We all know about the new car smell and it most closely resembles brand new leather. The smell reminds me of never before sat on seats, scratch-free dash boards and empty drink holders. It is a smell that I have not personally experienced in my own car for over 6 years. However, I am not asking you to break out the miniature violin because I love my car and we have been through everything together, but, the new car smell totally rocks!

With that being said, there is no better way to get that "new car smell" back then with a branded air freshener. I specifically love the Hot Rod Vent Stick Air Freshener because it is really small and not as distracting as the ones that hang from the mirror. These are cute and come in tons of different scents depending on what you like.

So, I would suggest thinking of one of these for your next promotion. They are affordable, convenient, and your customer will see them every single time they step into their car!

While I should be a veteran to the rainy summers that is Miami, I just don't understand it. It's like everyone else is so jealous of our weather all year long, and come summer time, when everyone should be able to celebrate beautiful weather, us Floridians are stuck with humidity, rain showers, thunder storms, and even a tornado watch (just until 10pm tonight - and, yes, I am counting down the hours).

With that being said, every downfall can be taken advantage of with a great branded item. That's why I never, ever, leave the house without my printed umbrella. It is small, compact, and easy to keep in a pocket book or glove compartment. It keeps me at ease to know that I will never get stuck in a rain shower without being prepared. So, I would highly suggest this item if you want to keep your customer in the clear and trust me, they will thank you later!

I promised an update after my trip to Vegas so that is exactly what you are going to get. It would not have been a successful trip unless there was some type of branded/promotional item. So, it was only natural to create a super soft t-shirt/tank (with my dad's face on it) to honor his 60th birthday celebration. If you know my dad, you know he thinks he is the most interesting man in the world (or at least the second most interesting). With that being said, how could we not play on the famous Dos Equis campaign? Here is what we came up with, let me know how we did!

In case you can't see, the back says, "Stay sixty, my friends" - which I think is pretty awesome. My dad was totally shocked and absolutely loved the shirts! Must give a shout out to Keri and Jillian in the art department who completely rocked it with the artwork!

Overall, I would have to categorize this as the luckiest trip of my life. I think my parents, sister and Eric would have to agree. We were extremely lucky in the casino with roulette, craps, and even on a slot machine. There are tons of in between luck that went on but I will tell you about one of the highlights. After lots of winning, my dad, sister, Eric and I decided to form a partnership and head to the high stakes slot machines. We would each do 10 spins and hope for the best. My dad went first, then Stacey and then myself. We won a little, but ultimately, we were down to our last 10 spins. It was Eric's turn and he said the pressure didn't bother him (typical attorney attitude). He spun, and spun again and finally, on the third spin, we knew we had won something! The machine did not make a sound, and the section where the prize had previously been shown was blank. The four of us were screaming that it HAD TO BE SOMETHING! After what seemed like 10 minutes (which was probably 10 seconds) the machine said "Please call attendant," bells and lights were going off and then we saw the prize...

"Hand pay amount: $1,800."

WHAT! It couldn't be! We had been so lucky that night and the slots were supposed to end our night, not start it up again! When an attendant finally came over she confirmed the win and brought over a huge pile of cash. We each walked away with $450 and could not be happier, to say the least. 

I took my winnings from the trip and ran! Since I am typically not a gambler, it was not difficult for me and I will stick to my old gambling ways. But, I will admit that winning is really, really fun and I hope to win in the future. :)

Happy Birthday dad! Hope you had a great 60th! Here's to 60 more! :)

Tomorrow Eric and I are off to Vegas to meet my parents and sister in order to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday! Since he was turning the big 6-0 we said we would do whatever he wanted to do to and that is was ALL ABOUT HIM. Being a kid at heart (in other words, a 21 year old) he decided Vegas was a great option and then the planning began. We have been waiting for months for this trip, and now that it is finally here, it feels like tomorrow will never come.

With that being said, we (and by we, I mean I) am now running into the dilemma - to pack in a carry on or not. Please be advised that Eric and I each get a free checked bag with American Airlines, so it probably seems like a no brainer. However, since we get in late Friday night and leave Monday morning, Eric continues to remind me that it is really only 2 days, and that packing in a huge suitcase is plain, old crazy.

Doesn't he know me by now? Not only will I pack a suitcase, but I will probably also have a carry-on boat tote, that will be filled to the brim and most likely unable to be zipped (he hates that! OOPS!)

Luckily, I have my reliable personalized tote bag that serves two purposes. I can use it as a carry-on bag and also as a beach/pool bag. This way, I am killing two birds with one stone and actually packing less - see how I rationalize?

Anyways, we are all super excited for this mini-vacation so please stay tuned for next week's blog. There might be some promo items in store while we are in Vegas...

I love getting mail! Don't lie; I know you love it too! Whether it is a short note, big package, or postcard, mail is fun and exciting especially when you least expect it (of course, bills are left out of this category of "fun" mail).

With that being said, my Alma Mater, The U, is always on top of its mail game. They send friendly notes all the time letting me know what is going on around campus within the Alumni Association, and are always reminding me to pay it forward!

This year, we renewed our football season tickets to watch the Canes at Sun Life Stadium, and part of the ticket price is a donation to the Alumni Association. I must say, the U knows how to say thanks! The other day, I received a letter with a note on the envelope stating -- Canes Care Package!

The envelope had some weight to it, so being in the promotional products industry, I played the guessing game. What could it be? They had already done the hologram luggage tag, and I knew it couldn't be just a note. Was it a pen? Bumper sticker? Magnet? All of the above?

I was super excited to open it up and even more delighted when I realized what it was! One of my favorite promotional items has always been the magnetic picture frame. It is mailed as one piece but can be broken apart to make one single magnet, in addition to a magnetic frame. I love to show my U pride, so I know this will take a spot front and center on our refrigerator!

 Then, I noticed that was not all! There were also two stickers proudly stating that I am a "2013 Hurricane Club member." Awesome!

It really is the little things! With this small care package, the U has once again reminded me why it is a great to be a Miami Hurricane! I think we can all learn something from this -- you don't have to spend a fortune on branded items to say thanks. If you are working with a small budget, or a huge quantity, branded magnets will get great exposure. Plus, they have digital imprinting capabilities for beautiful branding.

So, I must give another special shout out to the U -- I can't wait for football season!

For those of you that didn't already know, National Teacher Appreciation Day was on Tuesday, May 7th. It is very important to thank our teachers for all of their hard work and effort in shaping our youth each and every day. With that being said, I was so excited when my mom texted me a photo (yes, she now knows how to text pictures) of the gift she received from her school on Tuesday.

These sticky note holders are a great teacher gift! Not only can the teacher leave them on his/her desk, but they also have a nice plate which can be branded on the front. The leather look is very classy and I know firsthand that all the teachers at her school really love them!

So, next year make sure you reach out to the teachers in your life and get them something special. Motivators has tons of amazing gifts for the people that really make a difference and others to help you represent school spirit!

So, I know I blogged about the Miami Heat last week, but I am sorry to say that this week they will be my topic of choice again (but, by default! I promise). When you live in the middle of the craze of this team, it is difficult to escape it so I have found myself embracing it.

Anyways, as I entered my gym yesterday morning, I noticed the two huge statues that were typically bare were now sporting Heat branded promotional t-shirts. Now, it is hard to tell by the picture just how large the statues are (I wish I was standing next to them), but they are ridiculously huge! Take a look: 

I will say that I did chuckle a bit at the creativity of it all, but it proves my point that the Heat is EVERYWHERE. I got a closer look and realized that these tanks appear to be actual shirts, so don’t think your eyes are deceiving you!

Being that the gym is located in the Four Seasons hotel, I appreciate that the Heat has found a way to get noticed, without overdoing it.

Or did they? After all, they did not throw beach balls and backpacks all over the place; they simply dressed the statues to represent their team. Undecided? Have an opinion? Let me know what you think!

Yes, I am from New York, and yes, I am supposed to be a Knicks fan. However, it is very easy to get caught up the hype of the Miami Heat while living in the MIA.

I will say that Eric is a Knicks fan, so we will always root for them. But the Heat come in a close second. I find them to be a team that is exciting to watch, easy to love and hate, and all around entertaining. They are a force to be reckoned with, and I cannot deny that.

With that being said, Heat fans are crazy fans. They know how to take over any bar, party, conversation or even sidewalk.

Last Friday, we spent Happy Hour at Brother Jimmy’s and experienced one of these takeovers. Heat fans set up a basketball hoop outside for a shooting contest, had models wearing less than nothing and handed out swag like nobody’s business. There was everything from branded apparel and whistles to watches and koozies. I couldn’t resist bringing one home to show all of you! Check out the giveaway below, which is similar to our neoprene t-shirt bottle cooler:

I happen to love the co-branded team jersey koozie, which features the Heat logo on one side and Miller Lite's branding on the other. It's a great item to use when two companies want to brand together and both get maximum exposure. They look awesome on a water bottle (or beer bottle) and pose well for pictures. I know you all say that promotional items follow me, and I think this is just another great example of why that is true.

I wonder what I will encounter this week! Stay tuned!

Summer is just around the corner for my New York friends so it is time to take out those shades! I know you have them in hiding for the past couple of months, but I promise, the sunshine awaits you!

Maybe it's because I grew up around glasses, or maybe I am just a nut, but I hate when I notice that someone has dirty glasses on. Whether they are sunglasses or eyeglasses, I feel the lenses should be as clean as possible because after all, the cleaner they are, the clearer we can see. That is why one of my favorite promo items is the Wesleyan Microfiber Cloth. Available in a wide range of sizes, this is the perfect pocket item to carry with you wherever, whenever. The best part is that not only can you use it on your glasses, but it is great for electronics as well. Get rid of those iPhone fingerprints with this cloth and enjoy a cleaner browsing, texting, or "Facetime" experience.

You can opt for a digital imprint that takes up the entire cloth for a huge branding opportunity! Check out the ones we use here, at Motivators: 

For those of you that don’t already know, Eric proposed a few weeks ago and of course, I said yes! He had both of our families there to celebrate which was absolutely amazing and the entire weekend was truly unforgettable.

The celebrations will continue this weekend because on Tuesday night I flew into New York to see my colleagues and NY friends. So far, it has been amazing to be back in the office and I really can’t complain that it has been all that cold because yesterday it was nearly 80 degrees.

For the first time in about five years, there were no delays due to weather or plane malfunctions – and we actually arrived early! Upon arrival, I headed straight to baggage claim because doesn’t everyone pack a 45 pound suitcase for 4 days? Well, I do! Please don’t judge me!

Anyways, I got a great spot right in front of the conveyer belt and watched the bags go ‘round and ‘round. The man next to me apparently did not remember what his bag looked like and proceeded to pick up each and every mid-sized black suitcase, inspected it, and in some cases opened it up, to see if it belonged to him.

In this day and age, with all of the prints, colors, materials and fabrics that suitcases are available in, I would think people should be able to locate their bag. For those that choose the standard black suitcase, we have luggage tags! Take a look at our branded My Bag! luggage tag, for example. Come on people!

Now, I know that my bag is big, blue and made of a hard material, but I always know which is mine because of my luggage tag. The branded “Hands Off” tag makes it easy to locate among all the other bags.

So please, save the day for your clients, employees, friends and family and the next time you need a branded giveaway, choose a luggage tag or luggage identifier. They will thank you for many vacations to come!