The Promotional Idea Showcase - Fall 2003 - Updated Quarterly

 

Desktops Mean Business
By Erik Caplan

 
Many firms who advertise have something in common with those who work in real estate – they understand that prime areas are all about location. In many cases, the most valuable territory is often less than 10 square-feet – the desk or office cubicle. Cozy? Maybe not. The ideal spot for an ad message? Definitely.

Most professionals find themselves at a desk or workstation for the majority of their employment careers – approximately 45 years. And we’re talking about eight or more hours a day, a minimum of five days a week. 

And what else occupies that space? A very cursory inventory might include a computer, pens and pencils, paperwork, phone and perhaps a family picture or two. But there are usually far more items than just those on the average desk. A closer look usually reveals a mug of some kind. The computers almost always require mouse pads, wrist rests and some sort of device for holding paper documents. Other things might include a small clock, paper clip holder, staples, tape dispenser, Rolodex or calendar. Those employees who’ve been around a while might display some sort of special gift from their company recognizing their years of service. And let’s not forget the telephone’s various accessories – shoulder rests, notepads, planners, etc. 

And in most, if not all situations, these items are imprinted. Or should be if they’re not. Basically, wherever there’s a desk, an opportunity to advertise awaits. And that’s where you can come into the picture. 

Mass Appeal

“Desk products are unisex, and they’re not age specific,” says promotional consultant Pam Proctor. “It’s appropriate for a male or female, and it’s functional. A paperweight holds your papers in place. My desk has several stacks of papers on it, and I organize them with different paperweights. Just imagine that paperweight carrying someone’s message every day.”

Indeed, any imprinted object on a desk maintains a high degree of visibility, especially if the item in question also serves an essential function. Obviously, products with practical, daily applications make the most sense as desk accessories, as they’ll get the most use. Additionally, they cut across the job spectrum – they’re useful everywhere from doctor’s offices to insurance companies to gas stations to construction trailers. “The audience for desk products has a broad range. Anyone who sits at a desk has potential,” says counselor Russ Rowan.

Know Their Desk

As with nearly any promotion, it’s important to understand the needs of your target audience. Some products are designed for a more corporate setting. Others will experience a greater degree of success in blue-collar situations. A wood-and-leather-covered desk calendar would have little practical use in an auto mechanic’s office, where oil and grease are often the order of the day, while a plastic-coated version of the same thing would look out of place in a pristine corporate setting. Still, both businesses could easily make good use of the product. In business, after all, most people have appointments and daily responsibilities.

Also, consider the intended recipients of the items, How much desk space do they have? Would a wall-mounted item be more practical? What colors prevail in the office space? These are important bits of information that can make the process of customizing a desk accessory easier and more properly suited to its intended environment.

“You need to look at your customers,” says Rowan, adding that your counselor can help you in selecting what sort of product you can use. If you’re targeting top executives, it’s probably not suitable to use a lower-end item; something a bit more expensive may be the way to go. If your target audience is more middle-level, or if you have a smaller budget, you want to avoid high-end items. Know in advance what you want to spend.

What’s It Good For?

Functionality is important. Modern trends in office products seem to bear this out, with less emphasis placed on frivolous items and more focus on work-oriented themes. While aesthetics are still important, people want to know the items taking up space on their desks aren’t just, well, taking up space.

“We all probably spend more time at our jobs than we do at home,” explains Proctor. “When something’s on your desk, you’re not only looking at the paperweight or whatever for its basic purpose, you’re looking at what’s on it and the reason you got it. But it still holds your papers in place.”

The key to a successful desktop promotion is to offer an item that will get maximum use. Clearly, if the product is in the recipient’s hands or field of vision constantly, the imprint is bound to find its way into their memory. 

It’s Out There

Fortunately, just about anything used in the workplace can be imprinted. Name it, and it can most likely carry a logo. And while technology continually allows for the creation of new, interesting office specialties, sometimes the older, more practical items still make the strongest impression. 

For instance, the addition of leather or simulated leather coverings, stone or faux-stone finishes and glass touches can add to the perceived-value of a product and turn the average desk accessory into something almost coveted. There are various options and budget levels. “There are different materials to handle this,” says Rowan. “There are some products in polyester, but also simulated leather, which is a mid-range cost, and genuine leather, which really can make an impact. Products can be customized with rolled edges, which is nice for top executives. For middle management, if your budget doesn’t warrant it, you can go with simulated leather. For front workers, you can go with polyesters. The idea is to use the best-looking item you can for the money you have available so that it stays on the desk and doesn’t end up in a drawer or the trash.

Get With The Program

Another benefit of desk-oriented products is that they can apply to any number of promotional programs. For instance desk sets can be presented as a whole or spread out to create a continuity campaign. Other suggestions:

Corporate Gifts: Thank clients for their continued business or support.

Policy Reinforcement: Help ensure everyone in the office has a solid grasp of the company’s mission statement – put it right on their desk in a functional way.

Incentives: Reward employees who complete education courses or achieve their goals.

Special Events: Make your sales meeting, conference, trade show or seminar more memorable.

Work Anniversaries: A special desk item can show a valued employee that their years of work are appreciated.

Obviously, there are many more. Your counselor can help you go from desk to desk at any level.

Erik Caplan is associate editor of Imprint

Quick Office Trivia
• The average American business lunch lasts 67 minutes.

• An office chair with wheels on it will travel an average of eight miles every year.

• A study found that office workers complete 13.5% more paperwork if music is playing in the background.

• Forty percent of all office memos are unnecessary. 

• The Wall Street Journal once estimated that 98% of all the papers on file in offices across the country will never be looked at again.

• The largest office building in the world is the Pentagon, with 6.5 million square feet. Still, no two offices are more than six minutes walking time from each other.

• Paper clips were invented by Johan Vaaler in 1899. They account for steel consumption of 10,000 tons annually. Lloyd’s Bank of London undertook a study to discover what happened to a typical batch of clips in its building. Out of the original batch of 100,000 clips, 3,196 were used as pipe cleaners; 5,308 as nail cleaners; 5,434 to pick teeth or scratch ears; 19,413 card game chips; 14,163 snapped, broken or otherwise twisted during phone conversations; 7,200 used as hooks for belts, suspenders or bras; and 25,000 became lost, swept up or thrown away. Only 20,000 were actually used to clip papers together.

• The average office worker throws out 180 pounds of paper every year – enough paper to build a wall 12 feet high from New York to Los Angeles.
It’s a horrid old cliché, but when it comes to desk accessories, the pen is truly mightier than the sword. It also takes up way less space. 

Ask for asi/32145; Adva-Lite Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Why prop up your monitor or mouse with an old book when a clean, crisp-looking glass can do the same thing – with an imprint, no less?

Ask for asi/68915; Martin Line – specify Fall Imprint.
The timeless issue of having too much stuff in one’s pockets at work has been further complicated by the development of modern electronic gizmos. For those who have a “place for everything and everything in its place” mentality, the desktop cell-phone holder is an absolute necessity. 

Ask for asi/35841; Dima Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Innovative twists on practical older products are always a good idea for a desk item. In this case, the “staple-less” stapler can bind together up to eight pages without using a pointed bit of metal.

Ask for asi/79530; Primeline – specify Fall Imprint.
Leather-bound, portable products help carry your client’s message everywhere with style.

Ask for asi/91530; Toppers Line – specify Fall Imprint.
This letter opener says to your clients, “Welcome to the age of style.” 

Ask for asi/90523; TWC Design Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Paper clips can be a pain. It’s so easy to lose them, and it seems you can never find one when you need it. Maybe they hide because they don’t always get to sit on nifty little director’s chairs like this one. 

Ask for asi/35530; AITG Line – specify Fall Imprint.
As more and more folks bring their own music to work with them on a regular basis, a portable CD holder allows them to carry an ad message as well. They can also be used to carry programs on disk too.

Ask for asi/32360; Admanco Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Great for meetings, shopping lists and jotting down ideas, notebooks are also a superb promotional idea for conventions.

Ask for asi/32360; Admanco Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Since computers have become standard office equipment, imprinted screen sweeps have become ubiquitous desk items. 

Ask for asi/52840; Evans – specify Fall Imprint.
As with any promotional product, perceived value is one of the most important elements to consider in desk accessories. This glass timer gives its recipient a real showpiece for their desk.

Ask for asi/68915; Martin Line – specify Fall Imprint.
Small enough to respect your desk space, this note/business pad holder serves the vital function of keeping important info close at hand when it’s needed. 

Ask for asi/82575; The Monitor Line – specify Fall Imprint.