Promotional products pay their way

By Karyn Scherer

To journalists, they are either a perk or a pest.

Each year, dozens of weird and wonderful (and sometimes completely useless) products land on our desks, courtesy of hopeful companies wanting to attract our attention.

I have to admit that I, for one, haven't always been grateful. But there is no denying that the use of such tactics is now widespread.

The body that represents this type of marketing in New Zealand, the Promotional Products Association, does not yet have any research to back its claims that companies are now spending more on promotional products than on print advertising.

But it hopes to soon rectify that, following a decision to merge with its sister association in Australia.

The new organisation will be known as the Australasian Promotional Association and the merger will ensure future research commissioned by the industry includes New Zealand.

Other benefits of the move, according to incoming PPANZ president Nigel Rigg, include latching onto the Australians' educational programmes, and developing an accreditation system for members.

PPANZ was founded eight years ago and in its early days was little more than "eight of us in a room having a beer", admits Rigg.

It now has 42 members and is keen to shake off its outdated image of a man in a raincoat lined with pens and watches, he says.

An indication of the health of the industry was the association's latest awards dinner, held on Friday night. More than 130 entries vied for various prizes.

The product that took top honours was - believe it or not - a fencepost.

Around 1000 specially-branded posts were delivered to farmers across the country to promote a new "vertical structure" (geddit?) for the Bank of New Zealand's rural financial services division.

Auckland-based promotional firm Promolink helped direct marketing firm Aim Direct with the campaign.

According to the BNZ, it was hugely successful in boosting its loans to farmers, prompting an "excellent generation" of phone consultations, more than 200 farm visits and more than 80 referrals.

Another major award winner was a fruit-flavoured tongue-depressor, which has been used in doctors' surgeries for the past four years.

The product was developed by Auckland-based marketing firm Amar Marketing for drug company SmithKline Beecham.

It is used to promote the antibiotic Augmentin and is credited with helping ensure Augmentin remains one of the most widely used drugs in this country.

The depressors are made entirely in New Zealand and as far as Amar is aware, there is nothing like them anywhere else in the world.

Around 200,000 are distributed each year, and the company is keen to export them to other markets.

Amar director Barbara McGrath is excited about strengthening links with other promotional companies in Australia.

"We've had several companies here in New Zealand that have asked us to produce product and also deliver some to Australia," she says.

"Quite often to successfully do an order for Australia you need someone there for clearance and delivery."

She also believes the move will help boost the industry's image.

"It's going to be a very positive move for our industry.
A lot of people don't even recognise our industry as an industry."