Have you ever had an idea that looks great on paper, but suffers in execution? That can happen a lot in the world of promotional products. 

You see, a lot of common decoration techniques (screen print, pad print, silk screen) are not especially friendly to sketches or hand drawn artwork. 99% of the time, manufacturers require vectored artwork for custom branded items.

Not sure what 'vectored' means? Check out our art guidelines for an explanation.
If creative inspiration only struck while working in Adobe Illustrator, the vectored art requirement would be no trouble at all. But, as we all know, that's never the case.

A great design idea can come to mind at any time. More often than not, the only material at hand is a receipt or a napkin, hence the expression, "a napkin sketch". How do you go about getting that sketch onto a T-shirt, bandanna, car magnet, banner or mug?

That's where we come in. 
Our graphic design team is here to turn your ideas into reality. We know exactly how artwork needs to be prepared for a flawless product, and we'll make sure it's done correctly. Even when supplied with just a rough sketch, we are able to adapt the design to print-friendly vectored artwork.

We're here to make sure your designs look great on paper and everything else.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... T-shirts for Total Wine's 21st birthday celebration. Founded in Delaware in 1991, the national retailer of wine, beer and spirits will finally be legal on March 1st! 



... temporary tattoos for the Penguin Diner in Bethany Beach, Delaware. If the Delaware beaches are on your agenda this summer, make sure to stop by, grab a sandwich and get "inked".

... and Tritan water bottles for a conference with Christ Fellowship.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

One of the neater things we've seen lately are these old school film reel viewers. 

Imagine our delight when Mallory discovered them being used as the dessert menu at Austin Grill. What a creative application!

Ugh, as if dessert isn't hard enough to resist on a normal menu. Imagine that brownie popping out at you!

If you're in a business where pictures speak louder than words (food service, design, architecture, contracting, property management, hospitality to name a few), these viewers are a great way to catch a client's attention. Give them to your salespeople to bring along on meetings or leave them in the reception area of your office for customers to browse while they wait.

Not recommended for plastic surgeons or dentists... nobody wants to see those before and after pictures in 3D.

What's the coolest promotional product you've seen lately? We'd love to hear about it!

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... trade show materials for GEOMET.  GEOMET provides technical services in chemical and biological sciences to protect people, property and the environment. 



... wine charms and punch cards for the Matsunaga PTA. Their annual Mom's Night Out event has become a very popular fundraiser.

... and soccer uniforms for Southern Management.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

On Wednesday, I reposted an article by Erin Nelson of Bazaarvoice that discusses the importance of the "voice of the stranger" in Millennial marketing strategy. Research shows that Millennials rely less on the recommendations of friends and family, and more on the opinions of complete strangers when making purchasing decisions. Therefore, Nelson encourages businesses to look beyond social networks like Facebook and Twitter when marketing to this particular demographic. The key to winning the hearts, minds and dollars of the Millennial generation is to "surface relevant and authentic user-generated content and make it as pervasive as possible", she says.

I completely agree with Nelson about the importance of user-generated content. Before any major purchasing decision (buying a new laptop, choosing an apartment complex, switching insurance providers), I consult online reviews. Heck, it doesn't even have to be a major purchase. Even a quick lunch in a new neighborhood necessitates the use of Yelp, in my mind.



Sometimes I find myself reading reviews just for a good laugh. Oh yes, some people get really sarcastic. Here are three of my favorite snarky review threads:

Amazon.com's The Mountain Three Wolf Moon Short Sleeve Tee
Pros: Fits my girthy frame, has wolves on it, attracts women.
Cons: Only three wolves (could probably use a few more on the 'guns'), cannot see wolves when sitting with arms crossed, wolves would have been better if they glowed in the dark. 

Paula Deen's recipe for English Peas on foodnetwork.com (there are just two ingredients: a can of peas and butter)
Just tried this recipe and found it a little more buttery than I normally prefer. Edit: just looked at the recipe again and realized I forgot to add the peas.

Rachel Ray's recipe for Late Night Bacon on foodnetwork.com (essentially, how to microwave bacon)
What brand of paper towel is most highly recommended? I want my bacon to be as good as possible.

I think a lot of companies are fearful of reviews, and they have a right to be. A positive review, as we all know, can bring more business your way, but a negative review could have disastrous consequences. You have no choice but to accept them all. Trying to hide or ignore a bad review won't do you any favors. It diminishes your authenticity, and as Nelson says, it's an authentic and transparent approach that attracts Millennials in the first place. The reviews are out there, and a consumer is going to find them anyways, so you might as well embrace it!

What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you rely on user reviews? If you come across any particularly sarcastic reviews, please share!