Promotional Products that Stay Ahead of the Curve

The overwhelming majority of promotional products, while often useful, are not items likely to elicit oohs and aahs from fashion-conscious friends. But an item I was recently sent surprisingly managed to have that effect. It’s very simple, a little edgy, and produced from some of the cheapest material around. It’s a wallet made entirely of duct tape, created for the “truth” anti-tobacco-campaign. I receive compliments regularly on this wallet, and last week one friend (a very well-dressed twentysomething) asked me where she could get one like it.

I had to tell her that she can’t— not unless she hunts down the orange “truth truck” at an event like the AND 1 MixTape Tour or the Vans Warped Tour. The wallet—as well as items like sweatbands, custom-designed T-shirts, caps and shorts—is only available as a giveaway to people who visit the truck at one of these events and participate in some kind of interactive game that teaches them about the effects of smoking. The giveaways, sourced by marketing firms Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Arnold Worldwide, are custom-designed for the campaign. Every item carries a message about tobacco as a product or a business (my wallet says: "In 2002, tobacco companies made over $1 billion in revenue from under-aged teens.").

All this is part of an interesting promotional effort—to get people, especially teens, not to use a product, as described in Incentive magazine two years ago. The truth brand, which recently began airing the offbeat "Whudafxup" commercials, balances coolness and admonition with surprising success. It's a hard row to hoe— we all know that "don't" messages are tough to sell, especially with teenagers newly establishing their independence. While I don't know what truth spends on its promo products, I do know that it commissions unique designs and gets its T-shirts from American Apparel, which is hardly a discounter. And as an organization that exists entirely to market its message, it's a good one to watch for smart promotional strategies.

Comments

[Rick]

It's a cool campaign, IMO. I think the most effective of the TV commercials is the one about the candy flavors...by the way, for those who haven't seen the ads, here's a direct link to the videos themselves: http://www.whudafxup.com/home.cfm?Page=Tv

[Maggie Rauch]

Thanks for the comment, Rick. It definitely beats the old "Right to Say No" or "Professor of Rap" anti-drug commercials from the 80s. Trying to tell people something is bad for them and trying to be cool to young people all at the same time is tough to do.

[Custom Promo Items]

T-shirts are a great custom promotional product but I feel they may not be the best, but when being worn they get great exposure, but who sees them while they are in a drawer

[Leah Fairman]

This is a very interesting article. The funny thing is..I think I saw someone with one of those wallets before. I think they made it themselves. Funny how sill little things can turn into great promotions. As manager of a promotional products company myself, I'm always looking for great promo stories to use on my blog and newsletters. Thanks for the info.

Leah Fairman
Coporate Snobs.com