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46
The Power
Of Partners
FEATURE
DECEMBER 2014 •
PPB
• 29
40
Scripted For
Success
EDITOR’S PICKS
David Miller,
Chocolate Inn/Taylor &Grant
THE COMPANY THAT MAKES its
name in custom confectionery—
embossed chocolate bars and artfully
designed truffles, for example—saw
the earning potential for the popular
custom direct-printed M&M’s
®
, says
David Miller, president of Chocolate
Inn/Taylor & Grant (UPIC: CHOCINN)
in Freeport, New York.
The demand is high for this type
of product, he says, but the promo-
tional channels for procuring them are
limited. So the supplier decided to
sweeten its own offerings with an
exclusive imprinted chocolate candy.
“We knew we could not use con-
ventional printing technologies given
the small size, low net weight and
rounded shape of the piece. So we
sourced equipment, programmed it
and then developed various ways of
printing on our own custom chocolate
buttons and, eventually, other items,”
says Miller. “As a result, we now have
an entirely proprietary process.”
Printed chocolate buttons were
first off the line, and Chocolate Inn is
making plans to roll out additional
printed products such as gumballs
and Chewy Sprees® fruit-flavored
candy discs. Beloved classic sweets
hold universal appeal, and the end
users in retail environments are likely
to find at least one favorite among
custom imprinted candies like those
being created by Chocolate Inn.
David Rones,
PromoMatting By Americo
SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST IDEAS
are right at your feet, and David
Rones believes the biggest promo-
tional opportunities lie there as well.
As division president of Cartersville,
Georgia-based PromoMatting (UPIC:
AMERICO), Rones is building business
for himself, his clients and their clients
from the floor up.
“The marketing and advertising
landscape has undergone substantial
changes in the past 10 years,” says
Rones. “With the rapid increase in
digital and social-media outlets, more
companies and brands are fighting for
their customers’ attention. Floor-
based advertising is a relatively new
trend, but its potential is drawing
attention.”
Rones cites research that shows
purchasing decisions are overwhelm-
ingly made inside the store during or
just before the time of purchase. The
floor, he says, is an uncluttered can-
vas for promotional ideas. “As sales
climb, retailers are able to generate
additional advertising revenue by sell-
ing their floor space to brands as an
‘indoor billboard,’” he explains.
Cost-effectiveness is another
appealing quality of promotional floor
mats, says Rones. A full-page ad in
the
Wall Street Journal
costs $225 per
impression (CPM); a 30-second prime-
time TV spot, $17 CPM; a one-page
full-color ad in a top-20 magazine,
$9.35 CPM. “But the CPM on the
average promotional floor mat is
between 11 and 23 cents, depending
on store traffic,” he says. “Spending
more does not equate to earning
more. Getting the greatest return for
your marketing dollars should always
be the priority.”
How do promotional products break
into the retail scene?
These suppliers
discuss products they believe can help promotional
consultants make inroads with retail clients.
35
How To Grab
More Sales
SALES
38
Hiring For Keeps
MANAGEMENT
201412_Market To Market_PPB 2013 11/13/14 12:44 PM Page 29