Aly MacGregor
Title: President
Company: Reicura, a Toronto-based ad agency

Q: What makes a good promo distributor partner?
AM: Good partners are eager and excited by the work we’re doing; that often leads to further collaboration. We build on the agency-client relationship and now also have a distributor-agency relationship where they’re sharing their own insights and suggestions to help us create really exciting materials. It’s always nice when your vendors do more than just fulfill an order – when they actually care to know about the campaign and the audience, and how they can play a deeper role in the campaign’s success.

Q: What advice would you give distributors looking to partner with ad agencies?
AM: We find distributors usually understand that we’re looking to create something eye-catching and demographic-related. However, many still don’t make it part of their operations to keep aware of advertising and campaign trends in general so they can better support the merchandise side of campaigns. They should make it a priority to know these trends.

85% of branded merchandise owners remember the advertiser. (ASI)

Q: What’s one non-negotiable when it comes to working with distributors?
AM: We look for the ability to turn products around quickly. In general, we like to see samples produced within two weeks and materials within three to six weeks, depending on the scope and the order amount. We usually plan our campaigns well in advance, so the turnaround isn’t usually an issue. However, we’re finding ourselves developing quick-launch campaigns that are tied to social media or highly topical subjects more and more, so being able to hop on the phone with a distributor to get something put together in a week or two goes a long way toward developing a lasting relationship between agency and distributor. Being able to source unique products helps us ensure every part of the campaign can stand out and wow the client and target audience.

Q: What’s a successful project you worked on with a distributor?
AM: We partnered with a Canadian retail chain to develop a holiday-themed campaign centered around a surprise gift box. The design and unboxing process were two crucial elements, so we were lucky enough to work with a distributor who translated our creative design elements into something magical for the holidays. As mentioned, a huge part of the campaign’s success was the unboxing concept, which the distributor listened to and understood. The distributor brought the excitement factor to life based on some loose ideas and inspiration we shared, and it made the campaign popular on YouTube. Not only did the surprise boxes fly off the shelves, but we also ended up doing two more variations that were equal hits for our client’s shoppers.

Q: What’s the importance of having branded merch in clients’ campaigns?
AM: We use branded merchandise often, especially when there’s a strong visual component to a campaign or when we want it to have an impact beyond its core run time. We’re actually going to increase the frequency of using merchandise as a physical strategy within online campaigns. It gives the project life beyond the screen. Using branded merchandise, especially when there’s a multi-brand element, highlights the uniqueness of the campaign and provides a deeper sense of connectivity with the target audience.