08 Sep

Welcome to September!

Posted in News, Synergy Suggestions on 08.09.16 by John Meloche

Finally, we have arrived at the month of September. With Labour Day passing by this weekend, we all had our last long weekend of the summer to  recharge for the busy upcoming months. Interestingly, many retailers and businesses have utilised this Labour Day to keep their stores open as many customers have time for more shopping. As for students, school starts back this month and back to school promotions are hot targeting students and their families.

 

As we are soon to say goodbye to a great summer, here are few things to look forward to this month heading into the fall season:

 

APPLE iPhone 7 Release:

iPhone 6 was released in September 2014 and is due for a major update this September. With rumours floating around the internet, Apple is expected to reveal the next generation of the iPhone in the next Apple event held in early September. iPhone 7 is gaining a great deal of curiosity from their customer base and it is a very anticipated product that the customers have long been waiting for. In case you are in the market for a new phone upgrade or other apple products, here is a comprehensive Apple store buyer guide, helping you make the best and timely decision possible.

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iPhone

 

MLB end of regular Season:

Through the end of the month, you can enjoy your favourite baseball teams ending the regular season and heading off into the playoff season in October. Don’t forget to watch and support your favourite baseball team this month. Catch up with the latest baseball news at http://mlb.com/news/

 

UNIQLO Announces 1st Canadian Store Opening Dates

There is good news for Canadians this fall, as first Uniqlo (Japanese Fashion retailer) is opening their first store is coming to Eaton’s Centre September 30th. With their massive success in United States and Asia, Uniqlo attempts to break into the Canadian Market. Be ready to upgrade your fall fashion this year with the arrival of Uniqlo.

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22 Aug

Reflecting On Rio

Posted in News, Promotional Products on 22.08.16 by John Meloche

Another Olympics has passed and wow was this one memorable. We got to see Usain Bolt be Usain Bolt once again in what might be his final games. Add some breakout performances from Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak, and Katie Ledecky, and you have what might be the best summer Olympics to date. The question is how will you remember this Olympics? With the closing of these games, we’re reflecting on marketing lessons we can take from these games.

It was obvious that right from the very beginning these Olympics were going to be something special. With all the controversy beforehand, we knew that Rio was going to be home to some very interesting storylines. This interest has translated into sales. Merchandise sales have exceeded expectations, especially in the North American countries. The grand successes from Andre De Grasse and Penny Oleksiak have encouraged many  Canadians to further admire these games. This admiration has lead to an increased desire to remember these games and nothing enables people to remember events more than promotional items. The memorable performances from Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, and Simone Biles have created mass interest in the States as well.

The main point is, people try to savor these moments. The teenage star surprising everyone and taking gold, one of the greatest Olympians competing in his final games, and complete domination from your favorite team. People want to remember these moments and keep them in their hearts. You want to be able to say, “I saw one of the greatest Olympians ever,” or “I witnessed quite possibly the craziest Olympic moment ever.” Promotional products help you recall those moments. They essentially do that talking for you. They’re a key component of the Olympics, financially and mentally. So wear that merchandise proud and remember those moments that brought countries together.

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08 Aug

The SWAG Behind the Olympics

Posted in News on 08.08.16 by John Meloche

The Olympics have begun! This has easily become one of the most anticipated Olympic games in recent memory. These games are surely to be filled with drama, angst, and excitement. With all the controversy already, this will likely pan out as one of the most entertaining and interest Olympics to date.

With this being said, people will likely want to have something that serves as a lasting memory, or connection to the games. What could that be? Promotional products are great at promoting your brand but they do something no other form of marketing can offer: store memories. These products act as a placeholder for all of the emotions, memories, and success(hopefully) your country had at the games. People want to cherish these feelings, SWAG serves as a tangible link to those emotions and keeps them close all the time.

The Olympics are a time where everyone truly unites and comes together to show support for their country. So that means everyone is rooting for their country. This then translates into a larger market for Olympic SWAG. This has definitely been the case in recent years. People want to buy a lot of SWAG to preserve the Olympic memory, especially if their country did well. A prime example of this is the high demand for British merchandise after the 2012 games. Following their success at the London games, British Olympic merchandise sales went through the roof. Adidas, the maker of their Olympic goods, reported selling over £100 million of Great Britain Olympic merchandise. This just shows the demand for SWAG and the strong desire for tangible links to the games.

It’s clear, SWAG has become a part of the Olympic spirit. It allows you to retain the success of the event and let it live on forever. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the games, hopefully you want to buy some merchandise after.

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04 Aug

5 Poké-Marketing Techniques You Should Be Using

Posted in News, Small Business Advertising on 04.08.16 by John Meloche

Yesterday we talked about the rise of Poké-marketing and how Pokemon Go has made its way into the business scene. As mentioned before, strategies are now being developed around the game. With that being said, what can you do to capitalize on this poké-demand? Here are 5 ways to use Pokémon Go to attract customers:

  1. Offer Free WiFi. Probably the easiest thing you can offer to lure those Pokémon trainers. Data, or a lack thereof, is becoming a huge issue for Pokémon Go players. So why not help those people out with some free WiFi. You’re making it easier to enjoy the game they’re addicted to, and that’s all happening in your store. That should boast good results for your company.
  2. Provide Discounts to Trainers. Pokémon Go trainers have different levels. As players catch ’em all, they level up, with the max level being level 40. What you should do is offer discounts to the different levels of trainers. For example, anyone from levels 1-10 gets 5% off, 11-20 gets 10% off, etc. This shows your support for the game and the players. Hardcore Pokémon Go players will notice this and will surely take advantage of these discounts.
  3. Provide Discounts/Gifts to Teams. Yes, there are teams. Once a player reaches level 5 they can choose to join one of three teams: Team Instinct, Team Mystic, or Team Valor. Providing discounts or gifts to different teams is a great way to attract more customers to your store. Again these promotions are a symbol of support for the players in addition to being a great incentivizing tool for Pokémon Go trainers.
  4. Pokémon Go Themed Advertising. We also talked about this yesterday. Pokémon Go is such a trendy topic right now. If you put it on anything, people will notice it and become interested in it. This is a great way to promote brand recognition and brand remembrance. People will take notice to witty Pokémon Go campaigns and will keep your brand in mind whenever anything related to Pokémon Go pops up.
  5. Lure Modules. This could be the most effective tactic. In the game there are places called PokéStops, where players can collect eggs and other items. They’re likely to be located around your store. What you can do is place an item called a lure module on these PokéStops. These lure modules will then attract wild Pokémon and as a result will bring real people as well. So what you can do is get a Pokémon Go account and buy some of these lure modules. Just to clarify, you have to buy the lure modules with real money. Then place them at the Pokéstop near you and see the Pokémon and people roll in.

 

When something as big as Pokémon Go pops up, you have to find ways to adapt to it. This is just another trend that will eventually pass, but while it’s at its peak right now, might as well take advantage of it. Poké-marketing is an extremely effective and efficient means of bringing in business and capitalizing on current trends. So if you use Poké-marketing, people will surely Pokéstop and shop in your store.

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03 Aug

The Rise of Poké-Marketing

Posted in News, Small Business Advertising on 03.08.16 by John Meloche

Pokémon Go has become immensely popular over the past couple of weeks. It seems like everywhere you look, you see people walking with their faces glued to their phone screen as they try to catch Pokémon. This has become yet another trend that businesses are starting to take advantage of. When something becomes as big as Pokémon Go, strategies become developed whereby the game entices players to shop at certain stores.

This Pokémon sensation has offered marketers the enhanced ability of brand recognition. Marketers are now using the Pokémon Go regime as another tool to catch someone’s attention. If people saw pretty much anything relating to Pokémon Go, they’ll probably be interested in it. If anything some of these Pokémon Go advertising campaigns would give you a little chuckle. But what makes marketers so happy is the fact that they make your ads and brand memorable. If you saw a Pokémon Go themed ad, you’d probably think it’s funny and you’d remember it. Not only that but when you start playing the game or see others playing it, then you’ll be reminded of that ad. Marketers want their ads to stick, Pokémon Go just improves the stickiness of your message and brand.

This Pokémon Go mania will go away eventually but while it’s still trendy, why not take advantage of it? This is just another huge trend that businesses need and should adapt to. So why not utilize some Poké-marketing, you just might catch ’em all.

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21 Jul

The SWAG Behind Music Festivals

Posted in News, Promotional Products on 21.07.16 by John Meloche

We’ve always discussed promotional items and their ability to capture moments that we cherish. We’ve mentioned how they serve as a tangible memory, or link back to a certain event. While we have only used this definition for large sporting occasions, it certainly applies to other big events as well. Another great example of an event that promotional items, or SWAG, thrives in, are music festivals.

Coachella, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, the list goes on. Music festivals are now becoming big ticket shows in North America. Their popularity has increased dramatically over the past couple of years, as these shows are now bigger than ever. How do promotional items factor into this?

People attending these festivals want to get something that serves as a symbol of all the fun they had. Mitchell Peters, from Billboard, wrote that merchandise sales are going through the roof mainly because festivalgoers want a souvenir and a remembrance of that weekend. Promotional items are the only marketing tools that can enable you to achieve that. People are now starting to spend absurd amounts of money on merchandise. Even now music festivals are starting to implement cashless transactions within the festival grounds. Instead of paying with cash, you load up money on your ticket, wristband, etc., then you buy things with that. This was done to make it even easier to buy merchandise, food, drinks, etc.

There is a huge market for music festival SWAG and it’s only growing. The increased popularity of music festivals is feeding right into merchandise sales and enhancing them greatly. It’s clear that if you want to remember your awesome time from an event like this, SWAG is what you need.

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11 Jul

Marketing Lessons From Euro 2016

Posted in News, Promotional Products on 11.07.16 by John Meloche

What an amazing tournament! This year’s Euro was unbelievable, with all the upsets that took place, the injuries sustained, the goals scored, it was truly a remarkable event. However, with Euro 2016 finishing yesterday, we’re reflecting on our Euro experience and evaluating effective marketing ideas implemented during the tournament.

We’ll start this segment off by noting the effectiveness of promotional items. Promotional items are one of the most useful promotional tools, and when you combine them with such a significant event such as Euro,then you’re exponentially increasing their popularity. It’s important to note that these products can become more than just promotional tools. For most Euro supporters, when they receive these items, they typically tend to preserve the items and keep them in mint condition. This in turn promotes the idea that these promotional items become collector items. This is a very realistic idea as many people tend to keep these items as a landmark for their memory; a visual cue of their Euro 2016 experience (I can guarantee you every Portugal fan is doing this right now.)

The idea behind these items are that they become easily cherished. They develop sentimental value and serve as a lasting memory of an amazing experience. So to all the Portugal fans out there, congratulations, and make sure you keep that mini Portugal soccer ball in tiptop shape.

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30 Jun

Great SWAG for Canada Day

Posted in News, Promotional Products, Synergy Suggestions on 30.06.16 by John Meloche

Canada Day is tomorrow and it’s going to be a beautiful day. With the great weather we’re getting it would be crazy not to embrace the outdoors. Companies are doing exactly that as they’re celebrating with all sorts of great outdoor events. In addition to this, there’s been a lot of corporate swag giveaways. But we’re wondering what the best swag to give is? Here’s a few suggestions:

  1. Hats. A classic corporate gift. This is perfect for the outdoors and those beautiful sunny days. Not only this, but it allows your employees to represent your brand almost anywhere they go. It’s a great promotional gift that has multiple purposes, something that’s good for everybody.
  2. T-shirts. Another classic summer gift. Really part of the ideal summer attire, and again another effective means of company representation. A great travelling advertisement.
  3. Steak Knives. Speaking of outdoor events, BBQ’s are a Canada Day staple. They’re perfect for the summer weather and great for celebrating our great country. Nothing’s better than a nice BBQ on a nice summer day. Steak knives just help that idea and let your employees enjoy their Canada Day that much more.

While it is Canada Day and we are celebrating our country, this is a great excuse to hand out SWAG and celebrate your employees. We’re celebrating the country and the great people living in it.

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28 Jun

The Business History Of Iceland: Is It Worth An Investment?

Posted in News on 28.06.16 by John Meloche

There was a huge upset yesterday in Euro 2016, although with all respect to the soccer pundits, I did call it!! The tiny nation of Iceland defeated soccer giant England by a score of 2-1. So today let’s pay homage to our friends to the east. However for today we’re not going to explore their athletic history, instead we’re going to dip into Iceland’s business history.

The best description for Iceland’s economic climate over the past years would be fluctuating and unstable. Amidst a financial crisis in 2008, the Icelandic economy was shaken to the core. The country was forced to develop a centralized banking system after their 3 largest domestic banks ran out of money. In that same year the country received funds from the International Monetary Fund(IMF), a large bailout that surely helped.

After 2008, however, prosperity came Iceland’s way. A strong resurgence of the fishing and tourism industries has led to debt repayment and increased economic strength. According to Karin Hammar from the IMF, macroeconomic conditions in Iceland are at their best since the crisis. Mrs. Hammar even went out to say that the country has rebounded since the crisis and will soon surpass pre-crisis output levels. The financial sector has almost completely been healed. The country has been trending in an upward direction for some time now as the IMF has credited Iceland as one of the top economic performers in Europe over the past several years.

These gains have also been generated through increased trade and a better balance of trade. Iceland has also increased its trade with Canada, strengthening the bond between Canadian and Icelandic investors. Iceland is worth consideration for an investment, however, it hasn’t necessarily completely recovered from its previous financial troubles and thus creates doubts towards public stability and investment viability. That being said it should continue to prosper and overcome its economic woes soon enough.

Regardless… well done Iceland!

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24 Jun

The Business Behind the NHL Draft SWAG

Posted in News, NHL, Promotional Products on 24.06.16 by John Meloche

Yesterday we discussed the NBA draft and the extraordinary value that promotional products bring to their brand. Well the same can be said for tonight’s NHL Draft. Yesterday’s blog really focused on the sentimental value created by these items, today let’s really focus on what it’s all about… dollars and cents!!

While these promotional items at their core resonate a lasting memory, they also serve as lucrative business strategy. These items help capture all the feeling behind these events and as a result they become wanted, not only by players, but by everybody. Draft hats are a great example of this. Kids look up to these players and aspire to become hockey players themselves. These hats allow them to enhance their imagination and can help them recreate their dream to become a professional player. Not only that but these hats can be a reminder; these kids are working towards a common goal: to wear that hat for real. This is a highly effective marketing campaign as according to nhl.com, overall merchandise sales gained 15% of the league’s revenue. It’s cited to say “growth was driven by strong category sales in lifestyle apparel, headwear, etc.” These promotional items contribute to a lot of growth and sales, and will continue to do so as long as their reputation is maintained.

The draft is a special time, it’s a chance to get your career started and make your dreams come true. These small items are the quintessential symbols for hope, perseverance, and hard work; all the ingredients needed to make your dream a reality. Good luck to all the draftees, congratulations on being able to finally wear that hat.

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