Corporate Gifts Blog

There are many theories relating to the origin of our company name ‘Stupid Tuesday’.

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‘Were you having a particularly bad day when you named your company, and was that day Tuesday?’ say some.

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‘I know, you only work on Tuesdays’, say others.

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Yet others speculate that ‘Stupid Tuesday’ was chosen because it is more contemporary than the Boom Town Rats, ‘I don’t like Mondays’.

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In reality, the reason we named the company ‘Stupid Tuesday’ is none of the above. In fact, the answer is a rather arcane one to which but a privileged few know the answer! What we are certain of, however, is that the name has an extremely high level of recall amongst customers and suppliers alike and we never have to explain to people who we are after the first time we contact them.

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So, in an uncontrollable outpouring of spontaneous generosity and magnanimity, we will give a free gift box containing two special edition mugs and lots of pens to anyone who can guess the real origin of the name ‘Stupid Tuesday’. All you have to do is go to our website and email your answer …. here!

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Whilst we at the Mug Shop are working hard, day after day, nose to the grindstone, designing and supplying great looking mugs, glassware and tableware to the world at large, it’s really nice to receive feedback from satisfied clients. Of course, we receive many such testimonials but the one we reproduce below is so gratifying that we just had to share it through our blog.

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So, I’ll say no more but simply allow the testimonial speak for itself.

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Hello Stuart

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Helen has just told me the mugs have arrived.

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We have been so impressed with all the help and advice and quick, friendly responses from both you and Jill throughout the process. It feels as though I have been dealing with friends, and yet it has been very professional.

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Having never ordered anything like this before, we needed advice! Jill did a really clever job of adapting the drawing by one of our sponsored children in Uganda to make it fit the mug. We hope we shall sell them quickly to raise much-needed funds and will definitely come back to you for another set.

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We will stay in touch and will send feedback from people. Thank you for all you have done. We wish you the best in your business – you deserve to do well!

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Regards, Margaret Stevens (Teso Educational Support Scheme)

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If you would like to experience great quality products and exceptional service too, call us on 08450 998796 or visit our website.

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New to the Mug Shop’s range for 2010 is a range of mugs made from recycled polystyrene. These good-looking mugs are tough and durable and make an environmentally-friendly alternative to the usual throwaway drinking vessels made from polystyrene.

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Ideal for the workplace, these recycled mugs are proving to be a direct hit also with colleges, schools and local authorities who are using them to promote their own environmental messages.  ‘Non-chip’, these mugs are made from densely-pressed polystyrene and can put up with a lot of rough handling.

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The recycled polystyrene mugs come in three colours – black, red and blue – and have a ’sparkly’ appearance which makes them highly attractive and memorable.

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These super mugs, which have a volume of 275ml (10 fluid oz) can be printed in up to three colours and may be pantone matched if required. The print area available is a generous 168mm x 54mm which is ample to display your logo and/or message.

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For more information, a sample or to request a quotation call the Mug Shop on 08450 998796 or email us here.

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According to a recent BBC news item*, tea could well be a healthier drink than water! Indeed, a study reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition argues that three or more cups of tea is as good as taking in plenty of water and that tea does not, as previously thought, cause dehydration. In fact, as well as rehydrating just as well as water it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers.

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These new findings support recent experiments carried out at City University London which revealed that the act of making and drinking even a single cup of tea can reduce stress levels significantly. And even if we are not stressed, taking time out to make a brew is a certain way to relax. It helps us to create a small space of quiet and calm in our busy lives.

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Now, at the Mug Shop, the beneficial effects of tea are something that we did not need official studies to tell us this! Most of our customers are of the same mind and they continue to buy favourite tea mugs such as Sparta,Marrow, Diner and Almo mugs in increasing quantity. What’s more these four mugs now happen to be on special offer so there’s never been a better time to buy!

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Then there are those who think that tea just tastes so much better from a bone china mug or tea-cup and this accounts for why sales are up of Marlborough bone china mugs and Stirling bone china tea-cups. You can even give your clients a branded teapot!

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So, take time out to make a cup of tea, after all it’s scientifically-proven to do you good. It tastes great too …. no wonder we’re all turning to tea!

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Call Mug Shop on 08450 998796 for further information.

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In response to numerous requests to come up with a list of top dunking mugs, we have conducted some research. Under rigorously-controlled scientific conditions (the kitchen in our office), and choosing a digestive biscuit with a standard diameter of 64mm, three popular mugs were assembled. These were the Pint Mug, the Cambridge Mug and the fashionable Metro Mug.

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A delicious brew of tea was then made using a blend from the Pembrokeshire Tea Co. and duly poured into each of the mugs. Then the dunking began! In reverse order of performance the results were as follows:

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1) Metro Mug – with a massive top diameter of 88mm this should be a real contender. However, despite a good starting dunk there was a tendency to bump the biscuit against the narrowing sides of the mug resulting in too much biscuit mush for our liking. DUNKABILITY RATING: 6 out of 10.

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2) Cambridge Mug – this mug has a top and bottom diameter of 80mm so its straight lines should be ideal for dunking. However, this depends heavily on what you have been up to the night before and calls for a really steady hand to direct the digestive in a smooth downward motion in order to avoid ‘bump-mush’. As we had been out the night before perhaps we didn’t give this mug a fair crack of the whip! DUNKABILITY RATING: 7 out of 10.

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3) Pint Mug – well, what can we say? With a quite gigantic 102mm top diameter the Pint Mug is a dunkers-delight, even with the after-effects of the night before! Plenty of dunk-space is afforded by that huge mouth and even though it narrows slightly this capacious drinking vessel easily accommodates ‘biscuit-tremor’ and avoids any distasteful and unsightly mush generation. Truly, a dunking mug amongst mugs which is hard to fault! DUNKABILITY RATING: 10 out of 10.

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For further information on the Mug Shop dunking facilities call 08450 998796 or go to our website.

How does breakfast benefit you? The eleventh annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week 24-30 January 2010 is the ideal time to find out! Taking place 24-30 January the week is a real opportunity for everyone to get into the healthy breakfast habit and celebrate the rich wealth of breakfast foods found across the country.

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Health professionals all agree we should start the day with a healthy, balanced breakfast. Breakfast really can benefit your energy levels, concentration, mood and can even help you manage your weight.

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Of course, there’s no better accompaniment to a good breakfast than a steaming hot mug of tea or coffee. Here at the Mug Shop we heartily concur and we have a splendid range of mugs, cups and teapots to go with your breakfast.

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As well as the widely-used and very popular mug types such as Sparta, Atlantic, Cambridge and Sandfield recent additions to our collection include the American style, retro Diner Mug, the elegant Almo Mug and for those with a more than hearty appetite, the extra-large capacity Metro Mug.

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Each of these mugs make splendid promotional gifts to give to your customers. All have a large branding area and can be printed in up to six colours in most cases. What’s more they are available within 2 to 3 weeks.

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So the next time you’re tempted to skip breakfast the simple answer is … don’t! Get your day off to the best possible start with a full English and a mug of your favourite beverage!

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Call the Mug Shop on 08450 998796 or click here for more details or a sample.

At the Mug Shop we are often asked ‘where did coffee originate? How did coffee become the world’s second most valuable traded commodity?’ Read on to find out more…

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It is known that coffee was being cultivated in the Yemen in the 6th Century AD. One legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder was curious to see his goats leaping around after eating a certain type of red cherry. The goat herder tried the berries, and found himself strangely energised. Before long, Muslims were brewing a beverage from the dried berries, which they found gave them further energy in their long hours of prayer. This beverage became known as ‘kahweh’ from the Arabic for ‘invigorating’. By 900 AD, coffee was well established in Arabia and by the 15th Century, the practice of drinking coffee was popular throughout the Muslim world.

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In 1615 Venetian traders smuggled a coffee plant out of the Yemen and coffee came to Europe along the Spice Route It was at first used for medicinal purposes but by the end of the century traders were also selling it as a drink. In 1650, the first coffee house in England opened in Oxford. Now there is a revival of the coffee house in the UK, with some 2,000 opened by 2002

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Today, coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world (after oil). In the UK approximately 70 million cups of coffee are drunk every day. Now, after something of a revival, there are over 2,000 coffee houses in the UK.

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To complement this renewed interest in stylish coffee drinking, we have a wide range of beautifully-crafted coffee mugs at the Mug Shop, whether made from ceramic or bone-china. What’s more all of our mugs may be printed in from one up to six colours to display your brand at its very best. Call us on 08450 998796 for prices or a sample.

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Businesses are invited to get involved in the UK’s first coffee festival to be held in Bath on May 15th and 16th 2010. The Bath Coffee Festival 2010 will be a two day outdoor event celebrating everything related to coffee and is an opportunity for the coffee industry to showcase and sell their products, as well as educate consumers about the art of coffee making.

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The festival programme will include expert barista sessions, roasting master classes, latte art demonstrations, as well as educational talks, films about coffee and music from the coffee growing regions.

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Festival organiser Linda Donaldson comments; “Café society is an important part of Bath life. The city has a large number of independent retailers as well as the big brands, and with its many other attractions, Bath is the natural place to host Britain’s first coffee festival.”

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At the Mug Shop, as premier purveyors of quality branded ceramic and bone china mugs, we applaud any initiative that encourages consumers to get a mug into their hands! Whether you’re a coffee shop, hotel, restaurant or corporate concern, we have a range of promotional mugs to suit your requirements.

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Call the Mug Shop team on 08450 998796 to request a price and/or a sample of a mug from our high quality range.

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Visit the Bath Coffee Festival website here.

It’s remarkable how the internet has shrunk the business world, isn’t it? Recently, our Mug Shop website was found by a customer in the South Atlantic – in the Falkland Islands to be precise, a little matter of around 8,000 miles away!

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It’s not a holiday destination that normally comes up in conversation but the Falklands does have a thriving tourist industry and the mugs they ordered from us are to be sold to visitors. In fact, whether you are looking for adventure or seeking quieter pleasures, the Falklands is a great place to relax and unwind. The best time of year to visit the Falkland Islands is during the Austral Summer, particularly between the months of December to February. This is the peak of wildlife activity and, usually, the warmest time of the year.

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So, just into the New Year, we’ll be shipping 2500 mugs printed with images of one of the best-known Falklands Islands sights …. penguins! Rockhoppers, King, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins all feature on the Marlborough bone china mugs. Talk about taking coals to Newcastle!

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To avail yourself of great quality printed mugs for your next promotion call us on 08450 998796 or visit Mug Shop.

When tea arrived in Britain in the seventeenth century, our drinking habits changed forever. But we waited much longer for the radical invention that would revolutionise our tea-drinking habits –  the tea bag. The tea bag’s ‘raison d’etre’ is the belief that tea tastes best when the leaves are removed after a specified brewing period. There is also the convenience of tea bags – tea can be made as easily in a mug as in a pot, without straining.

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It was in America, the ’spiritual’ home of convenience products, that tea bags first emerged around 1908 and the Americans took to tea bags with great enthusiasm. In Britain, such radical change in tea-making methods were resisted and only in the 1950s did acceptance arrive. In 1953, Tetley introduced tea bags into Britain and other suppliers were soon doing likewise. In fact, by 2007 tea bags made up a phenomenal 96 per cent of the British market! Today there can hardly be a home, office or workshop in Britain that does not have a stash of the humble, but vital, tea bag.

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Now, whilst this is not good news for teapots, it is very good news indeed for us here at the Mug Shop. The dominance of tea bags ensures our promotional mugs like the Atlantic, Bell, Lincoln and Newbury continue to be very popular and are to be found in homes, offices and workshops up and down the land. What’s more, these four mugs are now on special offer so there’s never been a better time to invest in promotional mugs as part of your marketing effort.

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We will even throw in some tea bags!

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To take advantage of this special offer, or if you’d like information about other mugs in our range, call 08450 998796 or go here.

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Here are ten interesting and intriguing facts about tea, brewed up by the nice people at the Tea Council and poured out for you by the team at Mug Shop:

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We do hope you find this triviality both entertaining and illuminating!

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1. Tea-breaks are a tradition that have been with us for approximately 200 years.

2. 80% of office workers now claim they find out more about what’s going on at work over a cup of tea than in any other way.

3. By the middle of the 18th Century tea had replaced ale and gin as the drink of the masses and had become Britain’s most popular beverage.

4. Tea contains half the amount of caffeine found in coffee.

5. The number of recommended cups of tea to drink each day is 4, this gives you optimal benefit.

6. Tea was created more than 5000 years ago in China.

7. Tea is a natural source of fluoride that can help protect against tooth decay and gum disease

8. Tea has potential health maintainence benefits in cardiovascular disease and cancer prevention.

9. 96% of all cups of tea drunk daily in the UK are brewed from tea bags.

10. 98% of people take their tea with milk, but only 30% take sugar in tea.

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At the Mug Shop all this is ‘music to our ears’ not to mention ‘just our cup of tea’ as as it means that demand for our branded mugs, cups and teapots is unlikely to fade any time soon. Call us on 08450 998796 to discuss your own branded mugs.

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Now then, ‘what would you say to a cup of tea father?’ (Clean replies only please!)

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Source reference.

In the promotional product sector, artwork arrives from clients in all sort of formats. Sometimes it doesn’t even arrive at all and we may need to create a design from just an idea, or even from a drawing on a beer coaster!

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However, if you have artwork you wish to send you should know that we at the Mug Shop are happy to receive artwork files in the following professional formats: colour separated Vector graphics (Illustrator .eps), JPEG, TIFF or .psd (Photoshop files).

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But if you don’t have artwork in these formats, don’t panic!
We can also accept files prepared in desktop packages such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Microsoft Powerpoint. These files, however, will usually require recreating to be suitable for print and this may incur a small additional charge.

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And what if you don’t have any artwork at all, well …. still don’t panic!
Our team of in-house designers, all with degrees in fine art and design, will create superb imagery for you! If all you have is stationery with your logo, or even if you just have a sketch on paper, our designers will work their miracles and delight you with the results. Whether a computer generated image or one that is hand-drawn or painted our designers will deliver!

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We believe that we are the only dedicated promotional mug website that directly employs its own in-house designers of this calibre, that is, with fine-art and design degrees.  When this is allied with over 30 years in-house marketing and promotional experience it gives us an edge over other on-line promotional mug providers. They provide mugs, sure, but we provide IMAGE as well. After all, why spend money on a printed mug if your logo doesn’t do you justice when we can enhance it for you? Why make do with a few lines of text when a great new image will say much more?

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So, when you’re ready to send your artwork to us, we can receive artwork electronically via email to artwork@mug-shop.net. Upon receipt of artwork a digital proof will be sent for your approval prior to your order being completed.

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But, if you don’t have any artwork and you’d like us to create something unique, just for you, call the Mug Shop on 08450 998796.

In my opinion, tea or coffee tastes so much better when drunk from a bone china mug or bone china cup. What’s more, I don’t believe I am alone in this thought; ask most people and I’m sure that they will express the same sentiment. And it’s not just the taste of your favourite beverage that is so much better; the feel, that touch of quality, of the promotional bone china mug or cup makes it stand apart from its ceramic counterparts.

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This is why a promotional bone china mug or bone china cup is the ideal corporate gift when you want to make a real impression. Choose bone china and you’ll be giving something very special which is sure to be retained for years and years and used day after day, putting your corporate message in front of your clients in an superbly effective way unmatched by most other promotional gifts.

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Bone china mugs can be printed with up to four colours in much the same way as ceramic mugs, using direct screen printing, transfer printing and digital printing. In addition, some types of bone china mugs, such as the Marlborough mug, may be printed using the dye-sublimation printing process which allows any number of colours and quite complex designs and images to be reproduced on the mug. And there’s a range of protective packaging to choose from, such as polystyrene or cardboard cartons, to ensure your valuable gift arrives undamaged with the grateful recipient.

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We have an excellent range of bone china mugs and cups to choose from and you can select one of them here. Why only dream when you really can have china in your hand?

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Alternatively call our mug team on 08450 998796

One of the most damaging effects of our takeaway, ‘eat on the go’ culture is the amount of disposable material that goes with it. Paper cartons and paper cups galore litter our streets. ‘Not exactly environmentally-friendly’, I hear you say and we agree totally.

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That’s why we’re delighted to come across a brand new takeaway mug which does not cause a problem for the environment in the same way.

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This great new innovation looks just like its disposable paper cup counterparts but is actually a re-usable, heavy-duty ceramic mug with a silicon lid. What’s more, it features a double-walled construction for insulating both hot and cold liquids and this also means you can handle your hot coffee without risk of burning your hands! This Takeaway Mug, which has a capacity of 270ml, has an excellent wrap-around print area to take your logo and message and is 100% dishwasher safe.

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We think the Takeaway Mug is set to be a real winner, not least in helping to reduce landfill!

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Call us on 08450 998796 for more information.

Alternatively contact us by email.

I’ve been involved in the marketing and promotion business for more than twenty years and I’ve grown used to hearing from some companies the old refrain: ‘times are hard you know, we can’t afford to undertake any advertising, we’ve had to cut our marketing budget’. The funny thing is, most of these companies say this without the slightest sign of tongue in cheek!

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In fact, it is the precise opposite view that these companies should be taking, along with their more progressive and enlightened competitors. It is ‘when times are hard’ that the need for advertising and promotion should be to the fore. If business is difficult to find it makes sense to be pro-active and shout out your message louder rather than sit in a gloomy place wringing your hands and hoping things will get better.

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A quotation from a famous figure of the 18th Century, Thomas Jefferson, sums the matter up perfectly. Jefferson said: ‘The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.’

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The question to be asked is, quite clearly, not be ‘can we afford to advertise’ but rather ‘can we afford NOT to advertise’.

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It goes without saying, however, that you should spend your advertising wisely, after giving great consideration as to how it will be most effective. You should be looking at specifically targeting your market with a message that not only has immediate impact but is also long lasting. This is where the strategic use of promotional products as part of the marketing mix can be so effective.

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A printed promotional mug, for example, is a gift most clients love to receive and very few are likely to discard. Even if they don’t use it for their morning brew it may wind-up on their desktops being used as a make-shift but very handy pen-pot. On the other hand, if that’s what your customers prefer, why not give them a green option.

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It’s true, there’s a lot of choice out there, so if you’re a little confused as to which of the many promotional products available is best for your campaign speak to our expert team on 08450 998796 …… or click here.

The wonderful thing about printed promotional mugs is that there is such a vast range available that you really can select ones which are ideal for your specific target market. And, if you really do take the trouble to think about what your target audience want, your promotional campaign will have all the more impact and be all the more memorable.

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For example, if your target market is building contractors you’re hardly likely to turn their heads with a delicate bone china cappuccino mug let’s face it. However, if you appeal to their legendary huge capacity for tea-drinking, then a printed pint mug will be right up their street!

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However, if you aiming at a more ’sophisticated’ target market, perhaps the glitzy world of the City, then a printed bone china cappuccino mug would not be out of place. Neither, in that case, would an elegant latte mug from our range.

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If your target audience is involved with outdoor activities, on the other hand, then your best choice of a promotional mug may be a robust, virtually unbreakable printed acrylic mug. This type of mug also goes down well in schools or to support events involving younger people. We’ve even supplied promotional acrylic mugs to a sailing event so that mariners had a sturdy drinking vessel which would withstand the roughest seas!

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So the key is … if you think carefully about your market and gear your promotional mug offer to it, your promotional push will reap rich rewards. What’s more, we’re adding great new mug styles to our range all the time!

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If you like us to advise on the right mug for you, call on 08450 998796.

Or go HERE

Sometimes, you know, the ordinary just isn’t enough for some people! It’s true in all walks of life. Why walk when you can run a marathon, why climb a hill when there’s plenty of mountains out there, why settle for reality when you have a dream?

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That’s the reason why we’ve increased our already vast range of promotional mugs to include one that is completely bespoke. And we’re not just talking about bespoke print … we mean that now you can specify precisely what shape and size you want! Fancy a square mug … no problem! A mug the shape of a ball … that’s possible!

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This, of course, opens up a whole new world of promotional ideas and means that you can truly design a mug that is unique to that very special event that you’re planning. A golf day? How about a golf ball shaped mug? A car launch? You’ve guessed it, a mug shaped as a vehicle. The possibilities are almost endless!!

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So, if you have a great idea for an unusual promotional mug which will prove a high-impact and memorable corporate gift, simply pick up the phone and call 08450 998796 to speak with our enthusiastic staff who will help you plan your project.

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Then again, if you’re happy to stay with a standard shape, our range of premium quality mugs made from earthenware, bone china or acrylic isn’t all that ordinary … take a look for yourself!

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Call us on 08450 998796 .. I’m sure you’ll find something just right for you!

View our range – click here.

Of all the promotional items that you can use to support your marketing effort, one of the longest lasting and most valued are bone china printed mugs. Made with the finest bone china these mugs will last for years and are both dishwasher and microwave safe. The traditional, classic look and feel of bone china mugs, printed with your logo and message, gives your clients an item they will value and use daily.

Of all the promotional items that you can use to support your marketing effort, one of the longest lasting and most valued are bone china printed mugs. Made with the finest bone china these mugs will last for years and are both dishwasher and microwave safe. The traditional, classic look and feel of bone china mugs, printed with your logo and message, gives your clients an item they will value and use daily.

Printed mugs are extremely cost-effective and provide a promotional vehicle that will last and last and keep advertising your message. Does any other item offer such a cost-effective return on investment? We doubt it! Indeed, more and more businesses are concluding that printed bone china mugs is the best way to promote their message because they are in the hands of clients and potential clients, day after day!

The form of repetitive marketing that you get with printed mugs is invaluable in building your brand and there are several ways to distribute your your bone china printed mugs:

First, you can mail them out quite safely using specialised packaging such as robust cardboard boxes or polystyrene cubes. There is a cost of postage to add but given the great impact a bone china mugs makes with the recipient, you may not consider this significant.

Secondly, you can hand out your promotional mugs to existing clients is at your place of business. Try including a coupon for a printed mug to your clients in a mail shot, offering them a free mug if they call by.

Thirdly, to hit potential clients, the best place to hand them out is at a trade event or exhibition, where the audience is targeted to your industry and are interested in the products you offer. Most of the leaflet and pamphlets they collect will be ‘binned’ after the exhibition but you can guarantee that your mugs will be kept safe!

Not only mugs are available and, if you want to provide something just a little bit different, you may like to consider a cappuccino cup and saucer …. elegant and stylish and, above all, memorable!

So, the smart choice is to add printed bone china mugs to your promotional mix. They will effectively promote your company for years to come.

Call us on 08450 998796 to discuss your requirements or CLICK HERE to see our range of mugs.

There’s nothing like that first cup of coffee or tea early in the morning, don’t you agree? And, guess what, most of your customers feel exactly the same! Throughout the business world, the first thing most people think about when they get into work is … ‘let’s have a cuppa’.

This simple truth is why sales of our printed mugs remain high. In fact, branded promotional mugs are consistently one of our biggest sellers. It’s no wonder …. no-one throws a printed mug away and they stay around on your clients’ desks day after day after day, keeping your brand and message right under their noses!

Our branded mugs come in all shapes and sizes, in a variety of colours, including pantone matching and in materials such as earthenware, bone-china and acrylic. We even have heat change mugs, widely known as Wow mugs, that once hot liquid is poured into them change colour! They are all colour-fast and dishwasher safe. Minimum ordering quantities are quite modest too, starting at just 72!

Despite the advent of more ‘high-tech’ promotional gifts such as printed USBs, printed mugs represent probably the most cost-effective part of a promotional mix repaying their outlay time after time.

Now, writing this blog is thirsty work ….. who’s for a cuppa?

Click here to view our range of quality printed promotional mugs