Record Viewing Figures

Obviously we think promotional products are the best way for organisations to get their message across. But I have to begrudgingly admit, there are other avenues too. This year’s Super Bowl has become the most watched television broadcast in US history, attracting a US audience of over 106 million people.

According to audience ratings agency The Nielsen Company, yesterdays 44th Super Bowl between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints on CBS broke a 27-year record, held by TV comedy Mash, which pulled in 105 million viewers.

Here in the UK, a respectable 800,000 people stayed up and watched the Super Bowl live on BBC1. If you think there are too many ads on British TV, then don’t bother tuning into American TV. Of the nearly 60 ads shown during Monday’s game, a BBDO-created Snickers spot topped a USA Today poll of America’s favourite commercials.

Before you give up ordering your promotional Sparta mugs, bare in mind these ads don’t come cheap. The cost of a 30-second commercial was approximately $3.01 million. This excludes production costs and fees for actors, equipment, ad agencies, directors, crew and other personnel. In 2009, NBC sold out all the advertising spots for record revenue US $2,600,000!

Guidelines for Marketing Alcohol

We are a nation of boozers, there’s no doubt about it. Kidney dialysis is viewed as more of a right of passage into manhood, rather than anything out of the ordinary. MPs in their wisdom are coming round to the idea that this probably isn’t a good thing; their committee report on alcohol abuse has called for tighter restrictions for drinks marketing, including the 9pm watershed for TV advertising.

I’m not sure what this will achieve as I doubt any underage drinkers are tucked up in bed by 9pm anyway. For one thing there too busy out in the streets drinking. According to the report, drinks brands spend up to £800m a year on advertising and sponsorship, dwarfing the COI spend of £17.6m. As a result of this disparity, the report suggest that for every five alcohol ads an advertiser should be required to fund one public health ad.

Simon Litherland, managing director, Diageo GB, attacked the report as “another attempt by aggressive sections of the health lobby to hijack alcohol policy-making”. He labelled the proposals on alcohol advertising and sponsorship “draconian”.

Your businesses may wish to use non alcoholic promotional drinks, as part of their marketing campaign to get their customers in shape for 2010. Gift Selection can supply all sorts quality branded soft drinks, while the European style ‘Drink Baxx’ is particularly popular. The branded ‘Drink Baxx’ is available in a great range of refreshing and healthy options, to suit all taste-buds and needs. If you require any further information on any sort of branded drink item, contact the friendly promotions team at Gift Selection.

ISBA Kick Off

Obviously we love our promotional products here at Gift Selection, but the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers hasn’t taken to kindly to Government plans too allow product placement on TV.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s ongoing consultation, ISBA said it believes the introduction of product placement would lead to a “double disadvantage” for advertisers and viewers.

It argues that the current system of unpaid prop placement, where programme makers seek out branded products to use within shows, serves both groups better than a paid system. Bob Wootton, media and advertising director at ISBA, said: “Advertisers are concerned that the existing low-cost system of prop placement will be closed off and that broadcasters will drive them into more expensive paid-for product placement.

Personally I agree with the British Medical Association that product placement should be heavily regulated in regard to such potentially harmful things like alcohol or junk food. However as the ISBA said, no viewers complaint has ever been upheld in the past 25 years. If product placement can create extra revenue for TV production, viewers will ultimately vote with their remotes anyway.

Sales Promotion Research

Research from the Institute of Sales Promotion has highlighted (again), that Joe Public likes not only promotional products but also sales promotions. I would of thought that everybody would have liked promotions surely? There is obviously no pleasing some people.

Apparently two-thirds of UK consumers say they welcome promotions because they ease the pressure on their finances and encourage them to try new products, while less than one in five say promotions encourage them to buy things they do not need.

As part of regular research conducted for the Advertising Association, 2,000 people were asked for their opinion about promotions, including Buy One Get One Free offers, price cuts and added value promotions. I just don’t see how anyone could be possible offended by this? No one is forcing anyone to buy anything, just the consumer is having the chance to purchase cut price products. Still 18% who agreed that “promotions encourage me to buy products I don’t really want.” The rest, 15%, did not know – I worry about these people.

Gaming Not Just For Geeks

A study of 500 consumers aged between 15 and 34 dismisses the cliché that gamers are ‘geeks’ sitting on their own in darkened rooms. The survey, carried out by Continental Research and Microsoft’s Massive Inc, found that contrary to the stereotype, gamers crave premium brands, are interested in fashion and spend more money on grooming products than non-gamers.

Almost half of those surveyed claimed to have posted comments or reviews on product websites in the past six months, with a further 80 per cent believing they could influence other people’s choice of mobile phone or gadget.

With this in mind, perhaps it won’t be long before we see more computer game related promotional items. Promotional mouse-mats and USBs are a standard item, but maybe we will soon have promotional computer controllers for example.

Whats In A Logo?

If you take the swoosh away from Nike, what are you left with? What would happen if Apple lost their apple and Shell misplaced their Shell? If your business doesn’t have a logo at the moment, then you’re missing out on that instant recognition - which every large business needs.

Your logo will be your business’ hardest worker – your employee of the month all year round. Your logo provides the essential service of communicating in a moment the whole philosophy of your business.

Something this magnitude shouldn’t be taken lightly. A great logo is something that every business should have. Often with logos - less is defiantly more. However resisting the temptation not to over complicate things is a challenge. Remember a picture says a thousand words. You need to think which are the thousand words that will best match your business’ ethos.

It is always worth taking considerable time to get your logo perfect, because once it is set in place - it is not advisable to change. Certainly one should never change their business’ logo just for the sake of it. Marlborough has been associated with cowboys for as long as anyone can remember - and the business is still as popular as it has ever been.

Thinking of the right theme to associate your logo with can be crucial. Certain brands lend themselves to certain topics – while others are less obvious. Nike for example, predictable relates itself to sporting excellence. Obviously sports may not relate to your business – but this isn’t a problem. Let’s take coca cola for example…a simple fizzy drink.

Coke’s stroke of genius was creating their association with Christmas, by creating the red Santa that we all know and love. Could you imagine seeing the original green Santa now? Would you want to sit on his knee, and tell him what a good boy you’ve been all year? No I’d want to know who this impostor was – posing in a damn green suit! I’d be pulling his beard – convinced that I had been fobbed off with a stooge. It’s incredible to think, that all this was down to marketing from a simple drinks business.

Printing your logo on promotional merchandise is a smart move for any business - no matter what their size. When ordering promotional gifts from an expert like gift selection, we will be more than happy to create or develop a logo to print on your products. If your thinking of some ideas for your new logo here are a few pointers we would always recommend:

☻ A logo that is simple and sophisticated will stay in people’s minds rather than a loud and vulgar one.

☻ A logo needs to be original and distinguishable - with a bold and striking design that is easily recognisable from everyone else. 

☻ A logo needs to summon a mental image that matches perfectly with the ethos of your business.

☻A logo shouldn’t be extremely tall or wide for practical reasons – and shouldn’t be associated with any current fads. Timelessness is the key to any successful logo.

Coupons Aren’t Brown Bread

Hovis is to launch a nationwide door-drop and coupon campaign, targeting a massive 1.2m mums with their ‘Best of Both’ loaf.

The novel campaign, which was created by Chemistry who used their loaf to come up with idea of, using illustrations based on a Hovis advertisement from the 20s, to highlight how children and adults typically like different types of bread.

Research has shown many Mothers or Fathers buy one type of bread for themselves, and another for their children, (usually white bread which ain’t as good for you).  Hovis have tried to revolutionize the market with their ‘Best of Both’ bread.

Hovis plan to marketing themselves by in-store point of sale, press and radio advertising, but sadly no promotional items at this stage.

The Army Recruitment Drive

The latest people to invest heavily in promoting themselves are the British Army who are releasing a new TV and online recruitment campaign.  The ‘Start Thinking Solider’ campaign shows different missions, showing a first person perspective from a new recruit.

The TV ads were the work of ‘Publicis’ with the online games being created by their in house digital division. The Army is under pressure to have more young soldiers coming through their doors, as each year they are said to need 15,000 quality soldiers.

If you want to jump the gun so to speak, and are thinking of protecting dear old blighty, then the Army would love to hear from you here. 

The British Army confrontational advert is aired tonight on Chanel 4.

ASA is a Cereal Killer

The public guardians who protect us from the evils of false and offensive advertising (The ASA), has banned an ad for Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Soft Oaties, because it has deemed to have  implied the biscuits are healthy a treat.

The press and poster ads use the headline “Wholesome cookie goodness”, and point out that the biscuits are made with oats and wheat, sources of fibre, vitamin and iron. The consumer magazine Which? first highlighted the issue, and I have to agree that the ads do strongly give off the impression that these snacks are doing you good – when in fact they are high in sugar and saturated fat.

In their defence Kellogg says the ads make it clear they are selling cookies, which we should all release aren’t healthy in the first place. The bottom line is that the ASA have said; “the ads must not appear in their current form” again.

How We Help

As I’m sure you’re aware, the business world depends heavily on the many relationships it builds. Relationships can be complex, with employees, clients, directors, suppliers etc all playing a part.

For any business to stay alive, these relationships have to be nurtured. A well chosen, designed and timed corporate gift is the best way to show that you acknowledge these relationships as being important.

A properly chosen corporate gift will be preserve existing loyalty, spread good will and help to develop further contacts. Indeed in certain instances, a lack of an appropriate promotional gift would be deeply insulting, with the opposite results coming into force.

Beware the potential pitfalls of violating company policy, and don’t choose and present your gift as a bribe. In many cases business can use promotional gifts, in an inappropriate, improper or even illegal way. A quality supplier like giftselection has the knowledge and resources to help your company gain further business.