Every day it seems there’s some new technology available to make our lives more efficient, safer, more fun or increasingly productive.

You won’t find many purses or backpacks without a USB or a portable power bank in one of their zippered compartments these days. And as for phone charging cords, if you don’t have one with you, it’s probably because you forgot it at home, in your car or, worse, at your hotel room in the city you just left. According to smartertravel.com, phone chargers are the No. 1 item left in hotel rooms.

With tech products incorporated into practically every aspect of our lives, they are natural brand promoters, even when left behind.

CASE STUDIES

More Bang For The Promotional Buck

A company that was a prior sponsor of a large industry trade show needed a new way to boost visibility at the show within a much smaller budget. They distributed 3,000 credit card-shaped USB drives preloaded with information about the company and its services to show attendees. Custom lanyards allowed attendees to wear the drive around their neck and made them walking billboards for the company during the trade show. In exchange for wearing the lanyards, recipients were allowed free, unlimited access to the relaxation booth at the trade show, and their names were placed in a drawing for a free gift inside the booth.

Source: HALO Branded Solutions, Inc.

Savvy Student Solution

The University of Minnesota was looking for something unique and useful that would get students excited about its student unions and activities. They chose the Charge It Up Power Bank. It features a USB output and micro USB input and includes a cord. With the 2200 mAh lithium battery, phones can be charged 1.5 times before having to re-charge the power bank using a wall charger (not included) or laptop. Students and staff alike were excited to receive the power banks, which were given to students as prizes and given to staff for contributing to a fundraiser. Since they are used repeatedly, the chargers served as a frequent reminder of the UMN Student Unions & Activities brand. The URL imprinted on the charger helps increase website traffic.

Source: Magellan Promotions, LLC

Here are some of the newer technology products that can help put your clients’ brands in their customers’ hands, on their desks or in their homes.

Technology At Work

This aluminum and rubberized plastic, .9-ounce high-tech pen looks like a regular

pen but is full of surprises. With its solid construction and soft-grip finish, it features a

stylus, twist-retract ballpoint and hidden USB drive in memory sizes up to 32GB. Imprint a logo or message in vivid full-color process, or laser engrave.

iClick / PPAI 254537 / www.iclick.com

Attach the HawkEye adapter to any USB cable and activate the alarm to keep an eye on your charging cable and anything that is connected to it. It’s great for use in public

locations such as coffee shops or airports. If the device and charger are disconnected, there’s an audio alert.

Hit Promotional Products / PPAI 113910 / www.hitpromo.net

The new All-in-One Retractable Charging and Syncing Cable for Apple and Android mobile devices is a colorful (and useful) way to showcase a brand. This unique charging cable extends to 23 inches and has an eight-pin connector on one side, and a micro USB charger on the other side.

Ariel Premium Supply, Inc. / PPAI 161650 / www.arielpremium.com

This eco-friendly custom-shaped USB promo flash drive is perfect for your next event where you need your presentation to shine. Choose from multiple colors and imprint areas to maximize your brand’s logo. With 1GB of storage space, this flash drive can hold over 10,000 pages of text and is reusable and non-toxic, meeting RoHS standards to reduce hazardous substances. Plus, SmartDrive™ technology is available to remotely update files on any of Emperor’s USB drives, even after they’ve been distributed to the end user.

Emperor / PPAI 519514 / www.emperormktg.com

This 2.4GHz wireless Power Mouse™ M88 folds up for easy portability and includes an ultra-precise 1000-dpi optical sensor and scroll wheel. Never lose the wireless USB dongle—it stores in a magnetic slot in the mouse when not in use. The ergonomic folding arch design nests in palm of a user’s hand and attracts attention to the branding.

All In One / PPAI 111343 / www.allinoneline.com

Out And About

Perfect for adventurers, this ultra-portable water-resistant Bluetooth speaker has a flexible mount. With a built-in microphone and its unique flexible “tail” mount, it is designed to be completely universal in any situation. Easily attach it on a bike, shower head or a backpack and enjoy music while you’re doing your favorite activities.

Aiia Limited / PPAI 624878 / www.enjoy-aiia.com

This pocket-sized 5.1-inch by 4.3-inch solar LED light is completely powered by the sun, with no additional batteries needed. Set it in direct sunlight and it lasts up to seven hours on a single charge. It’s inflatable, collapsible, lightweight and fully waterproof. Pitch this light to outdoor organizations, Boy/Girl Scouts, schools, automotive companies, travel companies, etc. It’s perfect for emergency kits, survival gear, storms, blackouts, travel and car trouble.

Yorkn, Inc. / PPAI 599060 / www.yorkn.com

These new Bluetooth 4.0 CSR BoomPods Sportpods Race earphones have an IPX6 sweat-resistant rating, an ergonomic in-ear design and easy-touch controls on the clip-on pod with tactile recognition. They include one set of memory-foam ear tips and three different sizes of rubber ear buds as well as a micro/USB cable for recharging, a drawstring pouch for storage and an instruction manual. They have a listening range of 33 feet for up to four consecutive hours with a 1.5-hour recharge time.

Starline USA, Inc. / PPAI 112719 / www.starline.com

Great for customer and employee gifts, event giveaways, recruiting and on-pack promotions, digital reward cards include popular items like digital movies, movie tickets, digital and print magazines, musical downloads, travel savings and more. Customers can choose the reward they want most. All digital cards are printed with full-color, custom-branded artwork. Users go to the provided website, enter their code and follow simple instructions to redeem.

Media Tree / PPAI 192068 / www.mediatreerewards.com

High-Tech Home

Using a free smartphone app for Apple or Android, the Socket2Me turns home automation into a full-color branding opportunity. Remotely control power outlets from anywhere to simplify life or control energy usage. The Socket2Me connects with Wi-Fi and also has a built-in USB adapter.

OrigAudio / PPAI 421483 / www.origaudio.com

This light switch is powered by cutting edge COB (chip on board) technology. It offers extreme light intensity to illuminate the darkest spaces and includes a magnetic back, Velcro™ hook-and-loop fastener strips and mounting holes for securing to any surface. It includes an on/off switch, four AAA batteries and shines for more than 70 hours.

Alexander Manufacturing Co. / PPAI 113670 / www.alexandermc.com

 

This compact wireless speaker can answer questions, play music, control home automation products and integrate with additional services thanks to its Alexa assistant-included technology. It connects to your devices and network via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling you to use it on the go. Its 360-degree speaker is equipped with iLuv’s jAura sound enhancement technology and it can play music for three hours thanks to its internal battery. It complies with FCC and RoHS regulations.

Hirsch Gift, Inc. / PPAI 221823 / www.hirschgift.com

 

TimeBox is a smart music gadget that features a Bluetooth speaker, lamp, digital palette, thermometer and alarm clock all in one. Use the interactive mobile app to create your own graphics and more. It includes a professional sleep-aid system to improve sleep quality with a handful of nature sounds. The TimeBox will continue to grow and evolve with its software updates.

Twintech Industry, Inc. / PPAI 261545 / www.twintechpromo.com

Source Safely

When choosing tech products powered by lithium-ion batteries, heed these sourcing tips from product safety expert Leeton Lee at ComplyBox to protect your clients and your business’ reputation:

1 Carefully screen your vendors and factories, and establish your quality and safety expectations.

2 Ensure that the product is properly designed and use third-party labs to review.

3 Verify all raw materials, components and subassemblies used in the product.

4 Require safety features such as regulators, safety circuits and fuses.

5 Test the finished products to verify the factory’s product safety claims, using a nationally recognized test laboratory such as UL.

6 Obtain copies of all testing and certification verifications from your vendors.

7 Ensure that all packaging, labeling, instructions and warnings are complete and accurate.

8 Follow all applicable transportation and labeling requirements for lithium battery products. Consult with industry experts such as your test lab for guidance.

Take The Next Step

Learn more about elevating your approach to your business by attending a free PPAI webinar.

Technology: Know The Rules And Dangers When Shipping Electronics

Speaker: George Kerchner, Executive Director, PRBA and Senior Regulatory Analyst with the Washington, D.C., law firm Wiley Rein LLP.

Webinar Overview: If you ship batteries and other technology products, this session is a must. Shipping regulations, intended to protect against hazards, are different for air, land and sea, as well as international and domestic transportation. These regulations have often been regarded as complex and difficult to understand for many shippers, and new, more stringent shipping regulations have gone into effect in the past year. Learn firsthand what your obligations are under these complex regulations. This session is an elective for the Product Safety Aware program.Access this webinar at onlineeducation.ppai.org

Free to PPAI members, $15 for nonmembers