Real rain. Real good marketing.

This morning, in our little corner of south west London, it’s raining. But looking for an umbrella as I left the house, I was reminded of how effective a really good promotional item can be. When everyone’s talking about social media, the Buyersphere and the web generation, it’s heart-warming to know that the real, tangible side of marketing is still alive, well and that there are people going beyond the usual ‘giveaway’ fare we are all so used to.

The umbrella I grabbed was one given to me by my friend Paul Stevenson, who runs a small marketing agency in Devon called Wall-To-Wall-Sunshine. As the name suggests, the company is all about positivity, energy and enthusiasm, offering small businesses a cost-effective way to inject life into their marketing. And putting the umbrella up against the elements, I ‘got’ the brand instantly. Sober and black on the outside, the inside carried the agency logo against a backdrop of dazzling orange. By giving you the umbrella, Paul is inviting you to carry a little ‘wall-to-wall-sunshine’ around with you. No gaudy logo on the outside, the sunshine is for you, Mr Client. A great reminder of the brand, and a few promotional quid very well spent.