Quiz: Do You Know the History of Promotional Products

Posted on May 3, 2019 Written by

Summer is coming soon, and that means it’s time for your customers to purchase promotional products for their summer events. You might not realize this, but the promotional products industry has a long history. Do you know that history? Take this quiz to find out.

1. The history of promotional products goes a long way back, and got its start in the earliest US elections. What year’s election saw the first commemorative button?
A) 1789
B) 1792
C) 1796
D) 1800

2. That wasn’t the end of campaign buttons. Who was the first presidential candidate to have the image of their face featured on a button?
A) Andrew Jackson
B) Abraham Lincoln
C) Teddy Roosevelt
D) Ulysses S. Grant

3. Promotional products have been around for a long time, but one businessman is most often credited as the first to produce them commercially in the late 1800s. What was his name?
A) Isaac Young
B) Abraham Brown
C) Jasper Meek
D) Everett Hill

4. If you work in the promotional products industry, you know that there are a variety of different trade associations. Which organization got that started?
A) Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI.
B) Promotional Products Association International (PPAI.
C) Upper Midwest Association of Promotional Professionals (UMAPP.

5. Sometimes promotional products are popular enough to become products on their own. Which of these products got their start as a promotional offer?
A) Hall’s cough drops
B) McDonalds hamburgers
C) Singer sewing needles
D) Wrigley’s chewing gum

ANSWERS:
1) A. The first promotional item in US history was a commemorative button made for the George Washington in the election of 1789.
2) B. Abraham Lincoln was the first presidential candidate to have his face featured on a campaign button.
3) C. In the late 1800s, Jasper Meek wanted to keep his newspaper presses running during slow times. He then started printing burlap bags with advertising messages. A local shoe store then gave them to school children to promote his business.
4) B. PPAI got its start as the Advertising Manufacturers Association in 1904. ASI got its start in 1950.
5) D. Believe it or not, Wrigley’s sold baking powder before their promotional gum became a smash hit. Their baking powder was also a promotional product that was a hit; they originally sold soap.

The promotional products industry has come a long way since the commemorative buttons in the 1789 election. With nationwide trade organizations, tradeshows, and publications, it is now a booming business, and we’re happy to be a part of it!

What’s the most memorable promotional product you have ever received? How did you do on the quiz? We’d love to see you join in the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Misc, News, Print Products, Promotional Products

The Long—And Short—of Post-it® Notes Orders

Posted on March 6, 2019 Written by

When your customers think about personalized printed Post-it® Notes, they probably think about notes printed in high quantities for promotional use. However, if your customers are looking for just a few Post-it Note pads, our short run quantities could be the perfect option! With full color printing, your customers can take advantage of the same personalization potential available in larger quantities.

Why Short Run?
One of the advantages of short run Post-it® Notes is that the lower quantities open up new possibilities. Your customers can use notes for a wider variety of uses when they have a wider variety of quantities available. And for you, short run Post-it® Notes also open up new possibilities for customer connections. Because you can offer low quantities of these classic sticky notes, you can work with a wider variety of customers and expand your customer connections.

Small Quantities, Big Possibilities
The quantities on short run Post-it® Notes might be small, but the possibilities are really big! As I mentioned, smaller quantities give your customers a chance to use these notes for a wider variety of uses.

Does your customer have a smaller business? Small quantities are a great fit for them! They can create notes for their office, perfectly-sized packs of promotional Post-it® Notes, and more.

For customers looking to create a promotional item for only their top customers or for only the attendees of an event, short run quantities could be the solution. Quantities range from 6 to 120, making it easy for your customer to choose a quantity that works for their audience.

Does your customer want to create a coupon for short-term spring sales? Not only do Post-it® Notes stick securely to the receipts that accompany a purchase, small quantities make it easy for your customer to print only as many notes as they need.

If your customer is looking for a perfect Post-it® Notes gift for their employees, short run quantities allow them to easily create personalized pads. They can create branded notes with their employee’s name for work anniversaries, holiday gifts, or simply to create a more personalized notepad for sales staff looking to make a personal connection with customers.

And if your customer simply wants to create personalized Post-it® Notes for personal use, short run quantities are perfect for that, too. Not only will these quantities better suit their budget for personal use notes, but smaller quantities are a better fit for everyday personal use. With quantities as low as six available, it’s easy for your customer to create a quantity of notes that is just right for them.

Ready to place an order? You can order short run Post-it® Notes quantities through our catalog, or in full color or spot color through Navitor.com.

How do your customers use short run Post-it® Notes quantities? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Stationery

Bring Colorful Stocks and Substrates to Your Customer’s Print This Spring

Posted on February 28, 2019 Written by

yellow green business cards ASTROBRIGHTS stock colorful printWhether things are still snowy in your area or it’s already a warm day, spring is a great time for your customers to embrace color in their print order. Vibrant color can help bring eyecatching style to print for upcoming events, capture attention for spring sales, and might even be something that becomes a favorite for year-round use. And while every print piece is a chance to print a colorful image, colorful stocks are another great way to bring vibrant color to their upcoming print orders. Here are just a few of the products that allow your customer to embrace colorful stocks and substrates.

Business Cards
In the past few years, we’ve introduced a number of ways to bring color to add vibrant color to business cards using stock choice, and these stocks are a great way to bring an extra pop of color to your customer’s spring print orders. Consider using color core stock that coordinates with their logo to create a substantial business card for important upcoming business meetings, and vibrant ASTROBRIGHTS® papers are a good choice for business cards with allover color. Speaking of these vibrant stocks…

Announcements and Postcards
A lot of the stocks we’ve introduced to our business card selection have also joined the stock selection for announcements and postcards. ASTROBRIGHTS® stocks make for eyecatching postcards, and that makes these postcards a great fit for attention-grabbing promotions for spring sales. Color core stock, on the other hand, has a subtler look that can add a touch of unexpected charm to postcards and announcements.

Badges and Signage
Does your customer love the classic look of engraved badges and signage? They should consider using a colorful stock! Because engraving gives your customer a wide variety of stock options, it’s easy for your customer to choose a stock color that appeals to them.

Promotional Products
When your customer is preparing for an upcoming tradeshow or other event where they will connect with prospective customers, promotional products are a great addition to their print order—and those promotional products are yet another chance to add color! Most promotional products, from pens and pencils to bags and water bottles, are available in a wide variety of vibrant colors.

Do your customers love colored stocks and substrates? We’d love to hear more about the colorful print options they love in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources, Stationery

Quiz: Pens, Pencils, and Promotions By The Numbers

Posted on February 14, 2019 Written by

personalized custom promotional pens pencils full color metal lightTake a look at your desktop. If it’s anything like mine, you probably have a cup full of pens, pencils, and markers at the ready for taking notes, signing forms, and more. And chances are that at least some of your pens or pencils will be branded promotional pieces. Your customers might be interested to know just how effective pens and pencils can be at promoting their business.

So, do you know the numbers behind promotional pens and pencils? Take this quiz to find out.

1. Writing utensils like pens and pencils are some of the most effective promotional products around. How many times are pens used every day?
A) 3 to 4 times per day.
B) 1 to 2 times per day.
C) 11 to 12 times per day.
D) 6 to 7 times per day.

2. While writing utensils are lower in cost than many other promotional products, they still have a big presence in the market. Writing utensils make up about how much of promotional products?
A) 5.67%
B) 6.67%
C) 7.67%
D) 8.67%

3. There’s one region of the United States that owns more logoed pens than the average U.S. citizen. Which one?
A) The South
B) The Southwest
C) The East
D) The Midwest

4. Let’s get into demographics. According to a study conducted in the southeastern portion of the United States, who are more likely to own a logoed pen?
A) Democrats
B) Republicans

5. Speaking of demographics, do men or women own more logoed pens?
A) Men
B) Women

6. Of course, the promotional products market is all about value, and that’s about being seen. How much does each impression or viewing of a promotional product cost the company it promotes?
A) 1/20 of a cent
B) 1/10 of a cent
C) 1/5 of a cent
D) 1 cent

7. Let’s go international for the last question! Which of these cities has the highest consumer response to promotional pens?
A) Berlin
B) Mexico City
C) Paris
D) London

ANSWERS:
1) A. Logoed pens are used an average of 3 to 4 times per day throughout their lifetime.
2) C. According to PPAI, pens and pencils amounted to 7.67% of promotional product sales in 2017.
3) D. According to ASI, 68% of consumers in the Midwest own a logoed pen.
4) A. Democrats are more likely to own a logoed pen, with 74% of them owning these pens when compared to 65% of Republicans.
5) B. More women than men own logoed pens in the United States, though the gap is smaller than it was between political parties. 58% of women own logoed pens compared to 54% of men.
6) B. The cost per impression in the United States is less than 1/10 of a cent—that’s a lot of views per penny!
7) D. ASI says that 56% of people in London had received promotional pens in the last 12 months and rated them highly.

How did you do? Did you learn something new about pens and pencils? We’d love to hear about your score in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Misc, News, Print Products, Promotional Products

5 Print Products Perfect for Retail Locations

Posted on February 8, 2019 Written by

It can be easy to think of a storefront in terms of larger print pieces like signage, but signage is really only the beginning of the print possibilities! If your customer works in the retail sphere, they might be missing opportunities to reinforce their brand in smaller ways. Here are five of our favorite print products that are perfect for retail locations.

1. Pens and Pencils
From signing receipts to taking notes, writing utensils will be used a lot at your customer’s retail location, and having a personalized pen or pencil on hand is a great chance to add another touch of brand recognition to customer interactions. Not only are pens and pencils a good addition to the checkout process, they double as great giveaway items when your customer wants to promote their business.

2. Name Badges
Is your customer looking for a way to bring their branding to every customer interaction? Name badges are a good addition to their print order. Not only can name badges be created to match their branding, signage, and more, but they are a good way to bring branding to the table when employees don’t wear uniforms.

3. Plastic Bags
If your customer is looking for a way to add polish to their retail location, there’s nothing better than a personalized printed bag. These bags are a great way to bring your customer’s brand to every purchase. And with full color plastic bags back in our product offering, your customer has even more versatile print options for their personalized bags.

4. Reusable Bags
If your customer wants to encourage their clients to be more ecofriendly, reusable bags are an increasingly popular option that they might want to consider. With a wide variety of tote sizes available, your customer can choose the size that best matches their product selection. Then they can give these bags to top customers or use them to promote their business in the community.

5. Business Cards
Your customer might not immediately think of business cards when they are ordering print for their retail location, but with a little bit of creativity they will find that business cards are a very versatile print piece. They can, of course, leave business cards near their checkout to encourage repeat purchases or tuck a business card into the bag with purchases.

With creativity, your customers could create even more for their business. They could also use business cards to create a punchcard for a simple rewards program—simply choose a lightweight stock for the card and stamp or punch it at the point of purchase. For boutique settings, business cards could be an ideal product tag. For customers who want to make a big splash with big clients, business cards could be a great canvas for a colorful, high quality coupon or referral card. And if your customer works in a store that offers clothing fittings, business cards could be a good way to mark future fitting appointments.

What print products do your customers in retail love? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Stationery

Product Highlight: Full Color Plastic Bags are Back!

Posted on February 1, 2019 Written by

custom printed full color plastic bagsIf you haven’t sat down with your 2019 Navitor Catalog, you might not have noticed that one of your favorite products is back in our product offering. That’s right—full color plastic bags are back!

What You Need to Know
Full color plastic bags are available now through our catalog. Every bag features full color print on one side and a die cut handle. Your customer can choose from three different sizes of bag to create one that perfectly suits their need.

The Possibilities of Full Color
One of the best reasons to utilize full color is that it’s such a flexible print process. Does your customer want to highlight a product? Full color lets them personalize their bags with a photograph. Do they want to include a colorful logo? Full color print delivers. Are they looking for a way to match their event décor or create something eyecatching to celebrate a sale? Full color is versatile enough to do all that and more.

How Can Your Customers Use Full Color Bags?
Printed plastic bags are a great option if your customer is looking for a product designed for limited use, and this makes them a great way to highlight your customer’s brand as bags for purchases at their storefront. They are also great promotional pieces if your customer wants to connect to a wide audience at their next event—not only are they lightweight, but they are also a practical piece that will be carried throughout an exhibitor hall. That’s not all, though. Full color bags are a creative way to package raffle prizes at a charity event, informational packets for new homeowners, library reading program rewards, and much more.

Want to know more about full color plastic bags? You can check out our catalog for more information.

Are you excited about the return of full color plastic bags? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, News, Print Products, Promotional Products

4 Creative Uses for Trading Cards

Posted on January 25, 2019 Written by

When you think of trading cards, the first thing that you think of is probably sports teams, but that’s only the beginning. With a little creativity, a trading card can be a great canvas for a wide variety of different small-scale print pieces. And, thanks to full color print, the design possibilities are nearly endless. Here are four of our favorite creative uses for trading cards.

1. Employee Profiles
When your customer relies on their employees relationships with their clients, printing employee profiles is a creative way to build a personal connection. This could be a good, informal way to introduce police officers to kids in the neighborhood, real estate agents to future homeowners, or individual salespeople to potential customers. Because a trading card features full color print, it can include a photograph as well as important contact information.

2. Celebrating Educational Milestones
Whether in a classroom or in an afterschool group, celebrating milestones is a good way to motivate students. Trading cards could be a creative way to motivate and mark their progress! One example would be to create a series of trading cards that will be given after a student passes tests on their multiplication tables in math class. Another example would be creating one for each monthly meeting for a new organization.

Trading cards are an especially good choice for this because they are lightweight but pack a big, colorful punch. Full color print can make them kid-friendly and colorful, and they can also serve as a reminder of previous lessons so that students can keep up their learning momentum.

3. Miniature Informational Pieces
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and a well-chosen picture on a trading card could speak volumes about new products or services! With a photograph and a product description, they are a good fit for a preview of new products or a high-level summary of what a new product can do.

If your customer has a short season for their sports team, a trading card could also make an excellent pocket-sized game schedules. Simply use a team photo or mascot image for the front of the card and personalize the back with a miniature version of the season’s schedule.

4. Something Different for Tickets
Does your customer want to create a ticket for their next event that will double as a keepsake long after the doors have closed? One eye-catching option is a trading card. Printed with artwork from event posters or performers’ photos, trading cards could be a fun, creative ticket option for plays, concerts, sports events, fundraisers, and more.

Ready to get creative? Click here to get started with your online trading card order or visit the marketing materials section of our catalog for more information.

Do your customers order trading cards for their business? How do they get creative with these print pieces? We’d love to see your suggestions for creative uses in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, News, Print Products, Promotional Products

5 Reasons Your Customer Should Consider Ordering Forms

Posted on January 18, 2019 Written by

If you’re anything like me, you probably seen forms fairly regularly. However, many customers might not have thought about the benefits that forms offer their business. Whether they want to create quick invoices, entry forms for events, or something completely unique, forms are a great way to organize the information they use every day. Here are just five of the reasons that they should consider ordering forms.

1. Stock Forms Make Design Easier
One of the easiest ways to create a form is to use a stock style. Register books, receipts, service forms, and more are all available through our formatted forms and books. These forms are designed to answer the most common needs.

2. Custom Forms Are Perfectly Tailored to Their Needs
Does your customer want a form that is as unique as their business? They can create that, too! When stock forms don’t include the information that they need, custom forms are the best way to ensure that your customers’ unique needs are served in every form they print. Custom forms allow your customer to create forms that include even highly specific pieces of information, making it easier for them to get the exact information that they need.

Your customers will also have control over is the information that they don’t include on the form. This means that they can avoid any wasted space or information that your customer doesn’t use. This allows them more space on their form for the information that matters or for highlighting their contact information and brand. And speaking of highlighting their brand…

3. Forms Can Be A Marketing Opportunity!
Your customers might not think of forms as a marketing opportunity, but when they create a custom form they can also highlight their business. Including a full color image of their logo will increase brand recognition, and a full color photo can help emphasize the quality of your customer’s products or highlight new products. And, because most forms are created for the consumer interactions in your customer’s everyday work, they offer a daily reminder of your customer’s brand and business.

4. A Wide Variety of Options
Another way that your customers can tailor their forms to their needs is by picking a style. What kind of forms does Navitor offer? We offer form options as varied as your customers.

  • Two-, three-, and four-part preformatted and custom NCR forms are all available, so it’s easy for your customer to keep a copy of any form and to give another copy of it to their client.
  • Glued edge forms can be separated easily thanks to the adhesive that binds their sheets together, while snap set forms have a perforated edge.
  • Booked form options are available. Because they are bound together, these forms are easy to keep organized and easy to carry.

And speaking of options…

5. Catalog or Online
In addition to the options you can offer your customers, we want to ensure that you have the options that you need in your business. That’s why our complete selection of forms is available through our catalog, and our most popular options can be ordered quickly and easily online.

Why do your customers love forms? Which forms are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, News, Print Products, Promotional Products

Added Professional Print Touches for the New Year

Posted on January 10, 2019 Written by

Whether your customer is updating their existing print order or creating something entirely new, the New Year is a good time for them to add a bit of extra polish and professionalism to their suite of stationery products. How can they do that? Here are our four tips.

1. Coordinate
Nothing says “You are in good hands” quite like a well-put-together appearance. From employee dress to consistent signage, your customer has probably considered this already, but they might not have considered the importance of coordinating their image across their print pieces, too.

That doesn’t mean that everything has to match exactly, though. The design they print on white letterhead for everyday use, for example, could feel more stately on an ivory stock. And speaking of ways to make designs feel consistent without making them match exactly…

2. Let Brand Colors Take Center Stage
Whether or not your customer wants to put their logo on a given print piece, using their brand colors for every piece is a good way to make every print piece they use feel like a cohesive whole. For some pieces your customer could highlight their logo, but others could simply feature that logo’s colors to create a different look that still connects back to their brand.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative
Sometimes changing things up is a great way to pull together a more creative set of print pieces. Does your customer have an abstract or geometric logo? Consider printing it very light across their letterhead for the look of a watermark or letting it extend beyond the cut edge of their business card for a creative accent. Does your customer usually use their logo as the central design in their print—except in one photo-heavy brochure? Consider using that logo as an accent or highlighting it on the back of the brochure alongside your customer’s contact information.

This creativity doesn’t just add visual interest—it allows your customer to be more flexible with their print pieces. After all, with a little bit of flexibility in their brand look, they can create a wider variety of designs for their print.

4. Consider Texture
One way to bring together your customer’s print pieces with style is to use only one or two stock textures throughout their print order. Using the same stock to unify your customer’s business cards, letterhead, and stationery envelopes is a great way to give everything a consistent feel.

And, for additional polish, Navitor offers CLASSIC® Linen and Laid Papers. Not only do these stocks provide a subtle texture that will add a touch of elegant appeal, but the CLASSIC® brand is one that your customers can rely on. Choose linen papers for a cloth-like texture and laid for a handcrafted feel. To learn more about these stock textures, check out the Neenah website for more information on CLASSIC® Linen and CLASSIC® Laid.

How do you help your customers create a polished print order? Do you help them coordinate their print pieces? We’d love to see your tips in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, Folders, Labels, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Stationery

What’s New at Navitor? New Promotional Products!

Posted on January 2, 2019 Written by
promotional products pens mugs metal color accentHave you taken a look at the 2019 Navitor catalog yet? If you haven’t, you might have missed that we have a wide variety of different promotional products joining our offering! Because so many new promotional products are joining our catalog, we wanted to take a moment to introduce you to all those new options. Take Note with NewPens Writing utensils are one of the most effective promotional products, and we are proud to bring two new pens to our offering. If your customer wants a pen that does double duty as a highlighter, the new Fusion Highlight Twist Pen features a built-in highlighter in their choice of four different colors. And if they want something really eye-catching, the Luminate Prism Stylus Pen features illuminated laser engraving and a stylus on a metallic pen for a high-tech look and feel. Raise a Glass to NewDrinkware If your customer wants to go big with their accent mugs, they have two new,larger-volume mug options that are sure to please. The Digital 15 oz. Accent Mug is printed in full color and features a colored interior and handle that can be chosen to coordinate with your customer’s design. The 16 oz. Black Accent Flare Mug is a stylishly shaped black mug with your customer’s choice of five interior colors and printed with a striking single-color design. Is your customer looking for a good way to keep things cool?We’re delivering that, too. The Digital 16 oz. Acrylic Tumbler with Straw pairs a lidded tumbler style that is perfect for picnics and other outdoor events with full color print! And for health-conscious customers, the 20 oz. Aluminum Sports Bottle and 26 oz. Groove Grip Plastic Water Bottle are new water bottle styles that their employees or clients will love. And we have new drinkware accessories, too! For those water bottles, we now have water bottle bags that make them portable and will keep their contents cool. We’re also adding the Slim Fit Pocket Can Cooler to our selection of can coolers, and it is ready-made for the slimmer cans that have recently become popular. Promote with NewOptions Alongside these popular promotional options, we’re bringing you a selection of brand new options for 2019. The Luminate Flashlight Key Fob is a miniature flashlight personalized with illuminated laser engraving. Business Card Sized Mint Dispensers feature sugar free peppermints in a convenient dispenser shaped like a credit card. Lip balm in a variety of flavors is also joining our offering—and it’s made in the USA.If you want to know more or are looking to place an order, take a look at the Promotional Products section of the 2019 Navitor Catalog. And we’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.Which of these new promotional products is your favorite?
Filed Under: Education, News, Promotional Products
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