Your mood will thank you for it.

If you’re at Mesh today, please stop by and play a game of RIGHTSLEEVE Road Hockey.

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post Do you know your strengths? appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

We get to hang out with our clients, enjoy good company, and have fun with SWAG. 

Here are shots of the exclusive SWAG 2.0 2013 Merchandise Collection featured at the event.

To see more pictures from the event, check out full the full gallery on Facebook.

The post The 2013 SWAG 2.0 Merchandise Collection appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

Made in Canada

There are many factors that play into purchasing decisions.

Here are some off the top of my head: availability, style, colour, recommendations, mood, sizing, quality, price, past experience, where it’s made, what it’s made with, and working conditions.

I’m sure you could easily tack on another dozen if you brainstormed for a minute or two.

Think about going through that list right now and ordering the factors from most important to least important to your purchase.

Now, imagine you did the exact same ordering exercise two years ago.

And, that you’ll do it again two years from now.

Chances are the list would be ordered differently each time. You’d be in different financial circumstances, surrounded by a different environment, have varying external demands on your time and your money.

Really, who hasn’t grabbed something out of a closet or drawer and muttered to themselves “What was I thinking?”

Like much of the world, we’ve been following the coverage of the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh. We’ve watched the rescue efforts,the coverage, and the subsequent response from the public.  A lot of purchasing decisions went into creating those circumstances and people are questioning those decisions right now – from corporate as well as individual levels.

Some people are calling for boycotts some are saying that boycotts aren’t the answer.

Still other people are saying that the solution lies in purchasing North American made clothing.  (And, while we’re proponents of buying North American made clothing such as American Apparel or Redwood Classics the truth of the matter is that we don’t have the production capacity in North America to handle the volume required if people switched en mass.)

All of this leaves purchasers with their heads spinning.  Understandably so.

So, what do you do?

You strike a balance.

A balance between price and labour conditions.

A balance between quality and availability.

A balance between the factors, and this is key, that are important to you.

So, think about it.

Take some time to figure out what’s important to you today and start there.

If you want to have a conversation about it, let us know on Facebook. We’d love to chat.

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I like to refer to the resultant approach as the “slap a logo on it” method. Whereby you find a product and, well, slap your logo on it.

There’s a better way.

For lack of a more succinct definition, I’ll call it the “create a cohesive merchandise collection” way.

With a tad of forethought, you can maximize the very same promo budget by creating a product line. All you need to do is gather a list of what you need (or even what you think you’ll need) for the next year or 6 months and design the items from a bird’s eye view.

By thinking in terms of a collection over individual pieces you and your swag partner can develop a  line of merchandise that will create more cohesive branding and awareness.

The mindshift from single purchases to a collection, might seem daunting, but it’s not. Let’s look at a few examples of  companies that are doing it well. (note that these examples are drawn from the web and are not projects we have specifically worked on ourselves).

Source: ibmlogogear.com

IBM used Their iconic Rebus logo to create a simple merchandise line. They used the full logo on their apparel, then broke the three parts into their own notebook series for the last piece in their collection.

Source: www.mytoyotastyle.ca

Toyota picked a variety of shirt styles and designs for their collection then used their TRD logo to identify and pull the collection together. Using the logo to unify the line allowed them to have fun with a variety of colors and textures on the garments.

Source: www.jaguar.com

To complement the introduction of a new car model, Jaguar chose items that mirrored the experience of the car itself. Instead of using the same logo design to unite the line, they chose a high-end line of products to reinforce their brand values.

Source: disneyparks.disney.go.com

Kings of merchandising, Disney Parks created a year-specific line by incorporating 2013 into a lot of its collectible products. According to the folks at Disney, dated merchandise is among the most popular souvenirs from Disney Parks.

There are myriad ways to unite a product line, but the design will be most effective if you can think about it from the outset. Involving your swag partner in the buying process across the company will also be the easiest and most-effective way to create a cohesive swag line.

Are there any corporate merchandise collections that have caught your eye lately?

Check out the best video yet in our GoodAt series.  Really, watch this one!

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post Creating an Inspired Merchandise Collection appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

If you’re not already thinking about your upcoming promotional products needs, we’re here to help get you moving.

We’ve gathered a list of items that you should be thinking about for the upcoming season.

Summer

Summer brings fun events galore.  From employee picnics and barbecues to events and sponsorships, summer is jam-packed with ways to get your logo out and about.

Keep cool in the summer heat with a custom hand fan.

Perfect for: Giveaways at outside summer events.

Breathable, moisture wicking tuberz make wearing bandannas more fun.

Perfect for: School or company picnics.

Company Sponsored Sports Teams

Its’ the time of year when we dust off our shelved gear and sign-up for our favourite spring and summer sports.  Company sponsored teams are a popular way to engage employees outside of the office.  Show your team, and company spirit, by outfitting your teams with logoed merchandise.

Keep after-game drinks chilled in an easy-to-transport cooler. This one holds 36 cans.

Perfect for: Company Baseball and Softball teams.

Be ready for those “oops” moments.

Perfect for: Tossing in a bike saddle bag or pannier.

Golf

Growing up, my dad used to say there are two seasons…winter and golf.  Do I need to say more?

This vented umbrella will help you stay dry on the links without having your umbrella ripped from your hands.

Perfect for: Executive gifts or tournaments.

Performance piece to keep you comfortable all day long.

Perfect for: Staff that has to be outside during the summer heat.

If you need more ideas for upcoming swag campaigns, drop us a line at info[at]rightsleeve.com.

And don’t forget to check out the latest installment in our video series about our ongoing quest to discover our strengths and weaknesses. It’s at rightsleeve.com/goodat.

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post 3 things you should be thinking about now appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

You don’t need to be ashamed.

Your swag just got a little boring. Really, it happens.

Fortunately, we know ways to fix it.

Order smaller quantities more often

Sure, the price break that you get from ordering *THAT* many more pieces can seem appealing…until you have several boxes of unused items because they got-stale/your-logo-changed/you-didn’t-get-the-turnout-you-were-expecting/people-are-tired-of-them.

Fortunately, combating the effects of over-ordering can be simple: don’t do it.

Keeping smaller quantities on hand will allow you to do a few things:

• Adjust logos if you have a change
• Create items that are better customized for your target audience
• Implement A/B testing to see which products or designs are most popular

Tip: Ask your swag partner how quickly you can re-order.

Revisit Your Stock Items

Have you ever thought this: “It’s (insert month here) so it’s time to re-order (insert item here).”

If you haven’t, good for you.

If you have, let’s try to break that habit.

Design, products, and trends are constantly changing and improving. If not, we’d all be writing with this:

Image source: Wikipedia, Author Jonathunder

If you’re in the habit of ordering the same thing over and over, because it’s “that time of the year,” you’re missing out on a perfect opportunity to surprise and wow.

For example, I recently stayed overnight at a Delta hotel. Naturally, I checked out the “free” pen that comes standard on the desk in the hotel room and, I admit, was expecting to see something crappy that didn’t write well. Instead I was impressed to find a nice gel pen…a product that has come a long way IMO in recent years. It writes more smoothly, feels better constructed, and is the type of pen I choose to write with at work every day.

Seeing Delta stock the rooms with a nicer pen left an impression on me. It was one more touch-point that reinforced Delta as a superior hotel chain in my mind.

Tip: See if blank stationary like post-it notes can be ordered with company branding on them.

Tweak Your Presentation

Getting an award for excelling in your job is great. Having it presented to you on primetime TV in front of millions of people, well, now that’s spectacular.

We can’t all broadcast our give-aways like the Oscar’s or the Emmy’s, but we can still put effort into how things are presented.

We know one company that includes a bag of wrapped candy in their employee onboarding kits. The new employes puts out the food for sharing, and meets a bunch of his or her new colleagues as they stop by for a chat and a treat.

You can also add branded items to complement other employer issued products. If your company assigns phones to employees, hand out a branded screen cleaner and stylus along with them. You’ve now turned one piece of technology into a mini-kit for your employees.

Tip: Add a custom page into journals with “cheat-sheets” to help new employess learn the ropes or to reinforce internal marketing objectives.

There are so many things in life, where you get out of them what you put into them.

It’s easy to continue re-ordering what’s always been ordered in the past. But, with a little creativity and thought, you can add new life into your branded merchandise by making simple adjustments and tweaks.

And, hey, don’t think you have to do it all on your own. That’s what your swag provider is for. Leverage them to help add wow factor to your items.

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Don’t forget to check out the latest instalment in our Good At video series, now up at rightsleeve.com/goodat

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post Three Ways to Keep Your Swag Fresh appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

Please watch it on rightsleeve.com or subscribe on our YouTube channel.

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post What A Video is Worth appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

I’m a notebook lover…I have several notebooks going at any one time. When these showed up at the office I fell in love. What I love most…the retail feel from the customized band.

Badge Bombs

Our custom button packs have been such a hot item that we are thrilled to announce a similar 4-pack magnet design. They’re called Badge Bombs and you’ll probably notice them at retailers in the hip section of town any day. Through us, however, you can go completely custom and make them your own. A custom RIGHTSLEEVE version is in the works!

Custom Umbrellas

I’m a native of Pittsburgh, which means two things. I will always love the Steelers and I always have at least three umbrellas within arm’s reach at all times. I must admit, though, that none of the umbrellas in my collection are nearly as beautiful as this custom piece is.

I was going to include my current favorite bag, if only I could narrow it down. So that will have be a post all on its own. Stay tuned.

The post Spring & Summer Merchandise Trends appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

People either seem to love it or hate it.

Now, I for one am a believer in chiropractic, but I usually ask my providers if they also get adjustments.

I suppose I want to know that they believe in their profession.

The same goes for most things, I suppose:

Does my doctor eat her vegetables?
Does my phone provider use their own service?

So, does RIGHTSLEEVE believe in the power of swag for our own marketing?

You bet we do.

And, I’m going to dissect our recent holiday campaign to show you how we approached it.

Define The Audience

With any giveaway, you need to think about the audience.

In our case, we wanted something:

1. That we could give to teams of people.
2. That could be easily shared among the team.
3. That could have an element of fun attached.

One of the most gifted, and most easily shared, holiday items is food, so we settled on a 2-lb chocolate bar.

Oh yeah, did I mention that you eat it after busting into pieces with a hammer? Fun.

Step one – done.

Add Design

There’s a reason that food is the top selling holiday gift category.

It’s because people love it.

Really, I’ve seen gift baskets demolished in just a few minutes.

Buuuuut, If there’s that much food being given as a gift, you have to go the extra mile to make yours stand out.

We did that by utilizing our amazing creative and design capabilities to put a funny, detailed-oriented message on the bar.

Here’s how our process worked:

• Lauchlin and Steve teamed up on the copy.
• Lauchlin hand-drew the artwork old-school style, with pen and paper, then scanned it.
• Regan re-drew the artwork digitally then made any necessary tweaks to ensure a good impression in the chocolate.

Original Scan of our copy for the chocolate bar

Step two – done.

Get it out there

Now, mailing a 2-pound chocolate bar is no small feat, so we sent out our team of RIGHTSLEEVE peeps to do in-person drop-offs of the bars.

Those of us back at the office had no problem knowing when someone was out making the rounds because our twitter feed lit up with pictures like this one from @polarmobile:

Instagram Photo from our friends at Polar Mobile

Step three – done.

The recipients loved the gift and wanted to share their excitement right back with us via social media. Our twitter stream was filled with pictures of the chocolate bars…intact and otherwise.

Now, one thing I know for sure is that RIGHTSLEEVE believes in the power of SWAG for marketing.

I’m still trying to figure out if my doctor eats those veggies though.

RIGHTSLEEVE is a promotional products agency helping companies establish emotional connections to their brands through tangible, logoed merchandise. Please say hi on Twitter or Facebook.

The post What My Chiropractor Taught Me About Swag appeared first on RIGHTSLEEVE News/Views.

Well, thanks for asking. No, really! Thanks.

A lot of people assume they know what makes a good clothing program but they miss a few key elements.

Audience

First off, think about who are you selling the clothing to.

A lot of camps tend to skip this step and go right to the clothing’s colour or price but you want to make sure you are offering a clothing and merchandise program that is geared to the right audience.

Defining your Audience

Things like the camper age, sex, and style, should all factor into what you are going to offer.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Are your campers more into skater style clothing like Billabong or Element or are they wearing more basic clothing like things found at GAP or American Eagle?
• Are you offering pieces that both sexes would want to buy?
• Do you have things for sale at various price points?

If the campers feel catered to then they will be more likely to check out what you’ve got for sale.

Design

Design plays a big role in the success of camp clothing and merchandise program.

Are the designs that were created for your camp clothing original and created just for your camp or is there a chance that you’ll see the same design on a different camp’s clothing (the latter happens more than you’d like to know!)?

Insider Tip: Make sure you are getting unique designs for only your camp and the value of your clothing will increase.

If you don’t know what style your campers are going to like, ask them. Or recruit a few staff and campers to help pick the designs.

Purchaser Buy-In

If you do the purchasing for your camp, answer the following questions. (If you don’t, get the person who does the buying to answer them.)

1. Do you like camp clothing?
2. Do you enjoy the process of picking out what items to sell each year, deciding on what designs to use, and choosing style elements like colour?

If you or your purchaser answered “no” to either of these questions, your campers can probably tell. And, um, not in a good way.

If your purchaser doesn’t like your camp clothing or dreads going through the ordering process every year then someone else should be doing the ordering.

Involve someone who has a passion for camp clothing, design, and style and let them help. Your bottom line will be the better for it.

Merchandising

Make sure your campers have a way of seeing the clothing and merchandise and they will buy more from you.

We talk to at least a few camps each year that don’t understand why their campers don’t buy their camp clothing and when we get into the conversation, it turns out that they don’t have a tuck shop at camp, the clothing isn’t on display, or they don’t show the parents what the clothing looks like in the registration materials.

Even if you don’t have a tuck shop at camp, display your clothing and merchandise somewhere on-site so the campers can see it.

Even better, get us to help you put together a flyer showing all of your camp clothing so you can send it out before camp season.

EVEN BETTER YET, let us open an on-line store for you so your campers can buy their camp clothing all year round.

Was that there last year?

If your camper clothing isn’t unique each year, you are missing a large opportunity.

Make sure you are changing things up every year to create additional demand for your gear. If you did a zip-up last year try doing a pullover this year. If you did a baseball t-shirt last year then try a long-sleeve t-shirt this year.

Offering the same thing year after year means there is no reason for return campers to have the newest pieces (because they aren’t new.)

There are a LOT of things to consider when creating a successful clothing and merchandise program for your camp (or school or business). You put a lot of thought into your marketing each year and your custom clothing should be no different.

A successful camp clothing and merchandise program means hundreds of walking endorsements for your camp in your city and beyond.

Are there any tips for successful program that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments.

CampRightsleeve is the youth-focused division of Right Sleeve Marketing Inc.  We are experts at helping camps and schools establish emotional connections to their brands through clothing & merchandise programs. Please say hi on twitter or facebook. 

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