Our annual iPad giveaway contest has become an exciting tradition here at PrintGlobe. It’s a fun way to give back to our customers, and entering is a cinch. During the month of December, customers earned entries into the contest for every $200 spent at PrintGlobe.com. This year’s iPad winner, Eric Dunning, earned himself one entry with his custom ornament purchase, and walked away the winner of a brand new iPad!

“Thank you so much for the iPad. The attached picture is of my fiancé and myself. She loves photography and sunsets, hence the scene. In September she mentioned wanting a tablet to edit pictures on and in January I got a phone call from you saying I had won an iPad. So I put my selfishness aside and gave it to her. PrintGlobe through your gift you blessed us both.

Oh yeah, the ornaments I ordered were awesome too. They were for a fundraiser and got a great response. Thank you to Matt at PrintGlobe who was very helpful.

Thanks again,

Eric”

We take pride in the custom orders we craft for customers such as Eric, and it’s an honor to be able to give back through contests such as this. From all of us here at PrintGlobe, congratulations Eric! We hope that your fiancé is loving her new gift!

When Amanda Corbett Jacobs of The Colonie, a creative post-production editorial house specializing in television commercials, needed an item for the firm’s holiday gifts for their clients, she knew just where to turn. We here at PrintGlobe have had the honor of crafting a number of promotional items for The Colonie over the years, including the power banks Jacobs chose for this year’s client gifts.

Our Cylinder Portable Battery Chargers are not only convenient on the go, they are also a great way to add juice to your marketing program. Offering constant exposure, personalized chargers are perfect for almost every industry, serving as a useful advertising item ideal for employee or client gifts. As such, they were a natural choice for The Colonie’s client gifts. As one of Chicago’s premiere creative design, editorial, and visual effects post-production facilities, gifting a tech item made good sense. “(Power banks) are relevant to our industry and are a currently-popular tech item,” said Jacobs. By personalizing our power banks, Jacobs integrated The Colonie’s name into their clients’ office spaces, where they serve as a visual reminder of the company.

Partnering with businesses like The Colonie to enhance brand exposure is what we are here for. We take pride in the exposure our products provide businesses and we are always interested to see how our products are used. Interested in being featured on our blog? We’d love to talk about an order you’ve created with us and shine light on your business or organization! If interested, please send us an email with your information to social@printglobe.com.

Products featured in this post: Cylinder Portable Battery Chargers

Interested in knowing more about our promotional chargers? Please visit our Mobile Device Chargers and Power Banks’ page or call a dedicated account representative at 1-800-989-2181 for more information. We are here to help!  

Trade shows and conventions are extremely valuable resources and are a great place to advertise your brand and to earn yourself new business.  At every trade show and convention there are essential products and accessories that you must have in order to make your involvement a success. A great advertising opportunity, if planned right, these events will not only gain you new customers, but they will also help you to maximize your brand exposure.

With trade show season upon us, now is the time to focus your marketing efforts and increase the success of your exhibit by ordering promotional products from PrintGlobe. Custom trade show merchandise and booth giveaways not only make lasting impressions, but they will also give you an added promotional boost to help you beat the competition. With a wide selection of table covers, runners, banners, name badges, and giveaway items, we’ve got you covered! Below you will find some of our favorite items and a few tips to help make your trade show advertising efforts a success!

While handouts and giveaways are a great way to advertise your brand, you first must get people to stop by your booth to hear what you have to say. By putting effort into the appearance of your space, you communicate to potential customers that you offer a product or service that you truly care about. If you make your booth a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing place to be, chances are, more people will visit, and therefore, more people will learn about the product or service you offer!

First, attract people to your booth with personalized banners. Functioning much like a magazine advertisement, your banner should communicate what kind of service you offer, and encourage people to visit for more information. We offer a wide variety of banners at all different price levels and in a number of different sizes. Most of our banners offer a one banner minimum requirement, and many offer quick production and turnaround times. Vinyl banner printing is a tried-and-true way to promote your name or message at trade shows, and is an excellent way to attract people to your booth.

Once people are there, make them want to stay by making your booth a comfortable place to be. Creating a beautiful exhibit is easy with our wide selection of custom table covers and runners. Table covers are an effective billboard to enhance your message and can transform any ordinary table into your very own advertising space, helping you to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Before people leave, be sure to provide them with something to make them remember their visit. While it’s always smart to have personalized pens and notepads on hand, send visitors off with something more to ensure that they remember your brand or product. Remember, it’s important to offer an item that is clever and valuable to your target audience. Research from ASI shows that 81 percent of people will keep useful, well thought out promotional items, so don’t hand out an item just because it’s inexpensive and has your logo printed on it. Without deep thought and consideration, chances are, your giveaway item will get tossed in the trash or left in the hotel room. Instead, put some thought into it and give visitors something they can really use!

With thousands of items available on our site perfect for giveaways, it can be hard to decide what exactly you should choose to hand out to your booth visitors. To help make things easier for you, we’ve included a few of our favorite giveaway items below to help you decide. We’ve listed a few standard, classic trade show giveaways that are always useful to have, as well as items that we think will really make your brand stand out.  For more inspiration, please visit the trade show section of our website, or call a PrintGlobe dedicated account representative today!

Reusable Shopping Bags and Water Bottles

Reusable shopping bags are an item one can never have enough of. Much of the country now enforces a B.Y.O.B(ag) policy, and those areas that don’t are well on their way. Reusable shopping bags get used at grocery and retail stores, libraries, schools, work, and more. They’re a great item to have at trade shows to lug around pamphlets and goodies, and are an item that will get repeat use long after the trade show ends. We love the Classic Cotton Meeting Tote for a classic tote pick and the 16” x 13” Metallic Gloss Designer Tote for a more stylish tote giveaway!

Similarly, reusable water bottles are super practical items to have, and when imprinted with your logo, people are sure to see your message time and time again. We’ve got several great bottles on our site perfect for giveaways, but in order to really stand out from the crowd and from other water bottle giveaways, we think that the 24 oz. h2go Hybrid Tritan Bottle, 32 oz. Transparent Sport Bottle, 16 oz. Tube Double Wall Acrylic Tumbler, and 20 oz. BPA Free Stainless Steel Sports Bottle are all great picks!

Lip Balm and Hand Sanitizer

Keep your visitors in good health with personalized lip balm tubes and custom hand sanitizer bottles. Many people use lip balm every day, making this a practical giveaway item, and just think about how many germs are floating around at trade shows… Help your visitors to stay healthy by providing them with a hand sanitizer bottle sporting your logo or message! When they don’t sick, your visitors will sure be glad that they stopped by your booth!

Badge Holders and Lanyards

Hanging around visitor’s necks, your logo is sure to be seen time and time again during the trade show with personalized badge holders and lanyards. Help to add personality to badges and to keep credentials in view with our huge selection of full color, polyester, cotton, nylon, elastic, and cord lanyards, as well as retractable and window badge holders.

Sunglasses and Tasty Treats

Sunglasses are an item that everyone can use, and they’re a proven trade show giveaway favorite! Imprint them with your logo to advertise your message all year long.

If you want to send customers off with something more, consider giving booth visitors a personalized tin filled with tasty treats. Trade shows can be hard work, and snacks are appreciated items when the going gets tough! Plus, the reusable tins are a great way to advertise your brand in offices, homes, and more.

Power Banks and Chargers

Moving on to more specialized items, personalized mobile power banks and chargers are excellent items to hand out to booth visitors. Perfect for homes, offices, and travel, mobile power banks and chargers are sought after items and are a reliable way to get the message out about your brand. These high quality items aren’t something that will get tossed in the trash! These handy and practical products will get used time and time again, ensuring that your business receives the exposure that it deserves!

Smart Phone Card Holders and RFID Protection Sleeves

Smart phone card holders are a popular item that allow for easy advertising for you, and extra convenience for your visitors! Our Silicone Smart Phone Wallet and Hang on Smart Phone Card Holders are great options, as is our 3-in-1 Cell Phone Card Holder.

Likewise, offer your customers convenience and security with our RFID protection sleeves. As RFID technology is an unfamiliar topic for many, these sleeves and phone wallets are a great way to grab customer’s attention! They might stop by to learn about the technology, but they’ll leave with so much more!

Cell Phone Cases and Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Not only are cell phone covers highly useful and sought after items, but as cell phones aren’t indestructible, cell phone covers are an item that everyone wants and needs! Help to protect your customer’s cell phones by providing them with a personalized cell phone cover. As cell phones are items that get used on a daily basis, you can rest assured that your brand will receive exposure each time your visitors use their phone.

Additionally, microfiber cleaning cloths are highly practical items for technology users. They are great for cleaning phone, tablet, and computer screens, and when imprinted with your logo, you can trust that your message will be seen time and time again!

It’s not too late to order your personalized, holiday gifts! With FREE one-day turnaround and expedited shipping options, there’s still time to order personalized gifts from PrintGlobe! Make the most of the holiday season by giving gifts that get your personal message or company logo lasting visibility in homes and offices all year long. Below we’ve list 10 of our favorite gifts that ship quick to help make your last minute holiday shopping easy.  Order by Friday to receive your products in time for Christmas day!*

Cutter & Buck® Legacy Card Holders

A wonderful corporate gift, this personalized wallet features signature legacy leather, a vintage button closure, four card slots for business cards or credit cards, and a clear exterior window to display an ID. Great as a traditional wallet or as a business card holder!

Modesto Picnic Carrier Sets

Not only are our Modesto Picnic Carrier Sets an excellent gift idea, but they’re also a great value! Each set includes a canvas picnic tote, a polished wood cutting board, a wine opener, and two stainless steel knives and forks with polished wooden handles. Holds up to three bottles of wine plus all of your other picnic goodies! Show your clients, employees, friends, or family members that you care with this thoughtful and useful gift!

Mission EnduraCool Towels

A great gift for golf lovers! The Mission EnduraCool Towel is made of performance fabric that absorbs sweat and water and circulates the molecules to regulate the rate of evaporation for an instant cooling effect! This personalized, reusable towel is chemical-free and offers UPF 45 protection, making it a great choice for the golf course!

Cutter & Buck® Jr. Writing Pad

Leave a classic impression with this soft, top quality leather writing pad! Our personalized, debossed writing pad is a timeless gift that will receive repeated use, ensuring that your logo is seen time and time again. Great for corporate and client appreciation gifts!

14 oz. Cutter & Buck® American Classic Leather Mug

Our Cutter & Buck® leather wrap mug is both practical and stylish, making it a great option for everyone on your list! Features a personalized, removable leather wrap, double-wall stainless steel construction, a plastic thumb-slide lid, and fits all standard car cup holders.

Belgio Wine & Cheese Ensemble

Treat the people on your list to life’s simple pleasures – wine and cheese! This six piece set is housed in an attractive black storage case bearing your promotion, and includes a solid wood cutting board, three cheese utensils, a bottle stopper, and a waiter’s corkscrew. Pair it with a bottle of wine for an unforgettable holiday gift!

High Sierra® Tahoe 3-in-1 Vacuum Bottle

Our High Sierra® Tahoe 3-in-1 Thermos set is great for everyone on your list! This 3-in-1 combination includes a durable, insulated thermos and two mugs. Its practical design creates a molded comfort grip handle, making this set easy to take on the road! Perfect for coffee lovers, picnickers, and for those who are always on the go!

Bluetooth Solo Speaker

Give the gift of music this holiday season with our personalized, Bluetooth speakers! This rechargeable speaker connects to your Bluetooth enabled device within 10 meters of the speaker and blasts your music across the room. A great gift for music lovers!

Joule Credit Card Sized Power Banks

Stay in touch with everyone on your list with these convenient, portable chargers! The small credit card design of these power banks makes them easy to slip into a pocket or to store inside of a wallet. Great as a stocking stuffer!

WorkMate Color 14 LED Flashlights

Guarantee lasting brand exposure with these highly useful, quality, customized flashlights! Offering a superior design and a super bright light with 14 LEDs, these personalized flashlights make great holiday gifts!

*All orders must be placed and proofed by 3:30 PM CST on 12/19 and expedited shipping may be necessary to ensure that your items arrive on time.

Bite into America’s most quintessential dessert this holiday season! Our Apple Seeds and Apple Pie Recipe Cards make excellent gifts and are a great way to spread holiday cheer! Each card features your favorite recipe on one side and your logo or personal message on the other. Also included with each card is a handmade, plantable paper shape embedded with an ingredient relevant to your recipe.  These cards work great as holiday gift tags and business handouts, and also make wonderful stocking stuffers. With several paper shapes and seed options available, there’s surely a card for everyone on your list!

Holiday Apple Pie

Crust Ingredients 

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour (can substitute 1/2 cup flour)

16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled in freezer for at least 15 minutes

1 teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar

3 to 6 Tbsp water, very cold

Filling Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 pounds of peeled and cored cooking apples (Granny Smith, Pippin, or Golden Delicious), sliced into 1/4 – 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, salt and brown sugar. Pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea size pieces of butter form. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. When ready, dough will hold together when pinched.

Remove dough from food processor and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape dough into two discs, being careful not to over knead.  Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Combine sugar, flour and spices in a large bowl. Use your hands and mix in the apples so they are well coated. Drizzle in brandy and vanilla extract.

Once your dough has chilled, remove one disk and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.

Next, sprinkle your dough with some flour and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

Spoon in your apple filling and create a slight mound in the center. Set aside.

Roll out second disk of dough and gently turn it over onto the top of the apples in the dish. Pinch the top and bottom of the dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.

Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top of pie. Cut slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F. Tent the rims with aluminum foil or use a pie protector if the edges are browning too quickly. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, anywhere from an additional 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using. Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

*Recipe courtesy of Symphony Handmade Papers Inc. 

With Christmas and Hanukkah just weeks away, now is the time to order your holiday gifts! Promotional gift giving is a great way to market your brand, all while spreading holiday cheer! While we have hundreds of gifts on our website that are perfect for holiday gift giving, today we are focusing on some of our favorite small promotional items, and helping you to check stocking stuffers off of your shopping list.  Below you’ll find ten of our favorite small gifts to give this holiday season. Whether you intend to place them under a tree or stuff them in a stocking, start marketing your brand today with personalized holiday gifts!

Personalized Wine Stoppers

Treat the wine lovers in your life with personalized wine stoppers! Upscale and elegant, custom wine stoppers put your name in the spotlight and make fabulous corporate gifts. Great for wineries, bars, and anyone who loves wine! Pop open your next brilliant advertising campaign and spread holiday cheer with personalized wine stoppers!

Eco-Friendly Flash Drives

Wooden flash drives are a unique and environmentally friendly way to spread your message. Popular with schools and tech companies, portable flash drives are great for anyone needing to transfer data fast! With our large selection of Eco-Friendly Flash Drives, Custom Shaped Flash Drives, and Assorted USB’s and Flash Drives, we’ve got something for everyone on your list!

Hang-On Smart Sleeve
The Hang-On Smart Sleeve is a great way to advertise your brand! It is made of durable, no-slip silicone and adheres to the back of your smart phone with strong 3M adhesive. It is perfect for carrying your ID, cash, credit cards, hotel room keys, or business cards, and makes a great stocking stuffer!

Touch Screen Gloves

Touch screen gloves make great holiday gifts!  Featuring conductive tips for easy smartphone and tablet navigation, touch screen gloves make it easy to stay connected. Perfect for travelers, our selection of gloves makes showing off your logo easy.

Field & Co. iPhone Book Case

Personalized iPhone cases are an excellent way to show off your company logo! This two in one case and wallet is sure to be noticed time and time again, gaining you maximum brand exposure! This vintage inspired case with embossed logo is a timeless and classic gift for the holidays. Show your clients, friends, or family members that you care with our personalized Field and Co. iPhone Book Case!

Nalgene Water Bottles

Looking for a promotional item that will get repeated use? Nalgene water bottles have great brand association and are popular holiday gifts. Known for their quality, Nalgene bottles make lasting promotions and are great for everyone on your list!

Personalized Cigar Cutters

Cigars are great for celebrating holidays, milestones, and special events; put your brand in mind during these times with our selection of personalized cigar cutters! We’ve got several styles and price points to choose from to best suit your shopping needs. Treat your clients or employees this holiday season with a timeless and classic gift!

All Natural Soy Candles

Candles are an appreciated gift that everyone loves! These two ounce, all natural soy candles burn more efficiently than ordinary paraffin candles, and their small size makes them perfect for stockings. Personalized candles ensure lasting company exposure and are a gift that can be enjoyed by all!

Mobile Device Chargers

Keep your clients connected with personalized mobile device chargers! A handy promotional item to have in a bind, promotional chargers make great holiday gifts. Promotional chargers add juice to your marketing campaign and offer ongoing company exposure!

EOS Lip Balm

Lip balm is an item that everyone can use, and EOS lip balm is an item that everyone wants! Treat your friends, family, employees, or clients with a gift they can use with our selection of personalized, EOS lip balms!

‘Tis the season to advertise your message with our wide selection of holiday ornaments! Ornaments are a fun and economical way to market your brand. They make a lasting impression on clients and they help to spread holiday cheer. There’s no doubt that ornaments make for great gifts, but why stop there? With the growing popularity of DIY projects, ornaments have become a huge hit in holiday décor. Gone are the days where ornaments are simply hung on a tree. Nowadays, ornaments are popping up everywhere from holiday wreaths, table center pieces, and office desks. They’re a great way to decorate offices, schools, homes, holiday parties, and your place of business. We love this new trend, and with our vast selection of ornaments, we can help you to maximize your brand exposure all while spreading holiday cheer! Below you’ll find our top five favorite ornament design trends for this 2014 holiday season!

1. Build a Beautiful Center Piece

Ornaments are a great tool for creating a memorable center piece. Are you hosting a party? Or maybe you are decorating for a gala thrown during the holiday season? No matter the occasion, creating a centerpiece with customized ornaments is a great way to show off your brand! These beautiful centerpieces can be displayed in the office, inside your business, at a party, in schools, or in the home. They make a big statement with very little work. Simply fill a bowl or vase with our customized ornaments and you’ve got yourself a beautiful decoration piece, all while showing off your brand or logo!

Our favorite ornaments for this project are our Round Shatterproof, USA Made Round Shatterproof, Hand Blown Glass, and Satin Christmas ornaments. To change things up, try adding some shaped ornaments into the mix. The Shatterproof Tree, Heart, Star, and Gingerbread ornaments are all great options for this!

2. Create a Winter Wonderland

Too much sparkle in the workplace can sometimes be a bad thing, but too little can leave your business looking grim at a time when many people appreciate some seasonal cheer. Create a winter wonderland in your business with our selection of personalized snowflake ornaments. Add our Die Cast Glitter Snowflake, Snowflake Aluminum, Snowflake with Full Color Dome, or Snowflake Plastic Holographic ornaments to your garlands to create a magical winter effect!

Craft a Unique Gift Tag

Set your gift apart with a unique gift tag! Our wide selection of flat ornaments are great for showing off your logo.  Decorate your package by fastening one of our many flat ornaments to your package bow or attach a paper ornament for a simpler look. Our Custom Etched and Custom Shaped, Full Color and Flat Shatterproof, Glitter Wreath, Silver Dove, Glitter Bells, and Paper Dove, Tree, Snowflake, Stocking, Reindeer, and Mitten ornaments are our favorites for this!

Stand out with Memorable Place Settings

Do something this year at your holiday party or business dinner to really stand out! Creating a memorable place setting that can double as a party favor is a creative and economical way to both decorate and advertise your brand. Attach a name tag to an ornament and leave it at each setting to help your guests find their seat, or for more casual affairs, simply place an ornament on each plate or attach it with a bow for an extra special touch. While this will look great with any of our ornaments, our Full Color Shatter Resistant Flat Round, Die Cast Glitter Wreath, Round Shatterproof, Die Cast Glitter Snowflake, Die Cast Glitter Bell, and Snowflake Aluminum ornaments are our top picks!

Fill a Tree with Customized Ornaments

Now that your centerpieces are set, your place settings and favors are taken care of, the garlands are hung and the presents are wrapped, you can focus on the main star of the show. While the most obvious way to decorate with ornaments is to hang them on a tree, it’s also the most traditional, and therefore, our favorite. Create an advertising masterpiece in your place of business with a tree full of ornaments displaying your logo or message. Not only will your tree stand out, but you’ll receive maximum brand exposure while spreading holiday cheer!

“YAY I’VE NEVER WON ANYTHING!!!”   – Maria Pace

That was the reaction of PrintGlobe customer Maria Pace of St. Petersberg, Florida when we contacted her to let her know she was the winner of our December iPad giveaway.

Maria, a Manager and Wellness Coach at ITG Diet & Slimdown,  became a PrintGlobe customer back in September of 2013 and has been ordering plastic bags with us for her clinic ever since.

Her reorder of bags in December earned her 4 entries into our iPad contest and one was selected at random as our lucky winner!

When she received her prize, Maria said, “I got the iPad! It’s great!”

Congratulations Maria, enjoy your iPad, from all of us at PrintGlobe!

There is a social media phenomenon occurring anytime there is extreme weather…people everywhere post pictures of their nearest thermometer showing off the current super hot, or outrageously cold temperatures!

In the summer when temps hit 100+, you can bet you’ll see news feeds full of  “OMG!” posts, accompanied by a shot of their car thermometer. And when temps plunge, like they have this week thanks to the “Artic Vortex” that has gripped most of the nation, thermometers are once again the most photographed old-school devices on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

So when it comes to brand exposure custom printed thermometers are the newest hidden gem of the marketing and promotional products world.

As give-aways, they’re unique, they’re useful, and they have excellent staying power, and like in this example below your brand and message have megawatt exposure when snapped into a weather selfie.

http://www.printglobe.com/eco-friendly-products/thermometers/thermometers/plastic-thermometers-indooroutdoor-orion

The colors red, blue and black have been the go-to colors of promotional products for, well frankly, far too long.

Increasingly, business are shaking off the old stodgy design colors and bright, modern and punchy colors are making their way into corporate branding.

This year, Pantone, the experts in all things color, has designated “Radiant Orchid”…essentially a light purple hue…as their color of the year for 2014. Last year Emerald Green was the “It” color in fashion and design trends, and before that Tangerine Orange was the darling color of the moment.

So knowing that Radiant Orchid, and all things purple are soon to be in vogue, we know from past years that marketing products are soon to follow.

How can you incorporate purple in your brands marketing?

Purple is created by the blending of Red and Blue, two strong colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. This makes it a great color for any company or organization that wants to relay a sense of balance and equality.

Purple also represents peace of mind, and is a calming color, which makes it a great for outreach campaigns that want to reassure or soothe.

Purple is also known as a royal color, and can be an indicator of wealth, position and prestige, which makes it a natural selection for finance and investment marketing campaigns.

There are hundreds of items that currently come in brilliant shades of purple, and almost any logo converted to black or white will make a strong and lasting impression.