Smartphones and tablets are a given part of daily life for multiple millions of students and adults. As smartphones become ever more capable of making all facets of life and work easier, so too are their prices climbing. The dual desire for protection and comfort have never been higher – and our industry is on point with products that can make any marketing promotion highly successful.
There are attributes that are important to buyers of tech products for promotional purposes. You do not have to be as tech savvy as your customers, because they will tell you what they are interested in, and suppliers can help do the rest.
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Gwen Brey of Beacon Promotions says she believes the most important attributes are helpful, small in size, easy for the client to distribute and reasonably priced. And although these preferences remain static across key generations – Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers – she does believe that different professions are looking for different things from tech accessory items. “For example, a law office would want something upscale for their clients like our BA110 3-in-1 Hub/Caddy, versus a retail technology store looking for something fun that will create some buzz at a home show, like our BA79PH Thumbs Up Phone/Tablet holder.”
Nick Augustine of ADG Promotional Products cautions that in this sector, there is “a whole market of gimmicky and trendy products that catch your attention for a brief period.” However, these tend to lose appeal once the initial “wow!” factor subsides and when people don’t see the practicality or how it will improve their situations. Items in this sector that do have staying power, he observes are “those that appeal to a wider range of people and work in the professional environment. These items provide good functionality along with practical uses that drive people to want to keep and use them long term.”
In the viewpoint of Laura High of BIC Graphic, the most important attribute of a phone or tablet accessory is its degree of device compatibility. The more universally compatible the accessory is, the better positioned it is for success – compatibility with multiple devices allows for a greater range of uses. “We approach this by offering cables that charge all devices, as an example,” she says. “Other desirable attributes of a phone or tablet accessory are portability and multi-functionality. The added value of a single accessory that serves several purposes is always a winner in our market.”
Technology is known to evolve at rapid speed, when new versions are launched – although the “older” versions are still, of course, useful, which many people (end-users) highly appreciate. There are millions of people who are not as tech savvy, take longer to get used to something new, and prefer to just remain with what they have, instead of immediately embracing the latest tech launch. But if given a “newfangled” tech product, they are willing to learn to use it.
It helps to know the five classes of consumers, because consumers in the tech world, perhaps more than any other consumer category, are much more identifiable. At the top are the innovators, who comprise a small percentage of consumers. These innovators are very quick to adopt anything new and are often plugged in to know what’s being planned for launch and are on it. Early adopters are just that – they adopt the new thing early, frequently by paying attention to what innovators are doing, and they in turn influence behaviors and attitudes of the later adopters. Early adopters are considered to be influencers. Consumers in the early majority wait until they can be sure to obtain value from the product and are a little more cautious. Late majority tend to wait to ensure that the product/innovation is embraced and mainstream – it has become the norm. Laggards are the last consumer group to purchase and use a product that was once cutting edge; they tend to do so only because they feel they “have to.”
The tech world has also been known for planned obsolescence, wherein products are designed to break down quickly and therefore need replacement quickly. However, this has changed in recent years. “When the tech accessories first came out that there was a fair amount of obsolescence,” Brey observes. “However, as technology evolved, the promotional suppliers also evolved in finding products that can be used with multiple versions and updates so there isn’t the amount of obsolescence we saw early on.”
According to High, the promotional phone/tablet accessory sector has kept pace with rapid smartphone launches by quickly recognizing trends and keeping abreast of technological advancements. “The sizes of smartphones are beginning to harmonize quite a bit, making various accessories more universally compatible,” she says, adding that in this particular product category, speed to market is crucial.
“We feel that the worst is behind us now,” Augustine relates. For example, he offers, the smartphone market has standardized itself into using USB as the primary method of power plug-in. He explains, “The only variable then is either Apple's Lightning Cable and Samsung has now switched to USB-C. MicroUSB still seems to be the most universal method and accommodates the adapters to either of the two formats but you will see MicroUSB and Apple Lightning Cables dominate the market going forward. Most of the current ADG technology products offer the MicroUSB slots which are the most universal ports currently used.”
Smart Sales
Just about everyone uses a smartphone and/or tablet, personally and professionally, so this very fact is a compelling sales opener. And there are many accessories to choose from that will enhance the success of a variety of promotional campaigns.
Tommy Leung of Spector and Co. is the designer of the company’s Fabrizio padfolio collection for tablets. “Fabrizio is one of the most successful collection I designed seven years ago we have now grown it for a total of 52 styles, which, collectively, has generated almost 10 percent of our total business,” he says.
The Fabrizio T112 power bank zip padfolio, describes Leung, features an integrated 5,000 mAh power bank with built-in USB port to plug in a charging cable, a sleeve to protect the tablet when you are on the move and then open it up and line up the Velcro tabs to transform into a tablet stand while using or charging an electronic device. It includes four card slots, a frosted sleeve to safeguard your smartphone, a document slot and a micro-USB/USB recharging cable for the power bank. The T112 is also adaptable for both right- and left-handed note takers, just add a logoed pen to the loop and use the refillable 50 perforated sheet pad with a date feature.
Nowadays, “our mobile devices rarely travel without charging cables, power banks, earphones, wall plugs, etc.,” remarks John Carranza, of High Caliber. Several of the company’s best-selling items continue to be its T551 SmartPhone Wallet, “as our distributors have purchased almost one million of them from us in 2017 so far;” the T202 Mini Cellphone Fan, and accessory cases. New from High Caliber are the K176 Zippered Neoprene Round Case and K177 Neoprene Round Case.
Carranza observes that although not new, wireless/Bluetooth technology has been more prevalent in promo items lately. “Our new T448 Totally Wireless Earbuds will be arriving soon and although they are not in our current product line, we have seen others carry Bluetooth Fidget Spinners!”
Also what’s very popular right now in how we communicate online and via our devices are emojis – so popular, some are now on pillows, mugs, etc. and a movie was made with emojis as characters. “Emojis are very popular right now and our BA79PH Thumbs up phone/tablet holder fits right in,” says Brey. “With the fun, recognizable thumbs up design, distributors can create some catchy slogans for their clients, such as ‘Thumbs up for a job well done.’”
Currently, says Augustine, one of ADG’s hottest tech products is its laser-engraved PowerStar Charger (#Q46642) which features a light-up logo. “Every tech supplier in the industry offers some form of a powerbank, but the light-up logo feature adds a unique aspect that further promotes the client’s branding efforts each time someone uses the product,” he describes.
Charging cables are one of the top trending promotional products in this sector, according to High. For example, BIC Graphic’s #32088 Dual Charging Cable with USB-C and Phone Strap is priced under $4.00 at EQP retail. It’s also available with a full-color imprint and personalization options. “We've taken the dual charging cable that can charge both Apple and Android devices (including power banks and most Bluetooth® speakers) and added a USB-C so that you can now also use it to charge a MacBook Pro or other USB-C port devices.
“With the prevalence and dependence of our cellphones and mobile devices, related promotional products can now reach ‘can’t live without’ status,” summarizes Carranza. “At the very least, tech accessories provide added convenience and functionality to our mobile devices.”