I am not really a huge fan of exercising. I don’t mind it, but it’s not the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning. But realizing that exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, all I need is a little prodding (OK, sometimes a lot) to get into my exercise gear and head to the gym. But on days when I get off work late or when it’s raining and I don’t feel like stepping out of the house, I feel I have a legitimate excuse to skip exercising (Oh, happy day!). I leap at the opportunity to turn into a couch potato and spend the rest of my day in front of the T.V.

But one fine day, my boss just had to go and ruin my bliss. He handed out exercise mats and pedometers to all the employees and gave us all some good news (at least that’s what he thought it was). He happily informed us that research proves that when your employees exercise, it reduces absenteeism and improves the quality of work. Yoga in particular provides mental AND physical relaxation so, according to him, it’s the perfect exercise for us. So a friend of his, who is a hot-shot yoga instructor, was going to come in once a week and give us lessons free of charge. At that moment, I could actually see all my exercise-free days jumping out the window.

So, if your organization is looking for ways to get your employees to exercise, too, then Absorbent, Ink. has got you covered. Exercise and yoga mats and pedometers will definitely give your employees a push in the right (??) direction.

Oh, in case you are wondering … yes, I am still holding a grudge against my boss. It’s getting smaller. Like my tummy.

Still running,

Abby Ink

Last week, I made the absolute mistake of attending my friend’s father’s retirement party. I should have known better considering that, nowadays, most conversations among people beyond the age of 25 hardly ever go beyond the dreaded economy. And that is exactly what happened. I was treated to three unending hours of “economy” talk and how lucky my friend’s dad was to be able to retire.

But that led me to think that I am definitely not the only one tired of reading and listening to how bad the economy is. I know, from experience, that the people who discuss this are themselves sick of the topic. So why do it? Well, when there is an elephant in the room, you can’t stop talking about it. Likewise, when something as large as the economy starts affecting people’s lives, they can’t stop themselves from talking about it even if they don’t want to.

So, I figured I might as well join the bandwagon and give you my two-cents worth. One of the best - and most economical - ways to promote your business today is to make use of promotional items that are different, topical and stand out from the rest. If you have been giving pens and calenders to your customers, it is time to change! Try something like mini fans (recipients will definitely appreciate those in this weather!) with your brand name on the fans or even on the fan blades. Or how about imprinted gumball machines for your V.I.P. customers? These will definitely let people know that you have a fun side too! Another promotional item that is fun, and cute to boot, is a stuffed animal. Customers of all ages will definitely love a cuddly teddy bear or stuffed moose.

And when people are talking about these great promotional products that you just gave them, they won’t be talking about the economy. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and dazzle everyone with your innovative gifts!

Yours,

Abby Ink

When the first Harry Potter book came out in 1997, I was instantly hooked. A kid’s book, you say? I have seen nine-year-olds, 16-year-olds and 53-year-olds reading Harry Potter and we all love it just the same. I have read every book (at least twice by now), so you can guess that when the movies came out, I was ecstatic! I was also a part of every midnight book release and movie premiere whether I was at the front of the line or crowded somewhere in the middle.

The last midnight premiere I attended was in July 2007, when the fifth installment of the film was released, and boy, did that turn into an interesting event! It was a warm summer night and as I approached the movie theater, I saw that the line was already backed up into the entire parking lot, making its way to the entrance of a local Hooters restaurant (how appropriate and magical). All of my friends were being less than fun this particular weekend, so I ventured to the movie alone with a shimmer in my eye and a pep in my step (and a lightning scar on my forehead that only I knew existed).

When I reached the line I was surrounded by wannabe witches and wizards of all shapes and sizes. It was intimidating, but I stood my ground. Just because I was alone in this Muggle-polluted situation didn’t mean I had to feel insecure about it. But the line became more and more crowded and the space around me was becoming smaller and smaller. Suddenly, I was experiencing an extreme case of claustrophobia. I was gripping my movie ticket so hard it had become sweaty and crumpled. I closed my eyes and thought about wands, incantations, butterbeer and the Great Hall’s famous feasts, but none of it helped.

Finally, they began to let the hordes of people into the various theaters showing the premiere that evening. My stress levels did not get any better. As if standing in the line surrounded by kids hadn’t been hectic enough, I was now literally fighting and thrashing my way to a seat. You would think finding one seat for yourself on a solo date to the movies would be easy. Hardly. You see, during midnight premieres of movies (especially movies with younger followings), children tend to travel in large groups and save 13 seats or so. After tripping over four people, spilling a bucket of popcorn and almost falling down the stairs entirely, I was able to find a lone seat in the nosebleed section. I was content at last!

There is no need to go into the details of my actual viewing experience or discuss the confusing and crowded walk out to the car – all of these things can be left to your imagination. But I will say that after this entire situation was all said and done, I realized something. These midnight movie premieres, although exciting and fun, can cause a lot of anxiety. Instead of using my ticket stub as a stress reliever, I thought, it would’ve been nice to have something else to squeeze in my hand.

Then it hit me. EUREKA! Companies wanting to promote their names and also appeal to what will be one of the biggest movie outings this summer would be wise and ahead of the game to order Wizard Stress Balls as a fun, interactive product to hand to their clients during this “Harry Potter” summer season. These little stress balls are shaped like a wizard who looks like a mix between Merlin and Dumbledore himself! They are the perfect promotional product for a movie event such as this. With the newest installment hitting theaters this July (like a month away!), waving your company’s wand and imprinting these Wizard Stress Balls with the company name would reach your Harry Potter-addicted customers in an understanding and very outside-the-box type of way. Whether your clients hand the product off to their children or keep it for themselves to remain calm during the premiere, these Wizard Stress Balls will work magic to make any stress disappear.

Remember… “It is our choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities,” Dumbledore says. Choose this promotional product, and your stressed-out-from-attending-a-movie-premiere clients (and their children!) will thank you for the rest of their Muggle lives.

Wands up!

Abby Ink

As I readied myself for summer, I started thinking about all of the fun activities that come along with it. Immediately I thought of relaxing by the pool and of course not having to attend class… but my summer-associations-day-dreaming game also made me think of America’s favorite pastime: Baseball!

Going to baseball games with my friends and family has long been one of my favorite things to do during the summer, but games also make perfect company outings. In turn, games can be a great way to not only reward your employees with some free gear but to also promote your company to thousands united by a common interest!

Absorbent, Ink. (aka baseball central) offers perfect products to have a successful outing while promoting your company. This includes items that are perfect for during the game (namely caps, visors, and stadium seats) but also items perfect for before the game, when food is cooked, drinks are drank, games are played, and personal bonds are strengthened: Tailgating!

For some good ol’ barbecue, we offer aprons, barbecue sets and tools and paper plates/cups. For some good ol’ drinking, try sports balls, flying discs and extremely comfortable folding chairs.

Don’t miss an opportunity to take the day off or to get together with co-workers on the weekend. Look super-stylish during the game and get equipped for some serious tailgating while relaxing and enjoying a great day at the ballpark!

Sometimes it’s easy to take the USPS for granted. It’s aggravating when they don’t get a letter delivered properly. But overall, they deliver a lot of mail to a lot of people with relatively few mistakes.

From a marketing perspective, as postage rates increase, so do the costs associated with direct mail campaigns. For those of us in marketing roles with our companies, this affects how we do business. With tightening budgets we have to be even more creative in how we promote our brand.

I’ve been in marketing for more than 20 years. Increasing mail costs don’t surprise me. But what did surprise me was the amount of the decline in mail last year. It was approximately a 9.5 billion piece decline in mail for 2008. According to the USPS, “Declining mail volume was a symptom of the worsening national economy, particularly related to the financial and housing industries and to trends toward the use of electronic mail.”

Business owners are looking for alternative ways to promote their business. This includes social media, email, and of course, promotional products. The promotional products industry still enjoyed a good year in 2008 with more than $18 billion in sales. Why? Because promotional products are a cost effective way to promote your business.

Question: Your website has so many great products, but I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I work in public relations and help plan themed parties throughout the year to get our company name out there. Where can I get product suggestions for these seasonal events?
Sincerely, Kathy

Answer: You’re headed in the right direction, Kathy! A great way to get personalized recommendations is to Ask Abby. We also offer Marketing Ideas on our website as well as a Blog that’s full of product information and industry tips. Another great way to stay up on the current trends is to check out our company page on Facebook. By becoming a fan of our page, you will be able to browse photo albums featuring the most popular items of the season and receive updates about any current specials.

With all of these tools at your disposal, your next party should have everyone talking! If you still need some guidance, please call our Client Service Department toll free at 866-618-3471. Our representatives would love to help you brainstorm for your next event.

Thanks,

Abby Ink

The Poynter Institute recently conducted a study to find out exactly what where our eyes are drawn to when we read. Using eye tracking glasses containing small cameras for recording movement and location, researchers tracked the eye movement of over 600 test subjects while they read the daily news. The study focused three types of news organizations: tabloids, broadsheets, and web sites.

What did they find out?
- Online readers read 77% of a text story they chose to read, on average, compared to 62% and 57% for broadsheet and tabloid readers, respectively.
- Print readers tend to visually focus first on headlines and photos, whereas online readers’ attention immediately went to navigation bars
- Color photos received more attention than black and white photos, and documentary photos drew more attention than staged photos (including pictures of columnists).
- In broadsheet ads, half-page to almost full-page ads attract just as much attention as full-page ads. The editorial content next to an ad may actually increase the odds of a viewer taking notice of the ad.

Click here to see more results from Poynter’s eye tracking study and to check out their video of the eye tracking in action.

The Sales department at the economist laid out a well-done presentation on why marketers should be increasing their budgets during a recession.

If you happen to be in a few select cities you may find a random wallet on the ground from Burger King. Inside, there’s a note from The King to keep the wallet, cash ranging from a $1 bill to $100 bill, a gift card to Burger King, a “driver’s license” featuring The King, and a map of Burger King restaurants in the area in which the wallet was dropped.  If you are one of the lucky ones, snap a picture of you and the wallet and send it to us!

“New Linea with Blue&Me Nav. Without it, you’re lost.”  Fiat used auto sun shades to announce their new Blue&Me Nav.