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Hats You’d Actually Want to Wear

A certain Carolina Panthers quarterback has gotten some looks — and some headlines — about his post-game fashion over the years. But Cam’s most recent headwear selection had us wondering whether the trend would take off, and if anyone else could actually pull it off. (OK, not really.) But it sure made us look at our selection of all-new caps and hats you’d actually want to wear! 

Pro Round Crown Cap 

We love this new Pro Round Crown Cap with its quilted, buttery soft front panels. It features soft, tea-stained mesh back panels for a broken-in feel right out of the box. A pre-curved bill completes the look and feel. The foam structure front and plastic snap back provides for a great-fitting cap. We’re certain this will be a hot one for the fall and winter season. 

Low Crown Stars and Stripes Cap 

Here’s a look that never goes out of style. This great, new take on Old Glory compliments any brand or logo with its subtle addition of stars and stripes. In black as shown, we think it’s a perfect platform for any full color logo to really “pop!” Its low crown makes a great-fitting cap for most head sizes. Soft mesh back panels complete the look and feel. 

High Crown Wool Blend 

Consider this high crown wool blend cap a blank canvas and creative space for your logo, brand, or message. Thinking big, billboard style? This could be the cap for you. Or if you’re looking fo the platform that will support your leather or woven patch (we do that, too!) then this could be your cap, too. Bottom line, this cap is a real utility player. Let’s talk about how it can score points with your audience. 

Now for something completely different 

It’ll get cold eventually, right? Be ready to stand out with your brand out in this ski style toboggan that’s as much about fun as it is function. This acrylic knit cap features a contrasting jacquard stripe and coordinating tassels for a unique look. The white sherpa lining makes it a great choice for any kind of winter weather activity, or just braving the cold in style. 

Pom Pom Toboggan 

This traditional Pom Pom Toboggan is a true classic. It’s contrasting jacquard stripe pay off on top with a two-tone pom. Its cotton and acrylic knit makes for a warm, cozy cap that’s both comfortable and versatile. There’s plenty of room for logos, embroidery, or even a patch. One size fits all, and looks just as good on ladies and gents. 

 

BrandBuilders Spotlight: Open Streets 704

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

The Client:

The Open Streets 704 program hosts twice-yearly events that “open” Charlotte city streets connecting neighbors and neighborhoods for an afternoon of fun, free activities they can enjoy with their entire family. The event is based on successful Open Streets festivals in cities around the world, which encourage people to live healthier, better-connected lives by allowing them to explore local neighborhoods in a way that’s just not possible by car.

The Challenge:

With an eighth event approaching, Open Streets 704 feels like it’s a regular on Charlotte’s spring and fall “must do” calendars. But introducing the concept of open streets took some creativity on behalf of The Dunstan Group. Branded merchandise would need to be functional, of course, but would also need to communicate basic “what, when, and where,” information, while giving recipients the idea of what the event was all about. With events and activities spread out over several miles, and many different neighborhoods, branded merchandise would need to do more than market a logo — it would have to encourage an idea of people-powered activity for every age and background.

The Big Idea:

Among a suite of promotional items including banners, key keepers, and reusable cups, the branded Frisbees and blinking bike lights were runaway hits at other outdoor festivals and functions leading up to the first Open Streets 704 event. Customized printed coasters were another fun and functional promotion that served as a nod to the participating local breweries along the route. Staff and volunteer t-shirts helped participants and wayfinding signs helped reinforce the brand during the event.

The Reaction:

Clearly, folks got the message about Open Streets 704! The semi-annual events draw more than 30,000 people outside and into the streets. Participants say they’ve discovered new neighborhoods and businesses along the routes, and are more willing to walk, ride a bike, or visit a park as a result of being a part of Open Streets 704 events. Businesses agree they’ve gotten more exposure – and new customers – from Open Streets 704.

“Open Streets 704 is truly an event anyone can participate in,” said Eleanor Shell, one of the program organizers. “Open Streets 704 crosses neighborhood boundaries, and reaches out to our entire community to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get out, meet new people, see new places, and have fun.”

“The Dunstan Group really understood the vision of the event for what we are hoping to create in our community, and to carry over that same feeling from one afternoon to the rest of the year.”

Weather the Weather this Fall 

The calendar says fall is just about here, and cooler (and sometimes wetter) weather won’t be too far behind. Have your team, group, clients, and customers ready to weather the weather with these great customizable jackets and vests from The Dunstan Group! 

Sport-Tek ® Ladies Triumph Cowl Neck Pullover

This double knit, cotton-rich pullover is a triumph with integrated pockets, thumb holes, and rubberized zippers for a modern look and feel. The cotton/poly double-knit fleece has a luxurious feel, and the drop tail hem and drop shoulder provide for a great-looking fit. Tag-free label for a bother-free feel, even when zipped. Includes a zippered front pocket for essentials when you’re on the go. 


OGIO ® ENDURANCE Stealth Full-Zip Jacket

Here’s a great full-zip jacket for active pursuits that’ll look great no matter where you’re headed. The OGIO ENDURANCE Stealth Full-Zip Jacket features stay-cool wicking technology for excellent moisture management. Black binding around the hood and cuffs ensure a superior fit, making this a great choice for most body types. Front pockets with mesh lining and a zippered chest pocket provide just enough on-board storage. 

Eddie Bauer ® Shirt Jac

Midweight jacket warmth meets collared shirt style in this shirt jac that blurs the line between the great outdoors and indoors. Features a snap-front closure and snap cuffs, and a drop-in left chest pocket. Contrast Eddie Bauer heat transfer logo on the right hem won’t conflict with your logo and branding. Made of 100% polyester fabric and 1.8-ounce, 100% polyester fill for warmth. Water-resistant with a PU coating, too. 

Men’s Traverse Stripe Half Zip

With its 90% Polyester, 10% Spandex blend, the CB DryTec Traverse is an all-around versatile piece. Features moisture-wicking fabric with UPF 50+ for excellent UV protection, too. Solid at collar, sleeves, cuffs, upper front and back, and stripe at lower front and back panels. Includes a zipper chin guard, with open bottom for a clean, unfussy drape over any shirt. Silver CB pennant heat transfers at back half moon. 

Dri-Duck Compass Vest

Don’t depend on bulk when you need gear that’s fit to keep you warm and dry. The Compass vest is a smarter way to fend off cold weather, forgoing bulk for a high-performance all-season layer. The Compass is built with Dri-Duck Smart Shell™ sweater fleece technology that combines the warmth of fleece with the outdoor-ready features of bonded softshell. As functional as it is comfortable, the Compass was engineered to perform best when wind and rain are in the mix.

Dri-Duck Torrent Rain Jacket

There are hundreds of waterproof jackets out there, but this one is built with a little more intention than the other guys’. Dri0-Duck took the time to line the Torrent from hem to hood with a mesh that allows the jacket to move and breathe. It’s built from a premium nylon that isn’t crunchy or noisy while you move. Use its adjustable hem, hood and cuffs to determine how much protection you need at any given time—it’ll hug gloves, protect your waistline and keep your head dry, even over a hat.

Football Means Business

Before the first whiff of pumpkin spice, before the first crisp chill of fall air, comes another sign we all wait for — the sound of cheers rising from the stadium. Football is back! And with it comes a favorite ritual of the season: tailgating and watching games with friends.

“Sales kick up 15 to 20 per cent after football kicks off,” says Brad Smith, founder and CEO of Hickory Tavern. “It’s the part of the business all the energy comes from.”

It’s also a fun, low-key way to score more business and brand effectively – without ever talking.

Football is big both for college games on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays at all 29 of Hickory Tavern’s restaurants in North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. But Smith has also found he gets some of his best customer feedback when he’s not even working, because he tailgates with friends on Sundays under a huge “Hickory Tavern” tent that he ordered from The Dunstan Group. Over it, he raises twoflags: one for his team and one for Hickory Tavern.

“I hear the good and bad about our restaurants,” says Smith. “And we get exposure to everyone parked around us!”

Now here’s the best part: Smith isn’t selling food under the tents. He’s not running a promotions table. He’s just hanging out with folks, eating and drinking, and having a good time. The customers find him because they see the logo and they want to say hi, share a thought, or borrow a bottle opener (usually the last one!) Sometimes he even hands out a koozie or two. But mostly, he’s just visible.

“It’s surprising how well that works!” he chuckles.

Beyond tents and koozies, The Dunstan Group offers other great branded merchandise that can make tailgating more fun and boost your brand without even working. Try these:

Stadium Seat Cushion

Relax in comfort on our newly designed Stadium Seat Cushions! These 10”x17” cushions are a proven fundraiser product, too. This comfy cushion with built-in handle is the perfect answer to those hard metal bleachers.

Tailgater Total Show Package

Our Tailgater Total Show Package is everything you need to put on a first-classtailgate production. Includes a standard 10’x10’ tent with full-color imprint on two sides, a 13’ Premium Razor Sign Kit with ground spike, a Sail Sign Mount, a 6’ table throw, and a matching event cooler!

Light Up Noise Makers

Each inflatable Noise Maker has an LED bulb. Once inflated, you can shake or hit together and watch them glow! They are ideal for night games, but these personalized noisemakers will make an impression no matter when or where they’re in use.

Light Up Inflatable Megaphone

Be seen AND heard at your team or school’s next big game! Our new light-up inflatable megaphone measuresa whopping 13.5″ long. Let them know you’re a fan with this easy-to-carry, simple-to-store piece.

Sweatshirt Sport Hoodie

Here’s our favorite sweatshirt blanket transformed it into the ultimate gameday accessory that you can now wear and wrap up in. It has 1 button at the neckline for easy on and off, plus a convenient hood to help cover you up in cool weather.

Party Bucket

A BIG 20 quarts capacity party bucket for the serious tailgater. Foam insulated cooler body keeps beverages and snacks cold. Triple-snap leak resistant drain plug allows easy drain of melted ice. Ergonomic handle shape and wide grip for comfortable carrying, too.

Webcam Security That’s Simple 

Laptops, tablets, and smart phones have become tools of the trade for every type of business and even personal life, from social singles to parents trying to stay on top of home purchases and back-to-school supplies. But cyber scholars now wonder if we tell our devices too much, or worse, if they still watch and listen to us when we don’t know it.

Shockingly, microphones and even speakers built into our computers have the capacity to listen to us if we get hacked with the right malware. Yes, earphones and speakers can easily be turned into microphones because the same sound concepts are involved. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have flipped the switch on earbuds plugged into computers with a popular audio chip, used in most computing hardware, to prove how easy it is. 

“So many of the devices we use on a daily basis are internet-enabled devices with microphones and cameras,” says Tom Blanchard of Sterling Technology Solutions, an IT services and security firm in Charlotte, NC. “We all assume a certain amount of risk to gain the conveniences these devices provide to our lives.”

Even tech giants like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg have appeared in a now-famous photo with tape over his laptop camera. Effective, yes, but also inelegant. Simple, effective, yet attractive ways to block cameras and built-in microphones or speakers exist.

A Private Eyes™ privacy lens cover for the web cam on your computer is as simple as it gets — an attractive, professional-looking “window” that you can open when you need to use the camera, or close to cover it up. The “window cover” includes a space for your company logo, and makes a great promo item for employees.

And for the microphone? One option is opening your laptop or device and removing the microphone or sound chip — but who wants to disable those completely? Another choice is installing blocking software that may trip when you don’t want it to, like during a conference call. 

Or you can use a simple “microphone blocker” that can be plugged into your audio and/or microphone jacks to “trick” the audio functions into believing a device is plugged in, when it isn’t. In most cases, innate speakers and mics are disabled when a jack is plugged in, and that would be enough to fool hackers who tried to breach your device.  

The PrivateEars™ is one microphone blocker designed to protect personal audio from potential hackers. The aluminum jack is compact and lightweight, and designed to plug into your device to divert audio from potential hackers. Like Private Eyes™, its surface also provides a branding opportunity for your company logo. 

Both Private Eyes™ and PrivateEars™ devices are available for your protection — and that of your clients and friends — with logo and branding provided by The Dunstan Group. These cost-effective and practical pieces will keep your company name or message in front of your audience with a product they’ll use each and every day!

Listen to more from Tom Blanchard of Sterling Technology Solutions on this previous episode of the award-winning BrandBuilders Podcast. http://dunstangroup.blubrry.net/2018/06/08/tom-blanchard-sterling-technology-solutions/

Gear Up for School

We know at least a few parents who call it, “the most wonderful time of the year.” And what’s not to like about fall? Kids getting back into their routine, cooler weather, and football! Don’t miss the chance for your school, PTA, booster club — or even your office — to get back to school with the right tools. Here are just a few of our favorites here at The Dunstan Group!

Cosmos Softy Pen

The Cosmos Softy Pen is out of this world. This plastic retractable ballpoint pen features a full color imprint against an opaque black barrel and trim for added contrast, and a modern rubberized soft-touch finish. Customize with a full color direct imprint and choose from a selection of vibrant clip colors.

Desktop Office Bundle

This desktop office bundle is a perfect combination for school, work, or you backpack. It contains a 5” x 7″ 70 Sheet Journal with Pen, Silicone Cell Phone Sleeve and Universal Sticky Note Booklet. Makes a great go-to with your color and branding. Shrink wrapped together for a clean, pro-style delivery, too!

Monolithic Back Pack

The Monolithic Back Pack turns it all inside out with pockets, organization and storage inside the pack for a streamlined, modern look outside. This pack has it ALL inside: two zippered pockets and two slip-in pockets inside the main compartment, one zippered pocket with three snaps for cord storage, mesh pockets, and a snap loop for your keys, too. With comfortable shoulder straps and luggage trolley, you’ll be ready to go!

Insulated Lunch Tote

No matter how fancy or simple, lunch is a must at school or work. Why brown bag it when you can take your lunch in style — and keep it cool and protected until the bell rings. We love this simple insulated lunch tote with its roll-top opening and plastic snap closure. Makes a great school store item or teacher gift, too!

Drawstring Cinch-Up Pack

When you want one, you really want one… and there’s no bag that’s as functional as the drawstring cinch-up pack. Perfect for gym clothes, snacks, shoes, or anything else you want to keep together and close by. Available in tons of colors, and with plenty of room for big, bright logo placement.

Mini Notebook and Color Pencil Set

Now available in black, our super-popular budget notebook and 6-color genuine wooden pencil set is a fantastic promotional value! Notebook includes 30 unlined pages, perfect for sketching, list-making, note taking, for whatever. Colorful pencil barrels match the writing color. Pencils are pre-sharpened, so you’re ready to create!

Honor Roll School Kit

Here’s a great little starter set that makes a great school store item, new student gift, or employee on-boarding promo. Our Honor Roll Kit contains two 7900 Jo-Bee Miser round pencils, a round eraser, 6″ wooden ruler, and a pencil sharpener. Packaged up in a bright, transparent, branded bag with YOUR logo!

Branding Wins for Food Service 

When you’re going out to eat, or even taking the time to enjoy a meal at home, you appreciate how presentation really does set the expectation for the experience. Even the finest food doesn’t really have the same “wow” when it’s served on a paper plate. Same goes for the staff in any restaurant or food service space. How your team looks sets the tone for both the customer and your employees. 

Not only does team wear create a unified look and showcase company pride in your restaurant or food service brand, it also reinforces brand image, product, or in-store promotions. From a functional standpoint, too, uniforms serve a safety function — think chef coats and aprons, and they’re an inexpensive security tool; you’ll immediately recognize who’s part of your team in even the busiest environments. 

Check out some of our completely customizable favorites from The Dunstan Group: 

Bella + Canvas Women’s Relaxed Jersey Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee

Part of our new relaxed collection, this tee is available in a variety of fabrications and features a V-neck, short sleeves and a new modern, relaxed fit for effortless style. Offered in a rainbow of solid, triblend and heather colors, this one’s a favorite for it’s good looks and great fit.

Men’s Spin Pique Polo

100% polyester, Spin Dye Polyester Pique polo with a ribbed knit collar. This one’s a classic with modern details, like a fully-taped neck seam, forward shoulders, and open sleeves. With a 4.7 ounce fabric weight and long-lasting color, this polo will stand the test of wear after wear and wash after wash.

10 Button Long Sleeve Chef Coat 

The kitchen classic: our full cut chef coat with 10 matching buttons. This twill coat offers traditional features and updated materials for functional good looks. The polyester cotton blend stands up to repeated washing, and its full cut can be buttoned in either direction. Features a mitered breast pocket and thermometer pocket. In sizes up to 6XL. 

Structured Cotton Twill Cap 

In the kitchen, on the restaurant floor, or on the catering circuit — your team will look the part in custom caps with your brand and logo. And caps make more than a good impression. They make great-looking pieces for your brand store, too! Consider them advertising your customers will want to pay for and wear! 

BrandBuilders Spotlight: 24 Foundation

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

The Client:

24 Foundation is a non-profit organization close to our founder, Scott Dunstan’s, heart. Since 2002, the Charlotte-based charity has raised more than $21 million to support cancer navigation, improve quality of life and survivorship for cancer patients. Its signature events bring cyclists, walkers, survivors, families, and friends together for 24-hour tests of endurance, remembrance, community, and celebration. 

“Community involvement is so important,” says Scott on his connection to the 24 Foundation’s mission and message.

The Challenge:

In honor of his mother’s memory, Scott started riding in 24 Hours of Booty, the Foundation’s signature cycling and fundraising event. As the years progressed, many more people dear to him have been affected by cancer, including two close friends who lost children to pediatric cancer. In 2009, The Dunstan Group became the supplier of the 24 Foundation’s branded merchandise. 

As the event grew and branched out to other cities, the message of fundraising for the important work of cancer navigation had to be consistent on all platforms across the country with cool, fundraising incentives, comfortable riding gear, staff shirts, volunteer shirts, fundraising awards, and branded merchandise for the 24 Foundation support store.

The Big Idea:

Each fall, The Dunstan Group works with the marketing and branding teams at the 24 Foundation to identify unique product, apparel, and designs that can help them excite participants, reach their fundraising and awareness goals, and provide long-lasting branding appeal. From a fundraising perspective, a high-quality incentive item may provide a tipping point for participants to make one more ask, send one more email, and reach that “next level.” The 24 Foundation’s two annual events are also supported by on-brand apparel, gear, and other goods that are available through the program’s online store.

The merchandise provided for the 2019 24 Hours of Booty includes 20 unique branded items from pens and bracelets, to bamboo sunglasses, hair ties, and even cowbells!

The Reaction:

“The 24 Foundation developed into the hugely impactful non-profit it is today because of partnerships with like-minded individuals like Scott Dunstan and The Dunstan Group,” says Katy Ryan, Executive Director of the 24 Foundation. “Scott and his team are true partners. Each year, Scott participates in the event, raises funds on behalf of the organization, and helps us create a successful road map for recruitment and retention through our apparel, incentives, and promo items.”

The personalized attention is what keeps drawing 24 Foundation back to The Dunstan group year after year, says Ryan.

“The Dunstan Group always delivers more than expected each year, helping propel us forward as we seek to expand and improve upon our mission to provide cancer navigation and survivorship for all. This is why we always choose the Dunstan team. They care not just about what we do, but why we do it.”