The Marketing Manager's Yearbook 2008
Promotions in 2008:
Ethical Trading, Standards and Innovation
David Lebond sets out the challenges faced by the promotional marketing sector
latest survey revealing key insight into the power of promotional products.
It is no secret that business in 2008 is set for a challenging period while in 2007 the promotional marketing
sector had to face a number of issues ranging from products from China to ethical sourcing and quality control.
With this in mind there is a dominant issue across all business sectors that is set to increase in importance as
we move into 2008: ethical concerns around the way we conduct business. While the primary focus on being
ethical might immediately refer to the issue of climate change and our carbon footprint, there are a number of
key issues around this to which we need to pay due diligence. Never before have the decisions of government
and industry been under the level of scrutiny that they face now. Whether it’s rip-off premium rate phone-in
promotions or exploited factory workers in the Far East producing Olympic merchandise, these are subjects
that we will all have to address.
The promotional product market will continue to expand and excel through clever ideas and more refi ned
manufacturing techniques. New manufacturing markets beyond gargantuan China are proving their worth,
quite literally to ‘deliver the goods’ – countries from India to Peru are demonstrating this. Closer to home,
Eastern and Southern Europe is providing tough competition with countries such as Turkey and Poland taking
the lead. While it’s the nature of our industry to source products from wherever offers the best price, there
should be a standard list of criteria.
Now that we are competing with the whole world we need to make it our business to be astute with every
transaction. Whether this means having inspection houses on board, or visiting manufacturers personally, now
is the time to take responsibility for all our sourcing in the wake of global trading conducted on a scale not seen
by mankind before. This is exciting yet daunting. Are the products ethically sourced? Are they recyclable? Is
it fair trade? Does it meet the EU directives such as WEEE and RoHS? Has the intellectual property right of
the product been upheld? While the EU has a number of directives regulating and protecting the way trade
is conducted, we need to take personal responsibility for how we trade with the world, and the BPMA is
committed to upholding best practice in this regard.
Raising Standards
Looking further at ways of improving how we conduct business, it’s important to remember the role the internet
can play in our marketing. The BPMA’s website has played a fundamental role in being a portal and information
hub for our industry. Websites are the way to communicate with the world and all companies need to ensure
that their sites represent their offerings to the highest degree. Although it comes at a cost we need to consider
the export opportunities and potential business leads which new media can offer. I have recently heard of
a member who was able to secure £150,000 worth of business through the BPMA website, which would
otherwise have been missed.
Considering promotional marketing industry trade shows, ranging from the Promotional Marketing Exhibition to
the National Incentive Show, we need to remember how important these platforms are. While it’s not always
easy to drum up enthusiasm, effort and innovation each time companies exhibit, this is exactly what should
be the focus of attention to make exhibiting the worthwhile experience it is. Live events such as exhibitions
still top the marketing experience, where potential customers are able to experience fully your brand and
product using all their senses. Let the fresh and innovative ideas which are the lifeblood of our industry be at
the forefront of all of our agendas. After all, we are in the business of promotional marketing, and we can all
do it well.
Beyond using our craft and industry honed skills to attract people and business to our offerings, we need to
think about the future of our industry. How can we grow with our customers, contemporaries and colleagues?
How can we share knowledge gained over the years and use it to raise the bar across what we do? These are
questions we need to ask ourselves and address for the continuous benefi t of our industry.
- Being Innovative
Promotional marketing is an exciting business. It’s the business of ideas, creativity, delivery and satisfaction.
The world looks to this industry for what is new and interesting and therefore it is our business to be one stepahead.
- New products are the lifeblood of our industry and the work we do. How often are we asked ‘what’s
new’? Looking at new products is one way of measuring our advancement.
- At the recent National Incentive Show John Greenway MP commented: “People think there isn’t a need
to visit an exhibition any more these days because of the increased use of the internet in today’s business
environment for sourcing new ideas. They think they know it all. They don’t! There are more new ideas at this
exhibition than I have seen at exhibitions for some time, especially in the product end of the industry. Any
business irrespective of size can successfully use promotional products to boost sales and performance
with price ranges and minimum quality order levels to suit all. Every company or business can now have
personalised products with branding cheaper than can be found on the high street with no branding.”
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These wise words go a small way to reinforce the purpose and powerful impact promotional marketing
can have on a business. As the trade association promoting best practice in all respects we also
feel it’s important to recognise the amazing talent which comprises this industry. To this end we
launched the Entrepreneur of the Industry Award in 2006 to recognise and reward this talent. See
www.entrepreneuroftheindustryaward.com.
In 2007 BPMA member Source-e commissioned a variety of surveys to evaluate the power and reach of
promotional merchandise. The fi rst survey, What’s on your Desk?, revealed that 92% of offi ce workers believe
that branded promotional merchandise increases a company’s brand awareness. The results of the latest
survey , What’s in your Bag or Briefcase?, provide further evidence of the positive link between promotional
merchandise, branding and sales.
- 89% of British offi ce workers would retain an item of promotional merchandise they had been given in their
briefcase, work bag or handbag. This new survey shows that the British public don’t only retain these items
on their desk but also carry these items with them at all times in their briefcase/work bag/hand bag and make
valuable use of them on a regular basis. Promotional merchandise infl uences purchases.
Other key findings identifi ed from the survey include:
- 71% of respondents had heard of the company that had supplied them with the promotional item
and could recall the company name suggesting that repeat exposure to an item that is used on a
regular basis would keep it at the forefront of people’s minds.
- 54% said that they had purchased something from a company that had supplied them with a piece
of promotional merchandise.
- 69% would retain the item rather than pass it on to a family member or colleague.
A USB stick came second only to pens as the most frequently carried and most useful piece of
promotional merchandise.
If they had to choose only one item, 38% selected a pen, 18% chose a USB stick and 14% would
retain their diary. Only 3% said they would retain their personal organiser.
- 90% of respondents believed that promotional merchandise increases a company’s brand
awareness.
- The overall message is clear: repeat exposure to a brand everyday of the week has a positive effect on how
business people react to that brand.
David Lebond is Chairman of the British Promotional Merchandise Association. The BPMA is the UK’s
leading independent industry body dedicated to upholding and promoting best practice around the sourcing,
manufacturing and distribution of promotional products. With more than 650 members and almost half a
century of existence, the BPMA is a creative and vibrant organisation setting the benchmark for expertise,
quality and trust across the promotional marketing industry.