by Kirby Hasseman
As you might expect, my team and I get to see the latest and greatest promo! We have a ton of great suppliers that work with us to make sure we have “seen it all.” With that in mind, sometimes I become jaded. I feel like I have seen every t-shirt, tumbler and cooler in the world. I mean, why would I need another? Recently I had the opportunity to work with one of our great clients (McWane Ductile) on their vendor golf outing. They always create a first class event. In order to make the event extra special, we partnered with our supplier Imagen Brands to create a “Hit it to Win it” contest on one of the Par 3’s on the course. The concept goes like this, we have some amazing logo’d products and we place them all over the green. (No, we did not impede a hole in one). Then if the participant hits one of the items, they get them! It was a lot of fun. (And yes there will be a video soon). I tell you this story to tell you this one; I found my new favorite cooler in the process! This is the cooler I did not know I needed. But I do! The Coleman 36-Hour 42 Can Marine Soft Cooler has an awesome look (that’s what got my attention first). The logo just pops off here and gets your attention right away. But in addition, I love the size! It’s just right for a trip out in the woods, at the golf course or out on the boat. In addition it keeps the ice in the cooler for up to 36 hours! Finally, I dig the top hatch for easy access to those cold beverages on a hot day! So take it or leave it. But I love it. As I said, I didn’t know I “needed” this cooler. But I know now! For more information on the cooler, check out this link. And make sure you never miss an update. It might be content. It might be product. But we hope to bring you value every day. Sign up for the VIP newsletter here. Oh…and shop for more products here.
by Kirby Hasseman
When I think of Tailgating, I think of fun. Whether it’s grilling food, cold drinks or just spending time outdoors, the thought of a good tailgate brings a smile to my face. So Tailgating (and other outdoor events) can be a great time to bond with the team or create experiential marketing for customers! But what do you need to make sure you hit the mark? Here are a few great products that will make your company event a home run! Coleman Oversized Cooler Quad Chair: If you are spending time outside, you will need a place to sit right? This is a great option. Not only does it have a cooler built into the arm (that holds 4 cans plus ice, but it’s also big enough to hold a full size person! Coleman 60 Quart Wheeled Cooler: You want to make sure you don’t run out of cold beverages. This Coleman cooler holds plenty of liquid! But don’t worry, the handle and wheels make it easy to move from place to place! Caps Off Spinner: Okay…this is just fun. This combination fidget spinner is also a bottle opener! Not only can you open the beverage of your choosing…but it’s fun to play with too! Giant Tumble Tower Game: And speaking of fun…it’s great to have a few games to play at any outdoor event. This Tumble Tower Game will provide fun for kids of all ages. Multi-Q Grilling Tool: This multi-tool is for the grill master! It includes a spatula, grill fork and a basting brush in one compact unit. It’s fun AND substantial. Nice for when you never know when you might happen upon a party and need to grill some meat! 20 Oz Keeper Cup: And of course you will need something to drink from! This 20 oz Keeper cup is really nice for the price. It’s a nice plastic cup that will last! 16 oz Stack Pint: But if you want to take your tumbler up a notch, this Stack Pint is awesome. It’s double wall and vacuum sealed and features a stackable design. This thing will keep your beverages cold and will not sweat! This is Tailgating in style! These are 7 products that are sure to be a hit at your next tailgate or any outdoor event. If you want more ideas, please let us know! And if you want to make sure you never miss an update, sign up for our VIP newsletter here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Recently I joined a team of “Swag Warriors” to take on the first every PromoXperience with Dana Zezzo and Imagen Brands. We had an amazing team of runners to take on the Ragnar Trail Run in Arizona. Read more about the entire experience here. But if you want to take on a challenge like this, you are going to need two things. The first is an amazing team. We had that (watch the video here). But the second necessity is the right gear! Thanks to Crown Products, Vitronic and S & S Activewear, we were ready to go. Here is a list of the “Essential Ragnar Swag!” Coleman 60 Quart Cooler: When it comes to the Ragnar Relay, you are camping. So you need a place to keep food and drinks! The Coleman 60 Quart Cooler was a must. We stored our cold cuts, other food, Gatorade, and yes, beer, in this spacious beast. And with the wheels, it was not too much to move around. Click here for more information. Coleman Mesh Quad Chair: Yes you want a nice comfy place to sit. But we were in the desert! That mesh back was wonderful to keep cool. And with the ability to quickly breakdown and set up, it was great when we had to “claim our spot” or get ready to pack up! Click here to learn more. Jersey Mesh Cap: One of my unexpected favorites was the Jersey Mesh Cap (click here to learn more). The lightweight comfy cap was perfect for to keep the sun out of your eyes in the bright mid day sun! Click here for pricing. 18 oz. Viking Water Bottle: I was really surprised at how perfect and versatile this piece was when you are on a campsite. We all know the Viking is great for keeping coffee hot for hours…and this will do that. But it’s also great for keeping your water cold in the desert sun! Oh…and that lid is great for carrying (and keeping dirt out of the water!). Click here for more information. Athletic Cool Down Collar: Have I mentioned that we were running in the desert? Yeah. So we needed to work to keep cool. I put this cool down collar in the ice from the Coleman Cooler and wore this as a headband. This collar was awesome for those runs in the middle of the day! Click here for more info. Polyester Sport T-Shirt: So what shirt do you wear on the Ragnar? S & S Activewear provided these great performance t-shirts! Affordable and comfortable, you need something that will breathe when you are running over 15 miles of trails! This shirt did the trick for sure! Colorblock Hooded Fleece: Yes it is hot during the day. But the desert gets cool in the evening (especially after a long run). So I was super happy to have this comfy (and great looking) hooded fleece piece. Great to take the edge off the cool (or to get ready and warm up), this hoodie was a home run! This was an amazing experience…and I am glad I was able to be a part of it. But it would NOT have been the same without the great gear! Want to create an adventure? This list is a great place to start when you outfit your team! Never miss an update! Sign up for our VIP list here!
by Kirby Hasseman
What an adventure! What an experience! What a team! Wow…was I ever out of my comfort zone! On November 2-4, I was honored to be a part of a group of 8 promotional products professionals that gathered together to take on the Ragnar Relay Trail run. Dana Zezzo from Imagen Brands headed up this amazing effort that put the idea of a true “Field Test” for Promo Premiums to the test. Watch the video here. The team consisted of Dana Zezzo and Ryan Meulemans from Imagen Brands (Crown and Vitronic), Joe Durham from Halo Branded Solutions, William Adair and Les Edwards from Proforma, Jimmy Visney RLK & Associates, David Schultz from Distributor Central and yours truly. In order to complete the Ragnar Relay challenge, each member of the group needed to run 3 different challenging loops, of 4.1, 4.7 and 6.7 miles respectively. The terrain was rocky, steep and challenging. And once the group started running (I kicked us off at 10am on November 3), someone on the team was running non-stop until we finished them all! I was so impressed with the team. From the very beginning of setting up camp, everyone pitched in. As we pulled into the drop off area, we had to drop our gear and then go “claim a camp spot.” Once claimed, we had to set up camp and get ready to rest, sleep and live in this 20 x 20 spot. Lots needed to be done in a short period of time and it was amazing how everyone worked together. And let’s face it…I was no help. At one point I looked at Dana and said, “I have never set up a tent before.” You could tell by the look on his face, he was wondering why he invited me. And speaking of gear, Dana and Ryan really hooked the group up! Not only were we prepared with tech shirts, sweatshirts and flannels from S & S Activewear, but the Imagen Brands group came through with water bottles, Viking tumblers and all the Coleman camping gear we needed. It was amazing (and I will outline those in a future blog post). 
After my initial run at 10am, I had some time to rest as my teammates picked up the torch (or actually the belt). The next time I was called onto run was around 5pm. At that time I did the challenging Red loop, which was a 6.7 mile run with a big climb near the beginning. The views were amazing at the top of the mountains. My only complaint is that I could not take too much time to take them in! I was too afraid I would fall. My final run came just after midnight. I took nearly an hour to complete this 4.7 mile run. Then I had time to rest a bit as I waited for my team to complete their legs. After the run was completed, we got our finisher medals and tore down camp as quickly as we could. Again, I was so impressed with the teamwork. 
Not bad for a team of guys that (for the most part) had never really met before this trail run. After the race we all headed to a hotel where we took a (long overdue) shower and soaked our tired bodies in a pool and hot tub. While we all enjoyed a cold beer and shared stories, we recovered as best we could. I can say that through this “PromoXperience” I not only gained some valuable memories, but I connected with members of the industry in an event like no other. A huge thank you to Dana Zezzo, Ryan Meullmans and the entire Imagen Brands team for making it happen! Thanks for reading this! If you want to keep up with all of the adventures of Hasseman Marketing (and join our VIP list) please feel free to sign up here.
