FAQ
The point of promotional items is to increase awareness of your brand, to deliver a message to those who receive it and to create an emotional link with your brand.
Unlike advertising via urban displays or intrusive online displays with a short life, the promotional item is retained and used or even passed on daily. It therefore has to be selected carefully.
Several parameters have to be taken into account:
- Who is the object aimed at?
- When and how would you like to associate your brand?
- Does the object correspond to my positioning with regard to the brand?
- What lifespan does my message have to have?
There are two types of objects: stock objects and customised objects. And we know how to do both.
Most stock objects are designed in a way that accept the logo for your brand.
Customised objects are those that require product development in terms of measurements, materials or technology.
No, we only show a selection of the stock articles which we like. But we can look for and know how to find the rare gem which corresponds precisely with your request.
Stock objects can be supplied on average in 3/4 weeks once the “signed and agreed” has been approved. If your delivery of promotional items is urgent, we can help you find an object for express delivery within 2 weeks or even less.
For customised objects, obviously everything depends on the complexity of the project and the number of prototypes to be made before completing the whole production. Customised objects may be subject to an MOQ.
Select a stock product from one of our catalogues, or contact us if you do not find what you are looking for or you require advice, and we will be delighted to support you in your search remotely, or arrange a meeting to help you at your premises or in our showroom in Epalinges, where we can show you the objects.
Once the item has been selected, we provide a quote including all costs and delivery.
If you accept the quote, we define the branding together, respecting your graphic layout. We set this up via a “signed and agreed”. Your agreement to the “signed and agreed” activates the starts of production.
A pre-production sample (physical “signed and agreed”) can be created upon request.
We are responsible for forwarding the merchandise and for all importing measures.
We carry out quality control of the merchandise upon receipt and ship it to you.
Nous comprenons qu’il puisse être difficile de commander un article sur la base d’une illustration. We understand that it may be difficult to order an items based on an illustration. To help you in your decision, MAO is pleased to supply product samples based on a cost to be defined together.
Your logos in a vectorised format, agreement via the “signed and agreed” and acceptance of the quote. And of course your delivery address!
Promotional items of Swiss, European or Asian origin…?
The manufacturing origin of the products will always be given as transparent information by MAO. We very much wish to promote supply that is as local as possible but some items are simply not produced in Switzerland (electronic, pins, etc.).
In 2020, around 40% of our sales were produced in Asia, 35% in Europe and 25% in Switzerland.
Our quotes include carriage-free shipping to addresses anywhere in Switzerland. We can also deliver in Europe or to several points in Switzerland under certain conditions. Speak to us about it when we formulate your quote.
GLOSSARY
“SIGNED AND AGREED”
“SIGNED AND AGREED” This contractually defines the type of branding, the placement, and the size and colours used for creating your products. If the majority of “signed and agreed” are digital “signed and agreed”, graphic models of your project, we can create a physical “signed and agreed” for your project, a prototype which corresponds to the mass production and which will be carried out. However, this may incur additional costs and time.
MOQ
Minimum order quantity. This is a minimum number of units to be ordered as accepted by the producer. Generally imposed on customised items, it depends on the type of item in question. This minimum is rarer on stock items.
NAME PERSONALISATION
Personalisation of part of the product with the name and/or first name of the recipient of the item. This may be done in addition to the logo. It is a very good tool for increasing the retention rate of the item by the recipient. However, this technique is only applicable on a limited number of items. Contact us.
Pantone
The colour shades standard currently used to identify and reproduce the elements of a logo, with each code corresponding to a precise colour. When it comes to the most utilised standard, there are others (RGB, CMYK, HEX…)
SCREEN PRINTING
A printing technique enabling the use of colours of very high intensity, therefore very durable branding as well as a good match between the printing and the Pantone required. This technique can be used for large-sized printing of your logo.
HOT STAMPING
A printing technique that allows printing on complex surfaces and shapes at a lower cost. However, this tends to have a lower durability depending on the material on which it is used (particularly metal).
ENGRAVING
A marking technique consisting of burning the top layer of an item. Very precise, engraving is an aesthetic solution for small-scale marking and gives excellent marking durability. It can be used on metal, wood or plastic. The colour of the engraving is determined by the type of material on which it is used.
EMBOSSING / DEBOSSING
Marking techniques that give a top-of-the-range look. Debossing is also known as relief and intaglio, and lightly hammers the material to leave a lasting imprint. Embossing creates a relief by drawing on the material. It is used essentially on certain types of material (leather, mock-leather, paper or high grammage cardboard, metal, etc.). The most current technique is debossing.
HOT MARKING
A debossing technique in which a colour is integrated, generally metal such as gilt or silver, giving a premium look to your corporate gift.
DIGITAL PRINTING
A printing technique enabling four-colour printing of your logo. This technique holds the advantage of not having any limitation in terms of colours for the most complex logos. However, this can only be used on a flat surface and does not allow 100% Pantone matching.
SUBLIMATION
A printing technique enabling printing with no colour limits, on large surfaces and at a very good cost, while completely penetrating into the product. This technique is essentially used on lanyards, T-shirts and bags as it requires a polyester surface.
EMBROIDERY
A marking technique enabling your logo to be reproduced via needle sticks on the textile material. It has a top-of-the-range look and excellent durability. This is best used for medium-sized markings. The Pantone closely matches the existing embroidery thread.
DOMING
A marking technique enabling printing on self-adhesive paper which can be cut out in the shape selected and stuck on the item. A layer of transparent resin that is then applied to this paper. This technique is mainly favoured for small-sized marking of goodies-type gifts.
VECTORISED FILE
This is a kind of file enabling good quality printing of your logo whatever its resizing. It means the pixel effect can be avoided on your logo. Generally in .ai, .eps ort .svg format, your logo has probably been created by your graphic designer in this format and is then converted to a reduced quality .jpg, .png or .gif for daily use. To ensure the optimum quality of your project, we only work with vectorised files.
SCREENROUND
A marking technique close to screen printing but in the course of which the item is turned during printing. This enables logo printing in particular or illustration around a bottle, a mug, a pen or any other curved product.