The answer is “Relevance and Current Interest!” New trends cut through the daily noise and clutter, and entice you to take notice! Think about a woman dressed attractively in the latest fashion. Heads, both male and female, will turn to look. That is what you want in your marketing campaign: the idea that makes people look or better yet act!
Advantages magazine describes that idea as the “irresistible trigger that can prompt a consumer to act…a trend can be leveraged to motivate a target audience to respond to your client’s promotion.” They go on to give this example, “imagine two promotional T-shirts both advertising the same product to young adult women. These are to be used as a gift-with-purchase incentive. The first T-shirt is a boxy, heavyweight cotton style with a one-color imprint of the brand’s logo. The second is made of a lightweight burnout fabric with a tattoo-inspired design incorporating the brand’s logo, much like the trendy Ed Hardy T-shirts being worn by celebrities. Which T-shirt would be more likely to inspire these young females to make a purchase—the one that mimics what these women view as “hot” at retail, or the bland promotional version? Bottom Line: When you want to inspire an audience you have to apply trends to the promotions that have been proven to get their attention as consumers.”
As marketers we have an opportunity, and maybe even a responsibility to the organizations that we support, to maximize our resources. This investment can be in dollars spent, time allocated to a project, and staff dedicated to a given task. The return on this investment is paramount to the success of our organization’s mission. Trend tracking is an effective way to be sure that we are tapping into our audience’s mindset. We can multiply our efforts by using trends to create buzz and motivate customers or members to take the desired action that we are suggesting. Staying mindful of trends can give us a better understanding of a target audience, help us keep up with hot products that will better motivate participants in an incentive program, or inspire us to design and create events that will draw attention and participation.
So, what are the trends for 2010 and how will they impact your choices for events and promotional products? Here is a summary of what we have found …
Colors: Trendhunter.com predicts that we will see a shift to vibrant “Peacock” colors as a diversion from or remedy to last year’s recession and dashed hopes. The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) recommends “Maize” and “Orange” for the most popular colors in promotional wear. Both are logo friendly, and are “stand out from the crowd” colors. Maize can vary from light mustard to a warm yellow tending toward orange. Both colors are said to be “harvest” colors which symbolize productivity, energy and reward.
Clothing: ASI’s recent poll on clothing predicts the largest increase in use of T-shirts for 2010. The use of T-shirts is predicted to rise 51% with polos and outerwear following. But, as noted above, these T-shirts aren’t your mother’s T-shirts! There is movement toward thinner fabrics, larger graphics, V-necks, large buttons and performance fabrics. Eco-wear will be popular, but be careful of “green washing” as occurred with bamboo garments this past year!
Giveaways: Puzzles (like Rubix cubes), iPod and phone cases, laptop bags, wrist pens, futuristic and vintage watches, innovative computer mouse and USB designs were listed as effective promotional items by Trendhunter.com. Their 2010 Trend Report points toward the desire for tangible personalization, visual clarity, function over novelty, and products which are both eco-friendly and cost-effective. And, their Number Two trend for gadgets was a wide variety of desk accessories that includes mini-gardens, light-up computer keyboards, organizers, calendars, mini-fans, stress relievers and office toys.
Style or Look: Urban culture will lead the way for 2010 according to Trendwatching.com. The appearance of luxury and status will continue to have a huge impact, but there is also a strong push to supporting charitable causes, local industry and local communities. Online communities will continue to grow, and the development of virtual communities made up of individuals with common goals will continue to expand. These communities can be actively marketed to by understanding their goals and interests. Understanding and reacting to social networking will be critical to success. We will need to develop strategies to reach and appeal to people through those same networks.
Earth Friendly: The other large trend that has been addressed is the “green” movement, and there are a number of products offered with lowered carbon impacts, better recycling, and improved retention and reuse possibilities.
Our manufacturers and suppliers offer products with these trends in mind. As you look through catalogs, or increasingly, browse through our online store…
- you will see the “hot” colors on a variety of products,
- you will see new ways of personalizing products,
- you will see more “name brands” offered,
- you will see eco/green concerns addressed,
- you will see health concerns addressed,
- you will see lower minimums,
- and you will see new methods of imprinting.
We hope that this brief foray into the importance of trends assists you as you begin planning your marketing expenditures for the coming year. Please contact TheMarketPro for more information and so we can help you find the best products for your audience and mission.
TheMarketPro can be reached at 800-905-0073 or sales@themarketpro.net. Educational articles can be found at www.TheMarketPro.net in our “Going Green with Promotional Products” and “Coffee Break Reading” sections.
Sources:
Counselor magazine, Advertising Specialty Institute, December 2009, pages 30, 55, 56, and 57.
Kimbrough, Tonia Cook., Advantages University, Advantages magazine, Advertising Specialty Institute, December 2009, pages 44 and 45.
www.trendhunter.com
Author: Connie King & Janet Glazier
Date: January 2010