Product Spotlight: Swell Style Stainless Steel Bottle

Today's product spotlight features a high end, but affordable, stainless steel water bottle from a project for a hotel client. The bottle's capacity is 750 ml, or approximately 25 ounces, and can accommodate hot or cold beverages. Our field testing proved that the bottle keeps a drink hot or cold for almost a full day when the top is closed, thanks to the vacuum sealed dual wall insulation. The sleek design and modern construction are remarkably similar to Swell bottles, which retail for over $20 each for a lower capacity.

Our client's bottle, featured in our video below, was a bargain at under $10 each. The pricing included two multi-color imprints featuring the hotel branding on one side and their restaurant's branding on the opposite side. They chose the matte black option to make their colorful logos pop; however, there are several other colors and styles available to complement your branding.

Check out our video to learn more about the project.

Product Spotlight: 3 in 1 Lens Kit

Macro lens photo

In the age of social media, more and more people are considering themselves photographers, even if they're only armed with their smartphone camera. While most newer smartphones are able to take beautiful photos, especially with the help of filters and editing technology, there are some things a phone's camera just can't do, such as macro close ups. We found a great promo product that gives your phone's camera more capabilities. The 3 in 1 lens kit clamps over your phone's camera lens and turns it into either a macro lens, a wide angle lens, or a fisheye lens. The lenses easily screw into the clamp, so changing lenses is a breeze. The kit comes in a hard zipper case featuring your logo or brand message, but also includes a soft pouch that doubles as a lens cleaning cloth. The 3 in 1 lens kit is a fun and unique gift idea that we love.

Check out our video to see it in action!

Product Spotlight: Pitchfix Deluxe

Despite the recent snow here in Chicago, we know spring is just around the corner and it's the perfect time to start planning your spring and summer promotions. Last spring, we gave you an overview of our favorite golf promotions, and one of the products we mentioned was the Pitchfix Deluxe. This is a fantastic high end client gift, and a tool that every golfer will love. The set comes complete with a pro shop quality quick release divot tool and a set of three magnetic ball markers that attach to the divot tool. With the Pitchfix Deluxe, the tools are housed inside a sturdy metal gift canister, which can be branded with your logo in a dome label. Other packaging options are also available depending on the price point you want. Take a closer look at the Pitchfix Deluxe in our video below.

Product Spotlight: Travel Chargers

Some of the biggest sellers in the promotional products industry are tech accessories, such as phone chargers and battery banks. Today we're taking a closer look at two new dual use chargers that we really love. Check out our videos and let us know what you think of these new products.

The C300 is one of our new favorite items, because it doubles as a battery bank. We're a fan of most 2-in-1 products, and this is no exception. The dual functions make it perfect for traveling when packing space is tight. You can plug it into the wall to charge your phone, or simply use it as a portable battery bank when it's fully charged. We think it's genius!


The RK1000 is another great dual use charger that is ideal for travel. Instead of carrying your wall charger and your car charger, you can get both functions with the RK1000. The large imprint area is also a nice touch for promoting your brand; this would be a great trade show giveaway.

Product Spotlight: Dye Sublimated Embroidery

New dye sublimated embroidery techniques allow for amazing eye catching detail. Using dye sublimated ink jet printing technology, we can create unique and highly detailed designs that traditional embroidery can't replicate. With this technique, you still maintain the high-end look that embroidery provides while allowing high resolution details to stand out. Take a look at our video below to see an example of this new and innovative embroidery style.

Product Spotlight: Custom USB Drives

In the world of promotional products, USB drives have a long history. They are simple, yet effective. Because they are rarely discarded, your brand message lives on long after your client or prospect receives the flash drive. Even though USB drives are nothing new, manufacturers keep finding ways to upgrade or reinvent the flash drive. In the first video below, we show off some of our favorite unique designs. With everything from stock designs to fully custom mobile memory sticks, the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

But, the look of USB drives isn't the only thing changing in the world of mobile memory. The latest in flash drive technology is the USB C drive. It's smaller than the traditional USB port, and new mobile technology is using this new C drive with increasing frequency. Since older devices may not support this new technology yet, DBP has a solution that allows USB C drives and traditional USB drives to access the same information using a dual port thumb drive. Check out our second video below for more info on USB C technology!

Product Spotlight: Power Pack X500

The world of promotional products is certainly not lacking in tech items, so it's always fun when we find something unique and high quality that we can share with our clients. We came across this fantastic dual use power pack recently and needed to spread the word! It features a 6,600 mAh battery for charging electronic devices as well as a portable LED lantern. It's perfect for camping, power outages and safety kits. Check out our video to see it action!

Product Spotlight: Hi-Power Magnetic Emergency Light

A new item that we are very excited about is this great multi-function roadside safety flashlight. It features three functions: a high powered flashlight, LED lights down the side, and flashing red safety lights. A powerful magnet holds it to any metal surface, such as a car for roadside emergencies. It's bright side lights are a perfect hands-free way to light a dim work area like a basement, under a sink, or under the hood of your car. Keep it in your car, take it camping, or stash one at home; it's uses are nearly limitless.

Laser engraving along the side make it a unique promotional item that your clients or employees will use on a regular basis that will keep you in their minds long after they receive it. Check out our video below to see this great product in action!

Product Spotlight: 320GB Solid State Hard Drive

It never hurts to have a backup of your hard drive in case of a technical emergency. We have found the perfect tech accessory to keep your data safe, and also portable. The External Hard Drive N320 holds up to 320GB of data and features an auto-sleep function and low power consumption. This solid state hard drive includes a USB 3.0 data transfer cable and comes packaged in a white 2-piece gift box. The large imprint area allows for maximum visibility of your logo, which makes this a great tech gift for clients or your sales team.
Check out our video below to learn more about the N320 Hard Drive.

Product Spotlight: Slim Aluminum Power Bank

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to portable battery chargers, but we really love this new Slim Aluminum Power Bank. It comes in a hard gift case with a clear window and the charger itself is slim, sleek and lightweight so it fits nicely in a purse or briefcase. Choose from either black

or silver. It has a large imprint area and can be printed in full color.

Between the high quality and cost effective pricing, these are a perfect option for client gifts and prospect giveaways. Check out our video below to see more about these fantastic power banks!

It’s Time to Golf!

With the spring season comes golf season. Golf is a favorite sport for networking and fundraisers, as well as for personal enjoyment during down time. According to statista.com, the number of people who played golf in 2015 was estimated at 26 million! Using golf-related promotional products is a great way to get your brand in front of this market. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite golf products that our clients use.

Golf balls – since golf can’t be played without them, they are always in front of golfers. These are also a fantastic option for any budget level, since there’s such a wide range of options available.

Tee sets – tees are another great promo item that many golfers won’t golf without! We love these awesome Tee Shakers, which have a 360 degree wrap which allows for maximum branding potential. For a smaller option for tradeshow giveaways, these golf tee sets are a win.

Divot tools – we recently fell in love with the Pitchfix Classic Golf Divot Tool Deluxe Gift Set. The set comes in a round tin featuring your logo, and includes a spring release divot tool and three magnetized ball markers. It makes an excellent client gift! 

Golf towels – these are a tried and true standard for branded promotional golf products. Our favorite is the Anvil Deluxe with hook and grommet.

Cooling towels – following along the towel theme, these amazing cooling towels are perfect for a hot summer day on the green. The Keep It Cool Golf Kit has its own carrying case and even comes with two golf balls and five tees! It’s perfect not only for golfers, but anyone who wants to stay cool on a hot day.

Golf umbrellas – a vented golf umbrella, such as the Georgetown Folder Plus, is the perfect choice for golfing in a windy area. The vented mesh allows wind through while protecting you from the rest of the elements.

Sunscreen – everyone knows you should put sunscreen on before you head out to the course on a sunny day. The Double Eagle Golf Kit provides not only sunscreen, but also includes hand sanitizer, mints, lip balm and a luggage tag. We also love this Keychain sunscreen for an easy and portable option.

Visors – shield your eyes from the sun with customized visors. This Comfort Visor is a great cost effective option with a large logo imprint area. For a more stylish option, this cloth visor can be embroidered with your logo and people are sure to wear it for years!

Golf bag water cooler – staying hydrated on a hot summer day on the course can be difficult when Koozie Golf Bag Water Bottle Kooler is perfect for a day on the links. It looks like a mini golf bag and clips to your big golf bag with a metal carabiner.

all of your water has gotten warm, which is why the

Club covers – these Callaway Vintage Headcovers are a great way to get noticed! Attractive acrylic knit can be embroidered with your company logo, and the long neck provides extra protection for your clubs.

Battery banks – while you might not immediately think of battery banks when you think of golf, they are still a wonderful item to have on the course. A business meeting over golf could have an early end if your phone dies on the 9^th hole. Having one of these sleek battery packs could save you from running out of power at the wrong time!

Product Spotlight: 3D Laser Engraved Optical Crystal

When it comes to awards and recognition, it can be difficult to find the right balance between quality and price. That’s why we love these 3D laser engraved optical crystals. They are the perfect option for a high-quality and unique award or gift. Clients, employees or donors can be honored in an elegant way without sacrificing your whole budget. Optical crystal is different from glass or acrylic. Since it contains no mineral content, it is perfectly clear and colorless and suitable for 3D laser engraving.

The crystal keepsakes are available in a variety of shapes, from standard squares and rectangles to custom cuts such as waves or diamonds. They also come in functional designs such as wine stoppers, business card holders, or clocks. The 3D imaging options are nearly limitless and each piece is completely customizable. All that is needed is vector or line art of the image to be engraved; there is no set up for creation of the 3D art! Add surface engraved copy to personalize it. Each piece comes in a satin-lined and padded gift box for safe storage and shipping. Gift boxes are available imprinted as well.

The paperweight shown in the video starts as low as $20 per piece, but other options and price points are available. You are able to choose the shape, the 3D image, and the engraved copy on each award. It’s beautiful yet cost-effective with no order minimums. Contact us today for a quote, and check out our video below to see more about 3D laser engraved optical crystal.

How SMART is your Overall Marketing Effort?

Many believe that budgeting for and distributing corporate marketing materials and promotional items is part art and part science. However, one of the reasons why most marketing managers rely more on gut instinct for their marketing spend is that in many instances, real time data is hard to come by.

How easy is it to determine (1) how consistently are we using our promotional materials AND (2) how much of what materials are being used AND (3) exactly for what purpose. The marketing budget in most companies is significant. Managers are forced to rely on anecdotal data from the sales team on fulfilling their needs for printed marketing collateral and promotional items. This is a potentially wasteful and hard to trace. So there is a tendency to either throw unnecessary money at the problem or allocate the budget in a way that could be more effective given better data.

One of our successes at dbpchicago has been in helping our corporate clients to gain control over their marketing budgets and order economically with better data reporting. We call our program SMART, which stands for Supply chain Management and Requisition Tool.

In the simplest terms, we create a custom online order system for your corporate printing and promotional sales materials, and then help you excercise controls via access through cost center logins. We then overlay reporting functionality and control usage through predetermined budgets and order amounts.

The result is a win/win - where your sales team feels better serviced and more empowered, and management feels more in control of its marketing budget with less waste and better branding and control over its corporate identity standards.

For more information or questions on our SMART system, please email bobk@dbpchicago.com or call direct 312.377.6007.