With Earth Day just around the corner (April 22nd this year), I've been seeing a lot of earth-related, green promotions in the mail, on the street and in stores.

The other week, I received an informational booklet, membership offer and a packet of wildflower seeds in the mail from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I like a lot of things about this promotion: free seeds, cheerful copy, bright, beautiful photos. Most of all, I applaud its relevant timing. 

Now, it might seem like a no-brainer to send out wildflower seeds during the peak bloom period of Texas wildflowers, but I'm consistently surprised at how many poorly-timed promotions I see everyday.

Planning a large scale mailer or promotional campaign takes a lot of time, and unfortunately it's very easy to get behind schedule. Identify the day, week or season during which you'd ideally touch your prospect, and work backwards, building in one to two months to get logistics sorted, materials printed and mailing lists compiled.

Day, week or season? That seems like a really wide range...  

Well, it is. The timing of your promotion really depends on the type of event or service you're promoting. Something like a nature center membership or a discounted car wash is relevant across an entire season. An invitation to a charitable gala, on the other hand, has a much smaller window.

It would have been very easy to ignore the Wildflower Center's seed packet had beautiful scenery like this not been top of mind. 
 
Instead, they succeeded in getting my attention.

I really can't stress enough the importance of good timing. Sometimes even just a week or two can make all the difference. The longer a person leaves your mail on their coffee table or desk thinking- "I really should remember this for that project next season"- the less likely it is you'll ever hear from them.

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







... Reusable bags in all colors, shapes and sizes for several local clients. Earlier this month, Montgomery County's 5-cent bag fee went into effect. The tax is similar to the District's 5-cent fee for food and alcohol establishments, but it is even more comprehensive in that it covers nearly all retail businesses. If you live in Montgomery County, be sure to stash some tote bags in your car or purse for everyday purchases! And, if you're a local business interested in creating your own promotional tote, please contact the office at 301-869-7800 for a presentation of popular pieces.

"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.

If you have to travel somewhere for a work conference, Florida is not a bad place. No siree.

Earlier this week, Seth, Julianne, Mallory and I had the pleasure of traveling to Orlando to meet with vendors and distributor partners and to attend the ASI trade show. We saw thousands of great items new for 2012, and over the course of the next few days, I will recap some of our favorites on the blog. 

If you want to hear about the real highlights, like Seth and Julianne's harrowing tale of survival on the Amtrak train or our recap of Harry Potter World, give us a call!

There is so much to share, and I'll do my best to keep it somewhat organized. Today, I'll focus on our favorite finds in apparel. 



Eco-friendly apparel has been around for years, but we spotted one line that has really taken it to a new level. This East Coast vendor combines recycled cotton with various recycled materials to create fashionable and wearable clothing with minimal environmental impact. Ever wonder what happens to all those X-rays that hospitals and dentist offices print? They get trashed... OR they get woven into your new favorite tee.



Americans throw away an astounding 2 million plastic bottles every 10 minutes. Every one of these recycled tees uses recycled polyester from approximately 8.5 PET bottles. They're available in three colors: beer bottle brown, soda bottle green and water cooler blue. An added bonus? These tees dry in HALF the time of a normal T-shirt.



We were also very impressed with their line of hoodies, composed of recycled cotton and textile scraps from factory floors. They're incredibly soft to boot.



Another apparel trend that caught our eye (for obvious reasons), was American Apparel's line of neon tanks, tees and raglans. I expect to see several neon-clad kickball teams on the Mall this spring. They would also be great for school spirit wear and retro graphic design.



Custom boxer shorts and pajama bottoms are traditionally big sellers for schools, universities and youth organizations. I love how this vendor has used flannel material to line sweatshirt hoods and for reverse or laser cut appliqué on the front chest. You can do this with several kinds of material; there were samples on display using seersucker and polka dot cotton as well.



I thought this example of screen printing with puff ink was worth sharing. To achieve this effect, the printer mixes an additive into the ink that puffs up when cured in a belt oven. The end result is a print that feels raised against your fingers. 



And finally, if you're looking for great tech polo, this piece uses a unique blend of yarns that provides a cooling sensation by pulling heat away from the skin. This particular manufacturer also carries a line of garments for cold weather. Each piece is rated on a temperature scale, much like you would see when shopping for a sleeping bag for camping. The rating system even distinguishes between light to moderate activity levels, so you know which garments are needed for running in -10 degree weather versus walking in 40 degree weather.

That sums up our highlights in apparel! Be sure to check back for more of our favorites in the coming days.

On Wednesday evening, Sonic received its first Gold Pyramid Award at the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. Debbie Bostin and Seth Weiner's direct mail campaign with Columbia Books won top place in the category of Political and Legislative Program.

Read on to learn more about the project.



In 2008, Columbia Books acquired the US Congress Handbook (first published in 1974). The handbook is known as the go-to-guide for information on members of Congress, and it is often used as a tool for legislative advocates and a gift for political donors. The book can also be customized with a branded cover and custom page inserts.

In October, Columbia Books contacted Sonic for assistance with a direct mail campaign to grow sales of their custom handbooks. Facing competition from a nearly identical product, Columbia Books needed a creative solution that would highlight their handbook's superior features and get it directly into the hands of key decision makers.

The selection of items for this mail campaign was actually inspired by a past Sonic promotion. Two years ago, Sonic sent out reusable coffee mugs, water cups and personalized notes to top clients, Columbia Books included. Columbia Books was so thrilled with the gift that they chose to use the exact same items for the US Congress Handbook promotion. 

75 boxes were sent out, each containing a set of drinkware, a sample handbook, a tailored letter signed by the sales rep, and red, white and blue paper filler. One week after the mailing, Columbia Books' sales reps conducted follow-up calls to secure meetings, close potential clients and renew existing clients.

So, was the promotion a success?

You bet! Columbia Books closed 28 new clients and achieved a renewal rate of 80% from existing clients. Of new clients, eight specifically attributed the gift as the most important factor to their order. Columbia Books was so pleased with the program that they entered the project for an industry award and won.

Hi guys!
Wanted to let you know the mug and cup marketing campaign we did just won the SIPA (Specialized Information Publishers Association) award for Best Print Effort. When the award was presented, the presenter said that they decided not to award any "honorable mentions" for this category, because the winning entry was so definitively the best in its category (and yes, there were many other entries). So, thanks for all your help and feel free to tell your other customers the stuff you guys create is award winning!

Thank you, Columbia Books  for the opportunity, and thank you, PPAI for the recognition!

Sonic Promos has signed on as the exclusive Special Markets Distributor for Operation Hydros. Their sleek-looking Hydros bottle is BPA free, dishwasher safe and American made. The built-in, fast-flow filtering system makes it easy to get great tasting water from the water fountains, kitchen sinks and bathroom taps we walk by daily. And the best part is, every Hydros bottle equals one dollar donated to an environmentally sustainable water infrastructure project. That translates to a year's worth of clean water per bottle for those who need it most. Talk about refreshing!