Marketing

FROM POLOS TO PENS

Promotional marketing company HP2 stays attuned to the latest trends in branded materials in the face of supply-chain challenges.

By KEETRA BIPPUS

Marc Hawkins was into marketing well before he was the face and owner of HP2, a Phoenix-based promotional marketing product company. Prior to starting his own company, Hawkins worked his way up from a truck driver with Miller Brewing Company to the marketing manager. It was there that he realized he had a passion for marketing and decided to follow it.

After working with other promotional companies, Hawkins decided to be his own boss, launching HP2 in 2004. Now, almost two decades later, this family-owned business has a robust and loyal customer base and has been ranked No. 1 for

Promotional Products by Ranking Arizona five years running.

Trends in promotional items

Over decades working in the promotional marketing industry, Hawkins knows many of the short- and long-term trends that keep consumers interested.

Hawkins notes that different wearable

promotional items have cycled in and out of popularity throughout the ages, with thick cotton t-shirts as one of the most popular items as of late. Technology products have also been trending the past ten years, with power banks, chargers and speakers as examples.

As far as marketing products that have stood the test of time, Hawkins says, “Pens have always been No. 1.”

In fact — and perhaps not surprisingly — a study by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) in 2020, found that 89% of consumers had a promotional writing instrument. And, as technology evolves, so have pens. Now, many companies opt for stylus pens in place of more traditional ink substitutes.

Drinkware is another big trend in the promotional product world. People want water bottles that last. Research from the previously mentioned ASI study found that 78% of consumers owned promotional drinkware. The variety in types of drinkware and the popularity of the Yeti brand has helped propel this product trend, Hawkins explains.

As for Phoenix-specific promotional items, Hawkins identifies a clear, ongoing trend.

“Polo shirts are always really important because we’re in a golf environment,” Hawkins says. “Lightweight shirts, breathable shirts, and clothing adapted to the weather and the heat we have in the summer do well here.”

In keeping with Arizona’s environmental elements, anything that protects from the sun — above and beyond light-wear clothing — such as branded lip balms with SPF and sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and umbrellas are common and successful branded products.

How does HP2 keep up with the trends?

To keep up with the latest trends in promotional product marketing, Hawkins and many of his market colleagues stay up to date with industry-specific publications like the PBB and Counselor magazines. There are also several nationwide trade shows with thousands of vendors displaying their products. One such show is in Las Vegas and features 15,000 products, as well as countless vendors.

HP2 has also built a great reputation in Arizona as one of the most acclaimed companies in the region and state. Because of their reputation, Marc says that many suppliers come to HP2 to show them new products on the market. The company also has a showroom with different products for clients to look through and purchase.

Deciding what promotional products are right for you

To help dial in to what products work best for their clients, HP2 asks a series of fact-finding questions. This begins with basic questions about the type of company and its size, then queries become more specific based on those answers.

“Let’s just say, for instance, a company is considering polo shirts,” Hawkins says. “We ask: ‘Do you have a color scheme? Do you have a logo? Do you have a budget?’ There are a lot of key questions we ask to try to get us from a big view to a narrow view to figure out a clearer picture.”

Jamie Hoffman, hospitality manager at SanTan Brewing Company and client of HP2, gets all his promotional products from HP2.

“You can’t be a brewery and not have shirts and hats,” he says. Adding that HP2’s “products are great and their customer service is even better.”

Challenges in the supply chain

Like most businesses, HP2 was impacted by COVID-19. A majority of promotional products within the industry are made in China, so supply for items was — and continues to be — limited.

Fortunately, despite supply chain issues and a period of working from home, the company managed to retain all of its employees. The company prides itself on its customer service and giving back to its employees.

“We’ve been fortunate to be here for 19 years in the promo world. We have a great team; we call ourselves the HP2 family,” Hawkins says. “And one thing we love to do is give to our family.”

HP2 also has a wide variety of clients. Although HP2’s big brands and companies may bring in the most income for the company, Hawkins explains that they almost never say no to any client that comes through their doors. He believes that his and his sales representatives networking through churches, schools, neighborhoods and other companies is what has really built up their clientele.

“If you came into our shop and said ‘I need five shirts for a bridesmaid party,’ we would make it happen,” Hawkins says. “In the business that we do, we’re face to face, we’re handshake to handshake. We keep the client informed about what’s going on. They can always call our number and somebody will answer.”