Promotional Product Touchdowns!

Whether you’re a fan of football or not, you can’t help but feel the tension and the excitement that builds as the NFL playoffs lead up to the annual Super Bowl.  After all, Super Bowl Sunday is  practically a de facto American national holiday. 

Even if (like me) you don’t really understand the game, it’s a great reason to host a party.  In fact, Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption after Thanksgiving Day.  And, when it comes to television ratings, the Super Bowl doesn’t play second fiddle to anybody.  Watched by more than 111 million viewers, it is not only the most watched American sporting event, but the most watched television program of the year.  Even those who aren’t interested in the game want to see the half-time show (complete with the promise of fireworks and wardrobe malfunctions) as well as the creative commercial spots that everyone will talk about ’round the water cooler on Monday morning. 

Many people say that football is like life, and if you’re a Vince Lombardi fan, you can’t help but agree.  The legendary football coach is famous for his quotes like: “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work;”  ”If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm;” and “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” 

But, if I had to choose my favorite football quote, it would be this one:

 ”The reason women don’t play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public.” ~Phyllis Diller.

 Ms. Diller, I hear you!  No self-respecting lady wants to be seen wearing an outfit that looks just like somebody else’s, and as the Queen of Promotional Products, I don’t want you to have run-of-the-mill football themed promotional products either.  That’s why A Creative Touch offers more than 4,200 football-themed products to help you celebrate Super Bowl Sunday (and every other football game that leads up to it from Pee Wee football to college football to NFL league games). 

Here are just a few of the unique, creative football themed promotional items we can customize for you:  a football-shaped USB (great for tracking the office betting pool or keeping Fantasy football spreadsheets in one place); car antenna and auto accessories;  noisemakers, pom poms and cheering accessories; tailgating accessories; backpacks; football schedule magnets;  mini footballs; collapsible water bottles; sweatshirts; rain ponchos; spirit gear; lapel pins;  bobble heads and so much more.

NASCAR Lapel Pins

If you live in the South, you’ve always known NASCAR.  But over the past ten years, NASCAR  has become a household brand across the country. Nowadays, almost anybody can identify NASCAR as those guys racing at 200+MPH around an oval track. 

It’s a pretty extreme sport, and the drivers are usually great sportsmen and celebrities in their own right. As with any popular sport, memorabilia and collectibles are important to the fans. NASCAR is no exception.  NASCAR fans aren’t shy about showing their lovel of racing.  You can find shirts, hats, posters, and of course, lapel pins that feature favorite drivers for this beloved sport.

NASCAR collectible lapel pins (like the one shown here) are gaining in popularity and are a great idea for any lapel pin collector. You can focus on collecting a pin for each driver, and even past drivers, which could make for some more valuable collectibles.

In fact, lapel pins have been the linchpin of the NASCAR Foundation’s fundraising activities.  Each year, the foundation creates a new pin, making the pins a great collectible item.  The foundation offers official NASCAR Day pins (NASCAR Day is May 15th)  in exchange for a $5 donation.  The pins are sold at events and online as well as at select retail locations.

The NASCAR Foundation, is a non-profit organization that seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support nonprofit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation.  Their emphasis is placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. 

Celebrities likw Will Ferrell, Kelly Clarkson, and Kevin Costner have all contributed their star power as spokespeople for the NASCAR Foundation.  The NASCAR Foundation began in 2004, and has already raised more than $6.5 million for the Children’s Miracle Network and other children’s charities. 

Looks like it’s not just NASCAR race cars that have lots of power; so do lapel pins!

The Ramen Noodle Lapel Pin

There are lapel pins to promote everything, so why not ramen noodles?
If you’ve ever lived in a college dorm or gone sofa-diving for quarters, you’re probably familiar with ramen. Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish that consists of broth, noodles, shredded vegetables and meat. You can find fresh ramen noodle stands all over Japan, where every town and city has its own regional variation on the dish.
In 1958, instant ramen noodles were introduced to the marketplace by Nissin Foods. Named the greatest Japanese invention of the 20th century in a Japanese poll, instant ramen allowed anyone to make this popular noodle dish simply by adding boiling water. Ramen in its dried, packaged form is very inexpensive. This explains why ramen is associated with poverty and struggling students–it provides basic nutrition on a limited budget.
Ramen is now a Japanese cultural icon. In fact, in 1994, a Ramen museum opened in Yokohama, Japan. In the museum, there is a Nissin Cup Noodles factory where visitors can make their own instant ramen to take home. Visitors get to design the packaging, choose the ramen flavor, and pick up to four ingredients. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Of course, the ramen may be inexpensive, but the trip to Japan may set you back a few yen.
As for the ramen lapel pin, it costs $5 (including shipping), about the equivalent of a week’s worth of ramen noodle meals.

The Magic of Pin Trading

Collectible lapel pins have been popular Disney souvenirs for decades, but it wasn’t until October 1999, to mark their Millennium Celebration, that The Walt Disney Company introduced the now wildly popular phenomenon of Disney pin trading.

Not surprisingly, when Disney does something they go all out. They have thought of everything for this theme-park-inspired sport, including an official pin trading etiquette guide!

To join in the Disney pin-trading fun, you have to start with something to trade. If you don’t already have a Disney collectible pin, you can get started with a handy starter set, a lanyard and four collectible pins. Pin traders wear the lanyards around their necks, using them to display their pins. Others secure their collectible lapel pens to hats, vests or sashes. Pins not intended for trading can be attached with secure screw-on locking backs which prevent them from becoming accidentally dislodged while riding the attractions or walking through the park. Pins for trading are best left with the original backs, which are easily removed.

To execute a trade, you simply approach another pin-displaying guest or a Disney Cast Member and make your request. Guests at the park can decline a trade, but Cast Members cannot refuse. In fact, they are required to make at least two trades per day!

Trading pins are available at kiosks in the park, at Disney stores, in the resorts, and online. Thousands of pins have been produced since the trading program began, featuring everything Disney—from characters to movies to theme park attractions. They range in price, style and availability, including special limited-edition pins. Each one bears a stamp on the back that details important collector information such as the limited edition number and copyright.

There is an entire culture around pin-trading and lots of terminology specific to Disney pin trading. For example, there is a limited edition “surprise” pin known as Wet Paint. Only one thousand of these pins, depicting the wet paint sign used at Walt Disney World were produced. They were introduced as a “surprise” at certain kiosks and store and they are highly coveted. In fact, it is referred to as the Holy Grail and it typically sells for more than $200 on sites like eBay.

Another pin highly coveted by traders is the “Continuing the Pin Trading Tradition” pin. This pin cannot be purchased. It is awarded to guests by Cast Member Leaders at Disney resorts when they witness positive Disney Pin Trading etiquette or when they see a guest promoting the spirit of Disney Pin Trading. Disney has indeed worked its magic, creating an entire kingdom of faithful subjects who are devoted to the thrill of pin-trading. You can learn even more about the Magic Kingdom of Disney pin trading by clicking here.

20 Reasons for Lapel Pins

I love lapel pins because they an unobtrusive and tasteful way to make a statement about your beliefs, affiliations, and values.

These hard-working little metal billboards are one of the most low-cost, yet effective ways to deliver a message. They’re also excellent conversation starters, instant builders of camaraderie, and strong visual messages.

Looking for a reason to wear a lapel pin? I’ve got plenty for you.

You can wear a lapel pin to:

20. Dress Up or Decorate Your Lapel
19. Brag About Receiving Special Employee Recognition or a Prestigious Award
18. Identify Your Membership in a Fraternity or a Sorority
17. Demonstrate Your Affiliation with a Professional Organization
16. Support a Charity or a Cause
15. Cheer for a Sports Team
14. Show Your Holiday Spirit
13. Commemorate an Anniversary
12. Celebrate Your First Parachute Jump, Kayaking Adventure, or Yoga Retreat
11. Show That You’ve Joined a Club
10. Break the Ice at a Networking Event
9. Promote Your Business
8. Create Awareness About Breast Cancer, AIDS, Autism, etc.
7. Prove That You’ve Been to a Museum, the Hard Rock Café, Disneyworld, etc.
6. Encourage Pin Collectors and Traders to Trade with You
5. Promote a Sale, a Special Promotion, or an Upcoming Event
4. Identify Yourself as a Conference or Trade Show Attendee
3. Show Your Loyalty to a Branch of the Military or a Civic Organization
2 Advertise Your Interests, Hobbies, and Beliefs
1. Show Your Patriotism

So what are you waiting for? Give me a call and we’ll help you design your own personal lapel pin billboard today!

McFred and his McPins

Prick Fred Huebner with a pin, and you’d surely find McDonald’s flowing in his blood. Huebner, a McDonald’s franchise owner based in Garner North Carolina has worked for the fast-food giant since he was a student in high school. He financed his way through college working as a part-time swing manager for the chain, later accepting a full-time position with the company. When he became an operator in 1986, Fred had already been working with McDonald’s for fourteen years.

Although Huebner owned a small collection of McDonald’s award pins from his early days with the franchise, it wasn’t until his coin and stamp collections were stolen during a home break-in that he decided to shift his collector’s passion to McDonald-themed pins. Huebner says: “I figured I should work on a collection that people wouldn’t want to steal, and if they did, I’d know exactly where to find it”. He adds: “I also liked the idea that the pins were small, so I would be able to collect a bunch of them.” “A bunch” is a bit of an understatement:

Today, the McBurglar would have a difficult time sneaking off with Fred’s collection of almost 30,000 pins neatly displayed in cases that line the walls of his corporate office. His collection also includes over a half million duplicate pins that he uses for trading or for sale. The collection spreads to every room in the building, except his wife’s office. After living with Fred’s growing collection in her home for years (it took up three entire rooms), she wants all of her space to be lapel-pin free!

There is little doubt that Huebner owns the world’s largest collection of McDonald’s-themed pins: about 10 years ago, there were 3 other collectors in the United States who were contenders, but Fred, unlike his colleagues, has taken full advantage of the internet to further expand with his own website. Still, Fred insists that there are a few pins missing from his collection: “I’m still trying to get a regional award pin from Albany, New York. It is shaped like a Buccaneer ship with five canon holes. McDonald’s employees or owner/operators used to receive the pin as their first award, and then, each time they earned an additional award, the canon hole would be filled with a precious stone. I have a Buccaneer ship with 5 rubies in the canon holes, but I’m missing one with 5 diamonds. Most people don’t like to get rid of awards pins.”

Fred’s stories about his lapel pins are fascinating, even if you’re not a part of the McDonald’s family. He considers the crown jewel of his collection to be a 100,000 Club 10-carat gold pin with a slashed arch logo that Ray Kroc (McDonald’s founder) used to give as an award to restaurants in the 1950’s for selling 100,000 hamburgers in a month. “I would have easily paid almost $500 for that pin”, explains Fred, “but I was lucky to find my first one for just $75.”

In addition to collecting pins, Fred has also been inspired to design lapel pins over the years. He has created a “Fries Pin Collection” for his team of employees that is very meaningful to him, and he is the wit behind many of the most comical pins in recent McDonald’s history. For example, during the infamous O.J. Simpson trial, one of O.J.’s alibis was that at the time of the murders, he was in the drive-thru at McDonald’s. In response, Huebner created a pin that reads: “I saw O.J. at McDonald’s!”.

The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal inspired Huebner to create a lapel pin that says: “I never touched her fries!” And, a few years ago, when Burger King introduced its so-called Stealth Fries in attempt to seize the “Best Fries” title from McDonald’s, Fred cheered on his company with a flurry of lapel pins that imagined what celebrities would say about McDonald’s fries. From “I’ll be back—for fries” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to “The fries have left the building” (Elvis), the entire series is inspired.

Huebner will readily trade any pin  for which he has multiples. As for the future of his collection, he imagines that one day it will end up in the McDonald’s museum archives near Chicago. Until then, Fred plans to keep on collecting. As for me, I’m planning a visit to Exit 312 off of I-40 where I plan to eat some delicious McDonald’s French fries and marvel at McFred’s McPins in person!

Did You Earn Your Wings?

 Aah, the good ol’ days….I travel extensively and these days we’re lucky if the airline gives us a bag of pretzels and something to drink.  But do you remember the days when the airlines used to serve food on real china with real silverware?  Or the era when you could still get pillows and blankets and slippers without flying first class?

The airlines used to treat children well too.  As a kid it was so exciting to fly the friendly skies knowing that your reward would be a set of plastic wings “just like” the ones the pilots wore on their uniforms.  Didn’t every child dream of becoming a pilot or a flight attendant after receiving a junior wings lapel pin?

Those airline lapel wings are now pieces of nostalgia sought after by collectors.  Manufacturers started issuing lapel pins in the 1930’s.  Today there are over 900 known types of junior wings.  They have been made from cast metal, stamped tin, plastic, cloth, paper and vinyl.  Small plastic wings sell for about $1 each on the collectibles market whereas metal wings command about $25 a pair.  As for those childhood memories?  Well, they’re priceless.

Welcome To Our Blog

A Frog, A Prince, and The Queen of Lapel Pins

Hi there and welcome to my blog. I’m R. Renée Jones aka The Lapel Pin Queen. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking that being the queen of lapel pins is rather insignificant. That wearing such a title is akin to being the Worm Gruntin’ Queen or the Queen of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

But as any good queen will tell you, we women who are bestowed with royal titles take our duties very seriously! Although lapel pins are small (usually no more than an inch in height), they are far from insignificant.

Lapel pins have a rich history (for example, did you know that they have been an important part of every American war?). Furthermore, lapel pins are an unobtrusive and tasteful way to make a statement about your beliefs, affiliations, and values. Ask people about the pins they wear on their lapels, and you’ll most likely get engaging stories and deeper insight into them. Lapel pins are powerful and impactful; they are excellent conversation starters, instant builders of camaraderie, and strong visual messages.

That’s why I have taken it upon myself to exalt these hard-working little metal icons. This blog will be devoted to their world and to the worlds of the people who wear, collect and trade lapel pins. I will endeavor to share the stories behind the pins while sharing the history, etiquette, manufacturing techniques and newest innovations behind these hard-working messengers that grace the suits and shirts and hats and lanyards of people all over the world.

I encourage you to send me a photo of your favorite lapel pin and the story behind it so I can feature it here on this blog. And in that spirit, I thought I’d share the meaning behind one of the lapel pins that means the most to me. It belongs to princely husband, Robert.

I met my husband through my involvement with the Disabled Americans Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA), an organization that is near and dear to my heart. Robert and I had our second date at a DAV and DAV Auxiliary convention in Puerto Rico.

While on that date, we learned about the legend of the coqui frog. The coqui is a small tree frog indigenous to the Puerto Rican rain forest. It is a tiny little thing, but it makes a loud two-toned sound from dusk to dawn that sounds like this: ko-kee. The sound is beloved by the people of Puerto Rico because, according to local legend, ko-kee or “co-qui” means “I love you.”

After our special second date, Robert decided to wear a coqui frog every day on his lapel as a symbol of his love for me.  He still wears it to this day.  Ask my husband why he is wearing a frog on his shirt, jacket or lab coat and he’ll tell you a story about a frog, a prince, and The Queen of Lapel Pins.