Last year, English retailer WH Smith decided to set up a display of “Top 50 Books for Dad” for Father’s Day. The display included popular titles like Dan Brown’s Angel and Demons and Sebastian Faulks's Bond novel Devil May Care. However, shoppers were shocked to find The Crimes of Josef Fritzl, a book about an abusive father who kept his daughter captive for 24 years, also on the display. Not exactly a shining example of fatherhood. The store took plenty of flak for what some thought was a sick joke.
Although you’re unlikely to make any mistakes that will land you in the newspaper, it goes to show that taking a little time to think about your promotions can go a long way. So whether you are creating displays for your store or giving away promotional items, here are some tips that can help prevent any major faux pax.
- Have plenty of other people take a look at your idea, including people outside of your organization. They could catch something embarrassing that you may have missed.
- The devil is in the details. Take time to look at all the elements of your promotion, including how the item will be packaged and given to customers. Wrapping an mp3 player in a cheap box will make the mp3 player look cheap too.
- Make sure the promotional item is appropriate for the event, holiday or audience. For example, an alcohol and drug treatment center giving away branded bottle openers might not go over well.
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