And among the oldest games we have is cards. Playing cards have been around for over 1,000 years, originating in China around the 9th century, and they’re still immensely popular today.

Playing Cards as Personalised Gifts

They can be a wonderfully appealing promotional item too – the customisation possibilities with a deck of cards is endless. But what are you going to play with them? Well, we’ve picked out our top 3 card games for you eager card sharks to enjoy.

Oh Hell!

This popular card game involves bidding on the number of tricks you expect to win in a round before play starts. You have to win exactly this many or you lose. There is a fixed number of hands and trumps are used. Bill Clinton and Steven Spielberg are rumoured to be fans of the game. If you want to join them, check out the full rules.

500

This is another trick-taking game with multiple variations loosely related to Bridge. It is played by 2 to 6 people, but most commonly by four people in two teams. It was invented in the USA in the 19th century and remained hugely popular until the 1920s. We’ve got the full rules for you too.

Blackjack

Also known as Pontoon and Twenty-One, this classic game sees players compete against a dealer to accumulate a hand that adds up to as close to 21 as possible. It can be played with more than one deck, and is thought to be the most widely played casino game in the world. We don’t condone gambling, but if you want to play, make sure you’ve got the rules down to a tee first.

Promotional Card Decks for Marketing

Fast Promotional Items is now offering bulk-branded promotional card decks for New Zealand organisations or events that want to promote their brand in a fun, unique way. We print your design on the acrylic case holding the cards to help boost your brand visibility. Contact our friendly team today for more information!

The key here is to give them things they need but won’t have thought of buying themselves. You know, those little items that just make life easier but often get overlooked. That way your brand will be the one that comes to the rescue in all manner of domestic emergencies, and that’s a big win!

Promotional Oven Mitts

I’ve burned my hands enough times trying to get dinner out of the oven using only a tea towel for protection to know the value of a good set of baking mitts. These beauties are made from heat resistant neoprene and can be branded in full colour so not only will you be saving the hands of your customers, but you’ll be making them look good in the kitchen too.

Customised First Aid Kits

Perfect for fixing all sorts of bumps and scrapes, this first aid set comes with bandages and alcohol pads to get everyone – from kids to grown-ups – back up and running.

Logo Branded Scissors

Wrapping presents, cooking, opening packages… scissors have so many uses. But like pens, when you need them, they’re often nowhere to be found. Our scissors even come in a handy customisable storage case so they can be safely put away in drawers and cupboards.

So Who Invented Promotional Sunnies?

Well, protective eyewear has been around for thousands of years. The Inuit people who inhabit the Alaskan and Canadian arctic wore flattened walrus ivory with holes to see through across their eyes to protect from slow blindness in prehistoric times.

And by the 12th century, there is evidence of quartz being used to protect eyes from glare in China.

But What About Modern Sunglasses?

British chemist and physicist Sir William Crookes created a 100% ultraviolet and 90% infrared blocking lens in 1913. Then in the roaring 1920s movie stars adopted sunglasses as a fashion accessory and they became hugely popular.

Sam Foster founded Foster Grant – an American eyewear company – in 1919, and brought the first mass-produced plastic sunglasses to market in the late 1920s. He became very successful, selling them on the beaches of Atlantic City on the east coast of the USA.

The Science of Custom Eyewear

Sunglasses keep your eyes safe by blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. A protective coating on the lenses prevents UVA and UVB rays from penetrating into your eyes. We offer a huge range of promotional sunglasses that can be customised to your chosen design. Yep, somehow we’ve managed to make sunglasses look even better.

Whatever your business and however you operate, having a steady supply of branded marketing essentials is always a good idea for these kinds of scenarios. You never know when the chance to make a good impression might suddenly arise. And when it does, it pays to be prepared.

Logo Branded Event Pens

Branded pens have been the go-to marketing giveaway for decades. But even in this modern age of digital technology, they’re as useful – and as used – as they’ve ever been. As a test, how many of you reading this at your desk has a branded pen within reach? I’d imagine quite a few. We offer metal pens, promotional plastic pens and novelty pens, all of which can be customised, so there’s no reason not to have these ready to go.

Smart Promotional Stationery

Another staple of promotional merchandising is branded stationary. From notepads and notebooks to logo printed sticky notes, office supplies like this are always in demand.

Personalised Clothing for Expos

Pens and stationery are great, but another fantastic way to get your brand out there and in front of people is through branded clothing. Bulk custom T-shirts, hats and bags can all be fully customised with your logos and branding, transforming customers into walking billboards for your company.

So stock up now. You’ll be glad you did when the next marketing crisis strikes!

Necessity being the mother of invention, a few years ago the promotional power bank was born. These handy little devices are like portable power stations for your mobile, allowing you to charge your device on the go, and putting the power of social media, the internet, and your friends and family, back in your pocket.

How Do Powerbanks Work?

Essentially power banks are just large batteries that hold a charge until you need it. This means that when you need to charge your phone, laptop, camera, or anything else electrical and with a connection port, instead of having to connect to a mains supply, you can just connect it to your powerbank and voila – it’s charging!

You will need to remember to charge your power bank before you take it out with you though...

So What Are The Different Capacities?

The capacity of a powerbank is measured in mAh, which stands for milli Ampere hour. As a general rule, the higher the mAh, the more energy it can hold to charge your devices. The batteries on your electrical devices will also be measured in mAh, so you can work out how much charge you’ll need your powerbank to hold.

The Powerbank As Promotional Merchandise

Powerbanks are a high-end item of promotional merchandise. They’ll make you stand out from the crowd by offering a promotional item of real quality, value, and use. And incredibly we can fully brand powerbanks with your logo and company details!

And I’m not alone. A 2017 study by market research company Canstar Blue revealed that 52% of Kiwis will go out of their way to get a good cup of coffee, with 29% of us believing that we drink too much of the black stuff.

Coffee is big business too. On average, coffee drinkers in New Zealand spend $710 a year on satisfying their craving.

If all of this doesn’t convince you of the potential for some java-related promotional merchandise, you need to wake up and smell the coffee!

Preparing Coffee the Traditional Way

Making a good cup of coffee is a skill and it needs the right kit. OK, instant coffee is as easy as it gets, but for something richer, tastier, and smoother, you need the right equipment.

We’ve got custom branded coffee plungers in both 850ml and 350ml sizes that can be customised with your branding – a great way to get your company in front of people every morning and give them a great-tasting cup of coffee.

Thermal Mugs Just For You

Now you’ve put a great drink into your customer’s hands, how are they going to keep it warm? The answer: promotional thermal mugs. Perfect for keeping coffee warm on the drive to work, or while it sits on your desk and waits for you to need it.

Eco-Friendly Product Solutions

Disposable coffee cups are a blight on the environment. Luckily reuseable coffee cups provide a great solution. Plus you can customise them with your branding, making them stylish and conscientious.

Circle Kicking

The go-to footbag game. So popular is circle kicking that it has become known as Hacky Sack in its own right.

This game involves any number of players standing in a circle, taking turns to kick the bag to each other around the circle without letting it touch the ground. The aim of the game is simply to keep the footbag in the air for as long as possible. One complete trip around the circle without letting the bag hit the floor is called a ‘hack’, two rotations is a ‘double hack’, and so on.

Footbag Net

A hybrid of tennis, badminton, volleyball and Hacky Sack, this game sees players trying to volley a footbag back and forth over a five-foot-high net without letting it hit the ground.

Only the player serving can score points – as is the case in volleyball – and serves must cross the court diagonally – as in tennis.

Games are played to 11 or 15 points, but you can only win by two clear points. It can be played in teams or individually, with a defined number of touches allowed each side per rally.

Freestyle Footbag

One for the show-offs, freestyle footbag involves an individual player trying to keep the bag in the air for as long as possible through a series of tricks, such as spins, jumps and ducks. Often freestyle footbag is set to music to add an extra level of performance to the routine.

So now you know what to do, get your customised footbags ordered, clear some space, and get the games underway! Just don’t blame us for any breakages…

But worry not – we’re here with our pick of the essential promotional giveaways for the modern traveller: items that will turn even the most troublesome of journeys into a relaxing, stress-free and enjoyable adventure.

Promotional Neck Pillows

Falling asleep on a plane, train or coach can often leave you waking up feeling worse than before you went to sleep. Pains suddenly appearing in your neck as a result of being folded into an awkward position in order to get a few precious minutes of slumber are a familiar gripe for many travellers.

But with a neck pillow, it doesn’t have to be this way! Transform any seat into a comfortable, relaxing space to catch on some much-needed rest with one of these handy inventions.

Custom Sleep Sets With Eye Mask And Ear Plugs

Falling asleep in a bed that’s not your own can be a tricky task for anyone, particularly if your destination is a loud, non-stop city. This sleep set takes away that problem, allowing the weary traveller to drift off anywhere. Perfect.

Logo Branded Passport Wallets

Your passport is probably the most important document you’ll ever own. Treat it that way and keep it safe with a high-quality wallet that protects it from spills, rips and all sorts of other travel-related mishaps.

Personalised Luggage Tags

Losing your luggage is a nightmare scenario for any traveller, but with our customisable luggage tags you’ll always be able to identify your missing bags should the worse happen – but we hope it won’t!

It’s a sport that comes with a language all of its own too: birdies, bogeys, shanks, gimmes, mulligans. Not a weird list of medical conditions, but rather all things you’ll find on the golf course. And then there’s the oddly named promotional golf divot tool, too.

What Is A Custom Golf Divot Tool?

A pitch mark repairer – or divot tool – is a small device with two prongs protruding from one end that is used to repair the turf on the green, where players putt (attempt to hit the ball into the hole).

When golfers hit their approach shots into the green, the impact of the ball on the closely cut grass can leave small holes called pitch marks. The divot tool is used to repair these so that they don’t get in the way of the ball when players are putting.

How To Use A Divot Tool

The trick is to fix the divot from the back. When the ball lands it pushes all the grass to the back of the impact hole. Simply push the divot tool into the back of the pitch mark and push the turf back forwards, repeating the process around the impact point until the hole is filled in and the grass is returned to its original position. Once you’re finished, gently tap the turf down with the bottom of your putter. Good as new.

Get Prepared For Your Next Round

You can order customisable divot tools in a range of styles and view the other fantastic custom golf merchandise on our golf equipment page .

Good branding sets companies apart from their competitors and makes rewarding, two-way relationships with customers possible. Bad branding, on the other hand, isolates your business, stranding you on a desert island with your customers far, far away.

So which kind of company do you want to be? And how can promotional products slot into your vision?

Consistent Marketing Messages

One of the goals of effective branding is to build familiarity among customers with your company. People tend to use businesses they know and trust, so you should be using your branding to develop this familiarity.

You achieve this through consistency. From your branded merchandise to your website, you need to make sure every thing you put your company’s name on carries that consistent branding throughout, from your choice of colours to the language you use to design layouts and beyond.

Choosing A Colour Palette For Your Brand

Research conducted by the Seoul International Color Expo shows that 85% of consumers highlighted colour as the biggest motivator for choosing a product, while a study carried out by the University of Loyola, Chicago, highlighted that colour increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

If you’re rebranding or starting a new business, make sure your colour palette aligns with your product. Consider your competitors, pay attention to the psychological impacts of colours, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Getting Your Branding Right

You shouldn’t rush your branding. Testing and developing is key when building a brand, and help to ensure you have concrete ideas behind what you are doing. Branding needs to filter down to every level of your organisation, and it’s never too late to improve.

The Personalised Audio Experience

From working out in the gym to travelling, headphones have become a must-have item. They come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, but you can’t really go wrong with a discreet in-ear pair. Fully brandable, stylish and lightweight, they take up practically zero space in your bag, and they sound great. Everyone should have a pair!

If you want something more traditional, these great adjustable custom headphones look amazing and are gloriously comfortable.

Untangle Your Life

Wires, wires everywhere. If you get annoyed having to untangle your headphones every time you want to plug in and unwind, you need to embrace the magical world of Bluetooth. Named after a tenth-century king of Denmark and Norway, this ingeniously clever invention allows you to lose yourself in your music without losing yourself in a sea of wires. And the good news is whether you’re looking for wireless Bluetooth earphones or headphones, we’ve got you covered.

Party Time

Headphones are great, but sometimes you want to share music with those around you. When the time comes to party, a promotional Bluetooth speaker will raise the volume for everyone to hear.

Unfortunately, the reality is that your expo presence is only ever as good as your giveaways. But don’t worry – we’ve picked out our top 3 promotional items that you need for your next expo to help you make a lasting impression on the crowd.

Logo Branded Tote Bags

Those hungry, excited attendees are going to need something to carry around their expo swag. A well made, stylish and comfortable tote bag is the answer.

Now you’re not going to be the only exhibitor offering tote bags, so you need to make yours stand out. We can customise promotional tote bags with different logos and designs so you can make sure yours eclipses the opposition.

Personalised Mugs

Caffeine rules. I can’t function without it and I know I’m not alone. You only need to look around your own office kitchen to see how many branded mugs end up being kept and used day in, day out by the coffee-needing masses. This means that they’re one of the easiest ways to get your brand identity in front of people.

And just like with the tote bags, we can customise our mugs with your design and logo.

Promotional USB Flashdrives

A great way to attract interest at an expo is to give away a premium product. Word travels fast around an exhibition hall, and if you’re offering some that’s a cut above your competitors, it won’t be long before people are queueing up at your stand.

One good idea is a promotional USB flash drive – useful, different and still customisable. Check out our blog on flash drive speeds and you’ll also be able to wow everyone with your technical knowledge!

Plastic promotional pens are great. They’re low cost, useful and easy to customise. But if you want to add an edge of quality to your branded merchandise, custom metal pens really are the way to go. They look better, they feel better, and they show your customers that you're all about quality.

Can They Be Customised?

Unlike with plastic pens, printing on to metal pens doesn’t work very well. Thankfully there’s an alternative: laser engraving. If that sounds a bit high tech, that’s because it is!

The Power Of The Laser

Laser engraving works by concentrating a laser – which stands for Light Application by Stimulated Emission of Radiation – through a series of mirrors that direct the beam to a concentrated point on the surface of the object you want to engrave.

The heat of the laser then cuts through the surface of the pen revealing the hidden metal layer underneath. With our pens this is typically bronze or silver, giving your metal pens a premium look and feel. And it can’t be rubbed off.

Added Consistency For Added Value

This process means that there’s no risk of inconsistency across products – ink can’t run out midway through and there are no components that will need replacing, giving a superb finish to every single item you order from us.

The Origins of Promotional Spinners

An American woman named Catherine Hettinger is widely credited as the inventor of the fidget spinner. She patented her spinning toy in 1993, but after struggling to find a commercial partner to manufacture, market and distribute her product, she allowed the patent to lapse in 2005.

However, her patent was for a toy that doesn’t resemble the fidget spinners on the market today. Hettinger – who hasn’t made any money from the fidget spinner craze – has admitted that her toy is very different: it’s a solid disc, like a small frisbee, with a raised point in the middle for your finger.

Likewise, fellow American Scott McCoskery launched his product – the Torqbar – in 2015, but this too isn’t quite the same. McCoskery’s spinner is a weighted metal bar that spins on your finger, not the three-pronged spinner that is now so common.

Whoever is responsible for the invention, the lapse of Hettinger’s patent combined with the rise of 3D printing has meant that hundreds of manufacturers are now producing fidget spinners.

Stress Relief Gifts

As well as being a fun toy, custom fidget spinners are also designed to alleviate stress and anxiety. This combination of fun and tension-busting qualities makes them the perfect corporate merchandising item! I mean, what workplace couldn’t benefit from a little less stress and a little more fun?

We’re an outdoorsy bunch us Kiwis, so if you’re planning on ordering some promotional merchandise for your business to win new customers or build brand awareness, think about appealing to that side of us. And to get the ball rolling, we’ve picked out 5 great promotional item ideas for the outdoors for you!

Recline and Dine With Custom Products

Hiking is great. Climbing? Sure that’s fun. Kayaking, canoeing and rafting? I bet they’re a blast. But if you ask me the number one reason to get outdoors is for a picnic or barbeque.

We’ve got your outdoor-eating needs covered with promotional fleece picnic blankets in a range of colours and summer BBQ sets to get your barbie sizzling. And with our range of camping chairs and camping stools you’ll be able to tuck into your feast in comfort too.

If you’re really adventurous you’ll be camping out under the stars, (after your delicious BBQ of course). For the dedicated camper, there’s no tool more useful than a torch.

Shine a (Promotional) Light

Whether you’re pitching your tent in the dark or nature calls in the middle of the night, you won’t want to be without a custom branded torch. The bad news? The sun going down won’t be an excuse not to do the washing up.

All these items are available now and can be customised with your branding. So what are you waiting for? Get that outdoor merchandise ordered before it starts raining!

Organising Your Conference Gifts

So you’ve got your conference stand sorted. Your banners have arrived, your team is ready for the day, everything is all set. Now it’s time to get marketing and start pulling in those clients, and nothing lures in conference attendees like a good promotional giveaway!

Generally speaking, a successful promotional giveaway falls into one of two categories: useful or fun. Either give people something that will be helpful while they’re at the conference or give them something to smile about.

A Personalised Helping Hand

It’s a promotional giveaway classic, and with good reason, but branded pens – whether plastic , metal or novelty – are an essential giveaway at a conference. People need them, they hang on to them for the day, and more often than not, they take them away with them, meaning your brand now occupies a place in their home or office.

Likewise, office supplies like customised notepads are a great useful promotional idea because everyone needs them, and they get used. It’s that simple.

Fun, Funky Custom Products

There is scope for giveaways to be fun AND useful though. Consider giving away promotional stress balls. They’re a novelty, but they’re also really handy, and the sort of thing people will gladly leave a conference with.

Promotional Cotton Tote Bags

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, up to 5 trillion plastic bags are used every year. That’s nearly 10 million plastic bags every minute. Plastic bags have been found on the polar ice caps, at the bottom of the oceans, and on top of Mount Everest. A cotton tote bag is an easy way to turn your back on all that plastic.

Logo Branded Event Notebooks

Choose a notebook made from recycled paper and make sure you recycle your notebooks when you’re finished with them. Paper can generally be recycled 5 - 7 times, after which it can be turned into a paper paste that is used to make newspapers and cartons.

Personalised Reusable Coffee Cups

Single-use coffee cups are also a huge problem for the environment. In New Zealand alone, 295 million of these cups are dumped into landfill every year. You don’t need to give up your morning brew to help though – just switch to a reusable coffee cup.

Making The Right Impression

Going green can also be a great way to win over clients. With more and more businesses committing to reducing their impact on the environment and customers becoming increasingly savvy about making eco-friendly choices, getting your business involved can be a good move for several reasons.

Who Invented The Promotional Stress Toy?

In 1988 a TV writer named Alex Carswell had a eureka moment. After a stressful conversation with his boss, Carswell threw a pen in frustration that smashed a picture of his mother that was on his desk. It gave him an idea: what if I had something soft I could chuck around to vent without the risk of breaking anything?

And voila , the stress ball was born. A few years later and they had evolved to be squeezed rather than thrown, but the stress ball was here to stay.

Do Stress Balls Work?

When you feel stressed your body tenses up. Squeezing a stress ball allows the body to release some of that tension, helping you to relax. The squeezing motion is also a good boost for your circulation, and the repeated gripping and releasing motions help build the muscles in your hands.

Stress balls are often used in physical therapy to help people with arthritis or other mobility issues in their arms. Some scientific tests have also linked the use of stress balls to improved levels of concentration and focus.

So Many Stressball Options!

Bulk stress balls remain hugely popular and they’re so easy to customise with different colours and designs, making them a fantastic promotional item for your brand.

Essential Promo Products

The goal at any tradeshow is to get potential customers to leave your stand with something that has your branding on. It’s the easiest way to start that relationship with your brand in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of a busy tradeshow, where in-depth conversations with potential customers aren’t always easy.

The classic approach is to give them something useful that they will keep with them during the event, and then beyond. Items like customised lanyards and logo-printed badge holders are a good start. Think about it, almost everyone at a tradeshow has name tag or pass. Give them something eye-catching and useful to carry it in.

And don’t forget the value of a simple promotional pen. Plastic or metal pens are always likely to be picked up and held on to by customers who’ll need them, not just at the tradeshow, but back at the office too.

Unique Custom Item Ideas

Of course, there’s always the opportunity to stand out and do something a little bit different too. Customers are more likely to remember your brand if you differentiate yourself from the competition with an exciting giveaway.

Personalised toys and sports and outdoor gear are just two easy and fun ways to mix it up a little and get people interested in your brand.

Preparation is Key

The more you put into preparing for your trade show, the more you’ll get out of it. Have all your supplies and event merchandise ready to go so you can concentrate on attracting clients and winning business.

Customised Sweet Treats

Promotional Lollipops: Desert is the most important meal of the day. It’s a fact. Sure savoury food is great and all, but nothing hits the spot like a delicious sweet treat. There’s absolutely no shortage of choice when it comes to sweet things too. We’ve picked out four favourites for an edible promotional campaign.

We’ve blogged before about the power of nostalgia and promotional products. Well, lollipops hit that sweet spot between nostalgia and edible merchandise. Who doesn’t remember demolishing these as a kid?

Gummy Bear Bags: And while we’re at it, I challenge anyone to tuck into a pack of gummy bears and not instantly feel like a child all over again. Did you know the original Gummi Bear brand was created by German inventor Hans Riegel Sr. (who founded the Haribo company in 1920) after he was inspired by seeing trained bears at festivals across Europe? We make our own chewy bear treats, but we're sure you'll love them too.

Jelly Beans for Conferences: Yet another childhood favourite, jelly beans come in all sorts of weird and wonderful flavours these days. We’re traditionalists though and just prefer the simple, sweet and chewy kind.

Logo Emblazoned Mints: The definitive professional edible item. Perfect for popping in your bag or pocket for when you need to freshen up, mints are a classic promotional item. Easy to brand and always in demand. And useful after you’ve eaten all that sugar!

Logo Branded Confectionery

Need some guidance when it comes to purchasing customised confectionery? Contact the team of experienced professionals at Promotionals Items NZ and we'll give you tailored pricing, product advice, and free virtual mockups to assist with your decision-making.

In 2015, Oxford Dictionaries made the ‘Face With Tears Of Joy’ emoji their Word Of The Year. Emojis are everywhere, and they’re not going away.

How Many Emojis Are There?

The first set of 176 emoji was created by Shigetaka Kurita for mobile phones and pagers in 1999. Each was just 12 pixels by 12 pixels. Today there are 2,823 emojis and Kurita’s original 176 are on permanent display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The organisation that looks after the international language that is emojis is called Unicode Consortium. A not-for-profit based in California, they decide what can and can’t be an emoji. If you fancy yourself as an emoji creator, you can even submit your own emoji design to them.

Using Emojis In Advertising

So common are emojis that in recent years a few companies and organisations have run emoji-only advertising campaigns. McDonald's was the first of the world’s superbrands to try it, with most commentators giving the campaign favourable reviews.

Customising Products With Emojis

There’s no limit on what you can do with the emoji. Consider customising your promotional merchandise – from logo printed t-shirts to custom tape measures – with emojis for a fun campaign that gets people talking.

The History of Custom Umbrellas

Umbrellas have been around for thousands of years. China, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and the Roman Empire can all lay claim to creating the umbrella, and we can’t really know for sure when or where they were first used. We know that their earliest use was as likely to have been as a parasol for keeping the sun off as it was for keeping the rain away.

It was the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom that propelled the umbrella into the mainstream though. Until then, they had been mostly been an accessory for women from the upper classes in France and England, but the new urban workforces of the late 17th and early 18th centuries changed that. The first dedicated umbrella shop – James Smith and Sons – opened in London in 1830, and is still going today, while Samuel Fox invented the first steel-ribbed umbrella in 1852.

The Umbrella As Promotional Merchandise

Identifying the first use of umbrellas as promotional merchandise is just as troublesome, but the invention of the larger custom golf umbrellas in the 1970s really accelerated the trend. The larger umbrellas – over 60 inches in size – are perfect for displaying company logos and getting seen by lots of people, whether on the golf course or just out and about.

National Umbrella Day

Did you know February 10 is National Umbrella Day? Why not time a promotional event of your own with some promotional umbrella merchandise for the next National Umbrella Day?

Nostalgia Never Had It So Good

Anyone of a similar age to me (far older than I’d like to admit!) will remember happy childhood days spent chucking around a Frisbee , trying (and failing) to figure out tricks with a yo-yo , or catapulting spinning helicopters into the air, and the quest of then trying to find them when they came down in the neighbours’ gardens.

5. Promotional Stubby Coolers

Essential for keeping your brew cold on a hot day, parties, BBQs and all manner of other occasions, the stubby cooler is a must-have for any proud New Zealander.

4. Custom Branded Bucket Hats, Caps and Beanies

Protect yourself from the sun and look good doing it, or (more likely) keep the rain off when the weather turns with our wide range of headwear.

3. Logo Emblazoned Glassware

Your drink deserves to look good in some stylish glassware too, and what better way to raise a toast on Waitangi Day than with your own New Zealand branded glass? Cheers!

2. Personalised Sports Towels

Useful for the beach, just as handy after a downpour, where would we be without the humble towel?

1. Team Logo Mini Rugby Balls

We couldn’t call ourselves New Zealanders if we didn’t include a rugby ball in our top five. We can’t make you into Dan Carter, but we give you a stylish branded rugby ball to chuck around with your mates.

Timing Is Key

There’s all sorts of other promotional items you could put your own patriotic stamp on though. Explore our wide range of products and embrace your national pride! Branded New Zealand merchandise can strike a chord and be extremely popular, especially around certain dates such as national holidays, major sporting competitions, and elections. Time your promotional drive right, and you could reap the benefits.

What is USB Memory Key Speed?

The biggest question many people have with USB flash drives is ‘how much storage does it have?’ But you should pay attention to the speed of the device too. This determines how quickly the USB stick can read and write data. Reading data speed is how quickly something can be opened from the flash drive. Write speed is how quickly something can be saved to it.

The speed is given in Mbps which stands for Megabits per seconds. Speeds for the flash drives on the market today vary from around 30 Mbps up to many hundreds of Mbps. And generally speaking, the higher the speed, the quicker your memory stick will be able to transfer your files.

Does USB Storage Size Matter?

Simply put, the larger the memory of the device – measured in GB, or gigabytes – the more information it can hold. However, normally this will have no noticeable effect on the speed. Options with smaller memory will, of course, be cheaper, while the largest capacity flash drives will allow you to store an enormous amount of data.

Don't Overthink It!

For most people just wanting to move the odd file here and there, speeds and storage sizes shouldn’t be a huge worry. Our simple 4GB memory key option is all most people will need.

It’s Older Than You Might Think

There’s evidence to show that humans have been using various plants as primitive sunscreen for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks, for example, are known to have used olive oil as sunblock, and the ancient Egyptians harnessed rice, jasmine and flower extracts, many of which are still used in skincare products today.

What About The Modern Promotional Sunscreen?

According to Wikipedia, the first synthetic sunscreens were developed in the late 1920s. French chemist Eugène Schueller – founder of L'Oréal – is credited with bringing one of the first modern sunscreens to market in 1936. But Australian chemist Milton Blake also has a claim as the inventor after he developed an early version of sunscreen in his kitchen in the 1930s.

An Austrian scientist by the name of Franz Greiter developed some of the first truly effective and commercially successful sunscreens in the 1930s and 1940s after getting sunburnt while climbing Mount Piz Buin on the Swiss-Austrian border. And we can’t forget Benjamin Green, an American airman and physician who developed a sunscreen known as ‘Red Vet Pet’ due to its red colour for US troops during World War Two.

So Nobody Really Knows?

Well, no. Schueller, Blake, Greiter and Green are all often credited as being the inventor of sunscreen. All we know is it’s essential stuff if you’re going to Slip, Slop, Slap! Grab some promotional sunscreen for your next campaign today.

First Impressions With Merchandise

There aren’t many occasions when you get to put your company in front of hundreds or even thousands of potential new customers all eager to pick up freebies! Making a good first impression with students at Orientation Day can lay the foundations of a relationship with your brand, so it’s important you get it right. And one of the best ways to do that is with standout promotional merchandise.

Functional Custom Products

There’s no denying it, students love a giveaway. Consider giving them useful items that will help them with their studies such as promotional pens, notebooks, USB flashdrives and calico bags. These are all going to be enormously helpful so there’s a great chance your merchandise – complete with your brand name, logo and contact details – will be kept for months, even years, just building familiarity with your brand.

Studying isn’t all hard work though. Fun items like stress balls, custom Frisbees, rugby balls and other sports gear can all be an excellent way to appeal to students too.

Always Be Prepared

Whatever promotional merchandise you decide on for Orientation Day, make sure you’re prepared. It can be busy and chaotic atmosphere, but the right products and good organisation will lead to a successful event, for you and those freshers!

A man walks into a shop and sees a vacuum bottle. “What does that do?” he asks the store assistant. “It keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold,” they reply. “Wow, that’s amazing,” says the man, and he buys one.

The next day he’s walking down the road with his new vacuum bottle when a passerby stops him. “What does that do?” they ask. “Well,” the man says, “it keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold.”

“So what have you got in it?” the passerby asks.

“Two cups of coffee and an ice cream.”

Promotional Bottles, Are They Magic?

OK, OK, I’m sorry. It’s a terrible joke. But it does have a point because, when you think about it, promotional vacuum bottles are a little bit magical. So how do they work? Well, don’t tell the kids, but it’s not magic. It’s actually all about knowing how heat transfers.

The Science of Vacuum Bottles

Heat moves in one of three ways:

• - Conduction happens when things touch, like when you pick up a cold drink, and your hand feels cold.
  
  
• - Convection occurs because hot air rises, pushing colder air out the way, like when you heat sauce in a pan – the heated molecules are rising to the surface, pushing the colder molecules down towards the heat, where they get hot and rise.
  
  
• - Radiation is hot objects releasing energy as light, which is why fire is so bright.
  
  

What Does This Mean For Your Bottles?

Vacuum bottles stop heat moving, so it can’t escape. They have a double lining, with a vacuum between layers that stops heat escaping through conduction. They are airtight, which means heat can’t escape through convection. And the reflective lining inside means radiation bounces back, keeping the heat in the liquid. Because heat can’t escape, it also can’t get into a vacuum bottle. Anything cold inside can’t absorb heat from outside. So hot things stay hot, and cold things stay cold.

Or maybe it is magic.

Keep Warm, Stay Dry, Win Customers

Nobody likes being cold and wet. But you know as well as we do that the changeable New Zealand climate at this time of year means there’s always a chance the weather is going to catch you out. So if you’ve got any events, trade shows or exhibitions coming up this Winter season, make sure you’re well stocked with the essentials: branded hats, scarves and gloves, and umbrellas and ponchos that might just save the day if any of your potential customers get caught out by the weather. The value in being the company that can keep an event hall full of delegates warm and dry can’t be underestimated. That’s the kind of PR money can’t buy!

Fashion Meets Function

Wearable merchandise gives you the chance to create something that isn’t just useful, but looks good too. With a huge range of colours and designs available to complement your branding, you can keep clients warm, dry and stylish.

Other Promotional Item Ideas

Winter promotional merchandise doesn’t just mean clothing. Branded travel mugs for the chilly commute, and even promotional torches to help on those dark mornings and evenings, are a great way to keep your company in the minds of your customers. Contact the team at Fast Promotional Items NZ for more information and recommendations.

The Brand Power Of The Simple Pen

Promotional pens are one of the oldest marketing freebies around. Millions are dished out around the world at events, conferences, and tradeshows every year. They’re the kind of item everyone wants to pick up because pens are just so useful. This means they tend to stick around too – nobody wants to throw a pen away because you never know when it’ll come in handy. So when your customers are desperately rummaging for a pen at home or around the office, and they find yours, they’re going to remember your business. And every time they use it, they’ll just reinforce that great association with your brand.

A Cost-Effective Way To Promote Your Business

A major advantage of promotional pens is that they are a really cost-effective way to market your business. Branded plastic pens start at very low prices, and they’re still one of the most popular promotional items available.

Easy To Customise

If you’re thinking ‘this is all well and good, but pens are a bit dull, aren’t they?’ you’re wrong. There’s a huge range of different designs and colour schemes, and they can be printed with logos, slogans and anything else you can imagine. Novelty promotional pens are a great way to add a bit of fun to your giveaways too!

Fashionable Custom Beanies

Beanies have increasingly become a fashion statement, and people love an item that makes them stand out from the crowd. We cater to everyone by offering old school stripped beanies, acrylic beanies, beanies that cover your ears and much more! Coupled with a nice fleece scarf and some gloves, you will truly stand out this winter. Our beanies also serve as a great gift for family, friends, co-workers and clients, because everyone could use that extra warmth this winter.

Year-Round Value

Depending on which part of New Zealand you are from, you may need this beanie throughout the whole year. Lucky for you, our custom branded beanies are durable and designed for repeated wear. We want to ensure that your beanie will be worn as much as possible, so we offer different types of beanies depending on the occasion. Some examples that might introduce are beanies equipped with a headlight for late night endeavours, beanies made from highly visible colours for trade workers, or fleece ear beanies.

Ideal for Marketing Your Organisation

Not only are beanies a great way to keep your head warm, but they also serve as a great way of mobile marketing for your unique brand. As people will have your beanie on all day, what better way to have your brand exposed other than by having people wear it! We use screen printing for an effective and simple way of imprinting your brand. However, for a more dazzling impression, we also offer embroidery to truly connect your brand with the beanie.

Personalised Bucket Hats

Are you an outdoorsy type? Or is your organisation looking to advertise at a festival or regional event? You'll love these Promotional Bucket Hats with personalised branding on the front. Not only do they look like stylish retail headwear, but they also offer SPF 50+ protection, so they're perfect for any adventurous Kiwi! We pop your logo on the front and you enjoy some serious branding exposure in a unique and fun manner.

Logo Printed Snack Pouches

Ditch the disposable plastic wrap and opt for a reusable option that helps minimise your wastage! Our Reusable Logo Snack Pouches are the perfect addition to any lunch box as well as a handy way to promote your brand. We decorate each pouch with your design in vibrant full-colour, and then you hand them out or sell them on to your recipients. Let's all be mindful about waste and consider these promotional pouches that won't be used once and ditched!

Personalised Classic Beach Towels

Stand out from the crowd and get noticed with a practical client gift that will get used again and again. These stylish Branded Cotton Beach Towels boast a classic look and a style that suits branding of any logo design. Towels are the perfect Kiwi gift because they're not only perfect for beachs and hot springs but can be used for drying after a dip in home pools and spas as well. We decorate your logo directly onto the towels, so they're ready to distribute upon arrival.

Got some awesome new ideas? Now it's time to contact us for pricing and a free digital mock up. Drop us a line today and let us assist you with your next NZ marketing drive!