How to create a great piece of promotional merchandise?

The ideal precondition is close and transparent cooperation with professional partners in the form of the supplier, the dealer and the client. Initially the cooperation partners exchange all the relevant information on the target group to be addressed and the intended use of the article. As always, communication and information are the be-all and end-all here, and form the basis for successful cooperation. On the other hand limitations can be imposed by the budget or CI guidelines. Depending on the client's ideas the brainstorming can be a very complex process. You have found the perfect gift when it is of value - both to the giver and the recipient. One of our long-term partners has expressed this very precisely: "You need to combine aesthetics with function and with brand, have the article produced from good materials by people who understand their craft and like to practice it, and have partners who speak the same language".

It is crucial to determine the real needs of the client, and  to take a close look at the recipients of the promotional article. In their basic form, promotional articles are "merely" simple products that are interchangeable. Their USP is derived from creativity and adaptation to the advertising brand.  On the one hand, the promotional article should convey the desired advertising message as precisely and convincingly as possible. This message alone must be absolutely clear and specific. The second step is to consider what the target group attaches particular importance to. This is the only way to make sure that the article can convey the message and will actually be used, enabling it to develop its advertising effect in the long term. At the end an allround concept emerges from all these aspects. When it comes to product selection, attention to detail is also important, in order to ensure that the material, features and quality all meet expectations. Even the most attractive promotional article is of no use if it disappoints in daily use.

A good promotional article requires a lot of time, planning, investment, lead time and testing. After the needs have been determined in cooperation with the client, product ideas are developed and the first sketches are sent to the suppliers, who in turn develop the initial prototypes. After numerous further tests confirm that everything is as it should be, the prototype is approved and the design is usually registered for copyright protection. Then another few months quickly pass before series production can be completed and the goods can be delivered to the supplier, usually by sea container. A second method, on the other hand, can be to observe existing trends and implement them in the design created for the client. In this case, individualisation is not only possible by applying the logo, but also by possibly further improving the existing product. This, too, is also done in consultation with the client and the supplier. Both approaches require close attention to detail and a great deal of creativity.