Promotional Automotive Gifts

After driving 2000 miles over the Thanksgiving holiday automotive gifts seemed like the perfect topic to blog about. 30 hours is a lot of time to drive but it was apparent that a lot of us are spending more time behind the wheel with commutes getting longer due to traffic or more of us selecting to drive in lieu of flying.

We unloaded the car and I was amazed at the number of promotional products that made the trip more pleasurable.

Our trusty Cellmate dashboard help sunglasses and one cell phone.
Our dog Rufus’s food and water was smartly stored in a K9 dog travel bag
A trunk organizer held gloves, hats and other winter gear. It doubles as our portable ski gear locker also holding helmets and goggles.
An auto safety set contained jumper cables, flares, emergency blanket, gas siphon and more.
Coffee was kept warm in an insulated thermos and stainless steel travel mugs prevented spills.
3 ways cigarette charger for phones and GPS
Lap top travel case
Back packs
Compact travel cooler on wheels for drinks and healthy road food
Lip balm
Anti-bacterial spray
Handi - wipes
Micro fiber cloth to clean sun glasses
LED flashlight
Ice scraper
Key ring

Each and every item had a logo on it. You don’t need to drive by a billboard anymore, the interior of our vehicles have become a rolling version. Promotional automotive gifts are both extremely practical and they help you send multiple messages showing how you care for your client’s safety and convenience.

We use this stuff and we know what works. 2000 miles tells the story. Give us a call at 888-344-6060 and we are ready to share what we have learned.

We were sitting by the fire last night selecting gifts for our key clients. One of the best picks were soft, cuddly, micro-plush blankets embroidered with our name. They embody a sense of warmth, comfort and security. That’s an important message law firms, attorneys, accountants, financial planers and a host of other serious service businesses need to convey. It’s a sound promotional products strategy.

Blankets are often overlooked but they truly are practical anywhere in North America and their symbolism and sense of comfort is universal. Make no mistake that having your logo on a blanket that is wrapped around a valued client or business partner sends a long and lasting message.

With the advent of polyester the prices have become remarkably affordable. Now the “Plush” version of polyester has taken this versatile material to a new level of look, comfort and feel.

If you are a law firm, accountant, a financial planner or a similar service provider we would like to show you some blankets that will make a strong and lasting impression with your valued clients. Give us a call at 888-344-8080 and we promise to find the right blanket for your needs.

LED Flashlights

You can never have enough flashlights. They are practical, smart and are easy to use a symbol for a campaign. LED flashlights have revolutionized the small personalized flashlight market.

LED’s are very low cost light emitting diodes that require very low power and shine brilliantly. Couple this with the latest aluminum manufacturing processes and we can offer you small 3 LED custom flashlights for as low as $2.00.

H1 LED Flashlights

The configurations include:

• Small aluminum
• Tapelight keychain
• Solar powered
• Bottle opener
• Strobe carabiner
• LED pen
• Rotating
• Solar keychain
• Tear drop
• Ultra keylite

If you are looking to do something extra special we can show you are favorites that your clients will believe cost 2x or 3x more than what you paid. It’s called perceived value and we know how to deliver it.

Take a peek at the gallery below and give us a call so that we can tell you about the latest in led flashlights. Give us a call at 888-344-6060 for more information

Floaty Pens Classic Products

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I chose to blog about Floaty Pens this morning and realized that in an industry that works day and night to be innovative that there are some products that simply can not be beat.

The highest quality floaty pen was designed in Denmark over 60 years ago. Earlier pens had a number of flaws. Today the design has been copied through out the world. Just Google “floaty pens” and you will see over 16,200,000 results. These pens are being sought after by collectors’ world wide. Hint, hint!

We can help you create a powerful and lasting message inside your pen. Even in our era of key boards, touch pads and hand held devices we pick up pens innumerable times per day.

Here’s a great idea. Incorporate a custom floaty pen into a multi year campaign. Use a striking design that highlights your annual campaign or mission. Make your target audience want to collect the pen every year. Let us help you turn your pen into an iconic marketing piece.

The end game is all about consistency and recognition. Even in our digital, socially linked world, “The Pen is still Mightier than the Sword”.

Give us a call at 888-344-6060 for some ideas and click on Cool Ideas to check out more on Floaty Pens on our web site.

Free to Freemium Is there really a free lunch?

There is a paradigm shift taking place. It called free to freemium.

The concept of giving something for free as an inducement has been around for ages. Giveaways, freebies, swag, tchotchkes, promo, premium… they go by many names.

In the last 2 weeks of studying this, I keep see the line, “Free is the new economic model”. Think about Google, You Tube and Flickr. The list is countless and most of the top web sites are all free. Now a new strategy is appearing. More and more basic service web sites provide their level entry product for FREE. Many of these are supported by advertising.

What do you do when you have a business model that has more than one level service? The move today is to offer your basic service for FREE and begin to introduce the customer to your product. The more they use it, the more they learn and they begin to look for the upgrade.

This is the Freemium strategy. Offer them a good product for free, show them how well it works for them and upgrade them to the fee based product.

Now that FREE is the new level entry how do you get that client to choose your company over the competition? That’s where you friends at MCM come into the equation. We can show you the most appropriate product that will make the greatest impact in aligning your target audience with you Freemium service. How about a Web Key to bring them to your new URL or a custom mouse pad that describes the service.

Give us a call at 888-344-6060 and we have a list of qualifying questions about your service / product and your intended market. As new and different as this free economic model is, there is a promotional item that can help you land that next client.

Perhaps there really is a Free Lunch?

Early Holiday Shopping

We received a bunch of feedback from the 10-10-09 Blog on year end value. One of our web elves immediately re-vamped our Holiday Web Page. Take a few moments and click on the links to view what our featured suppliers are offering for the holidays. The selection is outstanding. The site will be continuously updated as more holiday specials are offered.

Our favorite categories are Holiday Cards, Business Gifts and Food Gifts. Our ideas don’t stop there. It would be impossible to have a web site that covers all of the possibilities. That’s where our consultative strategy comes into play. Call us so that we can ask you some key questions about your message, who your targeted audience is and your price point. Right now delivery isn’t a problem, but don’t procrastinate.


Even though 2009 has been a challenging business year, the opportunity to have your message stand out has never been more important and easier to convey. There will be less gifts exchanged making yours MORE VISIBLE. The added bonus is that our suppliers are offering the most aggressive pricing that we have ever seen.

Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to make the greatest possible impact during the holidays. Click on our new page, look at some of our suggestions and ring us up at 888-344-6060 and we will help you send that special gift.

Maximize Your Dollars Impact – Great Deals on Promotional Products

Woody Allen? One of his best quotes was,”In my family it was a sin to pay retail”. We live in a world where if you only make your decisions based on price you will be surely disappointed in the long run.

This week we attended a mini trade show. What stuck out the most were the advantageous deals on 2009 styles. Even though everyone prepared for less than robust sales for this year, there are pockets of inventory that must be sold. This is the perfect opportunity to maximize your dollars impact and make a wise investment for your year end projects.

You can either reach a broader audience or use a higher price point item that is now within your budget. Unfortunately there is no master list of al of these great opportunities. The good news is that we have a very good idea were to find these hidden gems.

Don’t wait until that next great deal on promotional products comes around. The time is now and we look forward to showing you how to maximize your dollars impact today. Give us a call at 888-344-6060 or Click on MCM PRODUCTIONS.

Do Promotional Products Work? How to Choose the Right Promotional Product

The question of do promotional products works is asked as frequently as what’s the hottest product? At MCM we can provide you with an enormous number of cast studies and industry statistics to try to answer this question.

Data from the promotional products industry? Could it be a bit biased? That’s an easier question to answer.

We try to take a more practical approach. It involves a simple test. Move your eyes away from the screen and take a look at your desk, walls or even your shirt or jacket hanging in the corner. What do you see?

Even if you are like me, someone who does not like clutter, too much distraction and furry desk critters, I suspect you will be amazed by the number of promotional items that are within your reach.

The next step is to think about why some of these products are your favorites and why / how you use them each and every day.

There, I gave you the best way to determine why and how promotional products work for you. Let us help you translate this into what will work best for your next project. Call MCM 888-344-6060 or Click on MCM PRODUCTIONS

Raising Money for Charter Schools – Fundraising for Charter Schools

Are you tasked with raising money for a charter school? Did you volunteer as a fundraising volunteer for a charter school? Raising money and fundraising programs for charter schools can be both rewarding and fun.

MCM has created a fundraising program that works with schools, clubs, sports teams, alumni organizations and well almost any organization that needs to raise money. What differentiates our strategy from all of the rest is that we use all of the latest web based marketing tools to deliver a turn key program that requires very little volunteer effort.

With over 21 years experience in promotional logo merchandise MCM provides each organization with a free web site and all of the marketing support to run a fundraising program with no out lay in money and no telephone or door to door soliciting. Web marketing and sales is growing at a remarkably fast rate. We help you use the power of the World Wide Web to reach your audience.

Charter schools are ideal for fundraising as the result of the strength of their community. We find that charter school parents and faculty have an incredibly strong bond and it extends with the relatives also. We also know that charter schools must be continually raising money as the state and local subsidiary only covers a portion of the educational costs.

Click on the link to our web site and read a bit more about us and our fundraising program for your charter school. You can also give us a call at 888-344-6060. If you need to raise money for your charter school, you have come to the perfect place.

Employee Recognition Awards – Employee Recognition Program

There has probably never been a better time to have an employee recognition program than now. While the overall economic indicators point toward early signs of recovery unemployment numbers continue to rise. The fear and concerns of becoming the next victim of a layoff resonates within the workforce. Couple this with pay cuts, mandatory unpaid days off and loss of bonuses, the employee environment is a tenuous place.

Now is the time to recognize your employees. There are still many important messages regarding productivity, creativeness, customer satisfaction and moral that needs to be conveyed. Additionally employees know that the next salary increase or improvement in benefits is not around the corner.

The best way to show your team that they are still highly valued is through a well planned employee recognition program. MCM has worked with many businesses by helping them create the right program with the perfect rewards. If you want to show your employees that they are vital to the company’s goals and mission there is no better way than to reward them through a creative employee recognition program.

Give us a call and tell us what you are trying to accomplish with your organization. We can help you find the right type of program and the rewards that will put a sense of company pride back into the equations. Call us at 888-344-6060 or click on our Awards Mall to shop around.

Gifts for Golf Tournaments – Golf Promotional Items

Do you have to purchase gifts for a golf tournament, are you looking for golf promotional items? You have come to the right place.

Many of our clients are looking to purchase a gift for a golf tournament but are trying to find something, new exciting and useful. Would you like to hear about the latest golf promotional item? We have found it for you.

The Sure Putt is an innovative high quality device that teaches you how to read the slope and break on every green. It cleverly shows the uphill, down hill and right or left breaks on all putting surfaces. This high quality golf promotional item is made of machined anodized aluminum and the logo or message is engraved and hand finished.

This is the perfect gift for a golf tournament and is handsomely packed to reflect its quality. If you want to convey a professional and lasting image, this is the gift for you.

MCM knows golf and golfers. Call us at 888-344-6060 to hear talk about your next golf tournament. We will help you make your next golf event a success.

MCM PRODUCTIONS

Conserving Water - Niagara Falls Part Duex

Back on May 20, 2009 we wrote about our efforts on how we would truly explore being green and what changes we could make to do a better job at it. In the Niagara Falls blog spot we spoke about the changes that we made to our shower heads and projected what the potential savings could be.

As the warmer weather approached we took the same passion and looked into our lawn and garden’s voracious need for water. By studying our water bill and doing weekly meter readings we found that our outdoor watering was akin to turning on a hose and letting it run forever. It was time for some serious water conservation efforts.

With a little help from the WWW and a local agronomist we got a better understanding of how much water the lawn and the plants really needed. Then we calculated the number of gallons that each of the 12 zones on our sprinkler system used. It was really simple to do with a stop watch and my reading glasses. I watched the meter spin and recorded the data. Bingo, here was the real Niagara Falls.

We purchased a bunch of different sized nozzles for the drips and re-set the timer by each zone. With a little experimentation the system was fine tuned to use 500 gallons per day less. When you realize that we water for about 150 days per year that saw that this could save 75,000 gallons of water per year.

Aside from the financial savings, we are feeling much better about how we are using this precious resource.

If you want to learn more abut our green efforts or are trying to promote water conservation, give us a call at 888-344-6060.

MCM Productions

Raising Money for a Club, School or Team?

Have you ever been tasked with raising money for a club, school or team? Anyone who has done this knows that it can be a major challenge.

Raising funds for nonprofit organizations is a right of passage for volunteers. At MCM we have developed a program that supports nonprofit fundraising and it makes the process easy and fun. We utilize our 21 years of experience in logoed merchandise and our custom web site technology to create profitable fund raising programs that maximize the monies raised and minimize the hours that volunteers need to invest.

In a nuts shell we build custom web sites and provide marketing support to help nonprofits sell custom merchandise to their members and supporters.

Here’s the plan:

1. MCM has a detailed outline of the time frame, types of products and the number of sku’s to offer.
2. We offer all of the marketing tools from formatted fundraising letters to FaceBook strategy.
3. Included is a custom web site with a “call to action” landing page, an on-line store and SSL credit card checkout. There is no charge for the standard web site.
4. The organization is provided the cost of each item and they determine the resale prices. We have some proven guide lines to share.
5. All of the sales are seamlessly processed through MCM and at the predetermined closing date, all of the sales are tallied and the products are produced.
6. There is an option for the organization to purchase additional product for future sales.
7. All finished goods are shipped directly to the organization for distribution and MCM mails the check.

This is as close to a complete turn-key program as one can get. We have a proven track record in these approach and we would really like to share more of this with you and discuss the options.

Give us a call at 888-344-6060. We would like to help you raise money for your favorite cause!

Check out our web site and click on Fundraising Ideas

Executive Gifts – Keep your Passwords Secure

How secure are your passwords? If you keep them on your computer and are connected to the internet, they are vulnerable. Don’t be fooled into believing that you will not become the victim of computer phishing.

Aside from the identity theft issue how many times have you been away from your computer and needed access to your passwords?

We just took at look at this very really well designed device that can securely hold all of your passwords and it is so small that it will ft in your wallet or purse (1/8” thin). This looks like an ideal executive type gift that will be carried by a person for years.

Think about having all of your desktop logins, ATM and debit card pin codes, credit card numbers, frequent flyer numbers, driver’s license numbers and more, all in a secure password protected device.

Best of all it can have your logo or message printed right on the face.

Looking for executive gifts? Give us a call at 888-344-6060 or click on MCM Productions . We are ready to assist you in finding the right product to get your message to your audience.

Marketing a New Flavor or Taste

Do you have the challenge of marketing a new flavor or taste? Need to incorporate a gift for purchase program with a useful product. What if you just wanted something totally unique?

We have found one of the most incredible lip balm applications on the planet. LIP BALM?

Yes lip balm that comes in 11 flavors including green tea, pomegranate and vanilla bean but it can be taste bud matched to almost anything. Pretty cool! It does not stop there.

It also features an Exclusive Peel-Away Wrapper Technology. This permits you to not only put a custom message on the outside, but on the inside of the wrapper you can offer gift for purchase rewards, music down loads, movie tickets, phone time, ring tones and well, the list is endless.

This puppy is a marketing professional’s dream. We can’t wait to discuss more with you. Give us a call at 888-644-6060 or click on MCM Productions

Bags, Bobbles and Beyond

Several days after the big ASI Person of the Year 2009 announcement MCM received a visit from the local press. Take a look at the link to the Park Record. We are really excited about how they portrayed the business.

Many times when you speak to the press you give up all control to what is said or how they interpret a statement. The Park Record got it right with, "We don't sell products, we sell ideas. We like to work in a partnership with clients," she said. "It's not about giving someone a pen; it's about giving a product that makes an impact."
MCM will take quotes like that all day, everyday. We really try to get each client to stop and ask themselves questions about the intended message, the goal, the story behind the brand along with the usual budget and time frame information.
Selling a pen or a mug for the sake of making a sale is really a disservice to a client and probably not a good step in developing a long term relationship. If you are looking to stand out and really make a lasting impression, then take the time to talk with us.

Give us at call at 888-344-6060 or drop by for a visit at www.mcmproduction.com

Person of the Year ASI Counselor Magazine

Each the Advertising Specialties Institute’s magazine “Counselor” does a story entitled “Person of the Year”. Yesterday one of our clients’s sent Chris an email with a link to the August edition of the magazine.

Chris opened the link and well, the rest is history. Chris Hartley of MCM Productions has her 15 minutes of fame and has been named 2009 Person of the Year.

This year they added a new twist and actually named 10 people, each one representing a unique characteristic. Take a click on ASI PERSON OF THE YEAR 2009 and read for yourself.

ASI is largest trade organization in the advertising specialties – promotional products industry. They have over 22,000 firms many having large sales forces.

This is quite an honor and a well deserved recognition for a sales person who lives and breath’s this business and understands the importance of each and every customer’s order.

Give Chris a all at 888-344-6060 congratulate her. She is way too modest to tell you about this.

www.mcmproduction.com

Planning a Cycling Event?

We receive more and more requests for technical apparel. Just recently one of our clients called us looking for a high quality bicycling jersey printed with their logo from collar to waistband. No Problem. As we have blogged before, the world of technical apparel with custom logos has become more the norm than the unusual.

MCM teamed up with one of our favorite screen printers who is a master at dye sublimation. Voila, in the blink of an eye we delivered this knock out looking jersey that feels like silk. That’s the beauty of great dye sublimation. You have to see and feel this shirt to truly appreciate the quality.

Our good friend Molly took the time to model it for this photo but we did not let her wear it on her ride with the old Promo Guy. He definitely would not cut it as a model.

When you are thinking of apparel for your next promotion seriously consider using one of the new technical apparel products. Don’t be left out in the cold. Call us at 888-344-6060 or click on www.mcmproduction.com

Make that laptop a more effective selling tool

Looking for a way to make your laptop toting sales team more effective? Take a lesson from the folks at NASCAR. Every square inch of the car and the driver are covered in sponsor logos. These people know how to how to send a message.

How many times per day does your sales team open up a laptop in front of a client? Each time they do that they are sending the message of Dell, Apple… Notice how cleverly their logos are placed upside down on the cover.

We have the perfect solution. Laptop Skinware! You can create a high quality image or message on the covers of your team’s laptops. The 4 color process permits you to put a personalized message right in front of your audience. It is easily removable so that you can change your message on a regular basis.

Why promote Michael Dell and Steve Jobs when you can market yourself?

Give us a call at 888-344-6060 or stop by for a visit at www.mcmproduction.com .

Technical Apparel for Corporate and School Promotions? Rash Guards

6 weeks ago I blogged about the big change in performance wear products making their entrance into the promotional products / advertising specialties industry. Call us slow adapters. Well, not really, it simply took the suppliers a little more time than we wanted.

Each industry and each sport moved at their own pace to make the big change to technical fabrics. When Chris and I seriously took up golf 15 years ago we were amazed at the total lack of breathable, wicking and truly water proof gear. Golfers always appeared cold and wet. Not any more.

By the middle of this decade the pendulum had swung and all sports were using the latest in technical fabrics. One of the hottest things out there today are Rash Guards. These are the spandex or polyester bodying hugging shirts than were adopted first by surfers and now are everywhere. Think “Under Armour”, it’s the most popular brand.

Today we have a number of great suppliers that offer a broad line of rash guard tops in countless, styles and colors. Through our relationships with some very technical printers we can print your logo or message in ways that you never imagined.

Looking for rash guards and other high performance technical apparel, we have got you covered. Click on MCM Productions or give us a call at 888344-6060. There’s no need to sweat about the right material.

Our Green Car is Red

On the way back from a sales call Chris asked, why were driving a gas sucking albeit really cool looking German SUV? I did not have a good answer.

We had made a commitment to looking at every environmental and ecological aspect of our personal and business lives and this was the perfect opportunity to look at this beast that was born during the period of relatively cheap energy.

Within a day I had prepared a spreadsheet that outlined our wants and needs and compared it to all of the highly efficient vehicles on the market. Hands down the VW Jetta TDI Clean Diesel won. It has an AMCI estimated mileage of 38 city / 44 highway and just set a recorded at 58 mpg in a coast to coast drive. It’s sporty, roomy and has plenty of torque to zip up our steep mountain passes.

This morning Chris took it to the UPS store instead of her precious Audi. When asked, she said it more efficient. Take a quick peak at the new VW Ad that features the car. We think it hilarious but we do appreciate hybrid technology.
When you are working on a project that entails sending a message about green, eco-friendly, environmentally conscious or anyone of the other pop phrases that embraces this shift, contact the folks that live and breathe this way of life. MCM Productions Green Page or call us at 888-344-6060.

We get it!

What Do We Call This Thing? Private Client Enterprise!

When you study sales and marketing you learn about this progression:

1. Meet your customers needs.
2. Exceed your customers needs.
3. Anticipate your customers needs.

The challenge in today’s web based environment is how do you market something that has so many applications and try to give it a name that describes all of its features? Complicating things further is that most people are not looking for this tool, even though it probably is a viable solution for many different opportunities.

For lack of a better name we call our new tool “Private Client Enterprise” (PCE). We took the concept of the traditional on-line company store and with the support of some really well written software we can build unique web stores in minutes. We then apply some creativity in where and how to use the store.

The example in the photo was done for a local lacrosse league for their annual fund raiser. Today we are working on a fundraising site for a major university and one for a retail store for a river rafting company. The applications are only limited by one’s imagination.

Are you trying to raise money for a charity or club? Do you want to offer your employees corporate products? Could your business use an on-line retail web store with logo products?

We have a “killer app” for you. Give either Chris or Ken a call and let us build a sample site and show you the many ways you can use our PCE. 888-344-6060 Let your imagination run wild.

Who Are Those Guys? MCM in the Community

It’s an old line from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In this case it’s 2 graduate students from BYU collecting a $40,000 BIG CHECK from an executive at Zion’s bank.

The team at MCM has a strong belief that being involved in the community is an essential component of our business strategy. It can encompass helping a small non-profit afford some tee shirts to giving of ourselves. Each year we take the time to mentor graduate and under-graduate business students in a statewide program called the Utah Entrepreneurial Challenge. Annually over 150 teams submit business plans and they are reviewed and narrowed down to 20. These 20 teams are assigned mentors who help review the plans and make recommendations. The 20 teams are then cut down to 10 for the finals which entail a presentation to the panel of judges.

This year MCM had the privilege to mentor KT Tape, a manufacturer of kinesiology tape. When the smoke cleared KT tape was the overall winner and they received $40,000 in seed funding. Take a look at their outstanding product at KT TAPE.

For the past 4 years MCM has helped put teams in the finals and last year our team Energy –Tap was first runner up with a $10,000 award. There is so much to learn from these bright young entrepreneurs and we leave the awards banquet already excited about next year’s event.

When we are not out in the community we are here to help you with your next challenge.Take a look at what’s new at http://www.mcmproduction/ or give us a call at 888-344-6060

Mouse Pads

Alright with the crazy pictures. Our goal is to have one relevant blog spot per week and I am waiting for a really cool Flash clip. We will post that later. Mickey Mouse will have to do.

You have heard us speak about CPI (cost per impression). It’ simply a way to measure the cost of a per view of a product to determine its financial effectiveness over its life span. Old School thinking made us put magnets on anything that they could stick to including the ubiquitous refrigerator door. Then came the fancy stainless steel doors that we did not want to mire and then the message out lost in the lists, calendars, sticky notes and school projects that wall papered the enamel door.

About ten years ago came the PC. They are at work, at home, the coffee shop and the airport. How many times per day do you see the mouse and the proverbial mouse pad?
The CPI value is enormous.

MCM has a very special supplier in this product and we would love to tell you more about them. Click on our Cyber Store and then pick up the phone and call us at 888-344-6060. We have some great ideas to share.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls! No, not the one in the photo, no, not the Abbott and Costello routine. I’m writing about the one that comes out of most shower heads.

As part of our Green Initiative we have been looking at everything we do at home, work and play with respect to do we use the best green practice? I was taking a long shower
and was thinking about how much water I was wasting and how much energy it took to heat the wasted water. With a little research I learned that the 1992 Federal Energy Policy Act mandated that all shower heads use 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm).

I grabbed a bucket that had quart measurement lines denoted on it and caught one minute’s flow of water. Much to my surprise my circa 2004 shower head ran at 4.1 gpm. A quick calculation told me that I was using over 8000 extra gallons per year and a bunch of natural gas. A quick inspection determined that a washer was misplaced and the repair was made on the spot. I also found that one can purchase a flow restrictor ($1.79), a flow regulator ($35.00) or a new 2.2 gpm showerhead from $12.00 to almost infinity.

Many of our clients are working hard to send green / environmentally conscious messages. We have done some interesting project and would like to share them with you. You can click on our Green Page for a start or give us a call at 888-344-6060

Performance Wear or All Work and No Play?

All work and no play would make MCM a very dull place to be. An attribute of this business is that you get lots of stuff to play with and test. Apparel is still one of our top product families and we test products all year round.

True to our word, when we are not working we are playing. That is why we moved the business to Park City UT. It’s a 4 season playground. In the past few years the promotional products industry has caught on to the emerging need to supply high quality technical performance wear.

Gone are the days of damp cold shirts and rain gear that was as breathable as a shower curtain. Our clients are asking for moisture wicking shirts, rash guards, breathable rain jackets and wind proof fleece. We have incredible choices in name brand and (house brand) performance wear to show you.

We are constantly outdoors testing the products ourselves. That’s Chris steering a 44 foot sloop off the Catalina coast. In the past year the MCM team as been skiing at 10,000 feet, river rafting, camping, sailing, golfing, road bike racing, mountain biking and sitting by the campfire. If you need technical apparel, let us tell you what we have tested and how it can suit your needs. As always, give us a call at 888-344-6060 or link directly to our Apparel Mall

Honey, have you seen my cell phone?

Honey, have you seen my cell phone?

How many times have you heard this one? If you are at all like me, it’s a frequent occurrence. My phone’s most popular hiding spot is under a seat in my car.

Do you ever put your cell phone on a seat, the dash or the console of the car only to hear it slide away during a turn? Toss in a bit of distraction as you look for a parking space or enter the house with your arms filled with odds and ends and you are certain to forget it fell.

Have we got the perfect solution for you. Take a look at the Cellmate. This simple pad will stick on your dash board or console. It holds keys, cell phones, pens… you name it. Being a very picky car guy, I was skeptical that it would either leave a mark on the dash or it would fail to hold my phone when I sharp turn. The Cellmate passed all of the tests.

The real bonus is that it provides a CPI (cost per impression) that is off the charts. Think about how many times a day your audience gets in and out of the car! We use them as self-promos because we believe in them and have observed the results.

Give us a call at 888-344-6060 or click on http://www.mcmproduction.com/ for more info.

Seize the Moment Blog – Promotional Products and the Swine Flu

Porky Pig? OK, he’s the least offensive image that relates to the swine flu. Yesterday I walked a promotional products trade show with the boss. I watched her stop at a both that sold healthcare products. She took a number of hand sanitizer samples and put them in my tote bag. What do we need these for?

Me, well I am not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. On the drive home she explained that with the recent outbreak of the swine flu people were going to be much more aware of flu prevention health habits. Obviously this was a perfect time to help our clients promote their brand and affix the message that they care by sending a very useful product that is impeccably timed to this global event.

This is guerrilla marketing at its best. When you can speedily seize a moment and at the same time do something that is genuinely smart and helpful, you have a winning combination.

Chris and the team have a bunch of sanitizer type products to show you. They are not even on the web site yet. Call us at 888-344-6060 and we can help you react quickly to this opportunity.

Earth Day 4-22-2009

I wake up and remember it’s Earth Day.

Shorten shower time by 20% - Check.
Add coffee grinds to compost pile - Check.
Put newspaper in recycling container - Check.
Order organic lawn fertilizer on-line – Check

Got it. Lot’s of behavior to modify to modify at home but what about the office? The other day we came across a really interesting product called the Eco Button. It’s a USB device that is connected to your PC that very visually reminds you that your system is drawing current. Any time you leave your PC you tap the Eco-Button and it puts the system in a hibernate mode.

When you return you tap the Eco-Button and your system powers up instantly. The added benefit is that the software computes your savings in carbon units, dollars saved and power saved. The super bonus is that you reduce your energy consumption immediately.

This product is an interesting blend technology, measurable energy savings and it sends a powerful message. We are enabling several of our PC’s at MCM to test the Eco – Button. How will it work with data back up, what are the savings and is it reliable?

Interested? Give us a call at 888-344-6060 and we will let you know how the test is going

Put On a Happy Face

“Gray skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face.” You may remember these lyrics from a Broadway Show in the 60’s. The tune’s message is as relevant now as it was 49 years ago. Whether you are running a local HR program or a global marketing campaign, we are convinced that putting a smile on someone’s face is critical.

We just did a broadcast announcement introducing our Blog. The first 50 people to sign up and become a follower were promised a gift. I just dropped a box off at the post office stuffed with this outrageously funny looking fellow seated atop of a pen. Push on his head and he blurts out an adorable thank you message.

Associating one’s brand with a smile is basically priceless and we have a bunch of ways to help you accomplish this. Just give us a call at 888-344-6060 and tell us what your project is all about and we will do our best to affix a smile to your message.

I have a few more of these guys on my desk. Drop me an e-mail at ken@mcmproduction.com and let me know why you need a smile. I’ll pop one in the mail next day.

Cheese Burger in Paradise

As innovative as we try to be, it amazes us year on year how much of our business is still in basic apparel, mugs, pens and water bottles. When a client is happy and successful in this comfort zone we work with them and offer some new and exciting variations on the theme.

Not too long ago we had one such client. They were very comfortable and successful in sending their message with Tee Shirts. Their core business was workman’s compensation insurance. Corporate marketing made a decision for them to enter the food and restaurant market and had selected a major trade show to kick off the new strategy.

Our client needed to stand out in this large show yet wanted to stay with their comfort of Tee Shirts. We contacted one of our favorite suppliers who helped us design a custom packaged Compressed Tee in the shape and dimensions of a deluxe cheeseburger.

The packaging stole the show and our client had prospects lined up waiting at the booth. Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us at MCM. If you want to take your Tee Shirt promo to the next level we can show you how. Give us a call at 888-344-6060. I keep one of these on my desk and I still can’t figure out how they fit the shirt inside the burger.

Where's My Wind Turbine?

On 3-22-09 I blogged about MCM and how we have been doing the “green thing” for a while. Some of our raised consciousness is the direct result of being raised by parents and grandparents who lived simple lives and were all affected by the Great Depression.

Even if you exclude the controversial topic of global warming it does not take long to realize that our planet’s resources are limited and they need to be conserved. Last week we wrote on our large idea board, “Green is a way of life and not a program”. This made us commit to looking more intensely at our business and personal practice. We give ourselves pretty good grades but we believe there is more than we can do outside of building a geodesic dome and moving off the grid.

This week we converted all of the KW Hours that MCM uses and purchased wind power credits. The added cost is nominal and it is a step in a major shift in our nations need to transition to sustainable energy. However, I just really want to know where my wind turbine is so I can look at it. They really look cool.

We have been adding more content to our Green Page and we would like to have you visit it to see what is new and exciting in green promotional items. I feel like I am stealing Chris’ show. Give her a call to hear about a great way to recycle PVC banners and turn them into tote bags and other useful products. She’s really stoked: 888-344-6060

Don’t Worry Be Happy!

All I have to do is make you read those words and the vast majority of you will start singing the tune……. Marketing and Branding is s stew of sociology, anthropology, finance, psychology…

We are going through one of the most challenging times in history of global economics. As difficult as it seems right now, the human spirit needs to be uplifted and it can be done. Buried within all of us is our inner child. How powerful would your message be if you could give your audience one or more moments of lightheartedness that would be associated with your brand?

I think the moment is priceless and to prove our theory we are planning a test of this. Keeping your eyes opened under the Label, “Marketing a Smile”. We have a bunch of ideas and one may becoming in the mail directly to you. Keep reading the Blog and we will be working hard to get that smile to you.

Ferris Bueller said," Life moves pretty fast". The other day we had a" drive by" meeting about our Green Page on our web site. All though the content is less than 4 months old, it felt dated. We came to the self realization that like the majority of us living on this planet we were looking at "Green" as a program. The stark reality is that Green must become a way of life if it is ever going to fulfill the objective of making our planet a sustainable and health place to live.

The team at MCM believes that we have gone green but instead of thinking that way we have made a resounding pledge to prove it to ourselves. On our web site we speak about how we test our products to ensure that they are safe, durable and send the intended message. We now will put this same practice to work with not only green products but with the actual green steps that we are using in the office and homes of our MCM team.

Right now we don't know how long or difficult this journey will be, but are committed to it and on sharing our findings with you. At this very moment I will tell you that we think we have already been practicing green for decades. We recycle, automatically lower the thermostats, turn out the lights.... Our instincts tell us there is more and we will find out. Stay tuned.

Look at how this industry is keeping pace with technology. Just a short while ago we thought that imprinted mouse pads were high tech. Today, two of the hottest technology products are USB drives and Web Keys.

Let’s simplify this for the techno – challenged. Both devices use a USB I/O (universal serial bus interface connector). That’s the tiny rectangular plug that connects most computers and smart phones to other external devices like chargers.

A USB Drive is a miniature hard drive that can contain (1) data that is permanently programmed onto the device, (2) data that is erasable or (3) blank. It either delivers the pre-programmed content or message each time it is plugged into PC or it can be used as an additional storage device.

A Web Key is a miniature hard drive that is simply programmed to automatically connect to a web site when plugged into a PC.

The trick is to understand how to best utilize the attributes of each technology.

USB drives are a very effective way to deliver robust content but they deliver it the same way a nicely designed brochure or presentation does. The Web Key when linked to a specific Landing Page on your web site permits you to continually modify and update the information. The added bonus is that you can also track the activity on that page using Google Analytics or a number of other web site tracking tools.

We can even show you Drives and Keys custom molded into almost any shape. You have to see them to believe them.

Have some questions, want to learn more? Give us a call and we will help you make the most intelligent decision on how to decide on which is the right product for your application . 888-344-6060

In a prior blog I wrote about a dopp kit that I was given as a promotional gift and fact that I used it for over 20 years. However, like many promotional products, it lacked the ability to send more than a single message.

Many of our clients come to us and they have a story to tell. Outside of digital content like a landing page on their web site we have found that a journal note book with a selection of customized pages is the ticket. Even though we leave in a world of PDA’s Smart Phone and Tablet PC’s, we find more and more people clinging to small journal note books. We believe in their power and use them as a self promo for our business and our clients constantly call asking for new ones when their pages become filled.

Aside form the traditional front page / back page we are helping clients design robust multi page inserts that can send a larger message including excerpts from Annual Reports, HR Communications, Strategic Initiatives, to the Corporate Calendar. You can add a writing instrument, a sleeve for a CD ROM and an impressive selection of covers. They come in many sizes, materials and are infinitely configurable.

There is so much more to say. We would like to tell you how to turn this into legacy promotion. Give us a call at 888-364-6060

A day does not go by when a client calls and asks for the newest, latest, greatest, totally unique, amazing…….. A while back Kiva Systems, a manufacturer of robotic warehouse systems said they were introducing a new product family of robots. We put on our thinking caps and created a squeezable (stress ball) scale model version. The squeezable mini bots take a leading edge technology and add a warm whimsical touch. The mini bots became an instant hit when they were used at their introductory trade show.

Now the folks at Kiva are more than leading edge technologists. They know how to push the marketing envelope too. During Christmas 08 a group of engineers programmed the actual robots to dance to Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker”. They filmed it and put it on You Tube. It was one of the most heavily viewed videos of the holiday week. Take a look at Kiva BotsYou Tube

This became the start of a viral epidemic at Kiva. The mini bots became a part of the day to day culture and were found everywhere. During the past 2 years clients and employees began to go on vacation with their mini bots and photographed them all over the world. Kiva Systems now has a “Bot on Holiday” Calendar. Take a look at the calendar. It’s featured on the home page of Kiva Systems web site. Who says you can’t make leading edge warehouse technology warm and cuddly?

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Several days before the start of the Sundance Film Festival began Larry Feldman of Feldman PR stopped by the office and explained that his client, Sundance Organic, a producer of Superfruit teas was introducing a martini cocktail at the Festival. The window of opportunity was 5 working days and since this was last minute, there was barely anything left in the marketing budget.

What’s a distributor to do? We were all over this like a splash of vermouth. Larry came up with the concept of a martini glass with the Sundance Organic logo. We cleaned up the artwork in minutes and our favorite glass decorator had the right inventory. The price was within their budget and the glasses were delivered in time for the event. Feldman, true to his word, got the press to photograph the glasses and they appeared the next day on the front page of the Salt Lake Tribune Festival section. Click on the MCM Drinkware Page to view it.

Who says one can’t have Creativity, Speed, Value and High Impact in 5 days?

The most recent industry data shows that the Cost Per Impression (CPI) of an Advertising Specialty item is $.004 which is $.0022 less than the next lowest media.

These products are unquestionably the most cost effective vehicle to get your message to your audience. This made me think back of the almost countless number of things that were given to me over my 30 plus year long career in high tech. Back in about 1985 I was VP of Product Marketing and I was given a Dopp kit (aka toiletries kit) with the logo of one of our suppliers. It was of decent quality and I immediately used it to replace the sad looking one that I had been using for years. This promotional item then became my traveling companion for over 20 years and over 2 million miles. It was only recently retired when my wife gave me a new one as a gift.

The item probably cost about $12 back then and I estimate that I saw their logo over 22,500 times. That's a CPI of $.0005. Pretty cost effective!!!

When you are selecting an item to promote your brand or any other message, think about how useful the item will be, its quality and for how long will it be sending your message.

Give us a call at MCM at 888-344-6060 and we can help you with the right choice.

Blog Date 2-19-2009. I feel like a young Captain Kirk making the first entry in the log of the Starship Enterprise. My own career began in 1975 and MCM's founder started in the promotional products industry in 1988. Technology has moved forward at an incredible pace and the team at MCM works hard to keep abreast of it.

Our web site http://www.mcmproduction.com/ is going to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The web has had a profound impact on communications and marketing. The new frontier is Web 2.0 and Social Networking and our blog is one of the new components in our efforts to do a better job of serving our client partners. Our goal is to do a much better job in collecting information and communicating it as effectively as we can.

MCM has based it business strategy on a Consultative Selling methodology. At the end of the day we hopefully will sell you a product but not before we take the time to learn about your strategies and goals. We speak marketing and understand branding, communications and differentiation. We are early adapters of technology and how to use it as a part of your promotional products strategy.

We look forward to hear from you and hopefully having some healthy debate on the promotional products industry and how to maximize your ROI through the proper utilization of the right products.