Food gifts are commonly associated with the holiday season, beginning around Thanksgiving when we gather together to enjoy wonderful feasts and continuing through the New Year when we make the annual resolution not to spoil ourselves any longer.

Why are food gifts natural choices during this season? First, we allow ourselves to enjoy special treats we normally do not receive any other time of year. It is almost as if we have permission to indulge ourselves because it is a gift. Second, food is fun. In the spirit of spreading good cheer to others, a tower of treats or a canister of goodies can be shared with others in an office or at home. This allows recipients to not only feel great about receiving the gift but equally as good about sharing and giving.

If we feel so good about receiving, eating and sharing food during this traditionally short period of time, why isn’t it thought of all year-round? Why do we only think of sending food during this “grace period” when it is okay to eat something out of the ordinary because it is a gift? Is it the out-of-sight, out-of-mind theory?

Food gifts are a delight—no matter when they are received. They are special treats and can be shared with others, making the gifts become experiences rather than just products. For instance, sending a tin of cookies or a box of chocolates at a time other than the holiday season makes your thoughtfulness and appreciation stand out even more. Everyone loves to receive unexpected gifts. And, just like at holiday time, a food gift gives us permission to enjoy without guilt.

Come see our wide variety of custom food gifts at www.GallantGifts.com

This article is By Lauren Fox for PPB magazine

Even for a public besotted with sexy action/adventure flicks, this one looked like a must-see. For three months, moviegoers who grabbed seats in time for the previews sat wide-eyed over the karate-fueled antics of a sinuous brunette named Scarlet who, they were promised, would star in a new TV series bearing her name. Meanwhile, billboards in Los Angeles and Dubai; ads in People and Rolling Stone; and online banners on Gawker and E! all hinted at a blockbuster flick also starring Scarlet, the smoldering femme fatale with the low décolleté and a mysterious red glint in her eye.

Too bad it was all a hoax.

Oh sure, Scarlet herself was real enough. She’s  Norwegian actress Natassie Malthe. But on April 28, when the show’s launch was to be announced at a red carpet Hollywood premiere, it was revealed that Scarlet, the show, was actually a new LCD TV line from LG Electronics Worldwide. Which made Scarlet, the female action hero, little more than the face of a gutsy viral campaign via Agency.com.

By rights, that red eyeball should have tipped everybody off. The ruby glimmer and the Scarlet name itself were both selected because of the TV casing’s signature reddish hue. According to Agency.com CEO Chan Suh, the deception was a calculated risk. After all, LG went to considerable lengths to make a very fake show look very real, including hiring Sopranos director David Nutter.

However, as Suh explained via e-mail, “LG felt that if [it were all] done correctly, the target consumer would benefit and appreciate the twist, associating the entertainment campaign with a positive drive to purchase.”

Has it? LG said it’s too early to see if its global hoax has translated into TV sales but, by most indications, at least they know consumers took the joke pretty well. Said one online review site: “Kudos to LG for this decade’s best pr stunt in the consumer electronics industry.”

Courtesy of Steve Miller, brandweek.com

Customized Apparel Makes an Impact

When your buyer can’t decide between a candy bar and a t-shirt, offer both. LG Electronics used t-shirts wrapped like chocolate bars as part of a successful consumer tradeshow marketing campaign for its Chocolate phone.

Wearability is the key to this design overhaul. “T-shirts reach a primary marketing audience when given to a customer, but they reach a much broader secondary audience if the recipient is willing to add the shirt to their collection and wear it proudly,” he says.

Dressing Up On The Job
Despite the popularity of t-shirts, business attire fashion is leaning once again toward a more refined look. Buyers are looking for items reflecting a return to dressier offices.

As business attire becomes more refined, separate men’s and women’s collections ensure a proper fit and complementary cuts. Coordinating products in the FeatherLite collection from Sierra Pacific Apparel Group include men’s and women’s pique shirts.

Although promotional products buyers often ask for the latest and greatest items, promotional consultants need to find out how the products will be used to enhance the company’s image.

“If a product is innovative and different, has impact and adds value, it doesn’t really matter what it is,” says Brad White of Addventure

“To determine which product works best, choose one that aligns appropriately with your client’s message, products and services. Then, true differentiation can be achieved,” he says.

It’s not about the item, per se, but about the impact it has. What works for one company may not work for another because of differing promotion designs.

“Many products can be cool and different, but they must leave a strong impression and get recipients to take the desired action,” White says.