Bags of Initiative

Promotional bags come in all shapes, sizes and material from environmentally friendly cotton to luxury leather. This feature demonstrates that promotional suppliers have shown bags of initiative in creating bags to suit all brands and occasions.

Hands up who doesn't have a promotional bag in their home or office? I certainly do!
Not that I go out looking for samples, but anyone who goes to exhibitions is given their show catalogue in either a good quality paper carrier bag or a cotton, jute or canvas bag that's just too good to throw away. From the point of view of the brand featured on the bag, that's good news as it gives longevity to the brand appearance and probably takes it into some very different socio economic areas.

Shopping bags too are enjoying longevity now that shoppers are discouraged from using flimsy plastic bags.

Grandmart International Ltd of Hong Kong has been supplying environmentally friendly shopping bags to a UK supermarket and an accounting firm since last year. In line with green awareness towards our planet, Grandmart says it is striving to provide many different kinds of environmentally friendly shopping bags for daily shoppers. It has a full range of reusable shopping bags including canvas bags, jute bags and bags for carrying wine.

The company also has a range of PVC and polyester bags, which can be printed with a photographic image, plus PP woven and non-woven bags.

Their canvas shoulder bag is stylish and durable. Size: W32 x H36 x D10mm, handle size: W4x10cm

All bags can be tailor-made according to the required size, material and designs. The minimum order quantity is 1,000 pieces per item. Grandmart International

Waving the Flag for Promotional Bags
When Orange Promotions was asked to come up with an idea for promoters who where handing out giveaways on the beach and in the streets during the summer holidays, they came up with the Flagbag. This is a backpack that holds the merchandise for easy access and the promotional flag, which advertises the company being promoted. An easy solution for outside advertising with a difference; the promoters can be spotted from far away and the target audience can be attracted to the promotional team. A great idea for summer time promotions!

Orange Promotions can supply small or large quantities for any company and, just like the Flagbag was created especially for a particular promotion, they can create something fresh for your company or brand. Orange Promotions

Cool Bags with Hot Sounds
Another innovative company, Orb, was asked to develop a cool bag with real ‘wow appeal'. Mike Smith, MD of Orb told us, "After working with our design team and factory in China, we developed the ‘speaker bag'. Simply put your cold drinks in and then plug in your ipod/MP3, etc., and you have your cold drinks and music on the go!" Brilliant.

Mike continued, "By being inventive we were able to take two separate components and combine them to make the ‘speaker bag' and deliver a truly innovative product, that led to a fantastically successful promotion." Orb International

It's In The Bag with Clippykit
Clippykit's design-led bags all have opening pockets which can be filled with photographs, product shots, logos and small gift items. Each bag becomes totally unique and personal to your brand and even to each customer. Clippy products are ideal for fashion and beauty promotions or anything that requires something a bit different. Clippykit also has a range of products aimed at children, including rucksacks and umbrellas - making them an ideal interactive promotional gift.

Speaking about the promotional merchandise market, Calypso Rose (Clippy for short), MD of Clippykit says, "It seems that the majority of promotional gifts are aimed towards men or are very generic. I would like to see the logoed lip-gloss and more fabulous fans for the summer coming to my office. Those are items I would constantly be pulling out of my handbag."

On an environmental note, Clippy adds, "Clippykit bags are designed and manufactured in the UK. No miles on us!"

Clippykit's promotional clients include, The Orange Book Prize, the Brit Awards, L'Oreal, The National Portrait Gallery and Aga.

Clippykit bags are available in small or large quantities and are totally unique to your brand and can be used for multiple promotions. Pockets can be filled with a combination of product samples, logos and photographs. Making your brand stand out. Clippykit

Bags of choice from Filofax
Just as Clippykit is a retail brand, which sells in Harrods and Selfridges, Filofax is a retail brand that has a very strong promotional side. Or is it the other way round? Whichever way it is, Filofax has some lovely bags, which had me glued to the company's stand at the recent Promotional Marketing Exhibition.

Matt Watson, Communications Manager at Filofax UK, said, "We have really expanded our bag range this year with everything from contemporary manbags through to luxurious crocodile print leather women's briefcases."

The Amazona briefcase, is a truly gorgeous zipped briefcase that coordinates with the Amazona range of personal organisers and wallets and has a retail price of £295 (corporate sales POA). It features striking crocodile print leather with a sumptuous glazed sheen, antiqued golden metal zips and numerous internal pockets and features.

If that's a bit rich for your budget, Filofax also offers the Sketch Bag range of four contemporary, lightweight bags in tough, waterproof ribbed nylon with a leather-look trim and strong ribbed base. Clever design features include hardwearing moulded fittings, rubber feet, integral laptop holder, a multitude of functional pockets and an ergonomic shoulder strap. These can be personalised with a subtle screen-printed logo. Models available include expandable messenger bag, courier bag, document holder and large briefcase. Filofax Sketch Bag Range RRP £75 to £110. Corporate sales POA
Filofax also has a new website. Filofax

Bags of Style with Mitreprize
Staying with brands that serve both retail and corporate markets, Mitreprize offers a practical but stylish, high quality backpack laptop bag from the Cerruti 1881 range. It can be subtly branded and is an attractive accessory for the recipient, therefore more likely to have a long life promoting your brand. With far greater wifi access in public places, laptop computers are increasingly convenient for busy people on the move, so a good looking laptop bag makes a very practical corporate gift, especially one which doubles up as a document bag to save the need to carry more than one item. Minimum order quantity 25. Mitreprize Ltd

Bags of Quality from P&MM
Graham Howarth, Director, P&MM Source-e, the leading sourcing company, said,
"With the credit crunch causing many consumers to look for things for free, companies are increasingly realising the value of offering stylish, quality items with a long ‘shelf-life' to a selected number of recipients, rather than giving away product that will be used once and thrown away.

"Image matters to consumers and brands and providing promotional messages are included on the merchandise in an appropriate way - in most cases tasteful and discreet as opposed to loud and garish - bags are an effective way of raising awareness and keeping the brand in front of the consumer for many years." P&MM Source

Bags more Bags from Penworld
In 2009 Cotton bags have really taken off at Penworld. Is it because all calls are answered with a human voice, it is the price, the quality or the word of mouth referrals that makes them so successful? You decide. Penworld

Next month we feature electronic promotional goods. For people like me (the techno challenged) I honestly think that if suppliers provided a webinar to show folks how to set up and use the products, we (the aforementioned techno challenged) would be more inclined to use them and promote the brand, rather than use them as paperweights! But that's just me.

But, no matter how supersonically techno or super simple your promotional electronic products are, we'll write about them next month IF you send us (editor@promotional-merchandise.org.uk) some info!

Carole Bull
Editor

 

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