Promotional Marketing & Employee Empowerment Case Studies

One of our manufacturing clients called us to create an updated suggestion program campaign in their plant.

We put together for them several ideas around the theme “Aim High---“ We created messaging that encouraged everyone to share their ideas on where the plant could look for ways to reduce scrape and improve quality.

These were a few of the posters. We then produced t-shirts, baseball caps and flash drives that were given to everyone who submitted an idea.

Our client thanked us for again coming through for them.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

We got a call from Becton, Dickinson Co for a very unusual award they designed but couldn’t find anyone who could produce it because of its complexity. The award was for attendees to an important conference they were having and the design was important to them. We looked at it and thought Wow this is really nice and worked it out coming up with a way it could be produced. They purchased 60 of them and we got a re-order the next year. The third year they asked for a new design. We developed a concept they liked and gave us a 3^rd and 4^thyear order.

The client is very happy with us and we’re looking forward to more projects with them.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

We, ourselves, like to give clients little gifts that can mean a lot.

We use this little talking button to tell our clients when they touch the button: “Thank you, We make a good team.” We sometimes let our products do the talking for us.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

One of Googles advertising agencies called us and had a very special project that they were having trouble finding a good solution for. The wanted to take a new logo Google developed for doubleclick and create a new unique award around it. We thought the double circle logo was very unique and said “Sure, let us think about it”.

They sent us a concept for the award which had no way of being manufactured.
That day and the next day we discussed this with our designers and came up with this 2 piece double circles and figured how we can make them come together as a puzzle might.  The darker green circle fits within a cavity of the lighter green. They loved our solution and the same day gave us the go ahead to proceed. Production tool 15 days and they had several very cool new awards for senior executives.

Coming up with unique awards is our passion.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

A promoter of a popular national Gamer competition called with what he said was a dream award he wanted to give to the main winner of his yearly competition.

He had this idea sketched up that included a large dragon hovering over a big castle and a village. He had gone everywhere to try to get this done and everyone said it would be too difficult and refused the project. He then found us hoped we could do it. It was an incredible concept and we challenged ourselves to come up with a solution. Our designers went back and forth with our our production people on just what shapes could be molded separately and assembled to become the award.

Working with our client, our designer and our production people we came up with what you see here and the client loved the end results. He said it exceeded by far what he had hoped to finally get. He’s in his 8th year of giving out this award and he says the winners play all out to win it.

We are not your average trophy company. Our experience and capabilities have earned us many of the world’s largest organizations as clients. Review our web site and I promise you’ll be pleased.

We don’t believe in hope but we make other people’s hopes happen.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

We have created many of the energy conservation employee awareness programs used by General Motors over the past 40 years.

One of the divisions wanted to have a rotating plaque that would go from plant to plant as a reward for a previous months best practices improvement. We discussed the importance of an award that would ship well and stay looking good. We came up with this double sided framed award and they loved it. We used a theme graphics that we were using in the plant to reinforce the message of stop energy waste for our children’s sake.

For several years, each division plant made every effort to have that award on their manager’s desk.

For us it’s very simple. We work hard not to just provide a product but to become part of our client creative team and provide real solutions to real problems.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

We got a call from the nicest person you’d ever want to talk to. She was so sincere, sweet and straight forward. But she had a problem. In just three weeks she needed to ship off to Africa a series of awards for major donors and she at this time had not even started the process. She said that these awards were for very distinguished people and the awards had to be extra special.

We talked about the organization and it’s achievements, mission and goals. We brainstormed different ideas until I told her I had enough of the concept to get back to her with an idea.

After discussing the situation with our design team, we developed an idea that when we showed it to our client, she only wanted to change a couple colors and the arrangement of words.

We went from first call to final shipment in just 2 weeks. When she received the awards she was just thrilled. Sometimes when people ask us what we do we just say “ Create Thrills”.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

Yes we can!

We get calls all the time from organizations wanting to focus attention and boost the enthusiasm of their people towards an important initiative. We developed the theme “Yes we can” for one of our clients and have since used it many times with others. Here’s an example of this theme you can use as is or we can change it in any way to better serve your needs.

Whatever you’re trying to do a “We can do it” attitude goes a long way to making the difficult easier, more doable and even adds some fun and enthusiasm to the initiative.

Our creative team is experienced and can work with you to develop this message into an awareness campaign that gives your people a more cohesive feeling of TEAM and a feeling of “We know what we have to do so let’s get it done. Call us to make it happen because… Yes we can.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

A quality process department manager of one of our General Motors plants we worked with contacted us from an internal referral. She wanted to have a short term kick off campaign celebrating their year of record breaking quality improvement statistics.

She said she was impressed with what we had helped her plant accomplish in the areas of stopping energy waste and reinvigorating their recycling program.

She wanted a positive American theme that they could then build on in the future.

We put together several ideas for you and these are a few of the products she had us produce.

The clocks were given to every manager and were proudly displayed in their offices. We created several posters and banners which you can see here. The round decals, coffee mugs and t-shirts were given to all the employees in the plant.

Our definition of quality is exceeding our client’s expectations.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

A coffee delivery company who was trying to create more traction and business in its community came to us and asked for advice.

We worked with them on creating a more attractive logo that would better resonate with people and create more rapport.

Of course, we suggested that they give current and prospective customers a better quality coffee mug and of course they loved the logo and the mug with their new logo on it. We also suggested they provide for a short time paper napkins and coffee coasters to their customers.

They came back and told us that this new kickoff has put them in a new game and are thrilled with the results.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

One of our auto plant clients had their environmental manager contact us who wanted to reinforce their recycling program with an employee awareness campaign.

Karen told us that they had a good process in place but were not getting the participation they had hoped for. They had very little budget but needed a big idea that could make a difference.

We came up with strong graphics showing a dramatic view of the world with “Reduce Reuse Recycle and the word Respect”. We did other variations also. The client liked it and we proceeded. After several months of exposure they called and asked for us to create a new theme that would last for a full year.

We came up with a concept using an elephant and its reputation for having a long memory. After all, what we wanted the employees to do is to “Never forget to recycle”.

Additionally, we created posters, banners, mugs, sticky note magnets and key chains as a start to the program.

The client has referred us to other peers and we continue to grow.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

A client called us, they wanted our help to stop injuries from happening in their manufacturing plant. Every time there is an injury, OSHA steps in and demands a solution. If this type of meeting occurs too often, there are huge money penalties.

Since we already helped them reduce energy waste and promote recycling awareness programs, they came to us to look for safety ideas and solutions.

During the phone call, we started asking about the types of injuries and activities that were leading to the problem. Our creative team learned about the specific kind of activities people were doing and how their reduced focus could lead to injuries.

Right away, we discussed creating an ongoing consistent campaign that would need to be very unique and visual and required messages to come through every day, so employee saw them every day. The company completely agreed.

We also discussed how reducing injuries reduces the expenses for the company. Workman's compensation and time off waste a lot of money. By lowering these two items in the budget, the company had more money to spend on employee reward programs, and this makes employees happier.


Taking The Next Step

Our clients specifically requested that the messages be cartoonish, yet clear. Within a few days, we had the first draft of a series of posters to hang in crucial work areas that remind the employees of the importance of safety and how injuries effected them and the company.

One specific injury we started with, foot injuries, was handled in the following way. We used a many legged insect to make the point of the importance to wear appropriate footwear.

A second poster concept was of a parent bird feeding its babies. Making the point that injuries sometimes more affect others than yourself, resonates more and makes a more memorable reminder.

Along with the posters we suggested they present their safety issues in various media including matching banners, displays, t-shirts, key chains, magnets, and decals. Insert keychain and other product images here. And we included email and pay envelope messaging as further efforts to take.

The client in some cases made wording changes we went into production. We worked with them on a timing schedule when things would be put up in the plant. They gave us an okay to proceed.

At the end of the two weeks, everything was printed, and out for delivery. It was a multi-phase plan that the company could implement over time and repeated over time to introduce new employees to the procedures.

The Final Results was that the client informed us after several months that they had already made back the money invested in the program and just as importantly their workforce enjoyed the ideas we used.

The company reinvested some of the saved money into a very simple reward program that we helped them implement that included using some of our animal themes on travel mugs, t-shirts and usb drives that everyone liked. This campaign produces consistent and reliable results that save money, increase employee happiness, and keep people safe.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

Johnson Controls called us to get us involved in working with them and the Ann Arbor, Mi school district. They called us because of what they heard about through other school districts they worked with that had also worked with us.

The school district wanted to reduce their energy bills and do it by engaging their faculty and students to look for and stop energy waste wherever they can.

We put together a program that went for two years and it included several elements.

We did many things that were used separately and together to engage and get participation of their students and faculty.

We designed and produced a portable table top display which included a built in computer monitor to show videos of activities the students got involved in. We included a custom table cloth for the display that said “ What are you doing today to SAVE ENERGY?

We created a 12 month calendar that had energy related pictures and ideas to inspire the students to get involved.

This poster was designed and placed in all the schools that emphasized the mission that ever student and faculty could participate in which was, “make sure lights and machines were turned off when not being used”.

We reinforced that message with these sticky notes and pencils that were given out to all student and faculty. The faculty would use the sticky notes to place by lights they found turned off with a thank you message they would over-write as needed.

We created many other posters that were used during the year. Here are two more examples.

We suggested to them creating a silicon bracelet that would be given to all the students that said “BE SUSTAINABLE”. They had us proceed with the bracelets and for the year the bracelets were worn by a good many of the students.

This project again led us to other Ann Arbor school projects and other school districts. Win Win for everyone.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

It all starts with an idea. Every day, we get phone calls from clients that talk about their needs for conserving energy, promoting ideas, increasing quality or having an event. Together with these clients, we come up with new and invigorating ways to stimulate not only the initial goal but create a comprehensive plan that accomplishes the goal far better than one single piece.

It sounds intimidating, and it can be. We excel at making it easy and helping you create a plan that works for both your goal and your budget.

What we're going to do right now is take you through a case study that shows how one simple idea can grow into a cost-effective and money saving plan. AwarenessIdeas is a complete solution company, and we take pride and making our customers happy and efficient.

About three years ago, we were contacted by a University that merely asked us for stock light switch decals for the residence halls. They wanted to remind students to turn off the lights, a straightforward and inexpensive project.

The First Phone Call

When the university called us up, all they wanted was the decals.

At AwarenessIdeas, our conversations tend to run a little deeper. We know what most companies want is to create change and save money. Because of our decades in business, we have thousands of ideas of how to do both.

We start by learning more about what’s happening that they want to change. We began asking questions about the actions causing the problem, reason for the change, and what their final goal was. We want to know the ‘why’ so we can help with the ‘how.’

Our questions seek the details for a purpose.

Was it just the students leaving the lights on? Was there a targeted energy consumption decrease or a specific financial issue? Was this a desire to be eco-friendly?

As it turned out all of these questions were just what they wanted to do. We found out what they wanted to happen and we were able to put together a plan to make it happen.

They wanted to reduce spending on energy as the primary motivator. They knew they had a problem. It was a relief and comfort to the University that we understood their underlying request and could help them with more than just the decals.

Taking The Next Step

The university was very pleased that it took us only two business days to go from questions and brainstorming to the first steps in the master plan. We suggested using their team mascot along with their “Please turn off the lights” and they were enthusiastic about getting their team involved. We also suggested that with the decals that they let us design a few posters that would reinforce the same message. They liked that idea also. It took us 1 day to design the posters and since we print them ourselves they were shipped within 2 days

The energy decals and posters for the students hall was a good first step, and we able to produce them very quickly. We also explored with them the idea of creating a consistent message across the campus that promotes proactive behavior for energy consumption: turning off the lights.

The university agreed that there were many others places where there were energy losses that could be mitigated. The plan we created together covered those others places.

Creating Awareness

As we continue talking with University, we wanted to make sure that all members became involved. This included the administration, staff, teachers, and students. We worked closely with each group to create and institute a clear mission statement so that each could take responsibility and pride in their University.

This mission statement got distributed through multiple media outlets including television, email, and text messaging. It provided a consistent message for the type of behavior that the university wanted to see. The first step was just turning off the lights.

Change is difficult, however seeing a consistent message and having people called upon to take responsibility reinforces the desire to do good. Telling people what needs to occur is one thing. Getting them to embrace that change is another.

It became a source of pride and accomplishment for people to turn the lights off. The call to action resonated with the younger generation who is concerned with environmental conservation and social wellbeing.

The students became one of the chief advocates for turning off the lights. With our help, the source of the University’s concern became the leading taskforce for energy reduction. ?????

Once the students became proactive in monitoring their energy consumption, they took on a whole new element of caring for public areas, individual residence halls, and even classrooms.

Part of the plan included seeking out and observing the actual conduction systems for electric, water, and heat. All of these consume precious energy resources, however many of them were not monitored well.

The university then wanted to introduce a plan with the maintenance department to monitor and record problems with leaks and damage. This plan was then presented to the faculty and students, encouraging them to submit pictures and maintenance reports when they saw the leaks and waste. The maintenance team now had thousands of eyes watching for loss and could respond to leaks quickly.

Most of the solutions AwarenessIdeas provided had little cost output for the University. Certainly the savings in energy and campus enthusiasm more than offset the costs. For example, we recommended forming an environmental committee that would include faculty, staff, teachers, and students. They would monitor the initiates and create new plans. The University ordered from us badges, headwear, t-shirts and polo shirts with the words Energy Team printed on them and gave them to volunteers. Everyone was getting excited.

Another application we recommended was the implementation of contests to promote environmental awareness issues and energy conservation. Many of the students competed because they wanted to win the small mugs and magnets that we were able to produce for the University at a minimal cost.

The Final Result

Although the university did not provide us a dollar amount the program generated, they did tell us that what they were spending for the promotional items and the power saving decals was far less than the savings on their energy bill. They also noticed overall awareness and unity on the campus when it comes to energy conservation and working together.

They agreed it took work and cooperation, and the value went far beyond the savings. The University won by saving money and gaining cooperation.

AwarenessIdeas continues to work with this University on energy, water and recycling issues. We now also work with them on planned events and supply them with displays, table cloths, handouts and decorations. and we provide them many smaller awards & promotional items that promote energy conservation and cooperation within the student body and staff.
We won because we created the awareness to protect the environment and have a customer that is happy.

The students won because they are more aware of their actions, take pride in their campaigns for energy awareness, and many gained confidence being on the committees. Together, we created leaders and professionals for tomorrow.

It started with a decal. We asked the right questions to uncover the problem. Together, we formulated the plan of action. Finally, everyone is a winner by promoting conservation, saving money, and creating a united assembly.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

An Auto supply plant asked us to develop a waste reduction awareness program. They said they want one that would get attention, cut through the mind maze of continuous plant messages, have an impact and be remembered.

We talked to them about how so many poster messages just get lost in a plant environment and that we’d like to come up with an idea that would be different, be talked about and be remembered. They said yes, that’s what we’re talking about. We also discussed how it takes a team made up of individuals all sticking their necks out to make a difference, that in the end create positive results.

With that as input, a couple days later we created graphics and product for them to consider. They were very excited about the concept, made some product suggestions and tag line changes and told us to proceed. Within one week they had their posters on the walls and within 2 more weeks they were handing out awards for waste reduction ideas and efforts.

For eighteen months this client would call for more ideas with the same theme.

You can count on us to always stick our necks out for you and to become a valuable part of your creative team.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

Yum corp wanted to do something unique for their Kentucky fried Chicken Super Performers.

They told us they were impressed with our web site and wanted to see what we could develop for them. After talking back and forth we suggested an award that would have a spinning globe and messaging acknowledging the people responsible for “World Class Operations”.

The next day we showed them a design concept we developed for them and they simply fell in love with it.

Each recipient had their name etched into the surface and we’re told that to this day this award is one of their favorites.

This award has led us to several other award projects we have done for them. All the parties are pleased.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]

I got a call one day from a marketing director who asked me if I could reproduce an award in the shape of a Zico water bottle. I asked her to send me a photo of the bottle as we talked discussed further the size she wanted, how many, any colors, what’s the inscription and logo if any, etc.

Two minutes later I received the photo and because we have done so many other bottle shapes I was able to tell her “yes we can do it”. Then she asks, can we have them in hands in 9 days. Now that’s not easy to off the cuff say yes.

I got off the phone, called my production people and heard them say “are you kidding”. Of course I said I wasn’t and asked if we could juggle things around and make this happen. An hour later they called me back and said OK, they worked it out, but I should not take it for granted that they could always do that. I reminded them that they were geniuses and hero makers and gave them a big thank you.

I called my clients back and all within a few hours we made another miracle happen.

Copyright 2018 AwarenessIDEAS.com  800-875-1725  [email protected]  [email protected]