Yesterday our friends at Gordon Sinclair dropped by and handed out one of the coolest promotional products I've seen:  A retro telephone handset that connects to iPhones, computers, etc.  The accessories are meant to improve call comfort and eliminate cell phone radiation, among other useful features.  But mostly they just look really, really cool: 

Could you see yourself using this fun promo? Leave a comment to let us know!

With Christmas and Hanukkah just around the corner, people are scrambling for some unique gifts for their loved ones. If you search the Internet enough, you'll come to realize that there are some hidden treasures. I've purchased autographed CDs and autographed books for those on my list for only a little more than their non-signed counterparts.

I'm not saying that everything on the Web is inexpensive. Some memorabilia can cost you an arm and a leg.

This week, an Oscar (yes, this kind of Oscar) is going up on auction. 

The Oscar belonged to Orson Welles, best known for directing and starring in Citizen Kane. (the best film ever) The award was for his original screenplay for that movie and, although visibly tarnished, is expected to grab at least a cool half-million. 

If you can't score the Oscar Award, don't fret. There are several promotional stress balls that can be used as awards for your clients or employees. Imprint your logo or text and you'll have an a great promotional product. 

Last night, despite the gloomy weather and heavy rain here in New York, I ventured into Manhattan to see Katy Perry live at Madison Square Garden.  I grabbed my Leeds promotional item umbrella, a cup of Dunkin' Donuts' delicious new mint hot chocolate, and hit the road.

As soon as my friend and I stepped into MSG, we were immediately whisked away to a Katy-themed photo booth and offered a free photography promotional product!  You can tell by our faces that we were a little stunned, but our smiles reveal just how excited we were.  I love free things, so it was a great way to set the mood for an awesome night.  The designated photo area not only promoted the Katy Perry California Dreams tour, but also Schick razors and blades.  Check out the free photo we received:

Soon after, we journeyed into the performance center and realized Katy had just stepped on stage!  What luck!  She began the show with Teenage Dream, arguably one of the year's biggest songs. 

Katy put on a great show; there was a ton of dancing, flashing lights, and of course that amazing voice.  Being the promotional product nerd that I am, I also was thrilled at the end of the show when the superstar tossed at least a dozen promotional beach balls into the crowd.

All in all, I had a fantastic time at the Katy Perry California Dreams tour.  Did you make it out to MSG for the big event?  Share your thoughts below!

Over the weekend, my friends and I were shopping through Barnes & Noble. They love to puzzle (although, to be quite honest, the idea of putting together 1,000 small pieces is just plain annoying to me), so we were browsing the store's collection of toys and games.  While my buddies perused the book shop's impressive collection of landscape painting-inspired puzzles, my eyes wandered toward one very stand-out promotional product.

I was immediately drawn-in by a Coca-Cola-themed Yahtzee promotional game!  I happen to be a lover of all things Coca-Cola, so perhaps that's why the toy caught my eye.  But it also got me thinking:  If a customer feels any amount brand loyalty, he or she will fall in love with the giveaway.

My friends teased me, saying that since I began working for Motivators, promotional products seem to follow me everywhere I go.  Maybe it's true, or maybe my eyes have become more astute at spotting promotional items.  Regardless, I think this product is a good example of an effective promotional gift.  What promo game or toy would you like to see at stores this holiday season?

Remember this legendary scene from Back to the Future II ?

The 1989 film, which featured actor Michael J. Fox, took place in 2015-- a mere four years from now.  But, according to a Nike press release, "The NIKE MAG is no longer the 'greatest shoe never made.'"  That's right; 1,500 pairs of the once-fictional shoe have been manufactured and are already being auctioned on eBay, "with all net proceeds going directly to The Michael J. Fox Foundation."

Check out the awesome shoe below: 

This incredible promotional product is sure to garner truckloads of new (and probably at least somewhat geeky) supporters for Fox's foundation.  The hype around the shoes certainly outdoes anything that could have been accomplished by producing a Back to the Future-themed custom printed pen, for example.

To bid for the shoes, interested parties can visit Nikemag.ebay.com. But be prepared to shell out a ton of cash-- according to PC Magazine, "Each pair of Nike Mags was originally set at 99 cents, [but] buyers quickly pushed up the bids to above $2,000 per pair in just over 20 minutes."

Back to the Future fans should also check out the promotional flick below which features actor Christopher Lloyd in his role as Dr. Emmitt Brown.

And for those wondering whether or not the shoes power-lace-- according to a Nike employee, that feature won't be available until 2015.

I think I just found my next iPhone case.  A few days ago, Mashable highlighted startup company JackBacks, which offers iPhone 4 users a new way to personalize and protect their mobile devices.  The beauty of JackBacks is that its products actually aren't custom iPod covers or iPhone cases at all-- they're wood and glass back replacements custom-made for the iPhone 4.

According to Mashable, JackBacks' service solves a problem that many smartphone users have come across:  "the ubiquity of the iPhone 4."  Indeed, when everybody else's iPhone looks just like yours, it sort of loses its appeal.  And while custom iPod covers do help some personalize their mobile devices, anyone who's looking for a more "radical makeover ... can turn to JackBacks."

JackBacks is a unique and cool concept, so we're excited to see it flourish.  In fact, JackBacks' founder, woodworker Adam Baumgartner, has already brought in high-paying clients from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, reports Mashable.  However, JackBacks' success with custom backs for the iPhone 4 does have us wondering how the company will adapt when the iPhone 5 is unveiled.  We wish JackBacks continued success with its innovative idea!

I love me a good tradeshow. I enjoy actually meeting the people that I talk to every day. But my favorite part is walking the show and getting to see all of the new promotional items that are out. At a tradeshow I usually start off by receiving a custom badge reel that holds my pass to get into the show. I then find my way towards a sturdy imprinted bag that can hold all of my swag. I go through the show and collect any and all items that I think are appropriate for our site. A lot of times, the next "new" promotional item is just a booth away! After the show we come back to the office and decide if there is anything we can add to our site so that we can sell sell sell! So remember, if you have a booth it is a good idea to have a fun tradeshow giveaway!

Despite the fact that it is only August, it is never to early to put together your holiday shopping list. Other than being Laurie's favorite time of the year its  a perfect time to give back to your clients and employees with promotional products. Sometimes finding the right gift/idea is hard to do because of budgeting and you want to make sure your company is well presented. Shopping for corporate gifts just got easier! With so many options and ideas available depedning upon your budget, industry, or event.

Yesterday, I made my way to Rumsey Playfield in Central Park for yet another concert assignment.

Like a few other assignments this summer, this concert was outdoors. The weather was hot despite the forecast for rain and the chic hipsters of the tri-state area came in droves to see some of the biggest up-and-coming bands - Friendly Fires, The Naked & Famous and Cults.

This concert was sponsored by ZipCar, who had representatives and volunteers on-site to hand out promotional beach balls, promotional water guns and promotional frisbees. These items were much appreciated by the masses who had lined up since 10am in the heat, waiting for the performers to grace the stage at 5 hours later. These beach balls ranged in size from promotional 6" beach balls to promotional 36" beach balls and the promotional frisbees were foldable and looked a lot like item #23001. 

But ZipCar wasn't the only group giving out promotional giveaways. The headlining band of the day, Friendly Fires, was advertising their new LP and CD Pala by selling limited edition autographed copies. This is one of the final Central Park shows of the summer which means that summer is starting to come to a close and it is time to shop for Back to School.

Over the summer, I had my concerns about the level of "Oo la la," in the office. My blog, Where is all the Goodlookingness in this Office? expressed my fears that due to a lack of smiles...the current hot or not rating for Motivators would drop below its already measly 6/10. I suggested using the latest Japanese technology to only allow employees to work if their smiles qualified as attractive- but it wasn't in our budget. I suggested some simple procedures...a tuck here, a lift there, but Heidi Montag was hogging all of the professional plastic surgeons.

I made it through the summer and even to the close of 2009 with the misfortune of sitting among, dreaded, non-smilers. It hurt, but I made it my New Years resolution to make Motivators smile. However, my pom-poms and morning cheers only led to increased cubicle frownage. Therefore, since the beginning of 2010, I've been working on special invention to help people to smile. My greatest ideas so far were the smile imprinted post it notes I placed over everyone's mouths. Those however, littered the office floor and left me feeling even more gloomy.

Thankfully, a fellow inventor, Carolina, discovered a revolutionary breakthrough in the smiling industry - the smile maker. It's a wonderful promotional product that guarantees a teethy smile, every time. Use these in your own office and the spirit of goodwill can thrive. Likewise, they're awesome as trade show giveaways, as wearing a fake smile for 8 hours can get tiring.

I'll be personally customizing one for each Motivators member, so look forward to a brand new smile Monday. We're goning to be one "Oo la la," of an office in no time.