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Promotional By Design
Kate Plummer, CAS, talks about form, function and the
family business—Clearmount Plastics
PPB
Why did you decide to work at
Clearmount Plastics?
Plummer
Ha! This is a loaded question. It’s
a family company, and I had just graduated
when they needed someone to fill in while
they found a new office manager. I was
just going to stay for two to three months,
tops—but I fell in love with the industry and
sales, and almost 10 years later I’ve finally
stopped calling it my temporary job.
PPB
How are you able to apply your design
skills to your work at Clearmount? Where do
you find inspiration when working with clients?
Plummer
Acrylic is an amazing material
that allows for so much creativity. Every day
is a new challenge for design. My clients
also inspire me with what they think of. A lot
of graphic artists really love our product, as
they’re not limited by pre-made stock items.
You want that to be 10 inches and not eight
inches? Sure. You want to have an ombre
look that matches your PMS colors? Sure. You
want to recreate your logo out of sand and
embed it inside a custom-cut shape? Sure!
But the people who really inspire me
are our production staff. I’m really guilty of
saying yes to a project without knowing how
to do it, knowing that they’ll save me and
come up with a new technique to make it. I
owe so much to the staff and their creativity.
PPB
Why do you think awards—specifically,
three-dimensional, artistic pieces—remain a
popular choice for recognition?
Plummer
I think they are popular because
awards are so valued by the recipient. It’s easy
to hand over a gift card but that goes toward
groceries or something functional. Having
a tangible example of your achievements
and success is immeasurable. That’s why I
encourage my clients to put thought into the
design. This is comparable to a piece of art
that will go on a shelf for years. It’s a point
of pride.
PPB
What types of innovation have you seen
in award design over the years?
Plummer
I’ve only been part of Clearmount
for 10 years, which is a drop in the bucket
here. (Our longest working staff member
has been here over 40 years!) I’ve seen a lot
of change with a lot more experimentation
with printing techniques and color.
Right now we’re experimenting with
glow-in-the-dark acrylic, metallics and 3D
printing (embedded and on the surface).
When it comes down to it, we’re still a
handmade product, but technology for all
facets of our manufacturing is constantly
innovating, so we just try and keep up.
PPB
Do you think there’s potential for
awards to be both functional and beautiful, or
are today’s awards being crafted into the most
ideal designs?
Plummer
I totally think so. But as everyone
has experienced, you never really know what
the client wants. The most effusive praise I’ve
ever received on an award was not on one
of the many stunners we’ve done, but on an
embedded card in a block. It was so simple
but they loved it and were completely blown
away. It’s so much about personal taste when
it comes to design. I think the real question
is, are people are asking if it’s the right award
for the recipient? Are you truly valuing their
contribution with what you’re giving them?
A friend of mine once received an
award for the largest sales growth. When I
asked him what he got his response was,
“One of those Little League plaques.” It
really left a sour taste in his mouth, and
instead of adding to his achievement,
he felt it detracted from it. Who was the
distributor who wasn’t pushing the client to
think of how the recipient would feel when
they got the award? To go with a more
adult or modern design? Simplicity is not a
bad thing, but thoughtlessness is.
PPB
How important is good design in the
promotional products industry?
Plummer
I think design is king when it comes
to our industry. We are promotional products
consultants; so much more than someone who
can slap a logo on a t-shirt. A boring pen, a
cheap t-shirt with no originality—what do you
think will happen to these items?
A great promotion doesn’t have to be
expensive but it has to be well designed.
There has to be thought behind the art and
product. Ask your customer this question:
What did you give out two years ago, and
where are those items now?
FIVE MINUTES WITH
Kate Plummer, CAS
Clearmount Plastics
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OCTOBER 2016
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