Sometimes marketing agencies trying to select the best out of their catalogue of campaigns can be a bit biased due to emotions, memories, and other nuances that the audience might never be aware of. That’s why we decided to allow our clients and our audiences to decide which ones were our best promotional marketing campaigns of 2018.
We opened up a contest online so our clients could nominate their campaigns. This way our audience and theirs would be able to vote and select a winner. Here are 9 contestants and the winner for the best promotional marketing campaign of 2018. You’ll love them!
1. Welcome Packs
Our friends at Prospa needed to revamp their outdated welcome package for new brokers of the Prospa family. They wanted to communicate Prospa’s modern brand image while reducing the cost and incorporating existing items.
We worked alongside Prospa and came up with an elegantly customized solution. We combined a certificate in a sleek gloss black frame, a premium metal pen, and a professional notebook wrapped in Prospa branded tissue paper and placed into a premium custom made box. New Prospa brokers felt warmly welcomed and enjoyed a more friendly onboarding process.
2. Family Day 2018
Promotional merchandise plays a very important role in nurturing employee loyalty and appreciation. Kennards Hire knows this. That’s why for their annual Family Day 2018 they needed a product that was family-friendly in order to show their employees and their families their appreciation.
Our team developed a few alternatives, and we decided to go with a Picnic Rug & Duffle bag that could be used on the day and afterwards for days out with the family. We included a magnetic photo frame with the brand’s 70th Anniversary artwork for families to use for photos taken on that day.
The brand needed merchandise options that incorporated indigenous artwork suitable for students and education fairs. The designs needed to be high-quality and highlight the APA logo while recognising the artist.
We developed a fantastic digital print on a bottle and backpack that successfully communicated the indigenous design and highlighted both the APA logo and the artist without compromising quality and functionality.
The PR department of the governing body of horse racing in Victoria approached our team to develop the perfect invitation to launch the Festival of Racing period and marketing campaign to the media and the general public.
We developed a line of wicker picnic baskets themed with the Festival’s image and arranged for them to have an additional touch of subtle RV branding through custom luggage. “The kits were so well received that we encountered a number of requests for more baskets, a feat that is very rare from the media!”, said Verity Clough, Racing Victoria Public Relations & Communications Manager.
AIG’s thought leadership conference needed a product for their travel team session on awareness about travel risks that would make the experience memorable for their target audience.
They had an idea for compression socks, so we developed a variety of AIG branded options and samples sourced from local suppliers. They picked one and each person who got a pair was pleasantly surprised.
We chose some of our favourites and personalised them to better suit Hologic’s staff. The move was successful and everybody loved their gifts. It was a great way to start in a new environment.
For the past 25 years, Holden and the PGA have produced Australia’s #1 participated amateur golf event with over 50,000 participants across Australia. Creating a gift for the Championship finals that would be suitable for the occasion and for all golfers, was a great challenge for Red Tomato.
We sourced a series of fun and engaging products that were well received and both the client and sponsors achieved great brand awareness at the event and beyond due to the practicality of the reusable glasses.
The concept of giving kids a free backpack with goodies to engage them in the event had been done in previous years with success. However, for the 2017/18 campaign, we decided to incorporate the “We love animals” concept into the theme in order to further engage kids and families.
All items included in the backpack were branded with the slogan, and the success among kids was tremendous. Mick Sharke from RSN was there with his daughters and no one could have put it better than him:
“The Country Racing Victoria campaign focuses on a simple idea – We Love Animals. Because at the heart of the sport, when the carnivals, prize money announcements, interstate feuds, and mega races are all stripped away, racing exists because its participants and fans love and appreciate the thoroughbred horse. And what better way to explain racing to a child than with this message.”
2018 was Contiki’s 20th anniversary for ROCK, which is their biggest trade incentive. To celebrate, they made ROCK 2018 BIGGER & BETTER: more seats, iconic location, iconic festival, smoking hot merch, and new branding.
This memorable and eye-catching award was something agents could brag about and proudly display, and it also caught the attention of voters for our contest and this rockin’ award took first place.
* * *
For us at Red Tomato, all our clients are winners and all of them deserve a winning campaign. With that mantra in mind, be sure our team will work hard to give you promotional products that are true winners for you and your brand. Get in touch to start working on your next winning campaign!
In January, we dived into the PPAI Expo Experience in Las Vegas. We attended proudly as an award-winning agency.
Last year, we won the Pyramid Award for our Country Racing Victoria Campaign. However, our achievements at the PPAI Expo Experience this year were even more remarkable. Thanks to the love and effort put forward by our team and the trust of our clients, this year our Agency was awarded a Silver Pyramid Award for our Ugly Sweater Campaign and a Gold Award for our blog the Tomato Scoop.
The PPAI Expo Experience in Vegas was not just about awards. We discovered the latest industry trends and connected with renowned leaders and experts.
Our journey at the PPAI Expo Experience inspires us to stay our course. Especially when industry leaders are promoting methods similar to ours at Red Tomato. We prioritise our clients, addressing quote requests as an ad agency would.
Promotional Product Trends
One trend set to rise this year is the return to retro items. Both CES and PPAI Expo showed a growing tendency towards items with modern day technology that have a timeless look. These “new retro” products include items like Bluetooth speakers that look like old record players and gramophones.
Moreover, family games like Jenga and Monopoly are gaining traction. This positions your brand right in family game nights.
Further innovations can be seen in the use of recycled and recyclable by big brands such as Adidas and HTT Apparel. Meanwhile, one of the most prevalent trends is the upgrade of work clothing and apparel into more relaxed options such as the ones shown by Hanesbrands Inc., and Blue Generation.
Going Forward from our PPAI Expo Experience
We complemented our PPAI Expo Experience with trips to Zappos.com, CES, and SKUcon. We learned about employee relationships and met like-minded suppliers and distributors.
Going forward, the team at Red Tomato will continue to lead the Australian promotional product industry with creative, strategic, and solid service to provide our clients with a maximized ROI both in results, brand awareness, brand loyalty, and brand presence.
Our Aspirations
We aim to be pioneers, consistently evolving in our strategies, methods, and offerings. With the insights we’ve gleaned, we are already brainstorming the next campaign that we believe will not only benefit our clients but also set a new industry standard.
Even if you’re not in the marketing world, if you’ve ever accessed the internet, you’re familiar with marketing giveaways. They range anywhere from free branded water bottles to exotic, all-inclusive vacations. If you are in the field of marketing, however, you need to be aware of how to create a successful campaign. In this article, we’ll go over mistakes to avoid and how to make your next marketing giveaway a hit.
Why Giveaways Go Wrong
Before you even begin to plan out your marketing giveaway, be sure to familiarise yourself with how not to use promotional merchandise. Even with the best of intentions, it’s easy to set your company up for failure if you’re incorrectly using products to attract clients. In terms of giveaways, you need to be careful with the following:
Ignoring Your Targeted Audience
This should be engrained in every marketer’s brain by now. Nonetheless, you would be surprised by how frequently companies try to give away products that have nothing to do with their services. You can’t expect a successful campaign if you have a gardening business and are offering the latest electric suitcase as your giveaway. You’re wasting everyone’s time, including your own.
Not Choosing Your Products Wisely
Just to reiterate, your campaign will fail if your products aren’t something that will attract the right kind of clients. If you’re unsure of your demographic, read up on determining your buyer personas before even think of hosting a giveaway. As Steve Kovar, the co-founder of ViralSweep, stated, “The success of your promotion depends largely on the products, so if the giveaway does not align properly with your target audience, your promotion will under-perform.” Also, don’t get carried away and give away something so expensive that the campaign puts your business in jeopardy.
Making the Giveaway Entry Complicated
If you are truly determined to make your marketing campaign fail, make sure that the entry process is long and frustratingly complicated. People are busy, and you don’t want them to remember your company as the one who asked for their aunt’s life story in order to win a pen. Also, remember that not everyone is on social media, so don’t ask for a Facebook login to enter.
The Problem with Facebook Giveaways
Social media is awesome, but not everyone uses it. In addition, you don’t own your followers on any platform. Even if you have 20 thousand Facebook followers, you won’t be able to contact them if something goes wrong with your Facebook account. Not focusing on building your own email list is the ultimate fail. So, if you plan on requiring likes and comments for people to enter, you’re stepping on your own feet.
Marketing Giveaways that Go Right
Now that we’ve discussed what not to do for your giveaway campaign, you should have a better idea of what will lead to success. Right? Ok, maybe it’s not always so simple. Let’s take a step back and examine why you would have a giveaway in the first place. It’s surely not because you like throwing money away.
The point of a marketing giveaway is to raise brand awareness, engage with your targeted audience, as well as gain leads to convert browsers into clients. When the campaign is over, you want the right people to favourably remember your company. In other words, you’re looking for a long-term return on your investment.
To recap, here are a few helpful giveaway tactics:
Offer a giveaway product relevant to your business and desirable to your targeted audience.
Make sure that the giveaway is attractive and worth your demographic’s time. This is called the value proposition.
Don’t overextend yourself when it comes to your budget. It’s not worth risking your company’s fiscal health. (See here for tips on successfully using promotional merchandise on a budget.)
Simplify the entry process.
Steer clear of Facebook-based giveaways.
Be sensitive to your audience’s desires and remain flexible with your giveaway’s size, colour, etc. Diversifying your prize can also be advantageous.
Case Studies: Successful Marketing Giveaway Campaigns
Now that we’ve discussed the dos and don’ts of marketing giveaways, let’s look at how they play out successfully. While we’ve stated that Facebook giveaways aren’t always the wisest choice, social media can still help your marketing giveaways. Whether or not your campaign is digital, if done right, these platforms can still help your promotion gain major traction. See how Red Tomato teamed with O’Brien Real Estate and the Pirtek Fishing Challenge for two different successful marketing campaigns.
If you are thinking of starting a new marketing giveaway, let us help walk you through your next promotion. Your success is important to us and we urge you to contact us with any questions you may have.
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Mastering Corporate Gift Giving for Christmas: A Strategic Guide for Businesses
As the festive season approaches, businesses are presented with the unique opportunity to strengthen bonds and express gratitude through the thoughtful gesture of corporate gift-giving. This practice is not just a seasonal tradition, but a strategic tool in building lasting relationships with clients, employees, and partners. With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to plan and execute your corporate gifting strategy, and our Christmas gift guide can help you choose the ideal presents.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps of preparing for corporate gift-giving this Christmas, drawing insights and ideas from Red Tomato’s 2023 Christmas Gift Guide to help you make the most impactful choices.
The Importance of Corporate Gift-Giving
Corporate gift-giving during the holiday season extends far beyond the exchange of presents. It’s a powerful way to show appreciation, reinforce relationships, and make a lasting impression. In the realm of business, these gifts are more than just tokens; they are a reflection of your company’s values and commitment to its relationships. Particularly, client retention can significantly benefit from well-thought-out gifts, as they remind clients of the value your business places on their partnership. Similarly, employee morale sees a boost when their efforts are acknowledged with a thoughtful gesture. This holiday season, let your gifts speak volumes about your company’s appreciation and foresight.
Prepare for Christmas Now
Setting A Budget
Effective budgeting is a cornerstone of successful corporate gift-giving, especially during the holiday season. It’s crucial to set a budget that reflects both your company’s financial health and the value you place on your relationships.
Understanding Financial Constraints: Assess your company’s current financial position to determine a realistic budget for corporate gifts. This step is crucial to ensure that your gesture of appreciation aligns with your company’s financial capabilities without causing undue strain.
Allocating Funds Thoughtfully: Once your overall budget is defined, allocate specific amounts to different groups like key clients, employees, and partners. This tailored approach ensures that each segment receives appropriate attention, reflecting their importance to your business.
Quality Over Quantity: In corporate gift-giving, the impact of the gift often outweighs its cost. Prioritise purchasing fewer high-quality items over a larger quantity of less significant gifts. This strategy often leads to a more memorable and valued experience for the recipients.
Accounting for Additional Costs: Don’t overlook additional expenses such as shipping, taxes, and packaging. These can significantly impact your overall budget and should be included in your initial calculations.
Monitoring and Adjusting the Budget: Stay flexible and monitor your spending as you purchase gifts. Be prepared to adjust your budget if you find that initial estimates were off or if unexpected expenses arise.
By meticulously planning and adhering to a well-structured budget, your corporate gift-giving will be financially sustainable and more impactful, ensuring each gift resonates with its recipient on a deeper level.
Creating a Gift List
Once your budget is set, it’s time to draft your gift list.
Who makes the cut?
Clients who’ve supported you through thick and thin, employees who’ve gone the extra mile, and partners who’ve been with you every step of the way. This list is more than a tally of names; it’s a roadmap of relationships you value and want to nurture. Think of each name as an opportunity to strengthen a bond, to show that you don’t just see a business contact but a valued member of your extended corporate family. Personalising this list not only helps in choosing the right gifts but also ensures that each gift resonates with its recipient, making them feel genuinely appreciated.
Choosing Thoughtful Gifts
The art of gift selection is next. This isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about choosing gifts that resonate. Forget the run-of-the-mill corporate swag; this is your chance to make a statement. It’s about finding something that aligns with the recipient’s interests, something that they wouldn’t just like, but love. A carefully chosen book for the avid reader, a premium coffee set for the caffeine aficionado, or perhaps a tech gadget for the digital guru. Each gift should be a reflection of your understanding and appreciation of the individual. It’s these thoughtful nuances that turn a simple gift into a memorable token of your regard.
Incorporate Branding
Now, let’s talk about branding. This isn’t about slapping your logo on everything in sight. It’s about subtle, tasteful branding that complements the gift. Think embossed notebooks, engraved pens, or customised accessories that carry your brand’s essence without overpowering the gift’s purpose. The goal is to remind the recipients of your brand, but in a way that enhances the gift’s value. This delicate balance of branding can transform a nice gift into a powerful brand touchpoint, reinforcing your company’s image while still prioritising the recipient’s experience.
Personalise Your Gifts
Gift Presentation
Presentation is everything. It’s not just what you give, but how you give it. In the world of corporate gift giving, first impressions count. This Christmas, give your gifts the wrapping they deserve. Opt for elegant packaging, tasteful wrapping, and perhaps a handwritten note for that personal touch. It’s these little details that transform a gift from ordinary to extraordinary. Imagine the delight when your gift stands out for its class and attention to detail – it’s like the icing on the Christmas cake. A well-presented gift not only looks great but also shows that you care enough to put in the extra effort.
Red Tomato’s 2023 Christmas Gift Guide
If you’re searching for exceptional gift ideas for this Christmas season, Red Tomato’s 2023 Christmas Gift Guide is your ideal destination. This specially curated collection is an abundant source of corporate gift ideas, thoughtfully selected to match the current season’s trends in Australia. The range includes chic tech accessories, exquisite gourmet hampers, and more, ensuring a variety of choices for everyone. These gifts are more than just items; they embody experiences, create lasting memories, and serve as heartfelt tokens of appreciation.
Your Ultimate Guide to Corporate Christmas Gifts
Elevate your corporate gifting this Christmas with Red Tomato’s exclusive offerings. Our 2023 Christmas Gift Guide is specially crafted to provide you with a plethora of unique corporate gift ideas, perfect for impressing clients and showing genuine appreciation to your team. Each item in the guide is selected for its quality, ensuring your gifts reflect the excellence of your brand.
In addition to our gift guide, explore our selection of bespoke Christmas hampers. These hampers are filled with a variety of premium items, ideal for adding a touch of luxury and festivity to your corporate gifting. Whether it’s for a client or an employee, our hampers are designed to deliver delight and make a lasting impression.
At Red Tomato, we understand the importance of thoughtful gifting. That’s why we offer customisation options to align with your brand and the unique preferences of your recipients. Our team is here to assist you in selecting and personalising your gifts, ensuring they are not just presents, but meaningful gestures of appreciation.
Contact us today to discover how our Christmas Gift Guide and exclusive hampers can transform your holiday gifting strategy. Let Red Tomato help you make this festive season memorable with gifts that truly stand out.
Embrace the spirit of giving with Red Tomato, where every gift is a testament to quality and care.
Do you have any tips on how to prepare for corporate giving this Christmas? Is there anything you’d like to know more about? Please share in the comments below!
When someone looks for the perfect job, fair compensation is just the beginning of the hunt. As a Human Resources or Hiring Manager, you are aware of the challenge of creating—as well as maintaining– a brilliant team. LinkedIn’s worldwide study has shown that most workers want to feel that their work has a purpose in addition to earning an income. If your staff goes home every night feeling underappreciated and dreads coming to the office every morning, chances are they’re not fulfilled. Not only does this predict a high turn-over rate, it also means that your employees are three times less productive. In this article, we will discuss ways to show your team gratitude, and why doing this will benefit your company.
Ways to Show Your Team Gratitude
We’ve previously discussed the art of giving and gratitude during the holiday season, but a successful business is aware that this is a year-round effort. It’s imperative that you show your employees, as well as your clients, that you care about them. Viewing your staff as worker bees or cogs in a machine is the quickest, most efficient way to fail as a business. Engaging your employees is the first step toward success. The most crucial step, however, is showing your appreciation. Here are some ways to show your team gratitude, no matter what time of the year it is:
How Showing Appreciation Will Benefit Your Company
Recognizing your team’s accomplishments is one of the easiest ways to show your gratitude. As mentioned above, this could be done through integrative work programs like a wellness center or a monthly happy hour. You can also demonstrate appreciation simply by praising your staff or sending them a thank you note for hitting their quarterly goal. It doesn’t matter how large your budget is, because the payoffs of having inspired, purposeful employees are endless. By simply appreciating your employees, you will be able to:
Increase loyalty and decrease turnover rate
Improve individual productivity
Create a positive company culture
Entice others to join your team
From any perspective, employees are essential to your business’s well-being. Your staff is the face of your company, its driving force, and largely the reason behind its success. According to Forbes, one of the top five reasons why 80 percent of businesses fail is poor leadership. As a team manager, one of your most important responsibilities is to make sure that your employees are engaged, loyal, and eager to work. The solution couldn’t be simpler: show your gratitude.
Still not sure how to show your gratitude? Take a look at Red Tomato’s corporate employee appreciation gifts and thank you gifts ideas!
How do you show gratitude to your team? What are the overall benefits of doing so? Please let us know in the comments below!
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Swiss Peak Heritage Rollerball Pen &
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Gildan Softstyle – Adult V-Neck T-Shirt (Available in different colors)
Seattle Scarf and Gloves Set
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Fuel Coffee Mug (Available in different colors)
Stencil United Crew (Available in different colors)
Cordia Cup (Available in different colors)
Powell Pro Foldable Stand
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Swiss Peak Luzern Pen
Omega Notebook (Available in different colors)
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Classic Tee
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Adora Aluminium Bottle (Available in black color)
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Swiss Peak Vacuum Cup
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Swiss Peak Stealth Vacuum Bottle
Stencil Half Zip Crew (Available in different colors)
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Silicone Phone Wallet (Available in different colors)
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Andorra Notebook and Pen Gift Set (Available in different colors)
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