If ever there was any doubt about the popularity of free promotional gifts, World Book Night has shown that people love getting something for nothing – if it is useful to them that is.

The night, which took place on Monday April 22nd, saw 20,000 volunteers giving out a million free books in a bid to boost literacy and get people to curl up with a good book.

A number of celebs including Stephen Fry were among the givers and there were also a host of events taking place across the country to celebrate the nation's readers.

The literary day saw books by the likes of Charles Dickens, Daphne Du Maurier and Roald Dahl being given out across the UK and a number of events were hosted so people could swap books and get to know other bookworms.

We know that your marketing campaign may not attract as big a following as World Book Night but it just goes to show that people often sit up and take notice if they are given a free gift.
 

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

?There has never been a better time to be British. The Royal Wedding last year saw people rushing out to buy memorabilia in their droves and this enthusiasm for all things British has continued into 2012.

This year there are not one but two events which are set to stir up national pride with the Jubilee bank holiday weekend rapidly approaching on June 2nd and the London 2012 Olympic Games kicking off the following month.

And with these events bringing with them a sense of national pride (and in the case of the Jubilee appreciation for the extra bank holiday date) there is one symbol which has seen a huge rise in popularity – the Union Jack.

The well known red, white and blue flag is seemingly everywhere at the moment, on promotional mugs, hanging on people’s gardens on bunting and on clothes and bags.

It was even a focal point of popular TV show The Apprentice recently when one team used it to brand all their items due to its increased popularity.

And a number of big name companies have also jumped on the branding bandwagon and opted to emblazon the flag on their products and packaging.

One such brand is McVitie’s Biscuits which opted to give its Digestive biscuit a new patriotic packaging in a bid to boost custom in the coming months.

The packaging now features the Union Jack and the strapline “Proud to be British Since 1892″.

Sarah Heynen, marketing director of sweet biscuits at UBUK, said: “Our Britishness pack redesign is all about giving retailers the right products to allow them to tap into the wave of patriotism that will sweep the country this year, growing from the Royal Wedding last year, to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the summer of sport.

Other companies using the appeal of the Union Jack include Microsoft who are reportedly bringing out an X Box featuring the design and Suttons which is using the famed flag on the front of its trucks, showing that all businesses, whatever services or products they offer can use the design.

Businesses who want to follow in McVitie’s footsteps this summer and embrace their Britishness can always tried handing out promotional products featuring the Union Jack at tradeshows or posting them out to coincide with the Jubilee period.

We’ve got a whole host of promotional products printed with Union Jack designs ranging from mousemats to mugs and cotton shopper bags all in blue and red.

We like the bags in particular, they’ll come in very handy for transporting food for a Jubilee picnic over the bank holiday.

The weather may be grey and dreary in some parts of the UK but the summer is on its way and with it an array of outdoor festivals.

From big events such as Leeds and Reading Festivals to smaller more local events, they all offer an opportunity for brands to come face-to-face and interact with consumers.

It also offers a great opportunity for brands to give out promotional gifts which can ensure that revellers remember them long after their tent has been taken down and wellies packed away.

Writing for U Talk Marketing Julia Bruns of promotions company OurKidBrother, said: "Beyond the simple need to eat and drink at what many see as trusted, reliable outlets, what music fans really value is something that adds to their festival visit.

"Brands that can offer a creative, fun, consume- friendly experience, whilst still sampling products and gaining brand exposure, will reap the rewards of the positive associations with the festival."

Put simply, if people are being given free gifts then they want it to be something they can use at the event rather than something which will simply take up room in their tent or have to be lugged around all day.

So the real question is which promotional gifts will have the most impact at a festival?

Umbrellas

The Great British weather means that no festival-goers are guaranteed sun, but you can bet that many optimists will have left their brollies at home hoping for a weekend of sunshine.

The extra benefit of a promotional umbrella is that if people put them up then the company name will be very visible.

Chocolates

Food and drink are expensive at festivals so giving away chocolates and sweets is sure to have people flocking to you.  Considering the bathroom facilities at festivals it may be wise to give out mints.

Cotton bags

You can never have too many cotton bags and people will appreciate being given something they can throw their waterproof/extra layer in for when the weather gets a bit colder on a night.

Make sure that the design is bold and bright and preferably fits in with the festival's theme.

Gadget-y keyrings

Everyone forgets to throw a torch in their festival backpack and doesn't realise just how useful one can be until they are trying to make their way back to their tent in the dark. This is where torch keyrings come in.

Keyrings also come with a host of other gadgets such as bottle openers.

There are so many good opportunities for people to give out promotional mugs, but few which are as perfect as the London Coffee Festival 2012.

Coffee addicts will be swarming to the capital this weekend to get their caffeine fix from some of the world's best baristas, made with the best beans from across the globe.

Highlights of the event include the Sensory Expresso Bar and the True Artisan cafe which will see a number of coffee shops serving their signature drinks to eager attendees.

"Graze your way through The Street Food & Artisan Markets, learn about coffee through tastings and demonstrations, watch the UK Barista Championships and enjoy live music throughout the uniquely themed zones – Hyde Park, Shoreditch, Soho, The Lab, The Showroom and The Growing Community," the organisers state on the event's website.

Another real crowd pleaser is sure to be the final round of the UK Barista Championships which will see the final 20 fighting it out for the crown. Participants will be judged on their coffee knowledge, presentation and ability and the lucky winner will jet off to Vienna to take part in the World Finals.

The festival will be running between April 27th and 29th and tickets are £4.50.

With around 12,000 coffee lovers and foodies knocking around the event it is the perfect opportunity for people to get the word out about their business.

Promotional coffee mugs are the obvious choice for a free gift however promotional bags could also work to give people something to carry any coffee paraphernalia they purchase.
 
www.londoncoffeefestival.com
 

Promotional mugs are always popular in the workplace and one designer has come up with a truly remarkable version based on smartphones and tablet computers.

Paul Spencer's iMug is aimed at being an office stress reliever and is fully interactive, boasting a range of apps.

It includes a weather predictor, a number of games, a weekend countdown and even a chart detailing how people have their tea – basically everything anyone could need to survive a working week.

Speaking to This is Wiltshire, Mr Spencer said: “It started off as a runners-up prize for a competition I was running. I didn’t want to just give away boring mugs, so I decided to think outside the box.

“It is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at these great hi-tech electronic devices which companies like Apple create, and the mug just shows how something quite simple can be used in a rather creative way.”

Mr Spencer is currently awaiting the results of a trademark application for the mug which may well have to change its name.

Office stress reliever mug could face a trademark battle, This is Wiltshire

Posted by Robin McCrink

Have you ever wondered how you'd cope without plastic bags? We get handed so many of them nowadays that many people take them for granted and don't stop to think about the impact they have on the environment.

However, residents on the Isle of Man recently got a taste of what life would be like without any plastic bags after giving them up for Lent as part of a campaign by Zero Waste Mann.

While most people give up chocolate, alcohol or other 'treat' foods and drinks for Lent, Zero Waste Mann wanted to use the 40 day period to encourage people to rethink their plastic bag habits and show retailers that there are alternatives to handing out disposable bag after disposable bag.

"By taking a grassroots approach," a spokesperson from the group told IsleofMan.com: "We're hopefully putting out the message that as individuals, we can all do something about waste without waiting for the government to tell us.

"Giving up plastic bags may seem like a small thing but if everybody on the Island just avoids one plastic bag per week, that adds up to a large number."

In order to encourage people to take part in the scheme, members of the group were on hand to give people advice and guidance about the alternatives which could be used and also handed out free eco-friendly cotton bags so that people had something to use as an alternative.

The campaign was inspired by some startling statistics about plastic bag use, with data showing that EU consumers work their way through 800,000 tonnes of disposable carriers annually, the vast majority of which will end up in landfill sites.

Lent may be over but that is no reason why people can't follow in the Isle of Man residents' footsteps – just arm yourself with an eco-friendly bag next time you head out to the shops.
 

Large Number of Island Residents take up Zero Waste Mann's Lent Challenge, Isleofman.com

We've always thought that eco-friendly cotton bags were cool however one woman has helped thousands of others come round to our way of thinking – Anya Hindmarch.

The fashion designer's 'I'm not a plastic bag' bags were snapped up by fashionistas and made the idea of carrying a cotton bag rather a load of plastic ones very appealing.

And now Ms Hindmarch's efforts have been recognised as she is named businesswoman of the year by Veuve Clicquot.
As well as doing her bit for the environment with her designs, Anya is also doing her bit for the next generation by becoming a UK Trade Ambassador – what an inspiration!

Christina Jesaitis, senior brand manager of Veuve Clicquot, said: "We are delighted that the judges have selected a winner who fully embraces the spirit of the award and can provide inspiration for the next generation of female entrepreneurs in the UK.

"In a year that British fashion has never been under the spotlight more, Anya has proven that commercial triumph alongside pursuing a responsible business is more than achievable and it is wonderful to see such a shining example of business success."

Fashion guru behind 'I'm Not A Plastic Bag' Anya Hindmarch is named businesswoman of the year, Daily Mail

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

In Blighty we are always getting out our promotional mugs for a good old brew and the same seems to be true of India where tea is being declared the national drink.

Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that the hot beverage will be made the national drink to celebrate the life of a pioneering tea-planter who was hanged by British colonial rulers for his role in a rebellion.

"The drink would be accorded national drink status by April 17th next year to coincide with the 212th birth anniversary of first Assamese tea-planter and Sepoy Mutiny leader Maniram Dewan," Ahluwalia said.

By naming tea the national beverage the nation also recognises its rich tea growing history.

In India tea is drunk in much the same way it is here – with milk and plenty of sugar. However, some people opt to flavour theirs with spicy cardamom.

We think we'll have a well-earned cup of tea to help celebrate the news. It would be rude not too!

Tea to be declared India's national drink, New York Daily News, April 22nd

Posted by Carl Blackshaw

Designer Wayne Hemingway is on the lookout for as many royal promotional mugs and other items of memorabilia as possible for a special Jubilee display.

He is curating a festival which will take place over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend in Battersea Park and is hoping to have a number of items showing how Brits have celebrated the milestones of the Queen’s reign over the past decades.

“A false tooth from a member of the royal family would be a favourite,” he told the Evening Standard.

“It will reinforce the British sense of fun. We are the most creative nation. One thing we are not in Britain is a nation of battery hens. We are much more free range.”

Items already collected include a host of promotional mugs, tea towels and less traditional items such as soaps with the Queen’s face on.

The festival will see a number of bands playing and a variety of portraits of the Queen, including one made from cakes, being displayed.

People are encouraged to dress like a member of the royal family.

Wayne Hemingway: Put your funny mugs in my royal show, Evening Standard

Posted by Robin McCrink

Carrier bag usage in Wales has dropped by a massive 90 per cent in some retailers since the levy for plastic bags was introduced six months ago, with more people opting to use eco-friendly printed bags and other reusable options.

Figures obtained by the BBC show that since the 5p charge was introduced, Sainsbury's has seen bag usage drop 90 per cent while Co-op and Morrisons have seen reductions of 86 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury's told the news provider: "The scheme is working well and has clear benefits both for the environment and for charities.

"Over the last three months we've seen a drop of around 90 per cent in the use of single use bags in our Welsh stores."

Given the success of the levy in Wales it is likely that other parts of the UK may follow in its footsteps and introduce a charge.

Northern Ireland will introduce a similar scheme from April next year.

Carrier bag charge Supermarkets say use in Wales cut up to 90%, BBC News

Posted by Carl Blackshaw