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Tchotchkie or Collector’s Item?

April 1, 2011 By 4 Comments

All the recent closures of businesses has me suggesting to my clients and friends that they just might want to hang on to those membership cards, tote bags, mugs, and other items that they have with the store’s logo on them.

Why?……..WELL…because some day, those freebies….tchotchkies……promotional products or whatever your favorite term for them is, just may be worth something.   It’s true.  And I’m reminded of the time (waaayyy before I even thought of becoming a promotional products specialist) when I picked up a chocolate bar at the local PAY ‘n SAVE across from my office.  The wrapper was of the then Rookie baseball player, Ken Griffey, Jr. I very distinctly remember buying it as a ‘gag’ gift of sorts for my boss who was, and probably still is, an avid collector, as he and a few of the staff had been discussing baseball earlier that day and someone (unknown) in the office has left a signed pair of basketball shorts (supposedly autographed by the Husky Basketball Team) in his office.   He’s a collector of collections.  Everything.  Including sports paraphernalia.  So I saw this candy bar;  and chuckled to myself as I bought it as a gift for him.  Not to be outdone by autographed shorts (grin).

My boss, former boss these days, still has that chocolate bar.  Has kept it as good as new.  And he’s one of the select few that is now a proud owner of a Ken Griffey, Jr. chocolate bar.   And this is a promotional product.  Every time I think of that, I am amazed.

Every promotional product has the potential of becoming a collector’s item.  What’s yours?

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Filed Under: Blog
  • http://msharonbaker.com/msbmainblog/ M. Sharon Baker

    Evan,

    As a long time high-tech reporter, I had a closet full of give away T-shirts that are now in the possession of my son, who is now big enough to wear them. Skipper’s, Seattle Crab Co., Thomas Kemper beer, and countless high tech companies now out of business. Somewhere I also have a box full of little things with company logos on them – now I’ll have to see what’s of value.

    As the old saying goes, One man’s junk is another one’s treasure.

  • http://www.CorporateImpressions.biz Evan Milton

    So true, Sharon! Love the little ‘Webble’ (is that what they are called now?) It looks like a collectible to me!

  • http://msharonbaker.com/msbmainblog/ M. Sharon Baker

    Evan,

    They are called Little People, created by Fisher Price. We collect the wooden ones, but I doubt anyone gave them away as a Tchotchkies. I just took a whole bunch of photos of the Little People to use as blog post images, and wanted to show one off.

    What are the most memorable tchotchies you’ve seen given away?

  • http://www.CorporateImpressions.biz Evan Milton

    Yeah…..Little People. I remember them.
    The most memorable tchotchke I’ve ever seen…..hummm that’s a tough one. I look at them from the standpoint of how they relate to the intended event or marketing message. I did just get some samples of a pretty cool item that would be GREAT to engage attendee’s at a trade show or business conference. They are called Poppers. And you basically have a ‘fight’ with them….shooting them at each other! Here’s the photo (below). One of my all-time favorites though, must be my Thermos Brand coffee tumbler that I received at a conference. I use it all the time and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t grow legs. It keeps my coffee hot for hours and every time I use it, I remember the conference where I got it….ahhh……Boca Raton, Florida!