you can appoint someone as your official social-media manager and allow them to build this into their working day and job description.

Managing social media content including publishing, tracking keywords and reviewing competitor activities is a time consuming job. If you do go down the route of appointing a manager for your social media platforms, agree clear objectives with them in terms of what you want to achieve. This could be simply to drive a certain number of visitors to your website or to increase the number of followers or get responses to a particular product or service promotion.

Whatever you decide, you can use various systems to analyse response and track statistics including Google Analytics, Hootsuite, Ping and SproutSocial.com. Some are free and some software platforms charge a monthly or annual fee.

Once you have set up your social platforms you then have to consider the content and how regularly to post. Up to three times a day is the recommended norm for most social media platforms but this is not always possible. For Instagram and Twitter it may be possible but for YouTube you may only have the resources for a weekly or monthly Vlog (Video blog). Just be consistent and timely. Using media / news tracking services like Google Alerts can give you industry related content as can monitoring website RSS feeds. Also talk to your teams and explain to them the importance of social media and the need for content from them including interesting new accounts and customer orders. Reviews can also play a part here in building your on-line brand presence. Post to your social media positive reviews and provide a link back to your main review service partner.

As you look to build your social media presence you can use some of the standard features within each social media platform. Some like Twitter allow you to search for keywords. Here you can make a list of your industry specific keywords and search for relevant accounts to follow. Remember there will be limits on some social media platforms on how many you can follow and it is also worth culling those not following you back on a regular basis to keep within any limits. Where your employees and client have their own professional (rather than private) accounts, ask them to engage and share company content.

Social media and review services have such an important role to play in new customer engagement and client retention and repeat orders. Many online retailers now include a reviews service that allows clients to rate and comment on their online shopping experience. In addition, Google offers the chance to review a businesses and organisations through their local services.

Other platforms have built-in review services as part of their platforms to help inform visitors such as TripAdviser, Booking.com and AirBnB. An important aspect here is to consider how you respond to a negative review. The golden rule is not to over react and to try to find out exactly why you received a negative review and what you can do to put things right. If possible you can always as a client or reviewer to re-rate or add a further comment. At the other end of the spectrum remember to thank people for positive reviews and for taking the time to comment. A positive review is like gold dust. Use a positive reviews in your social media to generate more interest in your company, follows and visitors to your website.

Social media marketing is here to stay. Most people now have at least one or more social media accounts that they open and review at least 2-3 times a day if not more when alerted to do so. Building social media into your marketing mix is now a key success factor in many businesses.

So at Redbows which are our favorite social media. We’ve been using social media marketing for around 5 years now and started with LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. More recently we have been reviewing Instagram and Pinterest as a way to show more about what we do and engage with our audiences. We also keep an eye on what could be happening in the future and believe that virtual reality marketing will become more important as technologies develop. What we would ideally like to see is a hologram-type platform whereby a client can see one of our products on their own desktop with their logo superimposed onto it. That would take virtual samples to a whole new level and could revolutionise how our industry interacts with clients.

How To Inspire Customer Loyalty

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0100

The internet and e-commerce shopping has massively changed the way we shop and how we look for value for money. This is evident in business today but also and probably more so when we come to spend our own money in our private lives.

Not only has internet shopping become easier thanks to the standards set by Amazon and other innovators in the space but so has the internet. When you think about devices, there are now more mobile phones and tablets in the UK than people. When you walk into any public space you will see people surfing the internet. More so in my own home, no matter what’s on the TV, someone is on their phone, shopping, chatting, researching or simply reading the news or a Kindle book. Technology has made a difference to our lives. WiFi access is common place as are 4G networks. The recent removal of mobile phone roaming charges in Europe will also add to further usage of these devices.

So what does this mean for shopping? Well quite simply, it is now easier than ever to find the goods you want and a supplier willing to ship at the lowest possible price. Retail parks used to be inundated at the weekends with ready-to-pay buyers with goods loaded into cars or delivery dates picked for items that were too bulky or stored in a national warehouse. Today, most retail shops simply provide physical viewing spaces. You research what you want and/or come across it in a shop and then go on-line to find the lowest costs supplier.

This works for standard goods that are widely available. You know the brand, the specification and that if anything goes wrong you can get the product fixed or serviced under warranty. You may buy from a known supplier brand (like Amazon as mentioned) or someone else. One thing for sure is that you will almost always check the reviews section and see what experience people have had.

For internet-based businesses customer loyalty is built on ease of use of the e-commerce website, delivery of goods on time, value for money goods and also well-structured back-office procedures for returns, customer questions and even complaints about damage in transit and so on.
Where this approach may be less than ideal, is where some element of the buying process requires value added in terms of service. In the promotional gifts industry we can think about two types of products. Plain stock items that require no branding and branded products with applied imprint.

Plain stock items are as the name suggests unbranded and can be purchased for immediate use from off-the-shelf suppliers. The issue is one of quality and price is a natural reflector of this. Check out the reviews for the company and try to go for an established company. Many promotional companies provide products plain stock, with payment via a credit card and phone call or e-commerce checkout on their website.

Branded products carry an imprint area and the process of buying online and uploading artwork may be automated to a degree. The selection of the right product for the client campaign and budget, colour choice, material and imprint design and application are areas where companies like Redbows Ltd provide their own ‘value added’ element. Based on our years of experience and knowledge, we manage this process for our clients and then make sure the goods arrive on-time, sometimes to multiple destinations.

So what does this mean for client loyalty? Well when a buying process is fully automated and works smoothly, with goods delivered on-time, clients will generally repeat an order or at least go back to the original supplier as a first ‘port of call’ when looking for more products to buy. The same is true when there is a value added service element like design, imprint application or logistics.

Companies that get the complete buying process right can experience a high degree of repeat clients. They develop and build their customer’s loyalty to the company. Each order and transaction is an investment in the brand building process.

We have all had both good and bad customer service across a number of industries. Here are some interesting facts on customer service:

Companies only hear from less than 5% of their dissatisfied clients. Few people stand up and complain when they are dissatisfied. This is sometimes a ‘British thing’ and perhaps we need to be more demanding.
Almost 80% of clients bail out of a transaction or intended purchase at the last minute because of a previous poor experience. We always think about giving someone a second chance but at the end of the day the original poor service is a constant reminder that we don’t fully trust the supplier.
On average loyal clients are worth up to 10% of their original order value. This is known as the lifetime customer value. Get a client and keep them is a classic way to build a business. It’s not rocket science.
You’ve 60-70% more chance to sell to an existing client than a new one. New clients are hard to get on board but once on they know you. Get it right the first time with a new client and you’re already on your way to making a second, third or more sale to them.
It takes up to 12 positive order experiences to make up for a single bad one. Get it wrong and you’ve a lot of work to do to get the client back on board and ‘loyal’. It’s also very expensive to get new clients on board and sometimes as much as 50-70% as expensive as servicing an existing one.

If you have clients you are in the people business. That’s the key takeaway for anyone in business. Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself. Give them time, a smile and look after them and you will build a great business and loyal customer base.

I feel very blessed at Redbows as we have one of the highest customer retention and repeat order rates in the business. Why? Because we treat clients as we want to be treated, providing excellent value for money and great service.

What Brexit Means For Promotional Marketing

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0100

It may be an understatement to have said that the UK’s decision to vote and leave Europe was a surprise. There are many within the promotional merchandise industry who would have preferred the ‘remain’ campaign to have one.

Why? Much of our supply chain is European and Far East based. The immediate impact of Brexit is UK sterling falling in value against the US dollar after a period of much stability. This means that many gadgets imported from the Far East can only be quoted with 24 hours validity and many have to be ‘POA’ price on application. The price of oil also adds to market instability in that may gadgets are plastic based meaning that long-term these products will rise further in price. The UK promotional merchandise industry also relies on materials and finished products from Europe and again there is instability in the Euro exchange rate. What this means is that those companies whose supply chains are based solely on Far East and European supply chains are in for a rough ride as they wait for market stability to return.

Now for the opportunities. The biggest one is ‘Buy British’. Yes quite a few of our suppliers are UK-based and manufacture in the UK from home-grown materials. These companies may not only now be more competitive but also benefit from Brexit in the form of nationalist buying decisions that support the UK economy.

Whatever the long-term outcome from Brexit we are sure to changes in the UK promotional merchandise industry and at Redbows we are ready to face this challenge as we have many others over the last 10 years. We will simply do what we always have – looked after clients and given them the best possible service and value for money.

And what did we vote? You can probably guess.

Working Your Call To Action

Sun, 15 May 2016 00:00:00 +0100

In advertising we always talk about the Call To Action or CTA as it is known for short. To marketers it’s the final piece of an advert, after the headline, copy and offer that leads the target audience to make a specific action. This could include to make a phone call, visit a website or complete some other response mechanism.

Writing CTAs is both artwork and science. Get it right and you can dramatically improve the response rates but get it wrong and the Call To Action can be a real negative. Now when it comes to promotional gifts do we have a CTA? Well we do but it is far more subliminal and in your face.

In the world of promotional marketing, your artwork will be made up generally of your logo, a slogan, contact number, email and/or website address. On most products it is just a logo, contact number and website address and together these form your CTA. They tell your client where to get more information on the company, organisation and brand. Even the products you choose to put your artwork onto reinforce the Call To Action, in shape, colour, print area and functionality.

So when it comes to promotional marketing, think Call To Action as you would with any other element from the marketing communications mix.

Love Your Promotions This Valentines Day

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

When Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, as it does this year, you have a whole weekend to share with a loved one and show them how much you care. Now some of you may be looking forward to this with some trepidation but don’t worry as there are some great guides out there to help you through this ‘lovers’ weekend.

One of the best we found is in Cosmopolitan Magazine who’ve published a great guide on some inexpensive Valentine’s Day ideas that won’t break the bank.

The day is famous for lovers sending cards and gifts anonymously to a special ‘loved’ one but where did the tradition come from? Well as with many celebrations in the West, the day is linked back to early Christianity and the Roman times. A popular account goes back to Saint Valentine of Rome who was imprisoned for performing weddings for both marrying soldiers who were not allowed to marry and ministering to early Christians. St Valentine is also said to have healed the daughters of one of his jailors and just before his execution wrote a farewell letter which he signed ‘Your Valentine’.

Valentine’s Day is not a national public holiday but it is generally celebrated around the world. As well as providing an opportunity for giving gifts, the day leads to a dramatic increase in cards, flowers, chocolates, sweets and other gifts. A day like Valentine’s can also give promotional opportunities and we find it one of the best for ‘heart’ shaped gifts and merchandise from heart shaped stress balls and key rings to Loveheart sweets.

We hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day and if you have a related promotion and want some ideas that you could use in a marketing promotion beforehand please do contact us on 0800 158 3080.

Getting Your Packaging Artwork Right

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

The secret to a great promotion is marrying the right product and artwork together to create a marketing communications product that will get your message across and reinforce your advertising and promotional campaign.

Everyday our dedicated design team work with clients to ensure that we get the best possible artwork to use with your chosen products. For more information on the types of files required see our Artwork Guidelines or contact the design team.

With some marketing gifts it is possible to also print dedicated packaging. A good example of this is food stuffs such as teas, coffees, sweets, confectionery, chocolates and boxed chocolate Easter Eggs. We have just added boxed 18g, 30g and 100g chocolates eggs to our Easter collection and these are supplied with a custom printed box.

Packaging artwork is slightly more complicated than product artwork because our graphics design team have to work with a flat template and view this as a final 3D printed format. For each product we supply with custom printed packaging, a product specific template is available. For example, for the new boxed chocolate Easter eggs, we have PDF files available that can be opened in Adobe Illustrator. When using these files to create your artwork all we ask is that you use an artwork layer if the final file is created in Adobe Illustrator. If the template PDF is to be opened in any other program, we ask that the PDF is placed in your document at the size stated in the lower left hand corner of the template and that the artwork is created in a separate layer.

The following checklist also provides some guidance:

Document size: should be the same as stated in the lower left of the template.
Bleed: extend artwork to the green 5mm bleed line.
Safe Area: place your text and logo within the green dashed line, known as the safe area.
Graphics Position: avoid graphical elements that match fold lines, such as pin lines, borders or adjacent panels with contrasting colours.
Image Resolution: the document and any placed images must be 300dpi or higher.
Legal area: do not adjust or move the legal information area.

Before sending us the artwork please also make sure that you:

Text to outlines: please convert all text to outlines.
No Template: when sending your file please hide or remove the template. We only require your artwork. if you prefer to, please send 2 files, with and without the template.
Saving: when using Adobe Illustrator please save as an ‘illustrator default’ PDF. When using any other software save your file as a print ready pdf, ideally using the pdf/x-1a:2001 setting.

Of course our design team can do all of this for you and will check any file you send through before it goes to manufacturing. They are very experienced and can easily spot if there is something that requires attention.

For more information please view our Packaging Artwork Guide or call us on 0800 158 3080.

Redbows Achieves Top-10 Industry Award

Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

We made it again to the 2015 top ten of the Distributors list run by Sourcing City. This is an industry elected top ten of the best promotional products distributors to work with in the industry as voted for by the Suppliers.

Every year Sourcing City runs an awards canvass to find out who are the top ten Distributors and Suppliers in the promotional products industry. Distributors are companies like Redbows who add their value by liaising between clients and the Suppliers of products into the industry. Supplier companies are manufacturers and importers. The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) is very keen for companies to maintain their separation and differentiation within the industry and runs two Charter initiatives; one for distributors and one for suppliers that includes signing up to a Code of Conduct.

Redbows is very proud of its Charter Distributor status. Achieving a top-10 position in the Sourcing City awards put even more icing on the cake for 2015.

The January Promotional Market Audit - Time To Clear Out The Cupboard

Wed, 06 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome back to work and the start of another amazing year. We are so pleased to be back for the New Year and have an amazing new catalogue for 2016. We will be mailing out hard copies soon and the electronic ‘flip’ version is not far away.

So it’s January. What marketing activities do you normally carry out at the start of a new year? If you’re an internet marketer you will be reviewing all your online spends everyday, of course, through your various analytics programs and tools. For more traditional marketing communications you probably have other tracking mechanisms in place which will feed into an overview marketing audit for the past year. Now, just where do you place promotional merchandise?

Well one of the best things you can do in January is to review what’s left in the merchandise cupboard. There should be next to zero but it’s not uncommon to find a little excess promotional gifts stock occasionally. The question is what to do with it. If the gifts are not time or campaign dependent or perishables (food stuff) then you could look to hand them out to clients, prospects, employees and suppliers as a final stock push in January. As well as identifying any excess promotional merchandise stock, also remember to review those items that you don’t have left. Use our annual promotional gifts audit as part of your marketing audit

Annual Promotional Merchandise Review

The following list is not exhaustive and can be tailored to your organisation, marketing communications program(s) and objectives.

Stock: what’s left over from last year and how can you use it up?
Exhibitions/Events: what have you got planned this year?
Products: which merchandise worked well and would you repeat order
Pricing: how much budget do you have for your merchandise?
Print Areas: did you maximize print areas on the gifts you used?
Colours: will your logo or colours change in the near future?
Distribution: when and how will you send out your gifts?
Promotions: do you have any product or service launches?
Trends: what industry trends do you want to tap into this year?
Corporate Workwear: is it time to refresh employee workwear?
Presentations: don’t forget that with our new no minimum website we can now offer single one-off printed gifts ideal for high profile presentations, tenders and sales meeting – PromoteYourself.co.uk

We hope the above gives you some ideas and inspiration for 2016! Call us on 0800 158 3080 to discuss how Redbows can help your marketing communications and promotional campaigns this year. We have several members within our team who members of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) who offer several templates for wider marketing audits

No Minimum Merchandise Website Is Ideal For Small Businesses

Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Marketing Week reports that UK consumer confidence is at an all-time high as we come to the end of 2015. This is most welcome news and no more so than in the world of marketing and promotions.

Consumer confidence leads to increased business and that means more companies and organisations investing in the promotion and marketing of their businesses. What we have noticed is however is that the typical consumer is now more ‘savvy’ than ever and wants to get the best value for their budget. Not only that but there are more and more smaller business start-ups emerging in the UK and these are the companies that could turn into the large corporations of tomorrow. Some may be able to scale quickly whilst others may take a longer route to success. What they need is access to promotional gifts and at the prices their budget will allow and at the quantities that make sense for their size and business stage life-cycle.

This is where our no-minimum promotional gifts website will come into its own in 2016. Recently launched as PromoteYourself.co.uk, this latest website from Redbows is built on a complex website architecture that allows visitors to select products, upload artwork, view visuals and place their order on line. The quantity they can order as a minimum is one item and prices are quantity discounted for larger volumes. We’ve also used the latest print technology to make this happen with digital print being offered on the products and merchandise and with a fast turnaround for quick deliveries.

The range of products available from our no minimum promotional gifts website is quite staggering. It covers the merchandise range any start-up business or small organisation could want for any event or marketing campaign. The website is also useful for individuals and small clubs and societies – anyone who needs a very low quantity of printed merchandise branded with their artwork.

For more information on our promotional and marketing services please call us on 0800 158 3080. We thank all our clients for a superb year and look forward to working with you in the new year. Have a great Christmas and best wishes for 2016.

New Low Minimum Order Promotional Items Website Launched

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Want One? Well Now You Can Have Just One. We have just launched our latest website and this time it is dedicated to products that you can purchase with a minimum quantity of just one item. That’s right one item and we can supply it fully personalised.

There is some exciting technology behind our new no-minimum website, on the PromoteYourself.co.uk domain. The keener eyed of you will know that this is the strap line “Promote Yourself” built-into he Redbows logo. The name also invokes exactly what this new website is about – how to promote the power of one: yourself.

Clients can choose from a wide range of product collections including: writing instruments, toys and games, mugs and bottles, health and beauty, bags and folders, image blocks, T-shirts, stationery, key rings, tools, mints and sweets, gold products, fridge magnets, eco-friendly products and technology items. More products will continue to be added to the website provided that we can digitally print to them and provide them on a fast lead time.

The new website also features a on-screen visual generator where clients can load up their own graphics/logo to see how it will look on their chosen product and add text as well. Orders can then be placed and paid for online as PromoteYouself.co.uk is a fully e-commerce enabled website. We anticipate that this new website will help a wide range of Redbows customers and even the wider public who may be looking for a single personalised product or a smaller selection of items.

How better to make your budget run further for an event? Imagine being able to order a small quantity of products, fully personalised for am exhibition, trade show, conference or seminar? Rather than order several hundred pieces, you can order just one or more items all digitally printed with your logo. The new website can also help organisations pitching for sales work who want to give clients a personalised gift with their proposal and even parties, weddings, sporting clubs and charities looking for a low quantity of branded products.

For more information visit PromoteYourself or call us on 0800 158 3080. We hope you like our new no minimum order quantity promotional items website and look forward to your feedback.

How Branded Merchandise Grows Goodwill

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Every brand needs to promote itself. Whether you are a sole-proprietor, SME or larger corporation, your brand is what you are known and recognised for. When a company is looking to promote itself positive word-of-mouth, client testimonials and third party reviews are often the most powerful and cost-effective. Of course these are post-sale or post-delivery of a product or service. To get to these takes an awful lot of hardware and along the way a spice of luck.

When you look at the marketing communications mix there are many potential forms of communication and avenues to spend a marketing budget on. These include advertising, publicity/PR, sales promotions, direct mail and even product packaging. They vary with complexity and the time needed to develop them. Often you need to outsource all or some of the work to a specialist agency. Once you have a logo however, there is one communications medium that you can easily set up, use and test new ideas with and that is the medium of promotional merchandise. Where does this lie in the marketing communications mix? Well I like to think that it crosses all the elements.

Promotional merchandise is one of the fastest ways for an organisation to promote itself. Brand recognition is the main reason for using merchandise with your logo on. It provides an easy way to remind people you are there, whether consciously or sub-consciously. Include an your website address or contact phone number in the imprint along with a call to action and you have a very strong advert for your company. Choose a mix of promotional merchandise and you have a very powerful marketing toolkit to promote your company with.

Not only can investing in promotional merchandise lead to a smaller budget spend than on other traditional forms of marketing. You can also react far more quickly and take advantage of special offers and express delivery promotions. Once a company decides to spend on branded merchandise they can often get their goods within 5-10 working days or faster for expedited goods.

Look to use a mix of merchandise in your organisation to get the maximum brand building effect. Branded clothing is a great place to start for organisations with customer facing teams. Not only does it provide your staff with a uniform but a uniformity to your client base and general public as well. When the engineer arrives on site in a logo’d van wearing branded corporate workwear the client sees a more professional presentation of the organisation. For emergency response organisations this can create greater feelings of security and confidence. Imagine then that the mechanic or engineer uses a branded clipboard, pen and paperwork. That on completion of the works, they leave the client with copy paperwork and a piece of merchandise to give them further contact details, all branded with your logo. Now contrast that to the last time you saw a cowboy turn-up; lovely people no doubt but how confident where you that they would do not just a good job but a great job and one you would be happy to give a positive testimonial for?

When you invest in any marketing, you are investing in future goodwill. If you view merchandise as simply giveaways, you miss the strategic, marketing franchise and goodwill building effect that this most powerful of mediums can have for your organisation. Using branded promotional merchandise of any sort helps to build confidence, converts leads to orders and encourages superb reviews and client testimonials. No other form of marketing communication has the power of promotional merchandise and sometimes its use or lack of it can help to separate the professional from the hillbillies.

For more information on what we can do for you, call us on 0800 158 3080 or visit our Redbows website.

Using Power Banks To Boost Your Marketing

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Every so often a product comes along that fits the bill when it comes to great marketing gifts you can use to promote your company. Power Banks are one such product and one I have used at Redbows several times. They make great gifts for clients and even giveaways at trade shows and conferences. We all know that you charge them and carry one around so that you can boost the charge on your mobile phone or tablet but how do they work and how do you choose the right one for your promotion?

A Power Bank is essentially a Lithium-ion (Li-ion) or Lithium-polymer battery in a plastic case with a built-in charging circuit. The device stores electrical energy and is normally charged from via USB cable. This can be plugged into a USB-plug or a USB port on your laptop or desktop PC. As smart phones and tablets have become more powerful and power hungry, thanks to the Apps they run and our use of them, so has battery drain increased. Often a day’s battery charge on your mobile phone or tablet is simply not enough if you are out visiting clients, attending meetings or simply out on the town or away for a weekend.

As well as being useful for charging mobiles and tablets, power banks can also be used to charge many other devices that use lithium-ion batteries. These can include GoPros, and the other types of promotional gadgets available from Redbows such as MP3 players, mobile phone speakers and boom boxes, GPS systems and cameras. As long as you have a charged power bank you can charge the device if it has a USB port.

Power Banks come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are generally small enough to fit easily into a pocket or bag. Some are credit card shaped and ideal for a wallet and others larger. Generally the larger the device the more energy it can store. The amount of charge available from a stored battery is measured in Mill-Ampere-hours (mAh) and is generally enough to fully recharge a typical IOS or Android device including iPhones and iPads.

The recharge time for a Power Bank is also dictated by how discharged it is and the mAh rating. Most will take 1-2 hours or more to recharge. An LED indicator that will turn colour or blink generally shows the charge capacity. Power Banks are designed not to over charge even when left charging for long periods as they have typically have a safety-cut-off circuit. This prevents overheating and potential damage to the Lithium-ion battery. It’s always best to keep a Power Bank fully charged to ensure it is ready for action and capable of supplying a complete charge. Once a Power Bank is charged remove it from the charging connection.

As with any battery, Power Banks do have a working life. Temperature can affect battery performance so try to keep the device at room temperature and not to expose it to extremes. The primary determinant of working life is the number of charge/discharge cycles the device is designed for. Most will be 500 cycles or greater giving a user one-to-two years of use in general.

Power Banks are not 100% energy efficient. What this means is that a Power Bank will not able to give out more than 80-90% of its power when fully charged. This is just the laws of physics, electronics and design. If anyone quotes more than 90% be suspicious because (a) it might not be that high and (b) this level of performance will be short-term and to the detriment of a long working life. When charged, a Power Bank will start to lose charge due to internal resistance and a device should retain most of its charge for about 4-5 weeks.

So how do you choose the right Power Banks for your promotion?

Selecting A Power Bank: as with any gadget like this, unit price is generally an indication of quality. Look for a high mAh rating to determine capacity and ask for an efficiency figure. Most Power Banks are about 80-90% efficient in terms of the power they can deliver. Choose a product shape and style that suits your campaign.
Cables and Accessories: check what cables the Power Bank comes with and if there is an additional case or packaging to help protect it when in use.
Fix A Budget: as with any gadget promotional power banks are price:volume sensitive. The more you order the lower the unit price. It’s important to have a budget in mind to allow us to get the right quantity for you.
Warranty Period: check the warranty period. Twelve months is normal but longer periods may be available and ask what the returns policy is for any devices that fail to hold their charge long-term.
Imprint Space: power banks are great because they provide a large print area. Sometimes less is more so don’t always fill the space but keep it simple with a logo and telephone number.
Lead Times: we hold stock of power banks and can provide a reasonably fat turnaround within 5-10 working days. For large print runs we have to bring in stock and this can lead to longer lead times up to 2-4 weeks. Build the right lead time into your planning.

Redbows is a BPMA Chartered Distributor. For more information view the promotional power banks collection on our website or call us on 0800 158 3080.

Top Tips For Branded Clothing

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Branded clothing is one of the most visible forms of corporate branding you can use. Also known as wearables, workwear or corporate clothing, promotional clothing can add great value to an organisations branding and marketing campaigns.

Organisations use promotional clothing for several reasons. These can include simple practicality where engineers have to wear clothing that is functional and durable (long lasting). Here an organisation would choose to have a work uniform to display a more professional image and brand the clothing with their logo. Office teams may also invest in corporate clothing. Once again the purpose is to build a team spirit and present a united presence to the outside world.

When companies invest in corporate promotional clothing they will generally issue a corporate clothing policy as part of their Employee Handbook. This will itemise the workwear to be worn, responsibility and its issue, replacement and return. One of the key benefits of this approach is that it standardises the company look and how items are to be used and worn. Corporate workwear can also incorporate a health & safety element as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can also be branded and included in the policy. Items of PPE could include hi-vis vests, jackets, hard hats, gloves and so forth.

Many employees prefer to have corporate clothing issued to them. There is a positive effect from having a corporate uniform. Putting on the clothing puts one in ‘work mode’ and helps to distinguish work time from free time.

Working on site, promotional clothing can also help teams to identify other members of their organisation, especially from other branches when working on large sites. On site or in an office or building environment, corporate workwear can be used to identify easily (visibly) the level of training, qualification or authority an employee has, their team or function within the organisation. Within busy environments such visible signals almost become subliminal and help to improve employee efficiency and communication.

Promotional clothing is becoming more and more popular. Once only used mainly by large organisations, printing and embroidery technologies now cater for even the smallest of production runs, including single items.

Getting employee ‘buy-in’ to the wearing of corporate clothing is also getting easier. The range of promotional clothing now available from distributors such as Redbows includes fashions and styles that are as good as any other form of normal everyday clothing. When choosing new workwear it is important to get employees to contribute ideas. Engineers will more than likely want functionality from their workwear in terms of easy access to pockets and tools, durability and colour. Office-based teams may give more thought to style and look and overall comfort. Whichever is the case, corporate clothing can add real value to your organisation. Whether it is branded ties, scarves, shirts and blouses for sales teams or t-shirts for exhibition staff and corporate golf days or jackets for on-site engineers, promotional clothing when done well will help to improve employee morale, team spirit and promote your organisation.

Here is a set of 6 tips to consider when selecting corporate clothing:

Choose the right clothing: the range of clothing available is immense when you consider that any garment can be branded with a logo. There are standard items like t-shirts, polo-shirts, shirts, ties, sweaters, fleeces, trousers, jackets and aprons that are industry standards. The issue is to choose the items of clothing that will be worn the most and make the most impact for both employees and clients in your marketing. After all the primary point of using corporate promotional clothing is to brand your organisation and promote it. Remember to also consider for your team seasonal use and cleaning costs. Choose the right items for the time of year if you want your employees to be comfortable their promotional clothing. In terms of cleaning remember that your employees will incur cleaning costs so washing-machine cleaning will always be more preferable to dry-cleaning. Also remember to issue them with enough garments. Most individuals will want a clean set of clothing each day. If you are going to a 3-day exhibition give them at least 3 sets. If engineers have to work 5-7 days give them enough sets to ensure they have enough to ensure that they can always turn-up on site in a fresh set of clothing.
Printed or embroidered logos: embroidery is always the preferred method because it looks better and shows more of an investment. Why buy a quality garment and screen print it. Some materials cannot be screen-printed and these are those with a less than smooth surface. Consider the surface of a cotton t-shirt to a heavier-weight fleece. Embroidery will cost more than screen-printing and will last longer. Care has to be taken with embroidery so that the material is not ‘pinched’ and shrinks when washed to leave a pulled logo effect. Embroidery is prices in stitches and normally as a ratio of 1000 stitches per cm square for example. Screen-printing costs less and either imprint method can suit volume runs. Remember that unit price always falls with quantity.
Imprint position: how far do you go when it comes to printing? Most organisation will put their logo onto a breast pocket area for example when it comes to a polo-shirt or t-shirt. Others may opt for this as branding solution and also print the company name or website on the reverse or back area. The issue is one of visibility. If it’s just for branding then the pocket area is fine. If it’s for maximum exposure such as for an exhibition or to identify colleagues on-site then look to brand in several areas.
Choose your colour: as with any promotional gift you want a background colour which will contrast with your logo. Sometimes it is a fine balance with corporate workwear because you want a clothing colour that will not show up the dirt as quickly and is darker rather than lighter. For this reason our artwork team often generates ‘reverse’ logos or prints the logo onto a contrasting coloured garment in a single coloured ink or cotton.
Bespoke custom labelling: within the clothing industry there are well-known label such as ‘Fruit of The Loom’ who are known for their plain stock promotional clothing onto which companies such as Redbows apply a branding. Sometimes we are asked to provide a bespoke clothing label and even zip-pull or button. This type of project means that it is more custom or bespoke and should only be considered for larger print/embroidery volumes. Often we will turn-around such a product as a whole with a garment manufacturer.
Budget and lead times: remember that all delivery times are from artwork sign-off. Redbows has its own in-house team of clothing and artwork design experts and can help you get the right promotional clothing printed and delivered on time. Express clothing garments are always available but the range is less than if we have a longer lead time of 10 working days or more.

At Redbows we have supplied thousands of branded promotional clothing items during the last 10 years and have built-up in-depth knowledge when it comes to corporate workwear garments, their branding and delivery. Simply call us on 0800 158 3080 to tap into this knowledge-base and let us help you get the best possible clothing for your promotion.

Top Tips for Promotions Using Branded Pens

Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0100

According to the latest market research by the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), pens are the number one desktop item used in promotions by companies and organisations across the UK.Even with this simplest of advertising gifts there are several things to think about to make sure your promotion is a success. Here are the Redbows Top Six Tips and infographic. Please click on the image to see a PDF of the Infographic.

Choose Your Pen Style: sounds simple but there are many choices these days when it comes to promotional pens. With the growing use of smart-phones and tablets, many clients are now opting for a stylus pen. This has a rubber tip ideal for use with smart-screens. Instead of a pen other writing instruments include pencils, marker pens, crayons and novelty pens (with banners) and highlighters. We supply thousands of sample pens every year so don’t be afraid to ask for a selection. It is important that the pen feels comfortable and you cannot always judge this from a website photo. Remember to consider novelty pens as well and think a bit outside the box for exhibitions and conferences. It can be really useful to include a pen with a small notepad for example.
Remember Your Imprint: the pen or other writing instrument you choose must have a colour that will compliment or contrast with your logo and imprint. The print area must also be big enough for your imprint. Pen print areas tend to be quite small unless a full wrap imprint is offered. Some pens offer more than one position including the clip and barrel areas. Try not to pack in two much information as this will lead to a small print. Our artwork team will advise if there is a chance of ink-bleed and fill-in when we print. One off print samples are available but expensive. Most clients opt for an artwork proof.
Distribution and Packaging: you can choose for bulk delivery of your pens with a fixed quantity per cardboard box or have them delivered with their own pen boxes. Lower cost cheap pens are ideal for exhibitions and so are delivered in bulk but for more expensive pens you may want to give them to your valued clients in their own pen box and even to personalise this.
Fix A Budget: promotional pens are one of those advertising gifts where volume print runs dictate unit price. It’s important to have a fixed budget in mind as this will help you to funnel down your decision-making. We can also help you select a pen that will maximise your budget and give you the greatest quantity.
Think Ink: now this is nothing to do with tattoos but the colour of the ink. For organisations where the pens could be used on official documents black makes sense. Blue is also an option and multi-function pens can provide red and green to which can be useful for schools, colleges and universities.
Delivery Times: all delivery times quoted are from artwork acceptance so if you have an event remember to work backwards from this and allow enough time to pick a pen and get your artwork signed off.

Redbows is a BPMA Chartered Distributor. For more information view the promotional pens collection on our website or call us on 0800 158 3080.

Top Tips for Marketing with Branded Mugs

Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0100

With autumn and winter approaching, it is time to turn our attention to one of the best products for this time of year – mugs. No matter whether you’re on the go or in the office, we all need a good cup of tea or mug of coffee and sometimes more than the odd one during the day. The choice of coffee mixes and syrup mixers continues to grow as does the choices of teas but one thing always remains the same – you need something to drink from and often it is a personal favourite. Get your promotional mugs right and they can really promote your organisation. Here 6 of our best tips to get the most from this exceptional advertising product. For more information click the image to enlarge the infographic.

Choose Your Mug Style and Material: we are fast becoming a nation of coffee drinks with all sorts of coffee mug styles and sizes now available for drinking your favourite coffee in home, office, café or ‘on the go’ environments. Travel mugs offer thermal and storage benefits. Traditional coffee cups or mugs can provide larger print areas and all-around wraps. You could also choose between ceramic (earthenware) or bone china mugs, plastic or aluminium mugs.
Choose Your Packaging Style: mugs can be wrapped in a cellophane bag, sent our bulk packed in cardboard boxes with separators or individually packed in their own card board outers with moulded polystyrene inserts for added protection. Give some thought as to how you will deliver your chosen promotional mugs to make sure they get there safe and secure.
Choose The Right Colour and Imprint Style: very important for your logo and imprint to make an impact. Mugs come in all sorts of colours but choose the one that will give the most contrast to your logo so it stands out. Give some thought to your imprint size and decide whether to go for a wrap-around known as a ‘wrap-print’ or single position. The more colours you print the more expensive the mug unit price will be.
Remember Your Budget: it’s always important to set a budget and to include all the projects costs in it. Our specialist expertise can help you maximise your budget. Some things to think about include the how long the mug is to last for. For a single launch event you may decide that quantity is more important than overall life say for a plastic mug. For longer life you may want the mug to be dishwasher-proof and more sturdy for longer lasting wear.
Special Offers: we can sometimes get special offer items so it’s always good to check on what the latest is. Sometimes our UK manufactured mugs can be cheaper than those manufactured offshore due to a promotion or exchange rates. Our UK suppliers may also have plain mugs in stock that they can discount further for us to print your logo on and maximise your quantity:unit cost metric.
Set A Target Date For Delivery: when planning a promotional mugs campaign, always work backwards from 2-3 days before you actually need them. Why? Well there are lots of options to choose from and you do need to get your artwork ready. We offer a complete in-house artwork surface and one-off print samples but it all takes time. Remember all quoted delivery dates are from artwork acceptance.

For more information on the Redbows promotional mugs please see the options on our website or call us on 0800 158 3080.

Top-6 Tips For Advent Calendars

Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Over the last 10 years we like to think we have accumulated a wealth of experience in marketing and advertising gifts. That’s not to say that there’s never anything new to learn. With the rise of internet marketing, content generation and social media nothing could be further from the truth for a company such as ours.

For Redbows our advertising gifts team will start to focus now on generating Top Tips Lists and the first in this series covers promotional advent calendars. Why? Well believe it or not advent calendars are very topical in our world around this time of year as our Top Tips will explain.

So here is our Top 6 Tips for promotional advent calendars:

Choose a style to suit your artwork: with advent calendars you can go for a part personalized or fully customized product. Our part personalized advents have a range of templates for each product size and from this you select the image that best fits your marketing campaign. The template provides an imprint area into which we can print your logo and Christmas message. Alternatively with a fully customized design its as though the whole cardboard outer (and even the inner doors) are printed with your own artwork. Remember though that you really need your artwork signed off early and definitely before the last print runs in November.
Will you need mailing envelopes?: a very good question especially if you want to keep your spend down. However mailing cartons are useful as they help to protect your advents even when you are hand delivering them. As postal cartons they will protect your advents during transit. At Redbows we can provide a complete fulfillment service so all you have to do is provide us with the mailing names and addresses and our team can do the rest for you; all covered by the Data Protection Act of course.
Choose the right chocolate? now milk chocolate is the number one choice for any type of advent calendar but we can also offer dark and white chocolates, shaped chocolates, branded chocolates, Fair Trade and even dairy free.
How much do you want to spend? We always advise clients to set a budget no matter what promotional gifts they are considering. Once you have set your budget for advent calendars we can help you to maximize the total quantity that you can print from our range. If quantity is important a part-personalized calendar may be more viable than a full colour digital print custom designed advent calendar.
Take advantage of ‘early order’ discounts: this is important and why we talk advents during the summer months. Very often our printers are quiet in August and provide extra incentives for printing advent calendar outers during this month. Incentives can also be had in September and October but it very much depends on supply and demand from the printers.
Finally make sure you deliver on time: this year the 1st December 2015 is on a Tuesday. Make sure your advent calendars are with your clients well before this date to get the most impact.

Advent Calendars available:

For more information please call our team on 0800 158 3080 or view our promotional advent calendars collection online.

Click to view the screen size infographic for advent calendars

Promotional Gifts and Printing Presses

Mon, 03 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0100

The history of promotional gifts lies in entrepreneurship, marketing, advertising and a certain amount of lateral thinking. In 1789 a commemorative button was commissioned to celebrate George Washington becoming President of the United States of America. This may well have been the first use of a promotional product and one by a political party to boot but it was some time before the industry started to take off. Unsurprisingly as with any innovation it took an entrepreneur to spot an opportunity and the person credited with being a ‘founding father’ of the promotional gifts industry is Jasper Freemont Meek.

Meek was a newspaper owner in Coshocton, Ohio and like any printing press owner he knew that an idle machine generated no income. So to generate extra revenue, Meek would look for additional print opportunities between newspaper editions. Without realising it Meek helped to create one of the most long lasting promotional gifts around – a branded bag.

One day, whilst walking out on Main Street, Meek noticed that children sometimes dropped their books into the dirt on then way to school. Remember at that time that roads were not tarmacked and were literally dirt with all sorts of other unwanted matter. Seeing this as an ‘printing’ opportunity, he visited an old friend, a Mr Cantwell who owned Cantwell Shoes and put to him the idea of branded a shoe bag for his store that the children would then be able to use to carry their books to school. Meek’s incisive marketing skill was to promote the store and helps builds it traffic and generate brand recognition, all by printing an advertising message onto a burlap book bag that was given away with every shoe sale. ‘Buy Cantwell Shoes’ was the advertising slogan and the children helped to promote the message all over the town of Coshocton. Meek not only printed the bag using his printing presses but also manufactured the book bag. Both entrepreneurs benefited from one of the earliest marketing programs in the promotional products industry.

A further promotional product, imprinted horse covers, followed for Meek which again were seen all over the town and from there he started the first known promotional gifts supplier the Tuscarora Advertising Company. The company had their own sales force and until around 1889 had virtually no competition.

Competition was and always is fierce in the print industry. It comes as no surprise therefore that another rival promotional gifts company set up, founded by a local newspaper man in the same town. Henry D. Beach and Meek competed aggressively and took to printing on any items that would carry an advertising slogan for clients including: aprons, hats, marble bags, buggy whips, card cases, fans and calendars. It was Beach however who started to work on print methods for metal materials and both Beach and Meek perfected their processes in this area leading to metal advertising trays for the likes of Coca-Cola and beer companies that today are collectors items.

Two further print men are credited with the development of the advertising calendar however. Thomas D. Murphy and Edward Burke Osborne of Red Oak, Iowa needed a product line to keep their printing presses running. It was Osborne who had the idea to put a watercolour print of the new Red Oak courthouse onto cardboard and attach a calendar pad. This was a great success when launched and could be found in every home and office eventually. By 1884 the two of them employed over 94 staff including a travelling sales team and printed 2-3million calendars a year.

As the industry grew, so promotional product manufacturers formed a trade association and in the US in 1904 the Advertising Manufacturers Association was formed with twelve initial members. By 1906 there were 56 members and the association continued to grow with exhibitors invited to attend regular association conventions. The UK promotional gifts industry grew in a similar way with print manufacturers adopting the sales and marketing practices seen in the US market.

In UK the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) is seen as the leading industry association for distributors and suppliers covering a market worth up to £1bn annually. Redbows was one of the first Chartered BPMA distributors when this industry standard was launched and continues to play a defining role within the industry itself. View a selection of the promotional products we supply or call us on 0800 158 3080 for more information.

And the woman in the image? Well that is Hilda Clark, the first model to be featured on a Coca-Cola tray.

Using Health Products To Promote Your Business

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Busy professionals and working individuals can at times find the burden of general day to day work life pretty stressful. Spa breaks are all about relaxing and de-stressing which we all tend to need from time to time.

There are numerous health benefits from going on a spa holiday, from relieving stress to improving your diet, which all help you to live a more spiritual, positive, healthier lifestyle. To all have to take time out to look after ourselves, taking care of the little details we all at times forget when trying to run a thriving business and a family.

With health related promotional products being one of the fasted growing areas in the industry you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity to show your clients you really care. When thinking of successful marketing giveaways that will make that lasting impression, nothing says I care quite like a product that puts their wellbeing a number one priority. Giving out promotional gifts that will make the recipient feel good about themselves is always bound to create a brand loyalty in return for your thoughtful gesture.

Down time is always a great escape from work pressures and one of the best ways to relax is lighting a candle. Promotional candles and incense gifts can create a real interest in an event, and can be a real traffic builder when presented in conjunction with a sales event. Scented, fragrant candles and incense have their own aura of romance and mystery. They make a nice little gift for both male and females that are very affordable. Promotional candles are perfect appreciation giveaways that can be used around the home, with the sweet smell reminding them every time it is lit of your company’s generosity. You can even add a snappy slogan and sell them for profit in your store or boutique. Everyone enjoys a lightly scented candle to perfume the air, therefore promotional candles are one of the best loved items on the market.

Another health base promotional give that serve a great useful purpose are branded compact mirrors. They appeal to all a wide audience, but especially to the ladies who like to carry a small mirror in their bag for a quick check on a busy work schedule. They stand the test of time and brand exposure is second to none. A mirror reflects upon the giver also, and a quality promotional make up mirror with your design or message printed on them shows that your company can go beyond the normal steps to do something special for their customers. The thoughtfulness should result in brand loyalty and more additional a sales return.

Call us today on 0800 158 3080 to find out how an array of promotional health related products can help to promote your organisation or business and keep your organisation’s logo in front of your clients.

Tips For Buying Your Branded Promotional Calendars

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0100

To get a great return for your investment in promotional merchandise you want a gift guaranteed to last all year round and be used and seen on a regular basis. Branded calendars are the perfect way to promote your company everyday, throughout the year and their reach is extensive when you consider who will be seeing them. The latest BPMA research shows them to be the third most often found gift on desks (after mugs and pens) with almost 37% of survey respondents able to recall the message and brand on them,

Not many people realise that the average person uses a calendar or planner approximately eight to ten times per day. This makes them a brilliant investment as a promotional marketing tool. At Redbows, we supply a wide selection of promotional calendars so you can choose which type of calendar best suits your company’s marketing and branding needs. We’ve put together this handy guide on what to consider when looking for promotional calendars and remember that you should be buying now for the year ahead and in this case 2016:

White Space – Leave Some

It is important not to overload a personalised calendar with lots of information. There needs to be plenty of room for people to write in multiple events and appointments for the same day. Calendars with a monthly and weekly view provide lots of space for your company’s branding, as well as allowing users plenty of room to scribble in appointments.

Typefaces and Fonts

Picking the right font type and size is essential to creating the perfect personalised calendar. The font should be clear and easy to read, even on the smallest of calendars. At Redbows, we will work with you to make sure your company logo and all your marketing messages can be ready clearly.

Branding and Personalisation

Adding a bit of personalisation (your logo, contact number, address, website and marketing message) to a calendar can have huge benefits. Firstly having your contact details close to hand can be very useful. Secondly, subliminal marketing with your logo always easily visible. Thirdly, people always look forward to the turning the page into a new month and seeing the next calendar image/photo. At Redbows, we specialise in creating personalised products for all your promotional needs. People like to see a company name and logo on gifts because it adds a personal touch. They know exactly who it was that gave them that gift. All of our calendars can be printed with your name and logo, enabling you to add a personal feel to your promotional gifts.

Print in Colour and Preferably A Digital Print

With technology advancing the way it has over the past few years, it is now increasingly easy for gifts to be printed in four spot colours. You can print your branding in all its glory and let your logo stand out with four colour printing. Our promotional calendars can be printed in up to four colours to make sure your brand looks the best it can. We can also digitally print to include your company name or logo as part of the digital image. This type of calendar is very effective.

Desktop Calendars

Most business people enjoy having a personalised desk calendar next to their PCs or laptops. You’d be amazed how useful this is for people running receptions and service diary desks. Somehow they find a paper-based diary easy for quick reference in preference to their digital one. A desktop diary allows them to quickly mark important dates and write in appointments quickly and easily. All remember promotional desk calendars are more reliable than PCs and IT networks. They won’t crash on you and lose all your data and appointments.

Calendar Size and Format

It’s important to think about what size calendar would best suit your company. Smaller promotional calendars and planners have become more popular. They take up less desk and wall space and can fit inside working cubicles Larger calendars are ideal for more open work spaces, offices and work shops.

If you’re looking for a promotional gift that can be used all year round, then invest in our promotional calendars today. Call us on 0800 158 3080 for a free sample or to discuss your promotional calendars project for 2016 and remember that diaries are also a great giveaway.

Make Your Brand Visible Throughout The Year

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Sometimes, people overlook promotional calendars as effective marketing tools. HUGE MISTAKE! Calendars and planners are versatile promotional products that not only reinforce your brand but also allow you to express yourself. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits.

Personalised promotional calendars are a really use marketing gift. How do you think a client would react if you walked up and handed them a flyer printed with your company information on it? Do you think they’d be annoyed? Thankful? Ask yourself how you feel when you are busy shopping and you are forced to accept a meaningless piece of paper that’s more of a nuisance than anything else. What are you supposed to do with a flyer from a business supplier – stick it to your wall? Promotional flyers are OK for mass distribution with local newspapers and national magazines or locally when put under your car windshield wipers. Even though wasteful, flyers have a purpose but they’re not effective and long term branding tools.

Now, how do you think that same client would react if you walked up and handed him or her a colourful promotional calendar that provided all your vital company information all year round? Company calendars serve more of a purpose than most other promotional gifts and are considered gifts rather than blatant advertisements. Your clients and the recipients are far more likely to keep and use them and more than likely will appreciate your kind gesture, all year around.

One of the main advantages to promotional calendars is the fact that they build your brand and can generate a high return on investment in this most useful of promotional gifts. When your company’s calendar is staring clients in the face day after day, they’re bound to notice your logo and your marketing slogan. How is that helpful? Well, let’s say that I had never heard of your company prior to receiving your promotional calendar and I chose to display it in my office or in my home. After I’ve glanced at the calendar every single day for a few weeks, I’m probably going to remember what your logo looks like if the customised calendar or weekly planner isn’t in front of me. This brand recognition fuels new business relationships. Not to mention, if I end up needing the products or services you offer then I’ll be sure to remember you and to trust you because you were generous enough to give me a beautiful promotional piece.

Think of personalised calendars as a personal recommendation. If a customer has your company calendar displayed in his or her office, that means your brand is being endorsed by that person. So, anyone who walks into your customer’s office can clearly see that he or she has an established relationship with your company, and that goes a very long way.

For more information see our 2016 promotional calendars range or call us on 0800 158 3080 for a sample and to discuss your campaign. Remember the best time to print your calendars is in the summer to early autumn months and to send them to your clients ahead of the new year, 2016.

Summer Finally Arrives

Tue, 23 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0100

The summer solstice, the longest day of the year occurred over the weekend, which officially means summer has arrived. The solstice happens when the tilt of Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun and usually occurs on 21 June, but can also occur on 20 and 22 June. With summer months destined for lighter hair, darker skin, longer days and larger smiles, make the most of these warmer days with promotional gifts to reflect fun and good memories.
I don’t care what anyone says – summer is the best time of year. Maybe I’m still associating it with the freedom I felt as a kid on the summer holiday break being free from school for a 6 week stretch…but when the sun is shining bright, shorts and flip-flops are daily clothing requirements, the flowers are in full bloom and the birds are in full chirp, and barbecues and poolside parties abound, I tend to be a pretty happy camper, and I am more than sure that others to feel the same.

Regardless of the season, everyone is also constantly on the lookout for free goodies. Why not combine these and create some cool giveaways to hand out to your customers. Free gifts and giveaways are one of the most enduring tactics used by brands, and it is easy to understand why. No giant leap of faith is required to believe that individuals will think of a business more favourably if they have been given something free. There is no better time than summer to give your clients something to remember you by on those family packed days out enjoying the lovely weather. Summer is a time where people are at their happiest, out at the park, at a family BBQ, picnic down by the beach, the opportunities to get your brand seen are endless. Summer offers companies an opportunity to create whimsical and entertaining promotions with products that the recipients will certainly use immediately. An effective summer promotion plan includes timely products that employees and customers are sure to use right away.

Get Ready for Summer Fun and Giveaways

Some promotional items, like writing utensils and custom stationery, have perennial appeal. But summer offers businesses a great excuse to spice it up with fun promotional products that recipients can use during weekend outings and vacations. Help customers and employees make healthy choices about sun care with pocket- and purse-sized sunscreens. Some mini-bottles even come with carabiner-style clips so they can be attached to golf or beach bags. Speaking of beach bags, consider branded canvas bags for those leisure trips to the beach, they can also double as reusable shopping bags during the rest of the year. Another great promotion is to fill those beach bags with inflatable beach balls along Frisbees are also an excellent choice for some summer entertainment. Everyone is bound to have plenty of fun whilst constantly being reminded that your company was the one to help.

The big question is your return on investment, or ROI – is it worth the cost of creating these materials to have your brand plastered all over them? Something like water bottles can be as cheap as 60-80p and are likely to last a while. It’s hard to put quantifiable impressions on promotional materials, however, so consider a small spend to toe the waters first. Encourage customers to stay hydrated and protect the earth with branded reusable water bottles for a fraction price. Summer is all about enjoying simple pleasures, get your clients involved and give them a summer to remember you by.

Whatever your plans for promotional giveaways and goodies, call the team at Redbows on 0800 158 3080 and let us help you make the most of this summer’s promotional opportunities.

FORE! No Make That 5 Reasons Why Branded Golf Products Work

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0100

For many people, golf is the sport of choice and leisure. While watching any number of sports may be a lot of fun, golfing often is a way that many people choose to spend much of their free time outside of the their busy world of work. Taking the time out of a busy work schedule is a must, to unwind and have much needed time to enjoy the outdoors and if you ask any golfer they will often remark that part of the reason they like playing golf is that the sport is a way to remove the mind from day to day cares.

Giving away a branded promotional product can work at its best affect when you catch the attention of the receiver when they are at their most relaxed. It is a proven fact, a majority of those who enjoy playing golf for the sheer fun of the sport may also be spending time with business contacts, it’s where they interact outside of a business environment however a solid business relationship can form whilst taking part in a common interest. Building business relationships outside of the working playing field has proven to work.

Those who enjoy the sport certainly revel in the social aspect of what it provides. Receiving a branded golf item you certainly know it will be used on a numerous of occasions. The most successful branded items that ensure maximum marketing exposure are those that can be utilised time and time again. Branded golf balls are the most popular as they guarantee to drive your logo across the course and showing it off to other players in the process. If they lose the ball, that can be considered good news for you, as now the lucky finder will be well aware of you, your company and your logo.

A memorable day is a great way to ensure that those fond memories are linked to a brand that helped make it happen. Sponsor a local golfing event with branded giveaways such a golf forks, tees, golf towels and many more, and make your marketing count. Sponsorship local sporting events tell people that you take an interest in their work as well as in their play, and that says more in today’s business climate than you realise.

Golf etiquette is an extremely important part of the sport, from the manner in which you have to compose yourself on the course down to the tidy well tucked polo shirt into your trousers. Any promotional golf item that can be worn or carried is a walking billboard so giving away branded polo shirts or baseball caps is a great way to get your brand name out to a wide audience for potential business relationships to develop.

We have a great range of golfing items at Redbows all of which can be supplied printed with your logo. Let us know the quantity you need and budget you are working to and we can help to make your golfing even a smashing FIVE!

Getting Set Up For LinkedIn Marketing

Sat, 30 May 2015 00:00:00 +0100

LinkedIn has grown into the business social network. It is a great platform for content marketing and business advertising. LinkedIn is also one of the most topical social media items when it comes to helping clients with their social media.

So what is LinkedIn. In a nutshell is it a business-networking tool where your company and personal brands mix to fuel a network of contacts. Think of it as an on-line space where you can meet people, share content, promote your brand and build business relationships.

From a reach perspective, LinkedIn has more than 350million users worldwide. Just look at the emails you get everyday and you are sure to find a high percentage (I will bet over 80%) with a LinkedIn profile URL. Business-to-Business (B2B) marketers rate LinkedIn as the top social media platform for generating leads and over 40% of people on LinkedIn check it every day.

When starting on LinkedIn you have to remember that the most important aspect is your profile. It’s all about YOU. Don’t rush setting up your profile and take the time to look at what key networkers in your industry have done.

Get a good photo of yourself. One that is interesting and preferably work related. Remember that LinkedIn is for business professionals. Your Facebook photo is often a ‘no-no’ here. Make your photo a high-quality head shot and smile! Then think of LinkedIn as a search engine. Your most important task is to create a professional headline below your name. Optimise this for search terms that people would you to find someone like you to add to their network. You’ve 120 characters to play with so make sure you max this out and put in relevant content.

LinkedIn has got more creative recently and now allows you to put up a background image. It’s a cover photo but one that should reflect your industry and brand. Then add your contact information. Add in your website and if you have one, a blog URL.

Next its time to edit the long URL LinkedIn gives you and personalise it with your name. Much easier to remember and looks fab on business cards. Try to get some consistency if you can with the names of your other social media accounts like Twitter as this shows you have put some thought and effort in the on-line marketing of ‘YOU’.

Next put in your story summary. This is your ‘about me’ section and again should include relevant content and keywords. Make it interesting and try to answer the general questions people may have about you, your skills and work experience. You can also add PowerPoints and brochures to your profile through SlideShare. This will again enhance your profile and show prospective contacts what you do. Experience and skills are other factors to add.

LinkedIn is also popular for endorsements. Think about key customers and suppliers and send your contacts an endorsement request. Build up your endorsements to strengthen your profile. Endorsements add weight to your profile and even more credibility.

Now you’re LinkedIn profile is ready you are good to go. LinkedIn will help you find contacts but one of the best ways to grow and open up your network is to post relevant comments and links on regular basis about your industry. Find interesting topics through relevant trade press, blogs and news-gathering feeds such as Google Alerts. Contact relevant people in your industry and ask to connect.

Monitor your network growth and set yourself an objective for the number of contacts you want to reach. The more you connect, the more you can promote and build your personal and business profiles. For more information on what we can do to help you develop LinkedIn as a business tool, contact us on 0800 158 3080 or email our marketing team.

Use Facebook To Market Your Business

Thu, 28 May 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Facebook can be one of the most important social media tools you could use to market your business. Over 1.5 billion users globally use Facebook daily. Thanks to their profile scanning, Facebook can offer a number of ways to reach out and promote your brand, products and services to a selection of these user but what could you do without spending money on advertising? The answer is to keep posting regularly and fresh content that reinforces your brand and enhances your marketing communications program.

There are many ways to promote your company on Facebook and we have found these to be the best. Remember to make sure that the content you post is fresh and will really engage with your audience. Tie in promotional giveaways and promotions to really drive business leads, conversions and orders.

Competitions and Giveaways: one of the fastest way to go viral and generate attention for your business Facebook page. What you offer should be relevant to your business but try to be a little quirky and to get people to think outside the box. Make sure your giveaway prize is of value and that the terms and conditions are clearly visible to avoid any confusion. When you select a winner, share them.
Product Features: one of the most obvious things to do is to post about your latest products or services. Facebook is great for this. Upload a photo or video and link to a page on your website. Make sure the photo is high quality and provide a link for more information or to generate a sales enquiry. Make it suitable and show brands that you have sold this product or service to. Remember to use #Hashtags and link your Facebook posts to your company Twitter account.
Personality Posts: make you Facebook business page interesting. Show something about YOU and your team. It can be fun showing what you do outside work. Share team news, family news, new recruits, happy leavers, holidays etc. The list is endless. Think outside the box and find news articles to share that may link to a hobby or have a connection to what you do at work. Use an infographic or get your design team to generate a cartoon perhaps.
Brochures, Catalogues and Newsletters: just released a new brochure, then post the news to Facebook with a download or order link. The same goes for the issue of your latest newsletter. Share news like this on your company Facebook page to demonstrate credibility and build your brand profile.
White Papers: if you can write an article or paper on some aspect of your industry post a link to your company Facebook page. This is a great way to share the information and grow your industry leadership position.
Loyalty Rewards: create a loyalty offer just for your Facebook fans that gives them something special and can be shared on Facebook. Perhaps a special promotional discount for an on-line order or coupon they can use as an incentive to purchase or request more information about a product or service.

The above suggestions work but they are general guidelines. Remember to make your content relevant to your audience, on-message with your marketing communications objective, appealing and fun. If you would like further information, contact the Redbows marketing team on 0800 158 3080.

Giveaways For Festival Goers This Summer

Tue, 19 May 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Festivals and outdoor events attract a vast amount of people, so it’s no wonder brands want a slice of the festival pie. The effectiveness of brand activity at such as events is huge, associating your name to such a positive, enjoyable experience will ensure your name gets seen…and not forgotten.

With festivals through the feel good warmer months what better way to reach out to thousands of people than by using branded promotional products? Each year it seems that there are more and more festivals and outdoor events occurring around the UK from May until the end of September, providing an unmissable opportunity to raise your business profile. Corporate sponsorship is a fantastic opportunity to brand your details or logo onto a wide range of products for festival-goers, who may I say it all love a freebee to take home as keepsakes. Festivals can allow brands to reach out to a totally new audience and provide huge exposure in a short space of time.

The art of marketing is the art of brand building and what better way to do so when people are at their most relaxed and happiest. Alcohol brands are a natural fit for music festivals and Strongbow ran some extensive activity at both Isle of Wight and V Festival in previous years. A ‘Bowtime’ bar was created by experiential agency RPM and brand ambassadors were tasked with handing out giveaways, spreading the Strongbow brand as far as possible throughout campsites. The Bowtime bar marquee had a clear Strongbow feel, with branded bar stools and beanbags for visitors to relax on and table football branded in Strongbow colours. Visitors to the marquee over the two events reached over 100,000, drinking over 500,000 pints in total. Promotional giveaways numbered 30,000 and the Facebook group attracted 3,000 ‘fans’. This sort of result clearly demonstrates the value of investing in branded merchandise for distribution at well targeted events. The investment you put into your brand, at the right time, in the right way, to the right people, is sure to create a buzz.

Essential items have to be lightweight and portable, and our mini packs of first aid items, toiletries and even ‘hangover packs’ can be printed with your details to hand out on site. Creating a positive brand association with a beneficial item they can use at the event and then take home will ensure they remember the gesture. Our extremely popular plastic stadium cups with a straw are great outdoor event giveaways, convenient in many ways that everyone is bound to want one.

Create a momentum that everyone will not forget. A great inexpensive promotional giveaway that is always popular amongst all age groups is the silicone wristbands. An uber cool keepsake that it has been proven to be worn for months after the festival has ended. This allows for your brand to be seen far beyond the event itself.

Festivals can be wonderful family events to, so why not brand your details on activity packs for kids, plastic fun ducks, soft frisbees and balls, or protective sun hats and earplugs to hand out to those who require them. Don’t miss a great marketing opportunity this summer. Call the Redbows team on 0800 158 3080 or visit www.Redbows.co.uk for some great giveaway products.

What Is A Mobile Friendly Website?

Thu, 14 May 2015 00:00:00 +0100

When you search in Google on your mobile phone you can now start to see some websites listed as ‘mobile friendly’. What does this mean for the searcher and marketer and what is an ‘m.dot’ website. Google recently announced an update to its search algorithm for searches on mobile phone devices. The essential theme being that for searches on a mobile phone, the search results listing for a given search term would be influenced by how mobile friendly the website was. Google offers a great tool if you want to test how mobile friendly your current site is.

If you did not already have a mobile friendly site and fail the Google test – which you would most inevitably would what do you do? You then have to make a choice with your marketing and/or website company on whether to go for a fully responsive or m.dot mobile friendly design. Both types are shown as mobile friendly in Google but they do differ.

Essentially an m.dot website (URL starts with ‘m.’) is one that has been set up purely to serve a mobile phone device. A responsive website is ‘display responsive’ and does not start with an ‘m.’; responsive websites appear as mobile friendly and start with the normal ‘www.’ prefix. What makes a responsive website unique is that it scales and organises the content served for the specific device screen whether it is a desktop PC screen (of which there are many sizes), tablet computer or mobile phone.

An ‘m.’ mobile design site is generally the least costly route to take to when looking to server content to a mobile phone. The site is essentially a copy of our main website and the server provides a page optimised for the mobile phone that is smaller and easier to navigate than the main site. As a copy of your main domain (www.) the site must have an ‘m.domain’.co.uk or .com name. The downside to this is that it can dilute the main domain and damage organic search traffic. In addition you end up with two separate websites to maintain. Link equity can also be reduced as any links shared from mobile browsers do not count towards the main website. The ‘m.’ website will also not future-proof. It could require rework for future phones, operating system upgrades and browsers.

Responsive websites like www.Redbows.co.uk offer a more flexible and long-term solution. With a responsive mobile friendly website the search device does the work and works out how to display the content, automatically adjusting content according to screen size and orientation. With a responsive website design you do not need another website domain and have one unique source of content to maintain. This fits better with Google’s own webmaster guidelines as it preserves canonical URLs, avoids redirects and simplifies the process. Responsive websites also preserve the value of links to your site and is better for those looking for visitors by organic search results. Responsive websites also offer a future-proof technology as once set-up the technology will work with any future mobile phone or operating system developments.

If you would like to know more about mobile-friendly websites and how we can help you meet the latest Google webmaster guidelines, please do get in touch with the Redbows team on 0800 158 3080.

Hot Products For Summer Promotions

Thu, 30 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Summer is fast approaching, where our smiles get bigger, skin gets darker and memories ever greater. The onset of warmer weather and longer days offers the chance for businesses to benefit from an increase in positive feelings that occurs at this time of year. Many companies will run marketing campaigns that coincide with outdoor events, festivals and summer activities for that very reason. This year once again sees many large brands sponsoring major sporting events, as it increases their exposure to a specific demographic and they can capitalise on the association with a popular team or event.

With only 140 days to go until the world’s top players representing the top 20 rugby nations compete for the ultimate rugby prize, excitement and interest is building globally ahead of the biggest sporting event of 2015.

For England and Wales the upcoming Rugby World Cup starting in September is on track to be the biggest and most viewed Rugby World Cup to date, reaching out, engaging and inspiring new and existing audiences around the globe, the showcase event looks set to deliver an unparalleled platform to project the sport, its character-building values and the event’s commercial partners. Getting your brand seen and associated with what is predicted to the most viewed, best-attended and most engaged Rugby World Cup to date is what top sponsorship companies like Toshiba and fellow appointments of Heineken, Land Rover, DHL, Emirates, MasterCard and Worldwide Partners, Coca-Cola and Canon are all set to benefit from the extreme hype following and during.

For smaller companies, the endless benefits of such widely exposed events can to be used to their advantage. To get in on the sporting action, running marketing campaigns around the subject with promotional products event specific such as rugby stress-balls, water bottles, t-shirts will certainly create positive brand awareness.

A useful and fun product that is non-sport related and guaranteed to be seen out and about over the summer months is the branded selfie stick. The selfie craze is huge and continues to grow. Giving promotional selfie sticks out to your customers will ensure your logo is seen on at major sporting events, holidays, BBQs, nights out, festivals…just about anywhere. One perfect way to ensure your brand travels the world. The fun element to selfie sticks are endless, and brand association to making great memories is sure to…stick!

One of our hot products this month for the summer festivities is the combined bottle opener and pizza cutter. BBQs and movie nights won’t be the same this summer with two essential tools combined together. Pop open a cold one, kick back and relax with friends, this promotional tool is sure to making a lasting impression.

These are just a few of a huge number of promotional products that can be used in your summer marketing campaign so it’s time to think big, think unique and think about your audience. Submit a quote request via our Free Quick Quotes option as we are always happy.

Hot Summer Promotional Product Video

View our video showing some of the hot products we have available this summer.

How Social Media Can Grow Your Business

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Today no diary is private. Years ago, if you kept a diary it was private. If someone read it, you had every right to admonish the reader, for not respecting your privacy. Now we live in a social age where we have all become diarists and what’s more openly publish our content to friends, relatives, clients and everyone else whom our privacy settings allow.

Social media is the new marketing but what exactly is it? Well let’s take a step back to when the internet started and we all jumped on the website bandwagon. Marketing managers and intrepid entrepreneurs saw the benefit of openly publishing content on a website and getting visitors to it. Some even saw the opportunities for on-line purchasing and how the internet would transform business and the retail high street.

Around this time, mobile phones were just starting to reduce in size from the handheld bricks and portable batteries. Vodafone had launched its SMS text messaging service; which was originally designed for its own engineers to use – much like the origins of Twitter. Push the price of mobiles phones down, shrink them in size and hey presto, everyone can start texting. The world just goes text crazy to point where SMS messages sent outnumber mobile phone calls.

Then along comes the smart phone with a host of built-in features including a camera. Now we can take great photos (or try to), selfies and SMS them or upload them to our favorite social media sharing account, whether this is Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Instagram and so on.

What marketers also learned is that social media tools provide a great way to interact with clients, prospective customers and other social stakeholders in a business. It can take time to write up and publish a press release or launch a new advertising campaign. Social media makes things instant. The medium allows marketers to publish information instantly.

What is published has to be controlled but as a strategic marketing tool, social media is invaluable. You can launch new promotions, respond to competitor offers, generate website traffic, share client testimonials and reviews, provide information on your company and position yourself as an industry ‘thought leader’.

In social media the hash tag has become a powerful stamp. Hash tags allow you to instantly create a social media stream of content around a specific search term. Add the hash tag to your social media content and you immediately add your contribution to the communication stream. For example if we launch this blog post with the hash tag #SocialMedia and #Redbows, you can search for either of these hash tags on Twitter and this blog post will show up. Imagine then as a company grabbing the most relevant hash tags in your industry so you dominate them or generating new ones to spark debate.

The possibilities with social media are endless. To really benefit you have to build social media as a marketing tool into your communications strategy and that is something the Redbows Marketing team have become very skilled at. Not only do we help with social media training, we also provide campaigns and competitor analysis.

For more information on our social media services call us on 0800 158 3080.

April's Thought - Think Desktop Calendars

Thu, 23 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

You may not think April is a good month for planning promotional calendars for the next year but it most certainly is. Desktop calendars are one of our best selling and most useful promotional gifts.

Desktop calendars appeal to people who, for a number of reasons, run their lives by dates and appointments. Receptions, Sales and service engineering desks are prime examples. Even though employees and people in these environments have access to their Microsoft Outlook calendars and whatever IT-based diary system their organisation uses, nearly everyone we know always likes to have a printed calendar on their desktop or a wall calendar nearby.

There must be some psychological factors at play here. Maybe it is just the easy way the eye and brain connect to process the information. Whatever the reasons, desktop and wall calendars are sure fire winners in the promotional gifts industry. The merchandise, branded with your logo offers longevity and at least a year of advertisement for your brand. They are used and become relied upon. More so their size, whether A5, A4 or even larger provide a super advertising space for your company and marketing message.

Off course we supply desktop and wall calendars with specific print areas but we can also provide fully customized backgrounds. We have clients who collect photos to use through out the year of their installations to use in their next calendar run. Other clients use the individual month pages to promote a specific product or service they supply.

Even as we move into an era of wearables with the Apple Watch, I am one of those people that will always turn to a paper-based diary or desktop calendar. They are just to convenient and no amount of electronic gadgetry will replace that functionality or promotional space.

So why April? Well, you’re 8 months from January. Take off two months to send out diaries and promotional calendars to clients and for Christmas and you have 6 months to finalise your design, photo selection, imprint message and calendar project. Furthermore, our printers offer an incentive to order printed diaries and calendars and at better prices than can sometimes be achieved during the autumn/winter period when everyone is chasing limited production capacity in the printing industry.

A Check List For Buying Promo Merchandise

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

OK so you have decided that promotional gifts is something to invest in as part of your marketing communications budget. There are literally hundreds of thousands of items to choose from. How do you choose?

Let’s start with your budget and the quantity required. Promotional gifts have quantity based pricing. It’s all down to economies of scale. One a production run has been set-up and started, unit prices fall with volume. Knowing your budget is one factor. Deciding on the quantity of items you need is another. It may be that you have a specific event such as a invitation only conference or seminar or golfing event. For these you have a general idea of the audience numbers. Alternatively experience can play a part. For an exhibition you may know the typical number of visitors to your stand or a number of events you want to attend. Either way, once you have the numbers you can start to look at how best to optimise your marketing spend on promotional gifts.

How big an imprint do you want? Promotional gifts are an advertising medium but they do tend to have small imprint areas. As a rule of thumb, the higher the unit cost and product size, the greater the print area. With pens and flashdrives we are talking about imprint areas in terms of millimetres (mm) but for mouse mats and shopping bags the areas are measured in centimetres (cm).

So we know the budget and a rough quantity of the items wanted. We know what we want to say. The third point is to look at matching a promotional gift to your marketing campaign and user needs. If a promotional gift is useful to the recipient they are likely to use it and remember/recall the brand and marketing message on it. At the same time choosing a piece of merchandise that suits your marketing campaign is also important for reinforcement.

In an age when we are more cost and environmentally conscious, it is important to optimise marketing budgets and reduce waste. Following this checklist can contribute towards ensuring you get the right promotional gifts, at the right price and in the right quantity to make them a successful element within your marketing campaign. For more information please call us on 0800 158 3080.

How To Make The Smallest Adverts Work

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

So the latest ‘buzz’ question for techie lovers is: should you get an Apple Watch? I’m all for technology but wonder if we are just taking being constantly available and on demand a little too far. People tell me that you need an Apple Watch so you don’t have to look at your phone and to have Apps more integrated into your life. For me this poses to questions. Firstly we all need downtime and if I am in a meeting with a client or anyone else for that matter, I don’t really want anything to distract me or them. Secondly, I am not so sure that I want to know exactly how many hours I slept or the number of steps I took and their calorific burn ratio. For me technology has to add to my lifestyle and improve it.

Sometimes less is actually more. This is an old advertising maxim that we used to use when clients wanted to cram every bit of white space in an advert with images, messages, call to actions, offers and so on. They were paying for the space and so thought they should include the most opportunities to generate an action and sale. Of course in doing so the impact of the main headline and image was lost. There was no flow to the advertisement and the viewer was left confused. You see in advertising you have to have that visual element that triggers the brain to want to investigate further. Then you guide the eye down through the advert (left to right) to a call to action.

Now exactly the same can be said for promotional gifts. It’s especially important when you have an imprint area that is quite small. The smaller the space the greater your attention has to focus on getting the impact just right. Just look at Twitter and how we have become more used to writing 140 characters or less Tweets that get our message across. With your imprint think about that space and exactly what is the most important, attention grabbing item that needs to be there and what response do you want to generate.

Promotional gifts do vary in imprint areas but the smaller the merchandise the smaller the available imprint. Get it right and you are well onto the way to promoting your company. It’s all about optimizing the advertising space you have and giving it have impact. For more information see our Artwork Guide or call us on 0800 158 3080. If you use our enquiry form we have a section where you can upload your logo or artwork; to use that’s a useful use of technology!

Internet Marketing Is An Imitation Game

Mon, 06 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

The other day I watched the Imitation Game and wondered at the brilliance of Alan Touring’s mind. The man who designed the machine, that broke the German encrypting machine ‘Enigma’. The analogy with internet marketing and search engine optimisation is ‘uncanny’. SEO as it is commonly known has always been a sort of warfare game between website owners who employ SEO consultants to get their websites to rank highly for search terms and search engine algorithm coders who trying to generate the ‘purest’ result and listings; without gaming.

In recent years the search engines like Google have dealt almost deadly blows to the SEO industry. The premise for good search engine rankings are disrupted in game changing algorithm updates with cuddly toy names like Penguin and Panda.

Once it only mattered as to whether you stuffed keywords in the right places that the algorithm would look and had plenty of links back to your website. Run this practice now and you stand a chance of a penalty that your website may never recover from.

Today’s internet marketing is all about content strategy and social mentions. Website marketing now seems to follow more purely marketing as it exists in the off-line world of space advertising in magazines, editorials, public relations, sales promotions, coupons and giveaways. Marketing on the internet is now about your band, where and how many times you are mentions, client reviews and quality links from theme focused websites within your specific industry.

Is the SEO industry dead? Almost. What Google has done is drive out the spammers and cowboys who knew little about marketing but a lot about hard pressure selling. They signed up clients and tool their money but added very little long term value to their internet marketing activities.

For many organisations and companies websites are now an integral part of their marketing communications mix. Websites need to be viewed as the primary advertising tool and invested in accordingly. This means taking a long-term approach to marketing and brand building, producing good quality website content and promoting in the most ethical and socially acceptable ways possible.

For more information on what we do for clients looking for content marketing at Redbows please call us for an informal chat on 0800 158 3080.

How The Internet Changed Advertising

Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0100

Some of our marketing team remember the good old days of advertising agencies. You generated a marketing brief and gave this to an advertising agency who came back with black board scamps of the type of adverts they believed you should run. For many companies and organisations, this meant space advertising in relevant magazines and publications with only larger organisations able to afford the spends required for effective and TV and radio advertising.

How times have changed. A little clichéd but true. Google transformed the advertising industry with Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. Originally created as a way to generate revenue for Google, Adwords has become one of the most important advertising and strategic tools available to any organisation. As a note remember that Google has never charged for its search results or to be included within them. Adwords PPC advertising is a different matter.

So how does traditional advertising compare with Adwords advertising. There are some essential common areas. The most important from a marketing point of view is to know your audience and target market. For Google Adwords this means some additional research in the are of keywords and keyword phrases that your potential prospects use to find information on the goods or services they want to buy. Google can help here in several ways. Adwords has a keyword research tool and Google itself always shows examples of similar keyword phrases at the footer of any search results.

From a creative point of view, it is then important to create an advert and landing page on your website. Both of these must be relevant to the search query in order to achieve the highest possible Quality Score. Another metric generated by Google, your keyword Quality Score affects how much you pay for a click on your advert and how often it is displayed. This is all part of the continuous auction that Google runs every time someone search for a keyword or phrase.

Now as important as Quality Score and Keyword Research is the type of keyword matching you choose to use for your keyword. Google offers several Match types including: Phrase, Broad and Exact. Which one you choose depends on how well you know your target audience and how much reach you want to them. The Match types really do allow you to think a little but wider and outside the box.

At Redbows we provide regular Google Adwords training and account management as Google Adwords Professionals. We also just love writing about anything related to marketing and promotions that can help organisations promote themselves. If you’re interested and want to learn more call us on 0800 158 3080 or visit www.Redbows.co.uk and read about the Digital Marketing-Services we provide.

How Important Is Google’s Quality Score?

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0100

In our blog we try to cover quite a few general topics relating to marketing and current issues. One that caught our eye recently was Google’s Quality Score.

OK so what exactly is ‘Quality Score’? Well it’s a term used in Google’s Pay Per Click advertising and is a score given against a keyword or keyword phrase you may be using within a specific campaign and advert. The higher the Quality Score the more chances you have of your advert being shown and the lower the potential Cost Per Click you will end up paying.

Quality score ranges from 1 to 10 with 10/10 being the highest possible. Now Quality Score is measured each and every time someone types a keyword phrase into Google. Imagine the immense calculating power required to run this auction process. It is unfathomable but somehow Google does it.

Quality score looks at the keyword or keyword phrase and then compares this to the actual advert being shown and the landing page where the ‘clicker’ is to be taken if the advert is clicked. This score can also be affected by how you want to match against a typed keyword phrase in terms of Broad, Exact or Phrase. You can adjust the matching types to improve the Quality Score but this is only a short-term fix. The best way to improve the ranking is to work on a three step process. This includes:

Keyword research: make sure you have the right keywords and keyword phrases in your campaign. Ones that will deliver the website traffic and enquiries you want.
Advert creation: work on response driven PPC adverts that will engage and get a website search engine user to click on your advert. Special offers and promotions work really well here.
Website landing pages: make your landing pages engaging and themed to the Google advert you have created.

The Redbows marketing team is doing more and more work in this field for clients as part of our general marketing services. For more information or a free Google Advertising audit and review call us on 0800 158 3080.

Tips For Choosing Marketing Gifts

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Promotional gifts are becoming a more important element within the marketing communications mix. Used as part of a company’s advertising strategy, branded gifts can help to reinforce brand awareness, advert and message recall and generate a call to action.

We have spent the last decade helping organisations to develop their marketing gifts strategies. There is still a place for giveaways and mass distribution but we find that targeted promotional campaigns are far more effective today.

The first step in the promotional strategy is deciding just what to use as a giveaway. The fact is that almost anything can be used as giveaways, whether they are branded with a logo and imprint or not. In the UK most popular items are:

Promotional pens and especially stylus tipped ones for smart phone and tablet usage
Corporate clothing for firms with sales and service teams
Gadgets with the firm favourite in recent months being power banks that can charge a mobile phone
Promotional mugs made for office, travel or home

There are other favourites but some of these are seasonal. For example diaries and calendars, which still provide very popular, Easter eggs and Advent calendars.

The next thing to decide is whether to have a logo imprint or not. Not every promotional gift needs to be given with a logo on it. Sounds crazy I know but sometimes it can be a more personal imprint like a customer’s or company name. Making the gift very personalised and targeted will increase your promotional marketing effectiveness.

A lot of companies and organisations do put a logo on the giveaway but don’t make it too big or so dominant that it overshadows the main marketing message. Imagine a pen which has a fairly small print area anyway. Stick a massive logo on and the space available for a readable website address or contact phone number becomes very small. Our print team will always point out text that they feel is too small and in danger of infill and ask you to reconsider but this can then delay the leadtime.

Another tick box item is to make sure you get the right amount of stock ordered and at the same time don’t overstock. Some marketing gifts do have a shelf life and chocolates, sweets and foodstuffs are classic examples. You really do want to make sure you order the right quantity to get the price break you want but without superfluous stock that you may end scrapping after your campaign. We do sometimes find this when clients update logos and contact details.

Gift colour is also important. Make sure that your imprint will be in contrast to the product background colour. There is nothing worse than a weak imprint whose effectiveness is lost because of a lack of contrast.

Finally think audience. It is important to strategically target the right gift for the right audience. You may love a particular product but you need to make sure the recipients will as well.

Have You Got A Marketing Gifts Strategy?

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Strategy is sometimes defined as a pattern in a stream of actions. It can either be deliberately created or one that evolves over time to react to events around it. When it comes to marketing gifts, have you got a strategy in place? For a marketing strategy you need to start with a vision of what you want to achieve and define your aims. From this you can set marketing objectives for your gifts campaign that are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

As you work through your marketing plan your gifts strategy starts to evolve. Now, promotional gifts seem to fit into the marketing communications mix in several areas. Traditionally they have always been seen to fit in the sales promotion tick box but more and more companies and organisations are using them as part of public relations and advertising campaigns.

Marketing gifts do promote your organisation and it is easy to see why they can be used across the communications mix. The key is to define those aims and objectives and then to pick the right promotional gifts for your actual campaign.

The best marketing gifts are those that people naturally ‘like’ when they receive them. For this the gift should meet a specific need and/or look to create a specific response or emotion from the recipient.

One of the best ways to choose marketing gifts for a campaign is to look at what has worked before for your organisation. If you set SMART objectives you will already have some measurable data in place (wink!). You could also look at your competitors to see how they use promotional gifts within their marketing communications. Finally, think outside the box. Get creative and throw caution to the wind. If we had an unlimited budget and the most amazing merchandise in the world, what could we do?

Finally remember to set some key performance indicators (KPIs) if you can. These could be anything from monitoring website visitors to a special 0800 telephone number to call. One or both could be printed on your marketing gifts as part of the ‘squeeze’ response mechanism.

Getting Your Content Strategy On Message

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

These days the buzz-words in marketing all seem to centre around big data, social media and content marketing. When you drill down though, all we are actually talking about is marketing in its basic form; getting the right message, to the right audience and at the right time.

Whatever you publish, be it on your website, on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn or your printed brochures, we recommend a Zen like approach. First of all you must have set marketing objectives that are measurable and that you can measure any piece of content to be published against. Does the content contribute towards meeting your marketing objectives? Yes – carry on, No and it’s time to go back to the keyboard.

You see it is all too easy to publish content that is ‘off-message’. Just look at the problems some MPs have as they push out a Tweet late at night that in the morning looks very much off-message and just ever so slightly emboldened with perhaps a little to much over indulgence.

Get your marketing objectives in place and develop your key messages. These for example could hinge around demonstrating customer service and innovation. Then ask yourself whether each piece of content generated demonstrates or reinforces one or both of these differentiators.

What the market and your stakeholders then see is a consistency within the messages being published. Whether this is a space advert, editorial, press release, blog, Tweet or other form of social media post. The cumulative effect of this over time is to build an ever-growing image of your organisation and the key messages that it wants to put out.

At Redbows, our marketing services team has developed a number of key skills in strategy development, content generation and its integration into a highly effective marketing communications mix. If you want to find out more please do contact us on 0800 158 3080 or email us at marketing[@]redbows.co.uk

How To Tie Your Merchandise Into The Latest Trends

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The promotional gifts industry has always been a key part of the marketing communications mix. Traditionally you would consider giving away merchandise as part of a sales promotion but more and more clients view promotional gifts through an advertising and PR lens these days.

The key with any form of marketing is getting the right message, to the right audience at the right time. At Redbows we specialise in helping clients promote themselves through promotional gifts. The key for us is helping clients to fine-tune their advertising and PR message and then finding merchandise that ties tightly into their campaign as a delivery medium.

The fastest growing area of our business is gifts related to technology and within this sphere IT and mobile phone devices. Traditional promotional gifts like pens have always been a mainstay of our industry and have been developed to make them more useful to gadget users. We now supply Stylus Pens with a rubber tip to allow them to be used to drive smart phones and tablets. More and more you will notice Apple iPhone and iPad users using a pen to tap their favourite App.

Of course the biggest issue with any mobile phone application is power or the lack of it when the battery runs down. Power Banks have fast become one of the biggest promotional gift trends. With a wide range to choose from you can find a Power Bank with a good size for a print area, to carry in a pocket and meet your budget.

As giveaways at a show, stylus pens and power banks make a great combination. The stylus pens provide a low-cost giveaway with a great look and branding area. Get the colour choice and imprint right and you have a smart looking piece of merchandise that will get noticed and used. Match this with a printed Power Bank as a special gift for clients and important prospects and you have the perfect promotional marketing combination.

So what’s on the horizon? Big data and wearable technology is looming big. We are all entering a world of shopping near beacons that will know we are there and send us messages looking to push us into a special promotion and purchase. I am not sure what big data and wearables will means in the promotional gifts market place but am watching this space to see just what it will mean for marketing and promotions companies like Redbows.

Your Imprint Is As Important As Your Choice of Promotional Gift

Mon, 02 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

It’s a marketing marriage. Marry the right imprint message with the right promotional gift and you’ve hit advertising paradise. So often thought it doesn’t happen and the great impact you could have achieved by giving promotional gifts is lower than expected.

A lot of thought is often given to choosing the right promotional gift and its colour, shape, feel and function. Let’s consider a Contour Ballpen for example. It’s a great pen and is easy to hold and use. It’s colour combination and options choice generally satisfies most requirements. The Venus Style Ballpen is very similar. Both have nicely sized imprint area of around 70mm wide by 10mm deep and you can print on both sides of the barrel in single or multiple colours.

Now let’s take this one stage further. The Venus Stylus Ballpen is also available with a stylus end. It’s a stylus promotional pen suitable for use with smart phones and tablets. Imaging taking this to a datacentre type show as one our clients recently dud. They tied the imprint into the marketing message and theme of their exhibition stand. They then handed out loads of these branded pens to visitors passing their stand and walking into the nearby conference hall for the seminar users to use to take notes. Now guess who got the most exposure for their brand at the show and for weeks afterwards.

Imagine if this same company had not thought about how to use their marketing budget at the show to give the most reach and tie together their exhibition, literature and giveaways. Simply putting their contact details and website address to the pen would have been OK but they also put the a major IT brand name on their pens (with permission) with their service contact number; the primary reason they went to the show – to get service customers.

So as with all marketing, it comes down to the right medium, message and audience to create an unstoppable moment. It’s what we love to do for clients at Redbows.

Use Chocolate Easter Eggs To Energise Your Marketing

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Easter is probably the biggest marketing holiday in the year after Christmas and so provides a great opportunity to kick start or re-energise your marketing before you hit the summer period. Off course the biggest thing Easter is associated with aside from its religious significance is the chocolate.

For promo marketing companies like Redbows the run up to Easter is one of the biggest in the year. This is because of the wide range of Easter Chocolates we have available for clients to use in their marketing campaigns. How far you go in marketing with personalised Easter chocolates is very much your decision. We have traditional chocolate Easter eggs available in all sizes, multi-packets and single chocolate eggs that can be packaged with a mug.

In terms of personalisation and branding, again our various Easter chocolates provide a multitude of opportunities. These range from printed tags to full colour printed foil wrappers and cardboard outers. In 2013 Mercedes-Benz actually used camouflage printed Easter Eggs in a direct mail to US solders, promoting a test drive for their cars.

Aside form simply mailing Easter eggs to client you could also look to create events and opportunities to engage with clients. Easter egg hunts are a family favourite but why not organise one for your company and workforce and base it around a theme that you want to promote such as energy saving or health & safety. Another marketing opportunity would be to sponsor an event with a local sports club or school.

Corporate branded Easter eggs are also a great motivator for people in a company. Take the time to choose the right Easter chocolates for your staff and get them branded appropriately and delivered to their desks or personally handed to them. The positive impression this will leave with your staff is often impressive. You could also run an Eater egg competition for your staff or clients such as guess the weight or chocolate mix.

That’s the final point. We often think about milk chocolate Easter eggs but we can also supply different types including dark and white chocolate, Fairtrade, diabetic and lactose free. Everything is possible with chocolate Easter eggs from Redbows.

What Are the Best Golfing Items For A Corporate Event?

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Corporate golf days are a great way to spend time with your clients and prospects. They also provide a super branding opportunity for your organisation using items around the golf course like golf pin flags and banners and the branded golf items you give out to players on arrival at the course.

So what work’s best? Traditional favourite golfing items or the latest new products? The answer to this lies perhaps in the history of golf itself. The origins of golf may be unclear but it is generally accepted that the modern game developed in Scotland in the Middle Ages.

Golf revolves around some fundamentally basic rules and tools. In terms of promotional golfing items old favourites include branded golf balls, wooden tees, pitch forks and ball markers. Often we supply these as individual items or as part of a golfing gift set. Other items include golf shoe bags and towels. The new golfing items that come along are actually just variants of these.

Sometimes a new golfing item can become a best seller. Take for example Casino Ball Markers. As the name implies they are ball markers for those golf players lucky enough to get onto the green and near the pin. The spin on this traditional product is to make them in the form of Casino chips, adding a bit of Las Vegas and perhaps the odd gamble and wager to the game.

The golden rule therefore when choosing promotional golfing items for your next corporate golf day is to choose the majority of your gifts from amongst our best sellers. If you want throw in a unique item, we can always find this for you and something matched specifically to your brand and event. This is the best approach to promotional golf merchandise and will ensure that your golfing event is a great hit with everyone who attends. Having your clients leave happy is the main priority and if they continue to use the golfing merchandise long after the event you have achieve a double success.

What Would You Put In The World’s Smallest Advert?

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Everyday we see hundreds if not thousands of advertisements. From remarketing banners that spring in to action after we have downloaded a cookie from a website we visited to adverts in between our favorite TV programs.

When a company advertises they consider their brand and the particular product or service they are promoting. In the traditional print media, we used to talk about the Art of Zhen when it came to advert layout. In the West we read from left to right and top to bottom. A call to action would often be found in the bottom right hand corner and consist of an 0800 number, email address and website with perhaps a coupon offer.

Now consider the imprint on advertising gift. It is no different to any other form of advertising. The gift, whether it is a mug or pen or flash drive is the advertising medium. Each of these items will have an imprint area and they will vary in size and therefore the amount of content you can put within it.

So take a promotional pen and imagine this having an advertising imprint area of only 35×10mm in size. What can you fit into this that will be a great advert? Your logo should be the first thing that comes to mind. Advertising gifts are nearly always branded with a logo but the size of imprint may mean that you have to decide whether to print the entire logo with its strapline if there is one or not.

The second most popular thing to print in such a small imprint area is your website address. Landing page URLs can be too long to print and result in a font size that is too illegible or even to print without character infill. If there is space after this a phone number is also very popular.

So how effective can these small advertisements be? Well it all comes down to what you want to promote. Advertising gifts are a great way to promote your brand and contact details. The bigger the imprint area the more you can put. If you consider a mug for example, you can have a partial or full wrap, giving you far larger an area the advertise within.

At Redbows, we specialise in advertising gifts and helping clients to choose the right ones for their campaign. Our artwork team can help you develop your advertising imprint to maximize its effect and give you the most powerful of advertisements for your brand.

All The Right ‘Marketing’, In All The Right Places

Wed, 04 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

So what’s internet marketing all about these days? For many trying to get up to speed with an ever-evolving world of marketing data and algorithm changes it can seem an impossible task for business owners to address without a clear understanding of the latest Google approach.

I’ve been working through a number of internet marketing projects for businesses recently and have been trying to define exactly what Google is looking for in a very distilled way. The other day I was listening to a very catchy tune that I decided to use as a source of inspiration. You can probably hear it now if you look at this blog title again.

Your see business internet marketing is changing. Google leads the way and constantly updates the algorithm it uses to determine the best results to show you. Yes that is all Google wants to do, be the best search engine and deliver you the best results. Now this is not as easy as it sounds because over the years SEO companies have become adept at ‘spamming’ to get the results clients wants.

How does Google respond? With Penguin and Panda updates to penalise websites for poor linking strategies. What is a penalty I hear you ask? Well imagine applying a break whilst trying to accelerate. What Google does with a spam penalty is apply a break that stops your website appearing in the top search results until you disavow the poor links. Even then it can take another algorithm update before the penalty is removed.

Now back to the marketing bumps. So on a more positive note Google expands its algorithm to look for brands and the signals that demonstrate a great brand within the sphere of the search term being uses. The right bumps are a range of markers that a well marketed company would use including social media signals such as how often a company is mentioned and uses social media channels to engage with its clients.

Another fast growing example is reviews. Does the company have a review section on its website for testimonials and use a third party review service. Again if it does we know that over 30 positive reviews is a signal for Google to include a star-rating in that company’s Google Adwords feed. It’s also a signal to Google that that company is trying to be the best it can be and has happy clients. Other signals will include mentions of the company in digital media, through advertising, editorial and press releases.

So Google is looking to see all the right marketing bumps, in all the right places. If you need help getting them there come and talk to Redbows and see what our promotional and marketing services can do for your company.

Planning To Market Your Business Website Domain

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

What do you want to achieve with your website? With the internet currently running at over 19billion pages of content, how should small businesses and start-up companies develop a web presence and promote themselves? What is the point of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter? The simplest answer is: followers. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter allow you to create a list of followers through regular status updates and drive visitors to your website. Your website can then help to inform them and generate enquiries and sales.

What you include in your status updates is very much dependent upon your organisation but if something has happened or is happening – shout about it. Include information on new website resources, clients, advice, practical tips, where you have been today, industry news snippets, events, exhibitions, articles and so on. Rich sources of information include industry association newsletters, blogs and user groups, all of whom can deliver exciting content to your mailbox each morning. Social media provides a very low marketing investment cost and high return-on-investment (ROI) but there are several iterative steps to consider.

How important is a website domain?

One of the most exciting things about starting a business is naming the company itself. Should you opt for a trendy name or one that includes what you do? If the internet is going to form a fundamental element of your marketing, try to include what you do or a variant of it in your company name. This is important more so now than say five years ago.

How would you know what to include in the name? Think about your company and what it does. How would you find such a company on Google? What would you type in? If you make unique gold jewellery, search for this keyword phrase (and variants of it) and see if your competitors are listed.

As part of your naming process, you should check the name at Companies House (www.companieshouse.gov.uk/) to see if it conflicts with an established business. The next stage is to check with an internet registrar to see if the name is available as a website domain. Nominet (www.nominet.org.uk) runs one of the largest internet registries and can be used to check not only if a name exists, but if it does, who owns it and when it expires. If you can purchase the name do so and include any near variants with a service provider like (www.123reg.co.uk). Variants could include: www.uniquegoldjewellery.co.uk, www.unique-gold-jewellery.co.uk and so on. Imaging investing in a website domain only for a competitor to purchase something similar.

How does naming my company impact my social media strategy?

With three checks completed, the next areas to tackle include Facebook pages (companies, groups etc), LinkedIn company pages and Twitter. These generally fall under the banner of ‘social media’ marketing. A key point to note is their different use.

Facebook started out as a social networking tool for university and college students. Today its use is more widespread and the company itself has developed into a platform for promoting groups, organisations and businesses. The core concept is the same; it’s all about connections or in the case of pages the number of likes and followers you can attract. Facebook also offers Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising similar to that of Google. Using Facebook PPC allows you to generate click-throughs to your Facebook company page or an external website.

If you view Facebook as an informal networking device, LinkedIn is its professional sibling and is used by companies and individuals to promote themselves; as well as by professional industries bodies and associations. It is as important to have Facebook and LinkedIn company or group pages now as it will be in the future. LinkedIn also now offers opportunities for PPC promotion.

Twitter is also a key social media platform and one that can be viewed as a ‘texting’ news service that can reach just as wide an audience as Facebook. With Twitter there is also a shorter username length (currently 20 characters) to consider when selecting a company name and you may have to consider a viable shortened version.

If your name is available in all the areas you want, grab them. If not, rethink. Naming your company can be a very iterative process but it can be one of the most important parts of building your business. Why? Let’s assume your business is unique gold jewellery. Using the recommended approach would give you:

Unique Jewellery Ltd
www.uniquejewellery.co.uk
www.facebook.com/uniquejewellery
www.linkedin.com/uniquejewellery
www.twitter.com/uniquejewellery

This looks great on your email and stationery and helps to promote your business itself. If you have gone to this trouble as well it is just as important to use an email address tied to the website domain rather than a free service like Yahoo or Hotmail.

One you have claimed these domains, pages and links no one else can. If you cannot fully link your company name to a keyword phrase don’t worry. Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to name your pages accordingly to include relevant keyword phrases so that people can find your products and services. For example, Unique Gold Jewellery Bespoke Designs.

When selecting names, it is also important to consider your exit route. Very few people start out in business with a defined exit strategy but a sound internet domain strategy can add exit value. High ranking website domains have value just in the same way as land and buildings. See www.sedo.com for an online valuation of your website.

How to make social media a long-term success

Used correctly social media can help you to promote your business and engage with your client base. An organisation can decide to work with only one of the three or a combination of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. All can be integrated to ease any burden issues of posting updates. Facebook can be linked through a one time setup App to Twitter so that anything you post on your company page automatically gets fed to your Twitter account. The same is true with LinkedIn. The benefit here is that one status update can be posted on your Facebook page and then modified or rotated with another on LinkedIn, with both feeding your Twitter account.

The key is to appoint someone in your organisation as the company spokesperson and let them get on with it. The more they issue status updates, the more creative they will become. If they have responsibility and ownership for the company website, Facebook and LinkedIn pages, they will develop these as informative tools that will help to engage your clients and increase revenues. The golden rule is to allow them to make social media marketing part of their every day office routine. If you do not have this facility it can be outsourced to a marketing agency, who can generally help with the set-up and initial training.

Once your social media strategy is underway, you can link your website to the relevant platforms using icons, automatically republish Tweets on your website homepage and even introduce Facebook, LinkedIn and the latest Google+ share buttons. With a little further investment in a camcorder, you could also consider publishing content on You Tube to reach an even greater audience.

To discuss this blog post in detail or request further information please send us a marketing enquiry.

Corporate Gifts Attract New Customers

Sun, 21 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Corporate gifts or to use the more popular term – Promotional Gifts are getting a lot of marketing focus. This is because when marketing budgets are tight, marketing spends have to become more focused and strategic. Every pound invested has to show a return. Every marketing project and communication has to deliver more results than the last.

In the US market researcher J.D. Power & Associates has reported on how large US banks are using promotional gifts and favorable short-term interest rates to beat their regional competitors.

This type of report reminds us that corporate gifts are great when used strategically within the customer acquisition and retention process. They can be used to entice a potential client to take up an offer, complete an application and place an order. Further down the line corporate gifts can be used to reward client loyalty and the take up of further incentives.

Just how much should you spend on corporate gifts? This has to be relevant to the order value off course but you also need to take into account the total sales value of a client over their expected time with you. For example, most mortgage clients (even in today’s switching environment) could expect to stay with a bank or building society for several years if not decades. Therefore you would expect to use higher value corporate gifts to attract a new client, and perhaps less expensive, lower cost corporate gifts at other times.

For financial institutions like banks and building societies, we wonder if there is one final opportunity to use corporate gifts and generate great PR, spreading positive thoughts about their brand. Off course we are referring to the end of term loan or mortgage. Wouldn’t it be great to receive a ‘thank you’ corporate gift when you have paid of your loan or mortgage. How cool would that be?!

Using Advertising Gifts To Build Brand Identity

Sat, 29 Nov 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Advertising gifts are one today’s key marketing tools when it comes to building brand identity and developing a strong brand strategy. Essentially gifts like promotional pens and promotional mugs are mini desktop advertisements for your company. What corporate gifts need to have is synergy with your wide marketing campaign to ensure that they build and add towards your overall brand objectives.

How is this achieved and what decisions lead to the selection of the right corporate gifts? As with any marketing we must start with the target audience. Corporate gifts are often given to a wide range of stakeholders within a company: existing and new clients, prospects, employees and suppliers.

Profiling the target audience is the first step and part of this should take into consideration place of use. Next to consider is the wider marketing campaign and branding message. Corporate gifts should be chosen which tie into the marketing campaign in terms of use, functions, colours and message – both inferred and implied. Promotional pens and promotional mugs are two of the most widely used corporate gifts and their effectiveness is very much governed by the above.

Market research is therefore an essential and sometimes overlooked aspect when it comes to selecting corporate gifts. Organisations with regular client and market contact are in a strong position to gather market intelligence. Online resources can also be used such as websites and news feeds. See what your clients are promoting, what’s affecting their industry and what’s important to them from a marketing view.

Testing is another important aspect. Rather than spend an entire corporate gifts budget on a large quantity of items, purchase a smaller sample and test them with your clients and stakeholders. Gather feedback and find a formula that works, and make small incremental changes to your campaign.

Successful corporate gift campaigns have some essential elements: the right corporate gift to the right target audience with the right message – and the right time. Corporate gifts are a great marketing tool but one that has to be used as strategically as any other within the marketing mix.

How To Use Corporate Gifts To Promote Your Business

Fri, 07 Nov 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The marketing mix or marketing promotional mix includes a wide variety of both on-line and off-line promotional activities that can be used to promote a business.

Traditional methods include advertising, public relations, road shows, trade shows, seminars and conferences. One method that should be included within the marketing mix is corporate gifts (also known as promotional gifts).

Corporate gifts have the added advantage over other promotional marketing techniques in that they have longevity and can elicit a fare more favourable response to a business and/or brand than say an advertisement or piece of editorial. Corporate gifts like promotional pens, personalised pencils, branded mugs and promotional mouse mats also tend to be seen by more than the original recipient and this only adds further to their promotional value.

As a ‘free’ gift, corporate gifts are often well received. They can be used throughout the year to provide 365 days of business promotion to existing clients, potential clients, employees, suppliers and other business stakeholders. As well as being branded themselves, their packaging can also be used as part of a promotion and even more so when combined with a direct mail or direct marketing campaign.

When selecting corporate gifts for a promotion it is important to get the basics right. Look at your logo and what you want to put onto the corporate gift. Make sure there is enough area for the imprint, decided on the colours to be used and the colour of the background products. It also makes sense to order samples and perhaps ‘mock-up’ potential layouts and then test them with colleagues.

So having chosen the right corporate gift and had it branded with your imprint, how do you go about getting them distributed and into the right hands? This very much depends on whether they have been purchased for a particular marketing campaign or as part of stock to be drawn upon as required. We always recommend that you allocate a percentage of your promotional corporate gifts stock for general distribution – gift stock to be handed out as promotional giveaways to as many people as possible.

The benefits of widely distributing corporate gifts is that it increases the chances for serendipity to take effect. This can lead to those wonderful ‘lucky breaks’ that can often make a small business and help it to grow to the next level.

The Evolution of Promotional Baseball Caps

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Promotional Baseball Caps*have become an everyday wear item and are often used casually. To be classified as a baseball cap it should be soft cap with a long, stiff brim, either curved or flat, with a rear panel, plastic, Velcro or plastic adjuster that allows the cap to be easily fitted to the wearer.

Traditionally used by US baseball players, the brim of baseball caps was used to shield the player’s eyes from the sun. More common these days is to wear the cap in this way but often modern trends have seen the typical baseball cap worn with the rim at the rear or even side of the head – common with most hip-hop stars. In some gang environments how you wear your cap denotes which gang you belong to. The rear facing cap was commonly used by baseball catchers who could not have a forward facing cap due to their protective visors.

The humble baseball cap originated around 1860 when the Brooklyn Excelsiors wore the first caps. By 1900 the ‘Brooklyn style’ had become the accepted norm. The baseball cap brim has become longer over the years and in the 1940s latex rubber was used to stiffen the brim cloth material and the hat itself to prove the stiffness associated with the modern version. These days card is typically used.

As a sports-related item, baseball caps carried their team’s logo and name and for this reason baseball caps are one of the earliest promotional products. Their manufacture normally includes six panels sewn together with a crown button. Metal grommets and fabric eyelets are often used to allow air into the panels and cool the wearer.

Sizing for baseball caps has been simplified over the years from being based on standard hat sizes, to a general size, thanks to the rear adjuster strap and stretchable sizes using Lycra and rubber. Sports is not the only areas associated with baseball caps. Some military and government police forces use baseball caps as part of their uniforms.

As a promotional gift, baseball caps act as a form of corporate workwear and can be great at sporting events, outdoor and other company activities. The most common form of personalisation for promotional baseball caps is embroidery – with a logo and marketing slogan embroidered onto the side or brim of the baseball cap. Screen printing is also popular but not as effective as promotional baseball caps are after all a type of premium promotional gift.

Promotional Merchandise for Exhibitions and Trade Shows

Thu, 02 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Buying promotional merchandise should be fun. It is a bit like retail therapy and to the newly initiated the world of promotional and corporate gifts can open a Pandora’s box. So you have to be careful and treat buying corporate gifts the way you would any other business investment. You see corporate gifts are a marketing investment, generally made to increase sales and ultimately the bottom line.

Let’s take exhibitions and trade shows as a common event that clients purchase corporate gifts for. What are the most important points to remember:

1. Promotional Budget: most organisations will set a marketing or promotional budget. Any spend will generally be part of a wider marketing communications program. What you need to do is optimise and maximise your promotional spend. There are many promotional gifts suppliers operating within the UK market place. Some are distributors and other suppliers. Take the time to find one with a reputation for customer service (like Redbows), check out their client charters, customer comments and accreditations. Above all make sure they have been operating for several years and have the scope and experience you need from a promotional gifts supplier.

Once you have selected a promotional gifts supplier, talk to them. Emails and enquiry forms are great but at Redbows we like to talk to clients as this often opens up areas for serendipity to take place. Use the knowledge of our promotional gifts consultants to help you maximise your marketing budget, generate maximum impact and get the most appropriate and best possible corporate gifts for your money. Look at their offers, price match and price busting policies – there are always promotional offers to be had – after all this is the promotions industry.

2. Promotional Merchandise Matching: choose a corporate gift that is appropriate for your campaign and organisation. A rule of marketing is to never laugh at yourself. Never choose a corporate gift based on just on your own opinion. Test market your ideas, get samples and evaluate them with clients and colleagues. Test your ideas for the marketing slogan – will it fit the imprint area, what colour and material combinations are needed to maximise its impact. Do you want a ‘classy’ look or one that smacks clients visually?

3. Market Segmentation: whilst most clients purchase corporate gifts in bulk, there are plenty of promotional gifts with low-entry minimum order quantities. Take advantage of these to select a range of corporate gifts that will appeal to the distinct segments within your client base. Would you send the same gift to a golf-mad Managing Director as you would to a young fashion conscious office secretary? Profile your clients, step back and get the best possible match between your target audience and chosen corporate gifts.

There are now too many corporate gifts to compile into a single catalogue. For this reason many corporate gifts companies provide a general selection within a printed catalogue and then offer a wider range on their website. Even this may not show an exhaustive list of corporate gifts and as the market continues to evolve, new corporate gifts are launched every day. For this reason alone remember to feel free to contact your Promotional Gifts Consultant. They are consultants, focused on customer service and with a wide knowledge on how to maximise your budget for corporate gifts.

A Guide To Giving GIveaways

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Just consider the effect that a new batch of promotional gifts can generate within an office environment. When gifts of any sort turn-up, people are naturally inquisitive and want to take a look. This means that if you can find the ‘corporate gifts champion’ within any business, then they are the ones who always manage to have the latest gadgets, pens, mouse mats, calendars, diaries, umbrellas and mugs available.

Giving promotional gifts is a corporate PR activity and can dramatically boost people’s recognition and awareness about an organisation. Some gifts are disposable or have a short life span but others can demonstrate longevity. Wall clocks for example, ring binders and even flash drives (USB memory sticks) are examples of corporate gifts that can be around long after a promotion and sometimes for several months if not years.

Another facet of corporate gifts is that they are advertisements right where you want them – within the corporate environment. Even more so this idea can be expanded to include promotional clothing and corporate workwear like fleeces, t-shirts and caps. Consider outside events such as exhibitions, trade shows, conferences, road shows and activity days and the potential to use corporate gifts for general PR and advertising becomes even greater.

Some companies tend to use corporate gifts sporadically. This can work fine for short-term promotions but the benefit of corporate gift giving is that it can have a cumulative effect. Giving corporate gifts not only helps to reinforce current advertising and PR programs but can be a widely anticipated activity amongst a client base itself. There are some natural ‘sweat’ spots in the corporate calendar that fit certain corporate gifts – think Easter and Christmas and the use of chocolate Easter eggs or advent calendars. However you could also consider the wider the annual calendar and look for other opportunities to tie in corporate gifts to an event and promotion – stress busters perhaps as the children break up for the school holidays, branded lip balms or backpacks and umbrellas.

The key is to be creative when it comes to corporate gifts and to think laterally. Never knock the crazy ideas on the head first as in marketing they are the ones that can deliver the best results.

Celebrate Your New Logo this Summer

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0100

Have you been looking for a way to come up with a new logo for your company? Do you like the idea of getting your employees involved in the company and making them feel like they are a part of the bigger picture rather than just a number on your payroll? Here is a great way to promote your company and make your employees feel like they are a large part of it all at the same time.

Announce to your employees that you are looking for a new logo. Make sure you specify what kind of customers you are trying to attract with the logo as well as the direction you want the company to go in. Offer your employees a chance to participate in the process of designing the logo. Run a contest that allows employees to each contribute at least one idea or design for the logo. Set specific parameters so that your employees know what is expected from them and how perhaps it could be used on marketing materials and promotional merchandise.

As you are waiting for the outcome of the contest, browse through the product line from the Redbows Essential Corporate Gifts website. Choose some fun summer products that will help you and your employees celebrate the new logo design. If you want to promote green living, choose from our ECO line of products that include t-shirts, polo shirts, and other items. If you want to promote a healthy, active lifestyle, choose from our summer wear that include flip flops, beach bags, cotton caps, sunglasses, and more.

Finally, when you choose the winning logo, let us know what it is so we can get the products to you. Share them with your employees and offer the winning employee and exceptional package that he or she will be proud to use simply because it will be their design they are showing off this summer!