New Products

On Wednesday we visited the TOPS show at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The show features booths from our suppliers in the industry.

Lots of new things, and some really awesome products. Here I will highlight a few of the pieces that we find interesting:

The To-Go Tumbler:

We've all seen it, from the shelves in Chapters to our own catalogues, but this reusable "paper cup" is unique in that it is not made with ceramics and silicone.

The To-Go tumbler takes the ceramic paper mug concept and turned it into something more practical. The tumbler is made with SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile) plastic, the same kind of plastic that is used to make your plastic cutlery or toothbrush and it won't break as easily as ceramic. They are obviously much lighter as well. Currently, brown is the most popular colour.


The Clench Tumbler

This one has been long awaited. Finally, we have a wider selection of double walled 18-8 stainless steel tumblers in the lower price ranges for us to browse through. 18-8 Japanese stainless steel is a standard that you don't want to go below, and every part of this tumbler has been tested through and through and FDA approved for food safety. Also comes in black.



The Visions Sport Duffel

Solid construction, good size, high visibility, great durability - this duffel seems to have it all. Better yet, it comes decorated at under $15 each! In fact, you might even be able to get it for as low as $10.49.

The bag is made with 600D polyester and features a large zippered main compartment, side ventilated shoe pocket, front zippered pocket, one mesh beverage holder and a side mesh utility pocket.
The LED Roadside Safety Light

The special feature on this flashlight is not visible from this picture, but if you ask we can provide a sample. The end of this flashlight is a very powerful magnet so that you can stick the whole thing on top of your car on the roadside when you encounter an emergency. There are LED lights all along the side of the flashlight as well as at the tip in the standard location.

Very hefty, very practical.


What else is there? We've got ceramic knife sets and great BBQ sets that will go great with summer promotions. But more on that next time - please call if you want to know more - it's a pleasure for us to answer your questions. Phone: 604-277-5886.

Winning Streaks - Show your True Colours!

Football season starts in June and April is fast approaching. With Spring in the air many of us are looking forward to all types of activities to begin.

Whatever your event - be it a game or a rally, a concert or a party, show your true colours with Winning Streaks. Or keep this product in mind for the festivities of Canada Day. Though months away, this may be the perfect time to get your gear together.

Winning Streaks and Mini Streaks are essentially face paint colours all packaged conveniently with your theme in mind. There are 26 PMS colours to choose from - take your pick and provide us with full colour artwork for a label and you're all set to make some statements.

The Winning Streaks and Mini Streaks are as low as $3.90 and $2.50 each respectively at 1000 pieces.



To learn more about pricing, give us a call: 604-277-5886!

Photos from http://www.crazycordz.com/cad/66.html

More Goodies!

Buttermints. A rich blend of creamy butter and pure peppermint oil. Who can resist?

Indeed, other than buttermints, our supplier for candies and food gifts just got a lot more interesting. Imagine a large band-aid sized tin with full colour logo and custom coloured jelly beans inside. Or a small tin covered with a 4CP photo of your product.

Today we had a visit from our rep who showed us many new items from her many lines. Besides food gifts, among her suppliers are the well known brand names of Post-It notes, Papermate Pens, and Quill writing instruments.

Why 3M Post-It notes as compared to your regular inexpensive promo pages? We call it "stickability". It means that your notes will actually stay stuck to wherever you stick it for longer - it also means that because of excellent quality, your brand image will stick in the minds of your recipients for longer. They also offer innovative and useful products, such as 3M Scotchguard lint sheets. Keep a small pack in your car for any occasion.



And same goes for Papermate pens and all the other brand names that are under the same umbrella company. Sanford spends millions of dollars into ink R&D, and they come up with some of the best functioning pens on the market. For as little as $0.55* per pen right now, you get to order custom coloured and decorated Sports Retractables.

Also new to Sanford is the fact that their special "Superink" is now available as standard in many more styles. This Superink is resistant to erasure, light, water, ethanol, hydrochloric acid, bleach and ammonium hydroxide - making it the safest pen to use for signing contracts, writing cheques, or keeping records.


Check back often to learn more about what's in store at Boulevard!

*Call us for the special! Time limited. Regular price $0.89 per pen at 300 pieces.

Visit our Facebook Page!

We've had a Facebook group for a while but not a Facebook page. Come check us out! Become a fan and receive updated messages from us automatically.

On another note, the PPPC Tops show is coming up this April 14th at the Vancouver Convention Centre from 11am to 4pm.

RSVP with your rep at Boulevard today to receive your barcode! Admittance is free!

What's at the TOPS show you say?

You will get to meet Boulevard's myriad of suppliers who will be displaying their goods at various booths. You will be able to see and feel first hand the many new promotional items that are out this spring, as well as best sellers from previous seasons.

You will also be able to receive samples to take with you and have your questions answered on the spot.

There is no better way to shop for promotional products than in person. Come out and let us help you navigate the show floor!

Call us at 604-277-5886 or email us at Info@creativeboulevard.com today to get your free RSVP.

Photos from 2009 TOPS show

Fila Caps

Spring is just about here and summer's around the corner. Headwear has never looked more exciting in the promotional products industry.

Now not only can custom pieces be made with ridiculously low minimums, but the stock products just as full of innovation.

We carry a wide range of hats from New Era to Adidas and Taylormade. We also carry various promotional level headwear for those days where you just need a good old fashioned giveaway.

Of course, carrying retail brands gives us the advantage of having retail level of fun in the house. Check out the designs from Fila. Give us a shout if your team also does headwear and you think it's time to turn on the excitement.

New and Improved

The renovations to the office are just about complete - we're all excited about the featured hardwood floors and the addition of the photography studio.

Air conditioning is to be added this weekend....hooray!

Boulevard has been having a lot of product knowledge sessions lately. We have seen new items for lineups such as Sunice, Ashworth, Nike, Adidas, as well as some headwear from Fila and New Era.

The weather is getting better - we will post some photos up soon of new products and pictures of the office.

Safety First!

Click picture to enlarge.

I'm sure many people have received a bluetooth set for Christmas.

What can be more practical than that at this point? Come the end of the month, we all must switch to hands-free if we are to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. It makes sense - safety always comes first.

Since safety comes first, why not continue that thought and think about a Safety Kit for your next gifting need? Safety Kits will never be thrown out. You can never have too many. Many of our Safety Kits include a First Aid kit as well as other practical items, such as: water bottles, utility knives, emergency blankets, water ponchos, and even jumper cables.

Come what may, you can never go wrong by being prepared. And what says you care more than the gift of safety?

Check out this month's flyer for two featured kits and call us for more ideas!

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone!

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2010. This year will be chock full of opportunities as our city fills with people from all over the world for the 2010 Olympics.

Our office is still under renovations but business is running as usual. The hardwood floors are in, the walls painted, and the new track lights up and running.

Our new showroom will allow us to provide a comfortable and practical place for brainstorming and displaying the newest in the lines.

Please let us know if you are interested in coming in for the Spring to discuss your marketing ideas and to tour our new office!

Exciting Expansions

We are in the middle of construction! The office is expanding and we are excited to offer a brand new showroom in the next few months.

A brand new meeting space mean clients can come and comfortably discover how their marketing efforts can be enhanced with promotional products.

Soon we will post photos. For now, I'll just leave this notice.

I hope everyone had a Happy Holidays!

Christmas Gifting

It's that time of the year for Christmas gifting. One very popular category is the blankets from Kanata. Luxurious, elegant, comforting, the Kanata blankets are perfect for every home. No matter what industry you're from, at home we all love to cozy up for the winter.

Production time right now has been increased to 15 business days. Order now in order to avoid last minute rushes, unnecessary headache, and increased costs.

Call us for samples! One touch will leave a lasting impression.

Thank you!

Thank you to all who made it out to our sample sale late last month. It was a great success, and we got to meet a lot of our neighbours as well.

Now that our office space is cleared and ready for the new season, we are having product knowledge sessions left and right. Everything from garments to hard goods are being rolled out, so now is the time to find out what's in the market.

Even if you are not looking for anything right now for any particular project, there is not a more exciting time to learn about marketing and how promotional products can help your business or event. Suppliers are coming out with Value Catalogues...new eco-friendly products are becoming more accessible, and the gloom of fall and winter can be displaced by the new lines of innovation that's bound to create wonder.

Call us today and we'll go have a show-and-tell. And just like the old school days, we do it for the fun of sharing...there is no obligation.

Do give us a call!

604-277-5886

CLEARANCE SAMPLE SALE!!

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Join us for two days of fun as we clear out our samples with a door crasher sale!
There will be an assortment of blank and decorated items for men and women. Come pick up a Ping polo, an Aureus jacket, or American Apparel t-shirt.

Come upstairs to browse our new styles and see what we have to offer as your promotional products provider!

Sunglasses Available Here

Did you know that Boulevard also carries an assortment of high quality, polarized sunglasses? The Polarized Flexibility pictured above features 100% UV protection, polarized lenses and flexible frames. The imprint area is just on the lower edge of the glass itself, bound to be recognizable without impairing the functioning of the glasses.

Starting at the low minimum of 12 pairs only, the Polarized Flexibility is $24.90 a pair.

The Rodale sunglasses are a great giveaway at $14.50 a pair. When you increase the quantity to 250 pieces, the price is only $12 a pair. The Rodale features 100% UV protection and a choice of blue, yellow or charcoal lenses. For an additional $15, you can give the Rodale in a set case including all three lenses so the recipient can interchange them according to their needs. The plastic frame is lightweight and designed for a comfortable fit.

And finally, Boulevard also carries options for Safety glasses as well. The above glasses is called the Decisiveness and features shatterproof polycarbonate lenses. The length of the temple piece can be adjusted and the nose-pad is rubberized for ultra comfort. ANSI-Z87 and CSA approved for safety. The lenses are available as charcoal as well as clear. Price for these range from $9 to $11 a pair.

So there you have it. There are many more options as well, but these are some of the best sellers. If you did not use sunglasses for your promotions this summer, keep these in mind for next year!

Most Popular Ceramic Mug

The Halo is the most popular ceramic mug style right now and has been for the last couple of years. This style features a handle that is easy to use - not too big, not too small. The design includes accent colours which enhances the logo that is being imprinted onto the sides.

The Halo mug is also not too tall or wide and fits into most coffee machines. The Halo is available for a very reasonable average price. At as low as 72 pieces, the Halo comes in just under $5 at 4 bucks and change.

There are a wide assortment of colours for the Halo mug. Ask us for more details!

TOP 10 Promotional Products

In an article by Sarah Shepherd from ArticlesBase.com in Dec. 2008, the top 10 most effective promotional products were listed. I will now re-list the items here for those of you who may want to know just what the bread and butter of this industry looks like.

Looking at this list, I must say that although many of us are looking for innovative ways to brand ourselves, the tried and true are the best bets because they simply make the most impact. The way to be innovative lies with how we approach a product and marketing plan, and not necessarily in the item itself. For example, a t-shirt is a blank canvas that can produce startling results.

TOP 10 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

1. Promotional Apparel
- Accounts for 1/3 of all promotional product sales (according to 2007 study by the Promotional Products Association International)
- Extremely high logo exposure

2. Writing Instruments
- Functional and practical
- Commonly, a promotional pen will go through at least 8 owners, increasing the exposure of the branded logo
- Very affordable

3. Bags
- According to the Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI), promotional bags make the most impressions per month (1,038 on average).
- Practical, affordable, imprintable
- Promotional bags have over 200 years of history within the industry.

4. Drinkware
- Environmentally friendly and practical
- Receives a lot of exposure either as desktop pieces or as travel pieces.

5. Desk Accessories
- Desk accessories are popular as internal staff giveaways.
- Popular items in this category: stress balls, business card cases, desktop caddies and dispensers.

6. Calendars
- Among the most affordable and practical promotional products.
- Lots of space for branding (for example, an image per month)
- Experienced clients will take advantange of early booking to gaurantee delivery and better pricing.
- A study done by PPAI indicated that 94% of business calendar recipients could recall the logo imprinted on their calendar and 85% of individuals who received calendars in their homes did business with the advertiser.

7. Magnets
- Magnets are popular because of their versatility, even as direct mailers
- Can be die cut into any shape and size
- Affordable and practical

8. Computer/Electronic Accessories
- USB drives are getting more and more affordable and many people neglect to consider the amount of information that can be stored within a promotional USB drive.
- They fit well into other promotional products, such as binders and padfolios, and can be used as guides, convention programs, conference packages, etc.

9. Sporting Goods
- Sporting goods appeal to the fun side of life and usually get noticed by many people, as sports involve an active audience
- examples include: cushions, frisbees, sports towels, duffel bags

10. Automotive Accessories
- Safety and convenience is a big part of why automotive items
- examples: First Aid Kits, Roadside Repair Kits, travel caddies, etc.

MicroFibre Cloths

JOURNALBOOKS FLYER
Click on Flyer for Larger Image

Chocolate Flyer

Click on the picture to see a bigger version.

Part 3 - COOLMAX® Extreme Performance Fabric

The last two posts about COOLMAX® I've talked about Everyday and Active fabric. When you need a fabric that completely focuses on your performance, you can depend the COOLMAX® Extreme Performance Fabric to meet your criteria.

For the serious sports competitor, you want to have the confidence that your body will operate at it's peak condition. You can count on COOLMAX® EXTREME performance fabric, with its state-of-the-art moisture management properties and physiological benefits of keeping lower skin temperature, greater hydration and reduced perceived physical exertion during exercise, to deliver you the power of unwavering performance.

I can vouch for this fabric first hand as I participated in last Sunday's Sun Run wearing an Adidas ClimaCool shirt, which uses COOLMAX® Extreme Performance Fabric. The fabric kept me comfortable and dry, managing my performance...right to my last steps to the finish line!

TEAM BOULEVARD HORRAY! 25th Sun Run Results

After months of training and dedication, the results are in from the Sun Run.  This year, we had 20 members officially on our team, that's a record!  Our sponsors continues to be generous and we were outfits with ADIDAS again.  Thanks everyone.  It's easy to join our running team, you just need to have a passion to run, lead a healthy lifestyle, and come out to our weekly practices.  Leave us a comment if you are interested.  

Boulevard Advertising is an authorized dealer for Adidas gear, so if you have an interest to learn more about our decked out running gear, please let me know. 

Here is our autographed T shirt and a photo proudly displayed at our office.