Imprint Marketing Concepts, Inc.
  • Home
  • Product Collections
    • Apparel Collection >
      • Fleece
      • Hats
      • Polos
      • Sweatshirts
      • T-Shirts
      • Wovens
      • adidas
      • Alternative Apparel
      • American Apparel
      • Carhartt
      • Champion
      • Charles River Apparel
      • Cutter & Buck
      • Eddie Bauer
      • Greg Norman
      • Marmot
      • New Era
      • Nike
      • The North Face
      • OGIO
      • Polo Ralph Lauren
      • Roots73
      • Under Armour
    • Bag Collection >
      • Backpacks
      • Brief Bags
      • Computer Bags
      • Coolers
      • Duffel Bags
      • Golf Bags
      • Tote Bags
    • Calendar Collection >
      • Commercial
      • Desk
      • Magnet
      • Planners
      • Wall
    • Drinkware Collection >
      • Ceramic Mugs
      • Travel Mugs
      • Tumblers
      • Water Bottles
    • Golf Collection >
      • Golf Accessories
      • Golf Bags
      • Golf Balls
      • Golf Shirts
      • Golf Towels
      • Golf Umbrellas
    • Housewares Collection >
      • BBQ
      • Coasters
      • Kitchen Accessories
      • Picnic
      • Wine
    • Stationary Collection >
      • Jotters
      • Moleskine
      • Notebooks
      • Notepads
      • Padfolios
      • Post-it Notes
    • Technology Collection >
      • Chargers
      • Computer Accessories
      • Computer Bags
      • Headphones
      • Memory
      • Phone Accessories
      • Speakers
    • Umbrella Collection >
      • Auto Open
      • Beach/Market
      • Golf Umbrellas
      • Inverting
      • Mini
      • Vented
    • Writing Collection >
      • Executive Pens
      • Pencils
      • Rollerballs
      • Stylus Pens
      • Pens under $2.50
      • Pens over $2.50
  • Our Story
  • Playbook
  • Contact

Branding Playbook

IMC's view on trends, branded merchandise and corporate apparel.

3 Phone Accessory Must-Haves For Students

7/13/2021

2 Comments

 
It might be the peak of summer, but the upcoming school year is just around the corner! It’s never too late to prepare for school, especially with the long lists of supplies that students need. With the way technology is advancing, every year there’s a new gadget or accessory that’s added to the list.

Pew Research says that the vast majority of Americans, over 97%, now own a mobile phone. This means that phone accessories are one of the most universally in-demand products in the world! What products are students looking for to use on their phones? Stay on top of the trends! 
Picture
1.Hydration Charging Station

​Pictured above, this incredible water bottle mixes two impossible things: liquid and technology! The Hydration Charging Station contains a built-in power bank with a wireless charging pad in the base. With this product, not only will you never be thirsty, but you'll never need a phone charger as well. Handy for any and all students going about their day!


2. KANGA Backstrap Wallet

​
Phone wallets are basically a necessity for high school and college students in order to keep their student IDs on them at all times. Instead of having to drag the card out of their bag, how about a handy and stylish phone wallet? It can store up to 3 cards, allowing for both ID and bank cards to be held in one place. Unlike phone wallets that adhere to your phone case, this one is removable, great for use and reuse!


Picture
Picture
3.KURV Stand Mobile Phone Stand

Pop sockets might be useful for holding up your phone, but, much like most phone wallets, they aren’t removable and can get in the way when you’re not using them. The solution? A phone stand! Not only is it super small and simple to use, but it’s collapsable, allowing a student to place it in and out of their bag with ease. (It also works for tablets- two in one!)



Not only are all of these items super useful for students, but they’re brandable as well! Interested in one of these products? Visit our website for more information!

​
2 Comments

5 Incredible Simplified Logo Rebrands You Didn’t Notice

7/9/2021

0 Comments

 
A logo is one of the most important parts of creating a unique and recognizable brand- and our world is saturated with them! However, sometimes companies are up for a change and go for a rebrand. Sometimes these logo rebrands don’t succeed, but other times they improve on the original and then some! Keep reading for 5 great examples of logo rebrandings that simplified the original design, and why they’re so great that you might not have even noticed they changed!
Picture
1. Burger King
As part of their first rebranding in 20 years, Burger King modified their classic red, yellow and blue logo! The rebranding changed not only font, but the company colors as well. This new logo resembles the original by keeping a burger shape, but also simplifies the font and imagery into just yellow and red. Sleek!
Picture
2. Starbucks
Starbucks is another brand that gradually simplified their logo over the years. Beginning with the classic two-tailed mermaid, the original logo was black. As time went on, the chain began using their dark green color as well as a more graphic mermaid. Despite these changes, the logo is still recognizable through each transition- the mark of successful rebranding.

3. Dunkin’
Not only did Dunkin’ simplify their logo design, but also their name! Dunkin’ Donuts became Dunkin’, and their logo followed suit. Doing away with the coffee cup image but keeping almost the same font and colors helps keep the brand consistent despite the name change.
Picture
Picture
4. Airbnb
What a drastic change! Airbnb’s original logo was a lot to take in, with cursive font and a light blue and white coloring. It was not sleek and didn’t help get the brand’s mission across. Now, their new logo completely changed the brand font, colors, and even added an image! The result is a much more straightforward, simple, and appealing design.
Picture
5. Nissan
Nissan’s logo has always resembled the wheel of a car, with the shiny gray coloring and the circle around the words. In 2020, the brand simplified the design even further and changed the silver of the wheel to black lines. The font also underwent a simplification. Ambitious!

Disagree with any of our faves? Have a logo you think should’ve been on the list? Saw a logo change you never even noticed? Let us know in the comments below!
0 Comments

Co-Brand with Brands that Care

6/28/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Have you ever bought a product from a business without realizing that the product was made unsustainably, or that the business was not one you want to support? We’ve all been there, and it’s not a good feeling! 

Luckily, there are a multitude of brands that focus on sustainability and giving back that you can support without feeling any guilt! By co-branding with these brands, you’re demonstrating that you care, value, and support doing good in the world. And doing good feels great.

          1. Welly Water Bottles
Welly collaborates with charity: water to help bring access to the 785 million people in need of clean water. Having access to water helps keep kids in school and gives women time to take charge of their futures! 

Welly donate 1%+ of all sales to charity: water projects that bring wells and other long-lasting clean water solutions to communities worldwide.

          2. FinalStraw
​
Single-use plastics are a disaster- polluting our lands, endangering marine ecosystems, and contaminating the food chain. FinalStraw’s mission is to create reusable Foreverables that reduce the need for plastics! They also empower individuals to change their buying habits, and raise awareness of the impacts of our everyday decisions. And, it all comes in sleek, compact, sustainable packaging!

          3. Camelbak
CamelBak believes that doing the right thing isn’t just good business sense, but common sense. Sustainability is in their DNA, and they’re more committed than ever. By 2025, all CamelBak products will be designed to reduce climate impact and continue to be made with the safest materials. 

Repurpose is CamelBak’s sustainability label, and represents thoughtful designs and creative solutions for a more sustainable life. They’re a brand dedicated to making decisions that count.

          4. Soapbox Soaps
Founded in 2010 with a simple mission: to empower people to change the world through everyday, quality purchases, Soapbox Soaps lives by the phrase “Soap = Hope”! For every Soapbox product you purchase, we, together, donate a bar of soap to someone in need, either state-side or abroad. Truly a company focused on giving back!

          5. Eos
Ingredients matter, and eos has always believed in adhering to the strictest safety standards while using the best sustainably-sourced oils, butters, and beeswax for their products.

They are partnering with TerraCycle to help recycle the plastics in the spheres that hold their lip balms. In the process, they’re substantially reducing the amount of waste contributed by eos products. Finding sustainably produced and handled makeup can be a challenge, but eos is up for it!


Which of these brands would be most excited to co-brand with? Let us know in the comments below!

1 Comment

iS IT SAFE TO MARKET MY BUSINESS YET?

4/6/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
We’ve been getting that question a lot lately. I suppose that’s a good thing. It means that people are beginning to recover from the shock of what’s going on and are now trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Go us!

But before you get all excited and go back to undoing all of the hard work your kid’s teacher has done this year, you should know that it’s not going to be as easy as turning everything back on right now. 

Business has changed. And so has marketing. 

So, let’s figure out how you can get back to marketing yourself in a way that doesn’t make you look like an opportunistic jackass.

PLANT SEEDS
Putting aside all of the other noise, let’s start by embracing the fact that most industries are going to take a hit from all of this. Unless you are selling necessities (I’m looking at you Charmin), your potential customers aren’t going to be as willing to pull out their credit card just because you put together a fancy landing page with a picture of you pointing towards the big orange “Buy Now” button.

Things have changed. And as a result, our needs have changed.

Before this whole thing happened, we were hungry for solutions. If you had a product or service that could remove the thorn from somebody’s paw (no Tiger King pun intended) then people would be willing to buy it. You just needed to get in front of them and clearly communicate your value.

But now, we’re starving for community. We need the safety and camaraderie of others to get through this. Even though solutions are still important, community has become a necessity. Like toilet paper. Only not as messy. 

So, what does that mean?

Well, it means that you should focus more of your energy on building your network right now instead of building your business. I know. Easier said than done when you have bills to pay. But those who make it to the other side of this thing with a strong community behind them will win big in the long term.

Relationships are the new currency. 

And it has never been easier to build a strong relationship and a strong community. So, let’s talk about how you can do that.

Serve Instead of Sell
There is an unprecedented level of fear out there. And the last thing we need is a doomsday countdown threatening a price increase on a product that doesn’t meet any of our most basic needs right now. 

Take a look around. 

There are people wondering where their next paycheck is going to come from. There are people wondering if they are going to be able to feed themselves in two weeks. There are people wondering if they are going to see certain members of their family again. 

We have enough scarcity and fear and unknown and pressure in our lives right now. We don’t need more.
And yet, those tactics will still work for some. I mean, if you throw enough spaghetti at the wall, something is bound to stick. But that doesn’t mean you should. For each person who buys as a result of these now outdated sales tactics, there will be ten people praying for you to get explosive diarrhea.

And those people won’t forget very easily. And when all of this is behind you, they will remember not to buy from you. 

So, rather than trying to figure out how to sell a few, figure out how to serve many. Ask yourself how you can leverage what you do in a way that creates an extraordinary amount of value for prospective clients while adding a benefit to you as well. 

For example:

Blog: By creating new blog posts on a regular basis you are not only able to help people who are looking for solutions, but you will also be increasing traffic to your website and improving your search engine ranking. 

Facebook Group: Create a new Facebook Group where you answer questions and help out your community. Meanwhile, finding out what keeps your community up at night will give you a lot of ideas for content, programs, videos, and services that you could offer in the future. 

Group Chats: Start offering a daily or weekly chat on Zoom. While giving them valuable face time with you, it will also give you a chance to connect with your community beyond words on a page. 

Donate Your Product or Service: What better way to give back to your community than give away the thing that you were thinking of selling? If we have something that can help people through this time, why wouldn’t we want as many people as possible to have it? We have faith that karma will do its thing later. 

Change Up Your Offer to Meet the Needs of Others: If you’re in an industry that has been hit really hard, you may be one pivot away from being able to help people who are in desperate need of something. Rather than firing his staff during this time, a fashion designer converted his tailor shop and has been making and donating thousands of the most fashionable face masks you have ever seen. 

And here’s where it all comes together. 

When it’s time to buy again, because that day is coming, who would you rather buy from? The person who fired his team or the person who made thousands of masks for the people in his community? The person who tried to hard-sell you on a program or the person who gave it away for free? The person who answered all of your questions on a live chat or the person who filled your inbox with sales emails? The person who leads a Facebook group full of people who helped you through this or the person who spammed you with out of touch automated messages on LinkedIn? 

It’s a no-brainer. If you’re there for me in my biggest time of need, I’ll be there for you in yours. 
(You’re singing the Friends theme right now, aren’t you?)

And that’s how you build a community. Which conveniently leads us to our last thought on how you can market yourself right now. How should you act within that community? 

Be Human
This is probably the easiest and hardest thing you will ever do. Be human. It’s one of those things that is easy because you are human while also incredibly difficult because you are human.

We’re all going through a lot right now. It’s hard. And it’s scary. And it’s overwhelming. And we don’t know what is going to happen next.

But we’re all going through it together.

We all understand because we’re all in it. And it’s OK to let your guard down and be vulnerable. That is one of very few things that will allow you to be seen as more than just an avatar on a social media platform.
 
Now, don’t get me wrong. Vulnerability is incredibly difficult for most of us. Including me. There is a misconception that being vulnerable is somehow equivalent to being weak. The thought is that if people really knew that you were scared or confused or sad, people would begin to see you differently. 

And they will. 

Except in this case, different is a good thing. 

The “living my best life on Instagram” days are gone. We want to know who you really are. Scars and all. 
So, why not start right now by sharing how you really feel right now and see what happens.

So, Is it Safe to Market My Business Yet?It was never not safe to market your business. The only thing that changed is how you go about it. Because now more than any other time in our history, your business is less about your product or service and more about one thing. 

YOU.

And you should never stop sharing who you are with the people who need you. 

Adapted from Marc Ensign; www.loudmouse.com
0 Comments

Support remote employees

3/25/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
​Due to the pandemic, most employees are working from home. However, many of these employees are not prepared for full-time work from home. Here are some ways you can help support workers that may be new to working away from the office.

Give them the technology and tools they need

Video and messaging tools like Skype and Zoom are more common than ever in the workplace, but these tools can be utilized to allow remote employees to meet ‘face-to-face’, even if they are not in the same location. Encouraging everyone to use the video features can increase personal connection and help working from home feel less isolating.

Set clear goals about communication and expectations

Setting clear goals and expectations can help manage the stress of working from home. Let them know you trust them to do their work. Schedule regular video meetings for teams so they can communicate with each other and make sure everyone is on the same page. Feeling out of the loop can be extremely demotivating and can also cause anxiety in workers that are used to frequent in-person collaboration.

Stick to these regular meetings and avoid micro-managing

For supervisors that are not used to managing remote workers, it can be challenging not knowing exactly what your team is up to at all times. However, it is important to demonstrate that you trust them to get the job done.

Respect work-life balance

If everyone on your team is now working remotely, it can often be a struggle to separate work-life from their home-life. It is important to set clear expectations about hours you expect them to be working, what flexibility might be OK and that you do not expect them to go beyond their regular.

Appreciate everyone’s unique situation

Working from home can be different for everyone. Maybe some employees have room for a dedicated office or workspace. Others may live in a studio apartment without much room for their work life to invade their living space. If they are working at home due to the virus, maybe their children are home as well. This can be difficult, and you should have some empathy for everyone’s situation.

The Takeaway: Support and Appreciation goes a long way

The most important thing to takeaway from this is that your employees should feel supported (tech tools, clear communication) and appreciated (with clear boundaries, trust them to do their jobs).

​You can let them know their work and effort during these difficult times is appreciated. Maybe send them a gift or other token of appreciation. Or maybe some branded merchandise that can help them be more productive while at-home. These types of signs of appreciation can let your employees know that you care and understand that they are working hard.
2 Comments

5 Things college students love to wear

1/6/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture

College is a time for education, growth, and discovery, in all areas of life - from earning a degree to crafting a signature style.

What are college students actually wearing these days, and how can your brand cater to the market?

CLICK HERE to learn more

1 Comment

CORPORATE APPAREL 101 - PERFORMANCE POLOS

7/22/2019

4 Comments

 
Picture
Work hard. Play hard. When you need a sport shirt that is going to stand up to long days of work or play, choose a performance polo. Unlike cotton shirts that absorb and hold perspiration leaving your shirt wet and heavy, performance polos pull moisture to the surface of the fabric where it quickly evaporates leaving you cool, dry and comfortable.

​


​Perfect for:
  • Corporate Outings
  • Summer Camps
  • Trade Shows
  • Golf Events
  • Executive Gifts

4 Comments

Your Brand + Name-Brand Products

7/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Did you know you can add your logo to hundreds of products from recognizable retail brands like Marmot, Built NY, Under Armour, Igloo, Popsocket, Camelback, Callaway, OGIO, Titleist and more?

Pairing your logo with a product from a trusted brand can add perceived value in the eyes of the recipient and that translates to a bigger impact and a potential increase in return on your investment. The value of brand loyalty is hard to overstate. We're branding experts, so we should know!

Choosing name-brand branded merchandise and corporate apparel conveys appreciation, thoughtfulness and gratitude to recipients in every demographic.

There's a huge range of name-brand merchandise to choose from. Whether you're looking for employee incentives, corporate apparel, client gifts, giveaways or event gear, the perfect branded product to is out there that fits your program.
0 Comments

Welcome to the playbook

7/4/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Welcome to the NEW blog of Imprint Marketing Concepts...Branding Playbook! We figured with a new logo and website, it would be the perfect time to start a blog. What can you expect? We like to think that we're branded merchandise and corporate apparel experts, so we're going to show you the latest and greatest trends, ideas, brands, and products. Bookmark this page and check back often so you don’t miss any exciting updates!

​Why the new logo?
It was time for a new, fresh, and more modern look…for a simple reason. We want our brand to reflect our company culture and also our commitment to you – to bring you the solutions you have come to expect from us with uncompromising product quality and the very best customer service.

Why name the blog Branding Playbook?
NFL playbooks are known for being incredibly detailed. They outline everything, from blocking packages for every type of defensive alignment imaginable to executing an end-around or draw play. Keeping all of the moving parts running smoothly is only possible if you have a plan in place. That's where we come in. When working on your projects, we provide that extensive playbook to ensure that everything goes as planned. So, it was a "no-brainer" that we go with Branding Playbook.

If you have ANY questions – don’t hesitate to email or call a member of our team. We look forward to working with you in 2019 and beyond!

1 Comment

    Categories

    All
    Apparel
    Branding
    Brands
    College Market
    Corporate Apparel 101
    IMC
    Marketing
    Technology

    Archives

    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    July 2019

    RSS Feed

Call Us

(201) 934-6868

Email Us

info@imprintmarketing.com

Visit Us

145 N Franklin Tpk, #209
Ramsey, New Jersey 07446

Follow Us

© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Product Collections
    • Apparel Collection >
      • Fleece
      • Hats
      • Polos
      • Sweatshirts
      • T-Shirts
      • Wovens
      • adidas
      • Alternative Apparel
      • American Apparel
      • Carhartt
      • Champion
      • Charles River Apparel
      • Cutter & Buck
      • Eddie Bauer
      • Greg Norman
      • Marmot
      • New Era
      • Nike
      • The North Face
      • OGIO
      • Polo Ralph Lauren
      • Roots73
      • Under Armour
    • Bag Collection >
      • Backpacks
      • Brief Bags
      • Computer Bags
      • Coolers
      • Duffel Bags
      • Golf Bags
      • Tote Bags
    • Calendar Collection >
      • Commercial
      • Desk
      • Magnet
      • Planners
      • Wall
    • Drinkware Collection >
      • Ceramic Mugs
      • Travel Mugs
      • Tumblers
      • Water Bottles
    • Golf Collection >
      • Golf Accessories
      • Golf Bags
      • Golf Balls
      • Golf Shirts
      • Golf Towels
      • Golf Umbrellas
    • Housewares Collection >
      • BBQ
      • Coasters
      • Kitchen Accessories
      • Picnic
      • Wine
    • Stationary Collection >
      • Jotters
      • Moleskine
      • Notebooks
      • Notepads
      • Padfolios
      • Post-it Notes
    • Technology Collection >
      • Chargers
      • Computer Accessories
      • Computer Bags
      • Headphones
      • Memory
      • Phone Accessories
      • Speakers
    • Umbrella Collection >
      • Auto Open
      • Beach/Market
      • Golf Umbrellas
      • Inverting
      • Mini
      • Vented
    • Writing Collection >
      • Executive Pens
      • Pencils
      • Rollerballs
      • Stylus Pens
      • Pens under $2.50
      • Pens over $2.50
  • Our Story
  • Playbook
  • Contact