If you're in the business of creative marketing you may already be familiar with Brandelopes, which were used by (and feaatured on) the Ellen Degeneres Show during her 12 Days of Giveaways over the holiday season.

For those who haven't heard of them yet, a Brandelope is really just a customized version of a FedEx or Priority Mail envelope. Printed on both sides with full-color graphics, Brandelopes are a great way to create visual excitement for your direct mailings & increase your open/response rate. However, it's not the traditional Brandelope that I'm excited about today - it's their new product - the TABELOPE - which is a Brandelope with one very important feature... a tab that turns it into a file folder:

While this is pretty much identical to the Brandelope, it's the tab feature that I think is genius. Hardly anyone would hang on to a Brandelope after opening it up, but a Tabelope has the extra functionality of a file folder that makes it much more likely to be kept, possibly even for years after it's opened. This is especially true if it's used to deliver information or documents that need to be kept or referred to over time, such as tax returns or insurance policies. Since it's printed with your contact information, a Tabelope is a great way to keep that info literally at your recipient's fingertips in their file drawer.

With the entire front of the 9 x 11-3/4" sized Tabelope available for your custom graphics and message, this is a great vehicle for delivering your brand image with eye-popping full color impact. Priced at around $2/each (with a low minimum order of 200 pieces) this is creative direct marketing that even small companies with a modest budget can afford.

Here's how the tab feature works:

This is a GREAT swag idea for:
Tax Preparers
Insurance Agents
Realtors
Finance Companies
Mortgage Brokers
HR Departments
Appraisers
Property Managers
Banks & Credit Unions
Attorneys
Senior Living Communities

INTERESTED IN BRANDELOPES OR TABELOPES FOR YOUR COMPANY OR NON-PROFIT?

We'd be more than happy to send you a sample of either the Brandelope or the Tabelope at your request. We can also quote your custom Brandelope or Tabelope project and help you with artwork development if needed.

Phone: 866-247-4320 (Toll Free)                 Email: Sales@Swagconnection.com

Thanks for reading & keep coming back for more swag ideas for your creative marketing!

I'm back in the office after attending the promotional product industry's biggest tradeshow last week (the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas). With over 2,000 catalog lines on display on the show floor, it was a great place to pick up new swag ideas to share with you for the year ahead. Here's one of my new favorite things:

Flexible Silicone Calculators

Bullet Line Item #SM3122

First of all, you need to know this is one of those swag items that is MUCH cooler in real life than it looks in the picture here. Much of this calculator's appeal is tactile, and I honestly didn't think it was all that cool when I first looked at it... until I picked it up and started playing with it!

The body of this silicone calculator is flat, and the number and function keys are raised to give it a 3-D effect. It's floppy and flexible, similar to those roll-up silicone computer keyboards you may have seen (but at a much lower price point). I ordered a sample so I could try it out  & I'm hooked - it works perfectly and it's so much cooler looking and more fun to use than my old traditional calculator. It's a great example of how the promotional product industry continues to innovate by putting a fresh new twist on items that have been around forever.

Here's the thing with promotional swag - and this especially applies to traditional swag ideas in the lower price ranges - you have to assume that most people already have a similar item at their home or office. Therefore, the name of the game is to give people something that's somehow better and more appealing so it will replace the item they already own... and become their new favorite. Once I got this silicone calculator, my old one (which I've used for years and works just fine) went straight to the back of the desk drawer. This is exactly what you want to happen, and I think this is one of those items that has a high probability of landing (and staying) on the desktop to give your logo daily exposure. Priced at under $4, with a minimum order of 150 pieces, this is a fun swag idea that can be handed out at events or easily mailed out.

Although similar silicone calculators can be found elsewhere, we source ours from the Bullet Line catalog. Their pricing is better AND they custom-imprint your order in 24 hours at no extra charge. Since they also offer shipping anywhere in the US in 3 days at ground rates, you can order these on Monday and have them in your hands by Friday... without paying expensive rush charges or expedited shipping costs. So if you tend to wait til the last minute to order your trade show swag, this (or anything from Bullet Line) is an excellent choice!

INTERESTED IN THIS SILICONE CALCULATOR WITH YOUR CUSTOM LOGO?

Feel free to check out this item on the Bullet Line website, where you'll find more details and pricing. When you're ready to order, just contact us here at Swag Connection:

Phone: 866-247-4320
Email: Sales@swagconnection.com

We love to hear from our blog readers, many of whom turn into clients. Please also feel free to post comments if you like this swag idea and want to share your thoughts on how it could be used in a creative marketing campaign.

Thanks for reading and keep coming back for more new swag ideas for 2010!

I actually didn't used to be a plastic bottle myself, although I am a bottle blonde if that makes any difference.

What I'm excited about today is opening my 2010 catalog from Numo Manufacturing and discovering that we can now offer our customers some cool neoprene swag items that are made with 85% post-consumer recycled content, like this mobile accessory pouch that's perfect for Blackberries & iPhones:

Numo Mfg. Item #557

This is the larger of two sizes offered, and sells for $2-$3 with a 1-color custom imprint (minimum 100). The size & price make this a perfect eco-friendly giveaway for tradeshows and other events - and it would also be very easy to mail. The material is sort of like that of a scuba wetsuit, and it's made out of recycled plastic bottles. If you're searching for swag ideas that appeal to the young & hip, this is a good choice.

This second item is the NEW Eco-Coolie... which is basically the same Eco-Coolie I blogged on a year or so ago, but it's gone from 10% recycled content all the way up to 85%... so I thought it merited another mention:

Numo Mfg. Item #100ECO

It's pretty much exactly what it looks like - a beer koozie - but made mostly from post-consumer recycled bottles (this is also 85% recycled content). Even though they've been around forever, koozies are a promotional product that refuses to die... and they're getting a new following among the younger generation because of their "retro" vibe. They're useful, inexpensive ($.89 & up) and have a humongous imprint area for your logo or message. My favorite way to use them is at events (like as a hole sponsor at a golf event) and hand out cold beverages in a custom logo eco-coolie. Everyone appreciates a cold drink at an event, and the coolie keeps their hands dry and their drink cold. Best of all, it's a walking billboard for your logo!

INTERESTED IN THESE ITEMS WITH YOUR CUSTOM LOGO?

Feel free to follow the links above to the Numo Manufacturing website to check out pricing, colors, etc. on these recycled neoprene items (there's also a recycled bottle jersey on their site) before you decide. If you decide this is what you're looking for, Swag Connection will be happy to help you with your order. We'll answer all of your questions, help you with your artwork layout and keep you informed thoughout the order process. You can read what our customers say about us on our Testimonial Page.

Just give us a call (866-247-4320) or email us: sales@swagconnection.com. We'd love to hear from you and help you with some cool swag for YOUR logo!

Thanks for reading & keep coming back for more great swag ideas...