A mug of coffee is a fairly stereotypical way to start the day, and a custom mug with business information and company logo may just be another addition to the office coffee cupboard, lost among the dozens of other cups. In order to make promo mugs stand out, some organizations have gotten creative and downright unusual to raise visibility and change customer ideas about certain products and services.
Government funding promotions
Baldwin County, Alabama recently rolled out a plan to get more money into the region through increased visibility and tourism.
The county legislature voted in favor of setting aside funds for promotional items more than 10 years ago, but they only recently realized they could make good on it, ordering a plethora of branded items carrying the county seal. Among these items are a variety of desk flags, bumper stickers and coffee mugs emblazoned with Baldwin’s historical seal. While the county is currently using tried and true advertising methods, the fact that the state budget allows them $25,000 per year for promotional items means they may soon be considering weird and innovative items to draw attention to this small Alabama county.
Some strange sights
Some businesses are also looking for promotional mugs to change the way people look at the world. Rather than making them see a county in a different light, however, electronics manufacturer Philips is using custom mugs to make men more likely to use their products.
These innovative cups are made of transparent plastic and feature black etching along the sides that, when a man holds the cup up about to take a drink, makes it look like he’s sporting a fashionable mustache or trendy goatee.
The point of this fun but curious marketing campaign is to get men interested in buying the company’s personal grooming tools. Shavers, clippers and other similar devices aren’t as popular in some parts of the world where a clean-shaven appearance is most preferred. In order to overcome this fashion trend while increasing company visibility and building buzz, Philips wants to cash in on custom mugs that will boost awareness of their product line.