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More Than Just a Bake Sale

Supporting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer

c4kcheader

Motivation can take many forms, but when Lesa Helbein learned that one of her preschooler’s classmates was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, she knew she had to something.

Grier (I think this was bake sale 2012)“I knew very easily it could have been any one of the twelve kids in the class,” said Helbein.

At that point, Helbein didn’t know Grier Christenbury or his family well. Later, she’d learn that her  husband and Grier’s father were classmates at Charlotte Latin. More motivation.

Attending an event to celebrate kids successful battles against cancer, and memorialize those who didn’t, that was the tipping point for Helbein.

“I felt that parents who are battling cancer with their children shouldn’t have to worry about hosting and attending events to help raise funds to save their child’s life,” said Helbein. “That afternoon I went to the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer website and jumped right in.”

One month later, they hosted their first Cookies for Kids’ Cancer bake sale and raised almost $15,000.

Another great motivator is seeing the impact that the effort has had on the fight against cancer. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has funded more than six dozen childhood cancer research grants, resulting in 27 promising new treatments in clinical trials, available to children today.

“Charlotte has been one of the top fundraising cities in the nation, allowing our community to have a helping hand in funding some of these new and improved, less-toxic treatments for kids fighting cancer. That’s something that I think our city should be very proud of!”

Cookie MonsterHelbein shares a Dr. Seuss quote from The Lorax to encourage people to get involved: ”Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

She believes everyone has a role in supporting these families while their children take on the challenge of cancer treatment, and that everyone has something they can bring to the table.

“We could never have accomplished what we have in the Queen City without the help of so many amazing friends, family, bakeries, sponsors and volunteers,” said Helbein. “This is truly a community event!”

The Dunstan Group has long been a part of that cancer-fighting community in Charlotte, providing the creative energy – and the promotional products – to help Cookies For Kids’ Cancer, LIBSTRONG, and 24 Hours of Booty build their brands and reach their audiences.

“Doing good work for folks who do theirs for the greater good; that’s how we can all be part of the cure,” said Scott Dunstan, owner of The Dunstan Group.

From t-shirts, to stickers, magnets, hats, tattoos and more; The Dunstan Group has produced all  sorts of branded merchandise for non-profits that add up to more than just name recognition. They mean dollars and cents for the cause.

See also: Promotional Products and Brand Building for Non-Profits

Shirts 1“Marketing materials from The Dunstan Group play a huge part in what we do,” said Helbein.

Sponsorships on t-shirts alone equate to more than $10,000 before the shirts even go to print. Helbein said tees, hats and other gear are routine sell-outs, making them even hotter commodities for the next Bake Sale. That’s all money that goes toward their overall fundraising goal.

Logo’d and branded merchandise carries the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer marketing message between Bake Sales, too, as people sport those tees, hats and magnets all over town, across the country, or around the globe.

“I always think of sweet Grier when I pull up behind another car with a Cookies for Kids’ Cancer magnet on the back,” said Helbein. “Seeing our shirts and hats on people throughout the year brings me comfort in knowing that I live in a community that cares about these kids, and that Grier will never be forgotten.”

“Every little bit helps,” said Dunstan, “and knowing that we’re just a small part of their larger success… that’s all the motivation we need to stay involved.”

 

The Right Tool for the Job

Picking Promotional Products that Work

Staring at mountains of catalogs, or pages and pages of websites, each with hundreds of products and thousands of variations… picking the right promotional products or logo’d gear and apparel can seem downright overwhelming! And as you might expect, clients and friends come to us with this conundrum routinely here at The Dunstan Group. After sorting out options, colors, budgets, goals and the like, it’s utility that most often wins the day. Plain and simple, if a promotional product is useful it has a much greater chance of making a long-lasting impact.

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But with so many choices, it can be tough to make a decision. Here’s a start: take a look at the top promotional products and logo’d merchandise items in the US. Want to make a real impression with your marketing dollars? This is the good stuff your customers go for!

11809891_432434773611375_591359053_nPens:

That’s write! (See what we did there?!) Look on your desk, in your pocket or bag, and chances are you’ve got at least one pen, marker or highlighter branded with a company logo. Writing instruments are the most-cited promotional products, and for very good reason: nearly everyone can use them! Whether you’re marketing business-to-consumer, or business-to-business, pens and writing tools are a great go-to. And talk about cost-effective; we’re talking as little as 1/10 of a cent per impression!

11875412_760412930733686_19372990_nShirts:

The classic. Nearly half of those surveyed say they own a logo’d shirt. And it’s not just a “guy” thing, either. Logo’d shirts score big points with men and women. And all t-shirts are NOT created equally. The better the tee and the more good-looking the design, the more likely the end user is going to keep a promotional or event t-shirt. T-shirts create excellent brand recall with consumers – upwards of 90%, in fact – and most recipients say they have a favorable impression of the brand of company that gave them the shirt.

Ogio_DGBags:

Like George Carlin said, everyone wants a place for their stuff, right? Bags not only give us a place for our stuff on the go, but also make for a great-looking palette to showcase your brand or company logo. Sure, they’re are a must-have at trade shows, markets, or filling other “right now” needs, but bags have staying power well beyond a one-time use. More than a third of us in the US own a logo’d bag, and over the bag’s lifetime of use it will generate thousands of impressions. Not just on the user, but everyone else who sees it, too!

But wait! Just because these products are tried-and-true doesn’t mean creativity is out of the question. Merging color, style, and design with useful promotional product, logo’d apparel and branded merchandise is how The Dunstan Group sets your brand apart from the field. Of course you won’t be the only pen in the desk drawer, but let’s talk about how we can make yours the one that gets in your customers’ hands first!

About The Dunstan Group:

Headquartered here in Charlotte, NC The Dunstan Group is a leading provider of customized apparel and promotional merchandise. From logo’d tees for your event, to corporate or client gifts, to workwear and spirt wear, The Dunstan Group produces the kind of eye-popping promotional goods, gear and apparel that you’ll be proud to hang your logo on… the same kind of products your clients will want – and want to use, again and again!