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room spaces ensure that we spend much
of our time at home either in the kitchen
or in very close proximity to it, and we
entertain there, too.
Vickie Pedersen, owner of Pedersen
Group, LLC (PPAI 692721) based in
Phoenix, Arizona, says that the trend
for entertaining at home is a great
opportunity for both promotional and
incentive-based branded products.
“Casual entertaining at home no longer
means a bag of chips and a jar of salsa.
Products that people want to use when
friends and family come over are also a
great way to increase exposure. When
someone asks ‘where did you get that?’
and the response is ‘I was given it at an
event for XYZ brand,’ or ‘I earned it in
an incentive contest at work,’ there is
recognition of the brand and a stronger
emotional connection.”
Smart home products are everywhere
now and they can increase the ‘wow’
factor of typical houseware gifts. “Many
items for the home are Bluetooth-
enabled and have apps to control
them—slow cookers, coffee makers,
lighting, etc.,” Pedersen says. “People
may not necessarily want to spend
their own money on some of these, but
given as promotional gifts or incentives,
they have a cool factor that will make
an impression.”
With so many products that are
used in a home, it can be a little
overwhelming to choose what’s
best for a brand. “In general, select
items that have some functionality.
That way, no matter what the style
is, it will be appreciated and used,”
Pedersen explains.
As for product color, Pedersen says
that neutral colors are always a safe bet
but cautions against ruling out bright
colors or patterns if there’s a specific
branding reason. “Adding in some
seasonality is a good way to introduce a
little color for select items; for example,
bright colors for summer and warm
tones for fall. It is better to stay away
from items that have bold patterns
that may not blend easily with most
décor. However, if there is a theme [for
an event, for example], then make the
colors and patterns consistent and
the items will be great reminders of
the experience.”
And be sure to select quality items. “If
the budget is limited, choose quality over
quantity (or size). Reach out to premium
reps for ideas. They all have brands in this
category and they can quickly provide
great options,” Pederson adds.
Americans are finally consuming more coffee after
years of the beverage’s consumption plateauing,
according to the National Coffee Association’s (NCA)
2017 National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) report.
But forget plain old drip coffee. All age demographics
have a clear preference for gourmet and espresso-
brewed drinks, especially Millennials and Gen
Z members. “More of us are drinking coffee,
and younger consumers appear to be
leading the charge,” said Bill Murray, NCA
president and CEO, in an announcement
of the report’s release in conjunction with
NCA’s March convention in Austin, Texas.
“A steadily growing taste for gourmet varieties
is also driving a wider trend toward specialty
beverages.” According to the study, more than
half of all cups of coffee consumed in the past day
were gourmet—a record-high 59 percent, compared
to 46 percent reported in 2012. Can you smell the
aroma of promotional opportunity?
Source: Daily Coffee News
Coffee Connoisseurs
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