The Icebox Blog

What's The Icebox?

2011-07-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Featured Artist: Jacky Wasserman

2011-06-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

In 2008, Jacky Wasserman was awarded the grand prize for her ladies' tee design entry in the OBEY and Metropark's "Power to the People" art contest. Following the contest, Jacky's design was sold in Metropark stores nationwide.

Icebox Sales Jump To #4 Spot

2011-06-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Icebox moves up a spot to become the Top 4 Promotional Product Firm in Atlanta.

Do you have a branded apparel or promotional item need?
Contact The Icebox today to find out how we can amplify your brand.

Ice Box Baby Video

2011-05-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Ice Box Baby Video featuring co-owner Scott Alterman and his Icebox crew.

Golf Tournament Planning Guide

2011-05-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Golf Tournament Planning Guide is designed to help someone new to golf event planning set up an event easily, or for experienced tournament organizers looking for better tools and partners.

These tips are based on years working in the sponsorship and golf tournament business, expertise in corporate branding, intimate knowledge of promotional products as well as continued consultation and feedback with our clients.

You'll find this to be one of the most comprehensive training aids available for event teams and tournament planners, and just another example of how The Icebox continues to be a resource for your organization.

Go to The Icebox website and fill in the information to receive your FREE copy now!!!

Research Shows That Recognition Can Boost Revenue and Profits

2011-05-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

In today’s economic environment, employees are often stressed out because they’re doing the jobs of several laid-off coworkers – or they’re worrying about their own futures. One way to relieve the stress is with an appropriate – and affordable – recognition and rewards program. A new white paper released by the Recognition Council of the Incentive Marketing Association shows companies using recognition and incentive programs are often rewarded with improved revenue, higher profits, or even survival, when competitors are closing their doors.

“The Time for Recognition and Rewards Programs Is Now” examines current research and demonstrates why employers should keep programs that recognize workers despite temptations to eliminate such programs as a way to reduce strained budgets. “Today’s buyouts, bailouts and bankruptcies have undermined the workforce stability already shaken by changing demographics, making employee engagement a critical factor not only for success, but also for a company’s very survival,” says Karen Renk, executive director of the Incentive Marketing Association.

According to Renk, the paper provides evidence that:
• Companies with recognition and reward programs outperform their competition;
• Recognition and reward programs are compatible with Return on Investment (ROI);
• Customer satisfaction, employee loyalty and profitability are all tied to recognition.

The white paper concludes that today’s economic realities are churning the business environment and talent pool in ways heretofore unanticipated and that “recognized employees become the engaged employees who are measurably more productive.”

For information on awards and incentives for your employees, call The Icebox at 404-522-COOL or visit www.iceboxonline.com

Benefits of Company Uniforms

2011-05-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Benefits to the Company:

• Walking billboards for your brand – increases brand awareness.
• Unique and distinct as no one from the general public will have the same outfit as them.
• Your staff will be on time! No more wasted time trying to select an outfit in the morning.

Benefits to the Employee:

• Employees feel a sense of unity. Why do you think sporting teams, the army and schools all have uniforms?
• Uniforms have a positive impact on people's behavior - more professional and conscious of their actions.
• Uniforms promote equality, commitment and loyalty.
• Cost savings through company provided, subsidized or wholesale purchase programs.

Benefits to Customers:

• Uniforms help customers know who to approach for help.
• Increases the perception of value in a company.

Featured Artist: Jason Kochis

2011-05-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

Some people go home and watch TV, but not our artists... They go home and let the creative juices flow, perfecting their craft and creating awe inspiring works. Check out a collection of published materials by Icebox artist Jason Kochis.

Great New Characters
Creating an individual character – that is precisly what the designers represented in this book have achieved. The works included comprise a wide range of categories. It contains peoples and animals but also awe-inspiring fantasy creatures, represented as cartoon characters or caricatures. Whether good or evil, whether colored of black-and-white, beautiful or ugly – the page’s size is the only limit!

Los Logos 4
At over 500 pages, Los Logos 4 is the largest volume to date, showcasing a collection of contemporary logo design by bourgeoning design talent and once again offering an essential resource for all designers. This state-of-the-art visual encyclopedia provides a quality selection of over 5,000 examples of stylistic approaches by designers from around the globe.

T-Shirt Design
The T-Shirt – everybody knows it, everybody owns it. It’s as well a piece of clothing as it is a billboard for music, films, brands – or for the person who wears it itself. It transfers messages and expresses opinions. “T-Shirt Design” is a 670 page collaborative effort produced by SpreadShirt and Zeixs, and guess who’s featured...

Tres Logos
Tres Logos is a state-of-the-art visual encyclopedia of the current evolution of logo design that investigates recent developments such as the influence of illustration and street art. Featuring more than 4,400 examples, the book explores the exceptional visual language of logos and the stylistic approaches to their creation by designers from around the globe.

Tradeshow Giveaways 101

2011-03-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Time to bring on the banners, assemble the booths and start garnering mindshare—it’s tradeshow season. As companies seek to woo attendees and make their booths the must-see attraction, promotional items play a key role. When they’re creative and eye-catching, they can be a magnet-like force in drawing an audience to a booth, as well as an integral part of improving brand recall and perception. According to the Promotional Products Association International, 52% of recipients do business with a company after receiving its promotional item. Another study found that promotional products work hardest in the kitchen and at the office, among other findings.

Here are a few tips to help companies make their tradeshow giveaways—and, by extension, their brand—exciting and memorable.

Stay true to company identity Let creativity reign while selecting items that reflect your company spirit. Be wary of cheap gimmicks—you don’t want recipients to associate a broken item with your brand. (And how you package those items can have a real impact on perception.)

Know your demographic It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on promotional items if they’re not directed to the right audience. As you plan tradeshow purchases, consider the venue and the profile of attendees—including age, profession and likely interests.

Keep the excitement going Use pre-show mailers to generate excitement about your promotional items. Also, consider using your promotional items at the show as part of a larger contest to maximize your audience’s interaction with your brand.

Choose items with staying power Giving a calendar, especially at a tradeshow early in the year, gives your brand 12 months of visibility. Magnets and magnetic picture frames are other popular items that recipients tend to use and see all year long.

Go for utility Be memorable by being useful. Branded sports bottles, eco-friendly grocery totes and journals (someone always forgets a notebook!) are popular, utilitarian gifts.

Keep recipients healthy Everyone is shaking hands and interacting in close quarters at tradeshows. In flu season, especially, as germs increasingly join the workforce, popular promotional items include branded hand sanitizers, lip balm, aspirin, band-aids and other first-aid products.

Cater to travelers Ceramic or other delicate items may get broken in transit. If your audience has flown in for the show, avoid bulky/oversized items and other products that may not make it onto the plane.

Give top guests some TLC Express appreciation to top clients and partners whom you’ve specially invited to the booth. Consider ordering a small quantity of higher-end items and reserving them for these visitors. Personalizing high-end pens, portfolios and flash drives for these recipients is a nice touch.

Consider the quantity When possible, it can be better to err on the side of over-ordering, especially when leftover items can be used at future shows, and since ordering in bulk will get you a better deal.

Want more info?
Download our FREE tradeshow tips presentation at http://www.iceboxonline.com/tradeshow-tips/

Need signage for your tradeshow booth? The Icebox has a new division specializing in large format printing and event displays. Call for 404-522-COOL more information.

Color Terms - How The Icebox Can Help!

2011-03-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Do You Know a Tint From a Tone?

Pure color is vibrant, with many increments around the color wheel from reds to greens, blues to yellows. All these hues change in expression, however, when they're mixed with white, black or a combination of both a variation is created. Our role as a decorator is to determine the right color to express a brand, define a message or motivate your audience. Understanding the difference between tint, shade and tone will help you succeed.

Tints, also known as pastels, are achieved simply by adding white to a color. Soft, soothing and feminine, tints work well for female audiences or campaigns that convey renewal, freshness or calm. Tints become sophisticated when placed next to neutral colors like navy, gray or brown.

An opposite approach is to mix color with black, which creates a shade. When black is added to a hue, the color becomes deeper and darker. The feeling can be serious, conservative or traditional. Oftentimes, shades like burgundy or forest green are chosen for corporate logos. Male audiences also respond positively to shades because they have a masculine aesthetic.

A tone falls in between. Created by adding both black and white to a hue, the result is a muted, "grayish" version of the original color. Tones can deliver a modern, sophisticated edge to a garment or imprint.

Don’t worry if you didn’t absorb all this information, that’s what our expert creative team is here for!!! We can give you expert design guidance or create your look from scratch.

Call us at 404-522-COOL to get started.

Icebox Employee Highlighted by Georgia State Magazine

2011-03-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

When Director of Marketing, Adrian Sasine isn’t in the office you can probably find him up a tree. No, we haven’t driven him nuts’ (yet), he’s a recreational tree climbing facilitator that teach groups how to climb. Check out Georgia State’s video and you’ll see what we mean.

Available at: http://www.gsu.edu/magazine/2011spring/index.html

The Advantage of Art – Why Graphic Services Matter

2011-03-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

Artwork is at the center of the branded apparel and promotional product universe. Customers’ logos, designs and brand are their calling card – their most valuable asset. When they convey an idea and ultimately place an order, they depend on our creative services as their brand steward.

When artwork mistakes happen or inconsistent design services are delivered – it impacts their business. That’s how The Icebox has differentiated itself in the marketplace! Through our consultative approach to meeting customers’ needs, our sales executives and creative services team apply the highest standards of excellence and customer service to ensure a consistent experience.

5 Reasons Why Customers Should Take Advantage of Our Creative Services:

1. Experience, Experience, Experience!
Branding is much more than simply applying a logo on to a promotional item or apparel. There are unique and creative ways to enhance the graphics and brand presentation cost effectively. These processes add perceived value and flair to the items. A high impact design can add to a clients’ retail sales, fundraising or brand awareness.

2. A Consistent Customer Experience.
When you consistently deliver high quality branded products on time and to consistently excellent standards, you build a trust-based relationship. Don’t listen to us; listen to our retail clients that trust us to help grow their business.

3. Core Differentiator from Competitors.
Our Creative Services team is the cornerstone of our agency-style approach. It’s what sets us apart from the competition. While others rely on you for graphics, we can create, design, recommend, or assist during any phase of the process. Our industry knowledge working with thousands of customers is unmatched.

4. Risk Reduction.
A focused artwork process eliminates the margin for error. We ensure the highest quality outcomes through our rigorous design and review steps. Using an in-house art team and preferred decoration vendors ensures a consistent outcome.

5. Speed to Market.
Every step is tracked and accounted for which makes the entire artwork design and approval process easier and faster. Archiving old designs and maintaining a design inspiration database also accelerates products to market.

When consistency ensures comfort and experience provides value, why would you ever choose a company that lacks Creative Services when you can choose The Icebox?

The Icebox Owners Scott Alterman and Jordy Gamson were recently featured on 40 Year Old Business Virgin.

2011-02-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

On Friday, February 11, 2011 Scott and Jordy were interviewed by Ted Jenkin and Kile Lewis; CEOs of oXYGen Financial on Atlanta Business Radio.

This in-depth interview talks about how The Icebox got its start, where the name came from, how the company has continued to grow and what Scott and Jordy consider the keys to continued success.

Listen to the Full Interview:

The Icebox Celebrates Its 10 Year Anniversary

2011-02-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

We are excited to celebrate our 10th year of continued success at The Icebox. It has been a pleasure to work with the thousands of companies, organizations, charities and non-profits using branded apparel and promotional products to amplify their message.

Our goal has always been, and will remain, to deliver the most innovative ideas and the ultimate in customer service through our unique, consultative agency-style approach. Thanks to you our loyal customers and employees, The Icebox has become a recognized brand and is well positioned to continue to best serve your needs.

Thanks again for 10 wonderful years.

Sincerely,

Scott Alterman, Jordy Gamson & the entire Icebox team

Promotional Items Influence The Buyers Decision

2011-01-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

How, when and why a customer buys a particular product is a complex subject. One there has been many studies on and something that when understood could hold the key to running a successful business. This subject, also known as customer behavior, has many different factors that contribute to the decision of a sale; there are also many different processes in the buying cycle with the ending result ending in a sale.

At the start of the buying cycle is the first step, the information search. When the customer knows they need a product and they search for information relating to that need. It is at this stage it is important to make your company visible to the audience and it is analysis at this stage that needs to be developed to run an effective marketing strategy.

It is important to make your company memorable, so it is not lost in the crowd. One useful and effective way to do this is with the use of promotional items. These are small giveaway type items that are given away to the target audience to be used as a constant reminder to them of your company. The promotional item industry is the third biggest advertising industry and you don't have to go far to see some in action; a branded pen on your desk perhaps, or a promotional mug in your cupboard.

Promotional items are printed with a company's name and logo. This means every time the item is used, the logo will be seen contributing to brand building. Promotional items are so effective as they are not as invasive as a sales call, instead useful items are usually given away to the target audience and everybody loves a giveaway.

When it comes to customers evaluating which company to choose when making a purchasing decision, the familiarity of a brand will be a deciding factor. Promotional items contribute to this as they help the customer remember the company that gave the products to them. It is natural to prefer the familiar to the unfamiliar, so all the efforts for brand building do not go to waste. Promotional items act as a constant reminder of the company; every time the items are used the company's logo will be in full view.

One of the most successful companies in the world, Coca cola, has long used promotional products for the use of brand building, this perhaps is one of the most frequently seen companies in the world, in an country on any journey or in any café it is hard to not be exposed to the familiar coca cola brand. Whilst we can not all be as big a coca cola we can learn from their branding strategy.

Promotional items when used effectively are one of the most cost effective sources of advertising; relatively inexpensive products are given away and act as a constant reminder of the company every time they are used. When it comes to a purchasing decision of a potential client, familiarity plays an important role; promotional items help contribute to this and are successful in brand building.

Retrieved from: (ArticlesBase SC #2745982)

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/branding-articles/promotional-items-influence-the-buyers-decision-2745982.html#ixzz0t7FggPAR

Recent Studies Indicate That Using Promotional Products Has Far Reaching Effect Than Other Marketing Strategies

2011-01-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

Competition is soaring day by day and making it almost impossible for small and medium sized businesses to survive cut throat competition. Not all companies have a huge budget to combat the competition through the use of expensive advertising strategies. Every business today needs a highly cost effective promotional strategy that fits their budget. What is vital here is finding promotional strategies that are not only cheap but also effective. One of the best ways of dealing with marketing and promotional needs is through the use of promotional items and promotional gifts. Promotional products have always been the most effective means of reaching out to one’s customer base.

Recent studies show that promotional items have far reaching effect than many other promotional strategies that cost business owners a fortune. There are number of reasons why promotional items are highly effective. If they are used to reach out to existing customers, promotional products make clients feel special hence boosts brand loyalty. Secondly, if they are used to reach out to new customers, it improves conversion rates because everyone likes freebies and especially if the freebie is going to be of something useful and of good quality. It is certain to improve the sales rate and brand familiarity.

ASI Study: Promotional Products Beat Prime-Time TV

2010-12-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Ad specialties are less expensive per impression than most other media

TREVOSE, PA – November 8, 2010– The Advertising Specialty Institute today released a landmark study that proves advertising specialties beat out prime-time TV, radio and print advertising as the most cost-effective advertising medium available.

The most significant findings of the 2010 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study show advertising specialties are less expensive per impression than most other media* and are very affordable and effective when compared to other forms of media.

To complete its research, ASI conducted a total of 3,332 online and in-person surveys, including interviews with businesspeople in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, London, Sydney, Toronto and Montreal metro areas.

The 2.0 study, a follow-up to the definitive 2008 survey, includes new demographic information on politics, ethnicity, gender and age, since knowing the likely recipient of products is paramount for an advertiser. This year, the comprehensive report also adds global markets and includes more products, such as automotive accessories and food.

The study was released at the fourth annual ASI Power Summit in Aventura, Florida. Among key findings, results show:

• Cost per Impression. In the U.S., the cost per impression of a promotional product stayed virtually the same from 2008 to 2010, at .005 cents.

• Product Usage. Bags have the highest number of impressions in a month, over 1,000, and over one-third (36%) of those with incomes under $50,000 own bags.

• Gender Preferences. Males are more likely than females to own shirts and caps, while females are more likely to have bags, writing instruments, calendars and health and safety products.

• Ethnic Preferences. African Americans have more promotional products on average (11.3) than any other group.

• Positive Reinforcement. 75% of independent voters prefer consumer-branded products; nearly 1.5 times more than Democrats or Republicans.

• Identifying the Advertiser. 83 % in the U.S. say they can identify the advertiser on a promotional item they own.

• Influencing User Opinions. 41% of U.S. respondents say their opinion of the advertiser is more favorable after receiving a promotional product.

• Global Reach. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents from Great Britain have received and kept a pen in the last 12 months. In the U.S., writing instruments are used the most often, an average of 18.2 times per month.

• Popular Products. The most commonly owned promotional products among U.S. respondents are writing instruments (46%), followed by shirts (38%) and calendars (24%).

• Promo Product Capital. Los Angeles has the highest average number of items owned, at 12.7.

ASI’s research studies are the most influential in the industry’s history, continuously cited throughout the B-to-B industry and across the advertising and marketing spectrum.

“Our 2010 study once again proves the undeniable power of promotional products,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “Distributors and suppliers should use these results to educate their customers, prospects and end-buyers about ways ad specialties can increase sales and brand exposure. Even smaller companies can deliver the kind of high-impact punch enjoyed by multi-million-dollar companies.

“It’s important to note that the pass-along rate has actually increased 11 points from just two years ago – which speaks directly to the global recycling trend. Not only do ad specialties make impressions on everyone who sees them, but messaging is reinforced every time the item is used. No other form of media can allow the advertiser to so closely tie a benefit to the recipient.”

At $0.005, the average cost-per-impression (CPI) of an advertising specialty item is less than nearly any other media. According to data obtained by ASI* the CPI for a national magazine ad is $0.045; for a newspaper ad, $0.029; for a prime-time TV ad, $0.018; for a cable prime-time TV ad, $0.005; for a syndicated daytime TV ad, $0.005; and for a spot radio ad, $0.058.

These statistics show marketers get a more favorable return on investment from advertising specialties than almost any other popular media, with a very low cost per impression, high recall among those who receive ad specialty items, and increased intent among recipients to make purchases from the advertiser.

There´s also been a study on the major goals of business gifts, examined by the British University of Lincoln.

Their results show that the target of promotional gifts are for the brithis market:

Advertising / promotion of the company (26%), building goodwill (16%) and create loyalty (13%) were the main targets. But also as to thank a relationship (11%), retain current customers (9%) and for new clients (7%) scored high.

The recipients of gifts are in most cases; existing customers (34%), potential customers (19%) and staff (19%).

For more information, contact Larry Basinait, executive director of research services for ASI, at (800) 546-1416 and lbasinait@asicentral.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where to use Promotional Products

2010-12-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

Promotional items are items which are branded with your company’s name and logo. These items are used as giveaways as part of an overall branding or marketing campaign. There are many different ways to use promotional items which can make them more effective. Below are listed the top 10 ways for inspiration in your next promotional products campaign.

1) Mailers. Include promotional items to your next mailing campaign, this will not only increase the chance the mailers will be opened but also means they are more likely to be read.

2) Events and Tradeshows. Promotional items are used as giveaways at events, conferences or tradeshows and act as a constant reminder to the passing customer of your company. The recipient will be given a long lasting reminder of the brand that will be in full view every time the item is used after the event.

3) Part of the community. You can use your items in activities in the local community for local promotion of your company. Providing plastic bottles at fun runs, additional sponsorship or using small giveaway type items in community events can really spread the word about your company to the surrounding area. This is particularly effective if your market exists in the local community.

4) Thank you. A small token of appreciation can work wonders at building and solidifying existing relationships. Whether this is with existing staff, clients or important suppliers, there is never a better time to say “thanks” for their involvement in your business.

5) Sales incentives. Reward high value purchases with the addition of a free gift. This will encourage people to spend more as they feel they are getting more value for money. You in turn get an advertising gift right where it is needed.

6) Lasting Reminder. Give your sales people promotional items for use in their sale meetings. Just the gift of a branded pen or personalized mints can leave a lasting impression to the potential client. It may be this touch that makes you stand out from the crowd, clinching that ever important sales deal.

7) Staff motivation. Reward staff productivity with small gifts, this will give them an added incentive to increase their work, which at the end of the day will increase your bottom line.

8)Product Promotion. Perhaps you have a product range you want to push, or you have a bulk order of a certain kind of product. You can use the giveaway of promotional products here as an added incentive to purchase these selected products.

9) Competition. People love the thrill of a competition. You can use your selected promotional items as prices in a local or national competition. It does not need to be you that is the host of the competition, you may be able to donate promotional products to other people for use in a competition.

10) Have fun. Last but not least remember the most effective campaigns are those that generate a reaction in the audience. Do not forget to have fun with your items. Perhaps choose some quirky items that can be personalized completely, this will be sure to get the biggest reaction from your audience.

Inman Park Festival BBQ at The Icebox

2010-03-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

(click to enlarge)

The Icebox would love for you and yours to join us for an afternoon of food and fun to kick off the biggest festival of the year at our office located in Inman Park. While you’re here enjoy fresh smoked BBQ, cold beverages, cool prizes, Atlanta’s best showroom of promotional products and branded apparel and walking distance to the Inman Park Festival.

Hope to see you then!

Atlanta ADDYs 2010 - GA Aquarium

2010-02-10T05:35:00.001-08:00

The Icebox was proud to support the ADDYs again this year! If you're not familiar with the ADDYs, it's an award ceremony that represents the best creative thinking from the Southeast's advertising industry. Winners will advance to the national ADDY Awards.

Last year we supported the ADDYs by providing t-shirts to all participants. This year was a little different to say the least... we provided the centerpieces! Centerpieces aren't exactly our specialty, unless they're promotional products of course, so we were presented with a challenge... We asked ourselves, how can we create a really cool centerpiece and incorporate what we do in it? We thought of trinkets and other promotional items we could throw into a vase... no. We thought of aquarium-themed promotional products... no.

And then, when we thought all was lost, someone shouted what about making something out of t-shirts? We loved the idea, but what in the world could we make out of t-shirts that could serve as centerpieces among all the creative geniuses in Atlanta in the fancy Oceans Ballroom at the Georgia Aquarium? Hmmmmm..... then finally a thought emerged, what if we made something similar to a diaper cake (like the ones you see at baby showers)? Ok, now we're getting somewhere. But, how could we relate that to the aquarium? Thanks to our super-talented Art Director, Regina, she suggested we create a coral fixture and arrange the colorful t-shirts on the coral to look like they are sponges and flowers. BRILLIANT! But how in the world are we going to do that? That's when we were introduced to paper mache... the pics below tell the rest of the story.

All in all, the ADDYs were a great event, lots of awards were given, and not a single t-shirt was left (which is definitely a good thing).

Drilling the "coral" onto the bases

Painting the "coral"

The ADDYs tees we produced (they were so soft and so bright!)

We love our tees!

Assembling the centerpiece

Taking a break to admire the ray

Finishing up... look at those bright centerpieces

Even the whale shark swam over for a peek

Check out our tees on Extreme Makeover this Sunday

2010-01-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Make sure to watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition this Sunday night at 8pm EST. Jewel and Ty Murray (you may remember him from Dancing with the Stars) help the team rebuild a home for a mother battling stage-four cancer.

American Cancer Society has been a long-time customer of The Icebox, and we were happy to support the cause by producing the Relay For Life t-shirts that you will see on this Sunday's episode... just don't blink or you might miss them!

Spheniscidaeaphobia?

2009-11-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

You're probably wondering what Spheniscidaeaphobia is and if you aren't wondering then you probably have it. This topic stems from the start of the 2009/2010 Thrashers & Hawks seasons. These seasons keep our mascot, Ping, fiercely busy shooting t-shirts with Thrash & Harry and dancing with crowds at Philips Arena.

If you haven't met our fearless penguin leader, Ping, then shame on you... you need to get out more!

These events intrigue me because the reactions to our loveable Ping are night and day. The 1st surprise I encountered was how much grown men and women LOVE Ping, I mean, I would expect small children to eat him up but the adults pleasantly surprised me. Which leads to my 2nd revelation, how some children are absolutely terrified of the plush bird. We had to set some mascot rules after some children screamed with terror when Ping approached them. Now, Ping must stand and only wave or attempt to give high five, but never, ever try to approach a child. The 3rd discovery was how much some adults choose to spend their time at an event, not to drink, eat and be merry, but instead to poke (sometimes literally) fun at a mascot.

We realize that not everyone can embrace our Ping as this child in the picture did, but we hope that you don't have Spheniscidaeaphobia and avoid his company altogether. Just remember, the rules, he must be approached and you can always avoid eye contact to prevent interaction. Otherwise, expect to get a high five and maybe even a photo.

P.S. In case you're still wondering what Spheniscidaeaphobia is, it's the fear of penguins... don't worry, ours won't bite.

And the Winner Is...

2009-10-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

During its October 14th Block Party, The Icebox raffled off a Flip Video Camcorder. See who the lucky winner is by viewing the following FLIP clip.

Hit a Hole-in-One for your Promotional Products Campaign

2009-03-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

March is one of the best times to launch your spring promotional products campaigns. This time of year offers a wonderful opportunity to drive home your marketing message and score big with promotional products. Simply partner with a charity golf tournament and you’ll swing your campaign into high gear. It’s a savvy marketing strategy and, more importantly, it’s a wonderful way to give back to the community.

There’s no better way to be seen by lots of folks than on the green. Just think about it. Charity golf tournaments are often seen as fundraising gold. They bring in dollars and participants from all over. What a perfect opportunity to show off your brand, your message, your logo.

Your company can offer to provide the apparel, the golf balls, or the tees. You can help enhance the event with gift bags for donors that are filled with logo items that are both practical and fun. If cocktails, breakfasts, or maybe even silent auctions are part of the event, you have scores of opportunities to project your logo. Even if your budget is tight, there are plenty of products that will make an impact – and the payoff in the long term is huge!

If you’ve already lined up some spring outings and tournaments, you can drive your campaign even further with logo promotional products. If you haven’t planned anything yet, there’s no better time than right now to get involved with a charity tournament.

If you haven’t sponsored or participated in a tournament before, give me a call. I’ll be happy to help you get started