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“Local Love” Box Wins PPAI Award for Sending Warmth (and Branded Gifts) During Pandemic

When you’re a networking group that can’t meet in person during a pandemic, how do you show members they’re still important to you? Send flowers and candy for Valentine’s Day? Or a gift bag? That sounds nice, but The Dunstan Group helped Hood Hargett Breakfast Club show their love in an award-winning way. The PPAI – the professional group for the promotional products industry-recognized The Dunstan Group’s above-and-beyond efforts for the “Local Love” Box with their Silver Pyramid Award for Client Programs.

The idea for a Local Love Box started as a way to reach out to members during Hood Hargett Breakfast Club’s February 2021 virtual meeting. Our country was already a full year into pandemic lockdowns, and the idea needed to stand out in a month known for love — and Valentine’s Day. The result was a beyond-hearts-and-flowers success.

Hood Hargett Breakfast Club wanted members to know they were all loved and appreciated not only by the club but by each other. What began as, “Thanks for being here,” turned into an opportunity for members to reach out and “show love” to each other with custom gifts and special opportunities they could use to elevate their brands and boost each others’ businesses and their own.

The donations started small but grew as members pushed each other’s creativity. Free billboards, radio time, and printed ad space joined unique branded items that not only shared members’ names and logos, but stood out and were helpful, too. In all, each “Local Love” Box, emblazoned with red hearts and messages of “Love, Networking, & Support,” held $4,075 worth of branded love for Hood Hargett members.

The Local Love Boxes were delivered with lunches from an upscale restaurant by a member black car service, just hours before the February virtual meeting. Members were told not to open it early, and their reactions showed the campaign was a huge success!

“We started with a simple goal,” says The Dunstan Group Founder and President Scott Dunstan. “In the month of love, Hood Hargett wanted to show members they care. We helped them do that with products that would keep each member’s business top-of-mind in a year they couldn’t shake hands in person.”

In the end, the Local Love Box showed that branded merchandise works to elevate what each company could give back to the group and to each other, and to generate business. The idea of showing “Local Love” was the warm embrace each of us had missed in a year of social distancing when businesses yearned to welcome back customers and share smiles face-to-face.

“Working with Scott Dunstan, Brian Young, and the entire Dunstan Group team on our COVID ‘Local Love’ Box project changed the way our organization does business with each other,” says Jenn Snyder Gibson, Executive Director of the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club. Acknowledging the difficulties of taking an exclusively in-person networking group into the virtual world, Snyder recounts the amount of work it took The Dunstan Group to secure creative branded items from 75 members for the box in just two weeks.

“Hands down, The Dunstan Group is THE MOST talented, creative, and forward-thinking team I have ever worked with!” she exclaimed.

Beyond that initial meeting, the Local Love Box continues to share exponential and immeasurable returns as members return to their tables, shake hands, and remember the Local Love and branded merchandise given to them when they needed each other most.

BrandBuilders Spotlight: ISF “Cancer Messed With”

One in a series of case studies highlighting creative projects, imaginative clients, and remarkable results.

The Client:

The Isabella Santos Foundation works relentlessly to fund research and treatment options for pediatric cancer patients. Named for the little girl who inspires this effort, the Isabella Santos Foundation has raised and donated more than $5 million in 12 years to reach its goal to help kids Beat Cancer, Grow Hair, and Live Their Dreams. In 2020 alone, it reached a milestone by donating $1 million to achieve its mission.

ISF donations are currently building a program at Levine Children’s Hospital for children with rare cancers. Their efforts have brought in a top doctor, Dr. Giselle Sholler, to head the department, and are building a team of doctors, nurses, and researchers around her. They’re achieving their goals of funding trials and doing research for rare pediatric cancers. 

The Challenge:

While ISF is known for unique and attention-getting events, they wanted to diversify their fundraising streams for a more consistent source of income. For ideas, they leaned on what powered them forward the last 12 years: positive thoughts.

“When Isabella was battling cancer, we were the biggest consumers of positive thoughts and products,” says Erin Santos, Isabella’s mother and founder of the ISF. “We wanted T-shirts with positive thoughts.” With all that’s going on in the world right now, says Erin, ISF wanted to reach people in a way that speaks to them personally — and not necessarily about cancer.

The Foundation has had a lot of success with an advocacy campaign launched in 2015, called “Cancer Messed With….” It was based on what they would tell people about Isabella and her fight — that cancer messed with the wrong kid. ISF printed the phrase on a few pieces of merchandise, and it sold well as the idea caught on. But in 2021, it needed a refresh.

The Big Idea:

Erin and her marketing team worked with Brian Young at The Dunstan Group for a way to freshen up the Cancer Messed With Campaign and make it more accessible to supporters. The result was an online store that offered T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, stickers, and even customizable team shirts in trendy, edgy styles and colors.

“We wanted something that evolved to keep pace with what people are buying,” says Erin. “The Dunstan Group has a good view of what people want, and suggested different products that they know people want to buy — and they were right. They showed us how to branch out into other categories.” Suggestions of new fabric blends that people love, in colors that are on point, led to instant success. The sand-colored oversized hoodie sold out quickly!

The Reaction:

“I love it!” says Erin. “We let them lead and we held back, and they were right!” ISF is already reordering the most popular products, like the hoodie. Part of the campaign’s success? “They are great at communication,” says Erin.

A crucial part of the communication was letting ISF know about supply chain issues that are causing a hold-up on a lot of online merchandise for retailers. The Dunstan Group knew their products well enough to suggest branded attire and accessories that could be in the hands of donors when they wanted it. That kind of knowledge and professionalism is why the Isabella Santos Foundation keeps coming back to The Dunstan Group for more fundraising ideas and merchandise.

“Brian is by far one of my favorite people to work with,” says Erin. “He’s the best! He loves what he does, and he loves what we do, so he’s an extended member of our team!”

Branded Products Carry Your Name for Years Beyond the Party

How many of us love the freebies we get at conferences, office stores, and holiday parties? Admit it, you’ve probably got a pen with a company logo (yours or someone else’s) somewhere in your possession right now.

You’re in good company. New research from Promotional Products Association International, or PPAI Media, shows that nearly 3 out of 4 of us have kept a branded pen, pencil, marker, or highlighter that’s been given to us. More than two-thirds of us have a magnet imprinted with a logo. This shows that we don’t just like getting free stuff, we feel drawn to the companies whose branded items we keep and take home.

“This study confirms what we’ve known for years at The Dunstan Group — that branded items make a big impact because they stick with people for a long time. These products remind them of your business identity for months and even years to come,” says The Dunstan Group Founder and President, Scott Dunstan. “An investment in branded products and apparel creates long-term value because they forge connections between consumers and brands as the products are looked at, worn, and used again and again.”

How long does that branding last?

Nearly half of respondents in the study say they often keep promotional products longer than FIVE YEARS. The most common reason to keep a product, according to 3 out of 4 respondents (75%), is because it’s useful. More than a third of the people surveyed (38%) say they kept the product because it reminds them of an event or experience. Other reasons for keeping a branded product is because it’s fun (35%), they like the design (34%), or they wanted or needed it at the time (33%).

The Dunstan Group can help you find just the right useful, fun, and well-designed branded product to share your unique business personality with your customers. Scott Dunstan and Director of Business Development Brian Young say items on their list of this year’s favorite things will be used again and again because they help your customers be efficient with their technology on the go.

Scott’s choice of a branded on-the-go connector set is something customers will keep nearby to make sure all of their phones and computers can talk to each other. A JBL Flip Waterproof Speaker is sure to travel a long way between the office, home, pool, and boat.

Among Brian’s favorite things are a branded Octoforce wireless power pack that can be pulled from a briefcase or bag in a pinch, or a branded no-wire mouse pad that charges your phone while you work at your desk or your destination.

If you want to find one of these great gifts or another branded product that gives customers “a charge,” call us! We’ll find just the right one for you.

Co-Op Dollars: Use Them or Lose Them

Halloween has come and gone, which means we’re now on that slippery slope to Christmas and the end of the year. It’s quarter four for everyone and every kind of business, and this one seems to get away fast. With all of the end-of-year responsibilities, deadlines, and commitments, it can be easy to let your co-op dollars remain unspent. If you’re anything like us, you’re not a fan of leaving money or opportunity on the table.

Before things get too far gone, now’s the time to take stock in that invaluable and unspent marketing money. Depending on your business or industry, you may be racking up these dollars with any number of distributors, partners, or manufacturers you work with. According to industry reports, each and every year nearly $70 billion in co-op marketing funds go unused! Or worse yet, they’re spent in a panic or without thought on how to use them best.

There’s no need to panic, though. In many cases, branded merchandise and apparel easily fits within brand and partner requirements for manufacturers and distributors. Check your individual agreements first, but we’ve found is that in most cases co-op dollars can be spent here. The Dunstan Group has years of experience working with following co-op guidelines. No matter your co-op budget, we’ll help you find a branded merchandise and apparel match that will provide long-lasting impact.

The war for the holidays will not be won on price.

By now we’ve seen nearly every pandemic-inspired headline imaginable keeping products of all sorts from reaching their destination. Supply chain issues, raw materials and shipping container shortages, labor slowdowns at western ports… it feels like Jiffy Express is on the job these days!

One headline that’s been underreported, in our opinion, is how all of these factors will weigh on holiday shopping. Doorbuster specials or deep discounts are dinosaurs. Product availability will make this year’s holiday merry – or downright disappointing, if you’re unwilling to be fast, flexible, or creative.

And that’s where the team at The Dunstan Group can help! We’ve make a quick list and checked it twice. Here’s some easy-to-use holiday gifting advice!

Order early

We get it. It’s hard to think about holiday gifting when temps are still in the 80’s and 90’s. But getting your holiday gifting orders placed now will ensure you’ve got the most product selection, plenty of time for customization, and enough time to get your product delivered in advance of your event, holiday gifting, etc.

Consider your options

Got your heart set on a particular product, brand, or style? We get it. Sometimes it’s hard to look at other products once you’ve got something particular in mind. Especially when there are seemingly endless other products. Be open to looking at several different items to maximize the opportunity you’ll get what you want when you want it.

Act now

You’ve found the product you want, add it to your order, only to find it’s gone before you can complete the transaction. It happens with our suppliers, too. Our recommendation is that once we’ve found what you’re looking for, confirm the order immediately. While the price quote may be good for days or weeks, someone else may swoop in and make their order before you’ve approved yours.

As always, the team here at The Dunstan Group is here to help. Make your holiday and Q4 plans less stressful – and a whole lot more creative! Connect with us now, and let’s get to work.

 

Holiday promotions seem even earlier? There’s a reason for that.

If your email inbox is anything like ours, you’re probably already getting ads for holiday décor and gift ideas. Admittedly, it feels a little earlier than usual. And for good reason. Supply chain issues are still dogging most every industry—from cars, to coffee, to computer chips. That includes the branded merchandise and apparel industry, too.

Truth is, if you have plans for Q4 or holiday gifting, you really do need to think and act on them now. And not just because the holiday promotions seem earlier and earlier each year. With a little bit of planning and flexibility, your holidays can still be merry, bright, and a lot less stressful.

Order early

We get it. It’s hard to think about holiday gifting when temps are still in the 80’s and 90’s. But getting your holiday gifting orders placed now will ensure you’ve got the most product selection, plenty of time for customization, and enough time to get your product delivered in advance of your event, holiday gifting, etc.

Consider your options

Got your heart set on a particular product, brand, or style? We get it. Sometimes it’s hard to look at other products once you’ve got something particular in mind. Especially when there are seemingly endless other products. Be open to looking at several different items to maximize the opportunity you’ll get what you want when you want it.

Act fast

You’ve found the product you want, add it to your order, only to find it’s gone before you can complete the transaction. It happens with our suppliers, too. Our recommendation is that once we’ve found what you’re looking for, confirm the order immediately. While the price quote may be good for days or weeks, someone else may swoop in and make their order before you’ve approved yours.

As always, the team here at The Dunstan Group is here to help. Make your holiday and Q4 plans less stressful – and a whole lot more creative! Connect with us now, and let’s get to work.

 

The Dunstan Group Delivers as Duke Energy Prepares to Keep Seniors Safe

September is National Preparedness Month, and The Dunstan Group is helping Duke Energy keep our Senior Citizens and other vulnerable populations safe. Duke Energy distributed 7,000 branded storm radios to Seniors to prepare for severe weather this year. Each one is emblazoned with the company’s blue and green Duke Energy logo, to remind owners who to call to report an outage in their area after severe weather.

The storm radios include a flashlight and a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) radio to alert residents to severe weather in their area. They can be plugged into a wall for regular use, or can be charged with a hand crank or built-in solar panel in the case of a power outage.

There’s even a USB port in it so you can use the sun to charge your cell phone! The charger gives residents a guaranteed way to make contact with loved ones or emergency personnel if they need to, especially if they live alone.

Duke Energy distributed the storm radios in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina and other areas prone to severe weather and flooding.

“Historically, that’s who gets the most severe weather in South Carolina from flooding and hurricanes,” Amanda Dow, Duke Energy Foundation stakeholder manager for South Carolina, said in the company’s statement.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends having an emergency weather radio in your disaster supply kit. The radios are available at most electronics retailers and from the American Red Cross. 

“For a project of this scale and of this importance, they could trust us to deliver,” says Scott Dunstan, Founder and President of The Dunstan Group. “Even in the middle of a pandemic when the supply chain is the most challenging we’ve ever seen, we understood the urgent need to get these radios in the hands of vulnerable residents.”

To see what else you should put in your emergency disaster kit, check out these tips from FEMA: https://ready.gov/plan 

 

Christmas in July?

We’ll admit, we’re not fans of seeing Halloween candy on the shelves when we’re still in summer mode. It’s not like we’re going to stock up on Butterfingers. We’d just eat them anyway. But the reality of it is, if you have plans for Q4 or holiday gifting, you actually do need to think about it now. And not just because the holiday promotions seem earlier and earlier each year.

If you’ve ordered anything lately you’ve likely experienced extended delays, out-of-stock notices, or backorders. Same here. Supply is still struggling to match demand in the branded merchandise and apparel space, too. But with a little bit of planning and flexibility, your holidays can still be merry, bright, and a lot less stressful.

Order early

Honestly, it’s hard to think about holiday gifting when you’re still shaking sand from your car’s floor mats. But getting your holiday gifting orders placed now will ensure you’ve got the most product selection, plenty of time for customization, and enough time to get your product delivered in advance of your event, holiday gifting, etc.

Consider your options

Got your heart set on a particular product, brand, or style? We get it. Sometimes it’s hard to look at other products once you’ve got something particular in mind. Especially when there are seemingly endless other products. Be open to looking at several different items to maximize the opportunity you’ll get what you want when you want it.

Act fast

You’ve found the product you want, add it to your order, only to find it’s gone before you can complete the transaction. It happens with our suppliers, too. Our recommendation is that once we’ve found what you’re looking for, confirm the order immediately. While the price quote may be good for days or weeks, someone else may swoop in and make their order before you’ve approved yours.

As always, the team here at The Dunstan Group is here to help. Make your holiday and Q4 plans less stressful – and a whole lot more creative! Connect with us now, and let’s get to work.