I would have to say my favorite promotional item is a t-shirt! I don't know why wearing a shirt that has nothing to do with anything I belong to, root for or even work at, just makes me happy.

Recently we had a bunch of t-shirts in the office that went unclaimed. I grabbed a few for my girlfriend and me. It was some company I have never heard of with no address on the t-shirt. We both wore them a few times and found it funny.

About a month later, we were in Seaford stopping at a Dunkin' Donuts.  After we grabbed our coffee, we walked to the car and BOOM right across the street on Merrick Rd. was the company whose name we have been representing for the past month! We got a good chuckle out of that, and I thought to myself, promo tees are the way to go. Even people who don't know who you are will promote your brand!

November 6th, 2012 is right around the corner!  This of course is election day.  It is one of the most important days of the year for us as Americans.  No matter Democrat, Republican, Independent, Federalist or Whig (OK the last 2 have since dispersed but still!), we are all free to vote for whom we deem fit to represent our country for the next 4 years.  It's an important decision that shouldn't be taken lightly.  At Motivators we have many different promotional items to show which party you represent.  Take a look below at some of our political promotional pins!

I woke up this morning and did my morning routine as always. While enjoying my breakfast, I went on facebook to see what's going on. Lately, facebook is where I find out all my information from news, to updates on pictures, to scores on games, to the current weather. Whatever you want to know its all there. So this morning my news feed was filled with this image:

I thought hmm.. theres a new campaign going on, I wonder what Kony is running for. Little did I know, this was far from the truth. There were a few youtube videos friends shared and many comments on it stating it is a must watch, so I clicked play. The video was a film and campaign by Invisible Children (which is a movement seeking to end the conflict in uganda and stop the abduction of children for use as child soldiers) whose aims is not to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

The goal of the Invisible Children is to make Joseph Kony famous by using celebraties, athletes, and billionares and their loud voice. What they talk about spreads easily. Then going after policy makers, the ones with authority to get Kony captured. There have been thousands of posters, stickers, yard signs and flyers that are being put up around the world. There are also bracelets printed with Kony 2012 that everyone should wear. Each bracelet has a unique ID numbers that can be inputted to enter the mission to make Kony famous. Everything is in a box called the action kit that has two bracelets- that you can have for free if you donate a few dollars a month to help fund the life saving programs by going to invisiblechildren.com.

Many folks know me as a extreme car enthusiast. Every year my friends and I take a trip to the New York International Auto Show to scope out the upcoming vehicles. By the end of the day, I always walked away with a smile. I know this year will be no different. I'm looking forward to seeing the new hybrid's as well as the high performance sports cars. Every where you walk you see trade show tents. The trade show lighting used is world class. Whether its a bright banner or a big screen TV, it will sure catch your attention. As for me, I love getting all the trade show items that they give out. For those you of that want to come check it out, it begins April 6th to 15th.

After being appointed the Marketing and Promotions Director of my dad's optical store Great Neck Opticians, on Long Island (possibly be default) ...I was really excited to show my dad what promotional products are really about! With that being said, I did some research on the most powerful promotional items during the winter months, since the store is located in NY and we were about to hit the winter season. I went through many different options and came across the custom imprinted 7" Polar Ice Scraper. Of course, I discussed this option with my dad and he loved it! The promotional ice scraper would be a great give-a-way as we entered the cold, snowy winter. After a few different proofs on the artwork, my dad was ready to order. Of course, after just 5 business days of production and shipping time, his order of branded ice scrapers arrived! See below for a picture of how great they came out!

The response from his customers was overwhelming. Some were even requesting more than one so that the other members of their family could keep one in their car too! All winter long his customers reminded him of why he made such a great choice and he reminded them just the same by giving out the fantastic promo item to begin with! The hand-held promotional ice scraper put up a tough fight against Old Man Winter in 2010. The best part is that his customers can use them this year as well! Talk about promotional items that just keep on giving!

Fortunately, since the response last year was so outrageous, my dad returned for my services a second time. This year, I decided to take it into my own hands and make all the marketing decisions without him! Risky, you might say, but I knew with the help of my Motivators co-workers and our skilled graphic artists, I would be able to make him proud again. With that being said, I decided to go with one of my favorite promotional items... branded mints! I love them mostly because they are small enough to keep inside your pocket or handbag and you can also leave them in your car. I like to think of them as an over-sized business card or a business card with a bonus!

Coming up with the artwork and tagline was not as easy. I wanted something catchy and fun, that would still be very much relatable for his customers. Finally, I remembered a slogan that my dad had mentioned in the past. His vision was slightly different, but it is his company after all, so the least I could do was use his slogan. We went with "We Got Framed at Great Neck Opticians." As you can see in the artwork below, we created a family (much like mine!) all "framed" in their new eyeglasses or sunglasses. Just like a family portrait, they are all within a picture frame (to further go along with the theme). As mentioned above, I wanted this to be like a business card, so we also have the essential contact information for his store. I made an executive decision and we moved forward to production.

While I was visiting NY over Thanksgiving, I decided that was the perfect time to showcase the custom imprinted mints. My plan was to leave one on his dinner plate as a surprise! Thankfully, it totally worked! My dad's first reaction was - "Awesome! I love them! I'll take 200!" My response is the best part.... "Perfect, dad! I am so glad. I already have 300 waiting for you in the living room!"

I guess this is why I was "appointed" after all...

How many times during the day do most people look for a pen?  It seems like an insignifigant item most of the time...Until you need one!  Either to scribble down a phone number or even write out a deposit slip.  Custom imprinted pens can be a great help to people in need of a writing utensil in a pinch.  They are also a great way to get your companies name on a promotional item and help people to jot down important information.  A few days ago we recieved a huge bag of my favorite custom imprinted pens and I should be well stocked for quite as while as you can see!!

The 2011 NBA lockout officially started on July 01, 2011. All pre-season games and the first four weeks of the 2011-2012 season through November 30 2011 have already been cancelled.

During lockouts like this (by the way, this is the fourth lockout in the history of the NBA), teams cannot sign, trade or negotiate a contract with players. Players cannot access team facilities, trainers, even team staff. This has left a lot of individuals jobless. The main reason for this is the different stands between the owners and the players regarding revenue sharing and salary cap structure.

Because of the lockout, hundreds of millions of revenues were lost, and lots of people were affected. Some players have signed contracts to play with other countries with an option to return to NBA as soon as the lockout ends.

But what about those small players who are unable to get a contract with other basketball clubs? What about those individuals who rely on the “game” for their income, like those involved with court maintenance, club staff, etc.?  What about the income that could have been generated on each and every game held? What about those promotional items that could have been given to the fans during live games -- balloons, shirts, caps, basketballs, etc.?  Those could have generated income as well.

You see, issues like these don't just affect the players and the owners.  They also affect the people that work on the sidelines to make the games possible. The only thing that we can wish for now is for all the parties to come up with a fair and just resolution and hopefully start the NBA season as soon as possible.

Promotional items are actually everywhere. That’s what I realized when I started working for Motivators. Before, I didn't notice that a lot of things I use day in and day out are items given by companies for promotions (I love free stuff :)).

From the moment I wake up in the morning, I come into contact with promotional products.  I turn off my promotional alarm clock, get out of bed, put on slippers I received from a local footwear store, and dry myself off after a shower with a promotional towel from a hotel my friend works for.  Even my lunch box is imprinted with a company name! 

I believe that promotional giveaways are the best way to make your brand memorable.  The people who use the items act as advertisers without knowing it. I, for example, use a really huge umbrella given by a local bank. Friends were amazed how three adults can actually fit underneath the promotional umbrella without getting wet on a rainy day. They saw the name of the bank were I got the umbrella from and actually considered opening an account with that institution (just to get a free umbrella, nice!). 

Try hanging out in a local coffee shop; observe the people that walk in and out of the store. You will notice a lot of promotional items that they have with them, from bags to key chains, to umbrellas and lanyards, even pens tucked in their shirt pockets. Everyone becomes a product endorser unknowingly. So if you’re thinking of a great way to promote your products/services, browse through Motivators.com; we have a ton of promotional items that will help you boost your brand exposure.

Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries are a match made in heaven.

That's what I thought when I watched the encore of Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event. My mother and I were just two of the 4 million who tuned in on a Monday airing earlier this month, not to mention the 4.4 million that tuned in to see the Sunday premier. Sure, they had their dicey moments on-camera (or so I'm told) but everyone who must have the woes of paparazzi and celebrity/sibling rivalry must face some bumps in the road.

Then there were reports that E! representatives went to another basketball player first to ask for a date arrangement. Within a week or so, Kim announced (unbeknownst to Kris) that she was filing for divorce after 72 days of marriage. The promotional pen hit the paper.

Kardashian made $17 million on the wedding alone, an average of $651 for every minute she stayed married.

But for those of us who have weddings to plan where the only "investment" involved is time and love, there are promotional items on sale on the Motivators website that make great party favors. From custom imprinted stemware to custom imprinted electronics, the savings will have you feeling like a million bucks. (or 17 million)

This year has gone by so quick, I cant believe that 2012 is right around the corner. Not sure what to expect besides new and exciting promotional products. The best part about awaiting the new products is getting great pricing on the "not so new" products. 2011 was a great year and I was able to find some great items that were a big hit with consumers. The credit card style antibacterial hand sanitizer spray was deffinately on the top of the list for almost any company or occasion. Its sleek, stylish, and can easily fit in anyones back pocket. Another great item is the credit card style dental floss with mirror. Two great items for the year of 2011, but dont try to pay your bills with these! :-)