Finally, the summer season is upon us! Endless sunny days, time spent outdoors with family and friends. It’s the ultimate time to launch tailgating season—a season that fortunately lasts well into the fall. It is the perfect time for distributors to “pack” the perfect portfolio of tailgating products to showcase to clients. Tables, beverage holders, tubs, coolers, blankets, bottle openers, speakers, and chairs help provide consumers with the ultimate outdoor experience.
Promotional products suppliers agree that tailgating is an exciting time of the year for people across the country, which presents distributors with a prime opportunity to capitalize on this enthusiasm. Carrie Lewis of BIC Graphic believes that college sports often provide a more exciting version of the game than professional sports, which means college tailgating is continually growing in popularity. “With education and collegiate being one of the largest purchasers of promotional products, this trend is great for our industry,” she says. “Items available in school colors and imprint capabilities that help express school spirit are popular—especially with the tailgating crowd.”
Picnic Plus by Spectrum’s Naomi Berkowitz couldn’t agree more. “Everyone is always ready to ‘rock and roll’ and cheer on their hometown favorite at a tailgate party!” she raves. “The top trends in the promotional products market for tailgating items are those that create a party atmosphere with the ‘wow’ factor and items that are portable, functional, and reusable! No one likes to contribute to more landfill disposable items either.”
Custom colors are a big trend in sports, Paul Hanney of Garyline notes, which impacts the tailgating market. “Big names, big schools, and big events are driving those trends along with sponsorship money,” he notes.
To keep up with this steady demand that continues to be on the rise, suppliers are launching both new products and relying on their best sellers to keep interest strong. BIC Graphic has launched several new products and several within the KOOZIE® brand, which Lewis says is a natural fit for tailgating. The #46087 KOOZIE® Bottle Opener Can Kooler features a high-quality material that fits snug on cans or bottles and folds flat—making it a great option for mailings. The #26021 KOOZIE® Portable BBQ with Kooler Bag allows easy storage and transportation, and includes a 12-can main compartment with PEVA liner and portable charcoal grill with removable and adjustable shoulder strap.
On the technology front, BIC’s #32127 Xoopar® Bluetooth® Speaker with Fabric Top and Leash is small, but delivers big sound through wireless connectivity from up to 32 feet away, Lewis reports. “The attached leash makes it easy to carry to the tailgate for up to four hours of play time,” she comments. Also new is the #26117 Deluxe Fleece Blanket that is warm, cozy, and durable to keep people warm before, during, and after the game. It comes in a 50” x 60” size with large imprint area and matching thread binding.
Picnic Plus has rolled out four new tailgating products. The company’s patented portable Scrimmage Tailgate Table (PSM-104) is made of sturdy 600 denier polyester and measures 30” in diameter and its design stand extends from 24" to a full 36" standing height. The four recessed mesh pockets keep beverages handy and leaves extra room for food and dining, Berkowitz says. The table sets up in seconds and is portable and convenient for tailgating with family and friends. The table folds up easily into a semi-circle and includes a matching carrying case for easy transporting.
Picnic Plus has also unveiled three new coolers. The Blue Tooth Music Tub Cooler on Stand (PSR-325) can be synched with an iPhone® or smartphone via the rechargeable Bluetooth power bank (included). It features a large PEVA insulated leak-proof cooler that holds up to 72 cans plus ice, easy clean drain plug, matching carry bag and top access panel. The tall standing Portable Tub Cooler (PSG-221) comes in eight team colors and is made with a durable 600D polyester exterior and large leakproof insulated cooler section. It will hold more than 72 cans or beverages. For cleaning, the Tub Cooler has a drain plug and the liner can be washed down. And, the entire cooler, lid, and stand sets up and folds in seconds and stores in the included travel bag. Finally, the tall standing Portable Football Cooler (PSG-252) is a large insulated football-shaped cooler that holds up to 30 cans plus ice. Fold-up steel construction stand and cooler fit inside the matching carry bag. It is designed with a durable 600D polyester exterior with a leakproof liner.
At Pepco Promotional Products, Jeanna Abercrombie reports that its digital department is a growing area for the company in relation to its pennant, car flags, and sports flags—essentials for tailgating events. Pepco’s poms are also a huge part of its tailgating products. They feature a large paddled-shaped handle that will accommodate even the most detailed logos and come with 500 plastic streamers in solid or mixed colors. There are 28 streamer colors available. Poms join Pepco’s popular “We’re #1” foam fingers for favorite tailgate products.
The 151 Event table continues to be a top performer at Southern Plus—as a stand-alone as well as part of its 202 Tailgate King Set. Grethe Adams notes the 5035 Tailgate Tub is doing very well, and that both are very versatile pieces that can be used (and given) individually or together with chairs or a BBQ set, for example.
Bottle openers are a staple for tailgating parties, Josette Bosse at Bay State Specialty company maintains. “You can’t have a tailgate party without a bottle opener!” she exclaims. The Multi-Use Magnetic Bottle Opener opens bottles of all kinds—standard bottles and twist tops alike. They attach to magnetic surfaces for easy access. The company’s tried and true Can Coolers are also tailgate mainstays, featuring an open cell foam insulator perfect for enjoying cold beverages. They fit snugly on most normal 12-ounce cans.
Garyline’s Hanney adds that one of the company’s biggest sellers for sporting events is its megaphone, which comes in an array of sporty colors. There is also a glow-in-the-dark version, a megaphone with imprinted cap, and a megaphone with popcorn cap.
Selling tailgating items to clients is matter of mentioning the high visibility factor, Adams of Southern Plus emphasizes. “The want their logo to be seen by as many as possible at such events to maximize exposure and return on their advertising dollars,” she says. “Umbrellas are another great tailgating item that can tie in with the team’s colors. Aprons are another item that will provide lots of logo real estate and visibility.”
Co-branding is the name of the game at Pepco Promotional Products—especially in professional, college, and high school sports, Abercrombie maintains. “It is a smart way to put your name out there in these large events and the with any price point you need to hit!”
Berkowitz at Picnic Plus by Spectrum offers several selling strategies for tailgating items, including focusing on high school spirit store events, in-store displays, tailgating displays for bar and food trucks, alumni associations and Greek organizations, golf clubs, and car dealerships and banks.
Tailgating has become a true social event, Lewis at BIC Graphic concludes, which has evolved into so much more than just grilling with friends in the parking lot before a game or concert. “Think beyond coolers and blankets to products that are going to enhance the tailgate good-time experience,” she states “High-quality items like wireless speakers and power banks that keep the tunes going all day, comfy and portable chairs for relaxing, and high-performance drinkware that keeps beverages hot or cold for hours would all be welcome at a tailgating party.
“Industries whose products or services have a tie-in to tailgating are a good avenue to explore,” she adds. “Businesses are cashing in on the ever-growing popularity of this American tradition with sponsored events, booths, and giveaways at the event. Beverage companies, telecommunications firms, airlines, credit card companies, and more regularly show up at tailgating events using promo items to convey their brand message.”
Case Studies
Jeanna Abercrombie, Pepco Promotional Products
A local school district—12 high schools and one of the area hospitals—have teamed up together each year for the last six years. We print the hospital logo on all the pom handles and the schools are identified by the colors of the streamers. The schools are given the poms at each of their homecomings. The school can sell them or give them away. If the schools sell them, then this is a 100 percent profit for the school. This has been a huge success for both the hospital and school district. Each school received 2,000 poms per school.
Naomi Berkowitz, Picnic Plus by Spectrum
A distributor pitched this great new idea to the local car dealership and they created a four-week Tailgating Bonanza, complete with hot dogs, soft drinks (in the tub coolers), balloons, etc. and gave every car buyer a Picnic Plus Tailgate Table as a thank you gift—with a prominent dealership logo on the tabletop! They are repeating the item for an employee golf event!