Bankers Advertising

If you ever doubted the lasting power of promotional products, take a look at this beautiful fan that we received in the mail recently at our headquarters in Iowa City! The following letter was sent with it, detailing the trip it took to get to us. Between the letter and the text on the fan, we were able to determine that it’s over 100 years old! Statistics are only so convincing—share the story of this beautiful keepsake the next time your customers are wondering what kind of staying power their investment in promotional products is likely to have. The research from Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) tells us that 18 percent of consumers keep their promotional products for more than 11 years. This evidence shows that, with the right product and the right customer, they just might last a lifetime.

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Dear Bankers Advertising Co. 

This lovely fan was given to me many years ago by an aunt who bought it in an antiques shop on the Hudson River, just north of [New York] City. Just today, I noticed that it was printed in Iowa City, where I lived for a few years when I taught at [the University of Iowa]! I have such fond feelings for Iowa, and it occurred to me that it might be time for the fan to return home. Imagine my delight to find that Bankers Advertising is still in business and family owned. I hope that you will enjoy this bit of your history as much (or more!) than I have. I live in Washington State now, so imagine how far it has traveled.

All the best, Rebecca Platzner

…….

Client Need:

A University was looking for a fun way to promote biking and bike licenses.

Solution:

The University’s promotional consultant suggested a bike seat cover… like shower caps for your bicycle seat! They are an eye-catching, brand promoting and functional way to track biking number and needs on campus. They plan to hand them out at student orientation events throughout the summer as well as their back-to-school festival in the fall.

Client Need:

A transportation and logistics company wanted to put a focus on employee retention.

Solution:

The company’s promotional consultant suggested a useful, high-end gift with tech appeal.

The items were to feature a company hashtag (#GotMoxie). The hashtag is their internal motivator… they want employees who have “moxie”- (a.k.a. the ‘IT’ factor) and the ability to face challenges with spirit, courage and determination.

Together, they selected the most perfect welcome kit for new team members. The kit featured five best sellers and was a real hit!

• El Dorado Smart Backpack in beige/tan or black/gray
• Budsies Bluetooth Earbuds
• EnergyBar 2200mAh Power Bank in black or white
• Argonot MFI-certified Cord with Micro-USB
• Ringr Smartphone Multi-tool

Client Need:

A food processing company is always looking for fun kid’s ideas, but especially for the month of June, which is National Turkey Lover’s Month.

Solution:

Their promotional products consultant suggested a custom-made turkey mask for kids to wear. The company tied it to a social media campaign along with a hashtag where parents were encouraged to post pictures of their kids wearing the turkey masks and celebrating. The masks have been distributed at fairs, community events, and school classroom visits.

Client Need:

An industry-leading tech company needed a gift to give all employees at an annual meeting. Additionally, they were looking for a way to help employees stay focused on their company goals.

Solution:

Our promotional consultants helped the tech company select a retail-inspired Insulated Beverage Holder and Tumbler. To keep things interesting and colorful, they choose 3 colors of the tumbler to assort amongst the employees. The front of the tumbler featured the company’s brand. The back of the tumbler featured the company’s quarterly goals. This way, employees could have company goals in-hand and never out of sight.

Client Need:

A tech University was in search of a way to get prospective students interested in their school.

Solution:

Our promotional consultant helped the university come up with a unique tech product idea for a large mailing. The students were mailed virtual reality sunglasses to add to their mobile devices, then directed to a virtual reality app to take a virtual tour of the campus. The artwork included the University’s logo along with a hashtag to encourage social media sharing.

Fred Rogers was known for saying “Look for the Helpers.” That’s what Nurses Week is all about! Look for those helpers, then recognize and honor them.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Its purpose is to recognize “the mother of modern nursing” as a salute to her influence and inspiration. Developing routines to reduce Crimean War soldier mortality, Nightingale laid the foundation for professional nursing. Her actions, practices, and writings are still relevant today, and the observation and patient evaluation skills she defined remain an important part of present-day nursing basics.

The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896. Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.

Recognizing how nurses inspire, innovate, and influence healthcare is an exciting way to celebrate the achievements of the entire healthcare system. Here are some excellent ways to both promote the celebration of Nurses, recognize their hard work, and keep your brand visible throughout the week and beyond:

Full Color Mug with Four Assorted Tea Bags

Encourage nurses to give themselves a little rest and relaxation (and caffeination!) with this 15 oz. full color mug with four assorted tea bags! The stoneware mug can be customized with a full color dye sublimated imprint of your company’s name, logo or marketing slogan and you can add a ribbon for the perfect finishing touch. It comes with four assorted tea bags.

Aqua Pearls(TM) Spa Mask

Nurses need their rest so they can be on the A-Game during their long (and sometimes overnight) shifts! The spa mask can be so therapeutic and put them at-ease. It comes with elastic strap with snap fasteners to stay put. Simply microwave for warm therapy or freeze for cold therapy. Nurses will thank you every time they get some shut-eye.

Hand Sanitizer/Lip Balm Combo:

Be prepared for your hands and lips to thank you! Our newest hand sanitizer and lip balm combo shares our fantastic Iced Pear scent. With this duo, you can fight off germs and dry, damaged lips in one easy reach thanks to the 65% ethanol content in the sanitizer and broad spectrum protection in the lip balm. The silicone attachment that keeps them together is great for placing on a purse, bag, or backpack keeping your name clearly visible wherever nurses go.

HoMedics(R) Portable Sound Spa

It’s no secret that nurses often work crazy hours and are forced to get rest in wherever they can. This portable sound spa can create a peaceful sleep environment and fall asleep faster. It’s compact for on-the-go nurses. Choose between four soothing and rhythmic sounds!

Sweet Spot Lunch Cooler

It’s functional and stylish! Nurses will have a “sweet spot” for your brand when handed with this awesome gift! Keep your sweets and snacks cool; featuring a zippered main compartment and front slip pocket.

On March 29, a much-anticipated film hits the theatres: Ready Player One. Based on the 2011 nerd favorite by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One is set in the year 2044, primarily in the virtual world of the game OASIS. The premise is a typical teen adventure flick—underdog kid turns One True Hero thanks to skills that fail him in the real world, but shine under particular circumstances—but the fun of the shtick is that the main action occurs in this alternate world tangential to our own.

This movie comes at an opportune time, as virtual reality (VR) – a given, apparently, in 2044 – is just starting to explode in 2018.

The concept has been around for decades. Even before the first headset, Oculus Rift, was introduced in 2012, or the first programming language (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) was developed in 1994, the ideas took root in some of the earliest science fiction. Canadian author Laurence Manning wrote a series of short stories in 1933 called The Man Who Awoke, which include a description of a world where people can trade their natural senses for electronic impulses and program their desired “dreams.”

While we’re still just as far from those 1933 notions as we are from Ready Player One’s more ambitious concepts, VR is now firmly ensconced in our actual reality – and the marketing world is taking notice. Four years ago, the same year that Facebook purchased Oculus VR for a hefty $2 billion and Sony announced a VR headset for the PlayStation 4, Google introduced Cardboard, a holder for smartphones that creates a stereoscopic, or 3D, image when used with the appropriate app.

The low-cost design of Cardboard and the concept of pairing it with a smartphone are what really opened the world of VR up to the public, and to promotional products. Now, in 2018, there is no scarcity of similar devices ready for branding, from the self-assembled cardboard sort (Veracity Virtual Reality Headset) to collapsible versions in more durable materials (Folding Virtual Reality 3D Glasses) to a padded set with an adjustable lens and elastic head strap (Utopia Virtual Reality Headset).

No matter the price point, VR headsets are a perfect place to drive branding— and they offer a unique opportunity to pair content with product. Universities can send VR headsets to prospective students to give an immersive 3D tour of their campus. Newsmedia can add dimension to print and video content.

Luxury retailers can use VR to sell the experience that their product provides. Immersive storytelling is a unique way to explore the mission of a brand, and companies have the chance now to get in on the ground floor of this soon-to be ubiquitous new marketing trend.

Interested in showcasing your brand on a VR product? Browse here.

There’s only one of you, but together with others, you can make a difference. April is National Volunteer Month, and in 2015 (the most recent year we have data for), volunteers in the U.S. gave 7.8 billion hours of their time to various organizations across the country. If you live in Utah, you can lay claim to being first in the nation, with a whopping 43.2% of residents spending time volunteering, well above the already impressive 24.9% national average—likewise for residents of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the major metropolitan area with the top number of volunteers. Religious organizations have the most volunteers, with schools and other youth organizations a close second.

This month-long celebration of volunteers and volunteerism offers a multitude of opportunities for nonprofits and other organizations to honor the folks who support them throughout the year as well as inspire new volunteers to step in and join the effort! There’s a wide variety of options, from star awards to highlight the achievements of top volunteers to planter kits so everyone knows how much their contributions to the growth of the organization is appreciated. A t-shirt with a creative design makes a great incentive for a business promoting a group volunteer project. See some other great ideas for April below!

April 8-14 – National Library Week

This year is the 60th anniversary of this celebration in honor of libraries and librarians! Ideas include bookmarks, memo books, star stress ball, jumbo pencil.

April 17 – Tax Day

Tax day is two days later than usual this year, but it still has to be done. Ideas include: calculator, eraser, folders, mints.

April 22 – Earth Day

Founded in 1970 to raise awareness of our environment and our responsibility. Ideas: Mr. Recycle stress reliever, blossom kits, eco non-woven recycled tote.

April 25 – Administrative Professionals Day

A day to recognize secretaries, receptionists, administrative assistants, and other support staff. Ideas: photo/note holder, five-point star highlighter, hot/cold wrist rest.

April 26 – Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this initiative to show children their parent mentors. Ideas: pens, coloring book, stuffed animals.

Our very own Brian Johnson sat down to review his top promo picks for 2018. Here are some unique new ways to promote your brand this year!

Urban Peaks® Waterproof Coolers

48 Can; 24 Can; 12 Can

These new coolers come in three convenient sizes. With our new TruColor imprint, we can now include personalization for only $1.00, and they are great items for corporate gifts or special occasions.

Journey to the Moon Calendar

This calendar features great pictures highlighting the 50^th Anniversary of the Moon landing.

Daily History Calendar

This gives historical facts for every day of the year. It’s similar in concept to the National Day calendar we all enjoyed last year.

Security Webcam Cover

This product covers the webcam on your computer, but also slides open so the webcam can be used when needed. Cyber security is becoming more important every day, it’s a great value coming in at less than $1.00.

Lip Sips Beverage flavor inspired flavors

I use lip balm every day, so I look forward to trying all the beverage inspired flavors. Lip balm makes a great add-on sale; every office should have a basket on the lobby desk with lip balm.

Junior Utility Tote

The Junior is a smaller and less expensive version of the Ultimate Utility Tote. It’s great for Farmer’s Markets or conferences.

Wind Chimes

I thought these were a very nice item—three sizes, great price points, and the quality seemed really good. It would be a dandy item for seed companies, landscape firms, hospital gift shops, funeral homes or anyone wanting to get their name hung around the home.