Beyond the chuckles garnered when people spot its sign, Tightwad Bank in Tightwad, MO has quickly earned a following so devoted that its customers not only tote their promotional items all around the country, in some cases they’re also willing to buy them.
Tightwad Bank was given its name to get people in the door, a gimmick to which its founders freely admit. Business partners Jeff McCalmon and Don Higdon thought that the moniker would draw attention to the bank they had just purchased, and their gamble paid off as media nationwide flocked to cover the bank with the funny name.
McCalmon and Higdon soon discovered that drawing media attention wasn’t the only result of giving their bank a funny name. “We noticed that every day, people would stop and get their picture taken in front of the Tightwad Bank,” McCalmon says.
Instead of the usual gifts given to customers for opening an account, the duo ordered logoed ball caps, polo shirts, T-shirts, mugs and can coolers to sell in the bank lobby. This tactic also prevented tourists from simply taking Tightwad-imprinted pens as souvenirs. “Why give it away when you can sell it?” asks Higdon, speaking like a true tightwad.
Tightwad Bank also sells gift cards imprinted with its name, which make them ideal for giving to less-than-generous relatives, Higdon jokes. He views the promotional items as another revenue stream in addition to the bank’s financial products, which is very forward-thinking, in light of the current banking situation.
“Reading State Bank was the former name and it was hard to sell that stuff,” he says. “Judging by the number of people who stop and take photos, our stuff is more desirable than things from another bank. A couple pulled in on a motorcycle and they were from Washington, D.C. People from California, Oregon and all over stop in.”
Jump on the Re-Brand Wagon
Check out your own neighborhood. Has an established business recently changed names as part of a re-branding effort, similar to Tightwad’s? The bank’s ad specialties embellisher, Bob O’Brien of Kansas City Screen Print & Embroidery, agrees that the shirts have become a profitable product of Tightwad Bank, because they are coveted souvenirs.
“Many people buy things from Tightwad Bank because it’s humorous and not because they’re a patron of the product,” he says. “It’s an alternative revenue source from those who don’t want to open an account for some reason or another but who are infatuated with the name.”
Selling Tightwad gifts and apparel has also provided a great marketing tool for the bank. “The name recognition helps. We’re the only one around,” McCalmon says. “Selling promotional items has helped to get the name out.”
Psychology 101
Carl Carlson recognizes that for his clients, needing window replacements can be a real “Pane in the Glass;” thus his business name. Operating in Mesquite, TX, his business’ primary clients are real estate agents who call upon him to repair glass in homes they sell. Since the agents need to keep his name handy for referrals, he hands out pens – a lot of them. He buys 500-1,500 pens each quarter and believes that although basic in nature, the pens possess more staying power in the pencil cup and desk drawer thanks to his business’ pun-laden name.
At Pizza My Heart, a pizza chain with 14 locations in California, patrons receive a free slice with the purchase of a $5 Pizza My Heart T-shirt. It’s a bit of backwards marketing; buy the product and get the pizza free, but the reverse psychology seems to be working out well for owner Chuck Hammers. Instead of simply buying a less expensive slice sans shirt (starting at $3.25), many of his patrons also want a Pizza My Heart shirt because the name brings a smile. And, in the patron’s mind, paying $1.75 is a great price for a T-shirt emblazoned with their favorite pizza joint’s name.
Hammers’ profit compares to a patron buying a side or another drink, only this “extra” packs plenty of potential for thousands of subsequent impressions. He has sold about half a million tees at last count and the people that wear them aren’t just locals. “The last time I went to Disneyland, I saw five in one day,” he says, “and that’s 400 miles from my nearest location.”
Hole in Juan
Juan Mesa, owner of Juan in a Million (read it aloud if you don’t get it) in Austin also uses his business’ humorous name to move more promotional items. He sells coolers, caps, and T-shirts, all emblazoned with the Mexican restaurant’s name. He believes that having a humorous name “makes it easier, whatever you want to sell.” He also gives some promos away as prizes.
Vamos Marketing (asi/348116) in Austin supplies Mesa with ringer tees from Vantage Apparel (asi/93390), twill caps from Otto Cap (asi/75350), collapsible can coolers from Norwood/RCC Koozie (asi/80330) and Ariel’s (asi/76730) million-dollar-bill-shaped stress relievers.
To obtain a ringer tee, patrons must eat a prescribed number of Don Juan tacos. Along with the tee, patrons also have their photo placed on the prestigious Juan in a Million “Wall Of Fame.”
Frank Garza, owner of Vamos Marketing (asi/348116), also suggested the caps to Mesa as a thank-you gift for sponsors of the Hole-in-Juan Golf Tournament. “Next time [the sponsors] are out in the Texas heat tailgating or playing golf, Juan will be there as well,” he says.
Mesa uses koozies instead of flyers to get the word out about the restaurant’s happy hour. The foam sleeves are very popular among golfers and outdoorsmen in his area. He knows his target market well and the can coolers are also inexpensive giveaways.
Choosing the right color also helps make them a hit among his patrons. “I recommended we go with burnt orange, since the majority of the people that eat in his restaurant are Texas Longhorns and burnt orange is the school color,” Garza says.
Since the color burnt orange cannot be copyrighted, Mesa receives a subtle tie-in to a popular brand for free.
Garza admits that his suggestion of stress relievers to promote a restaurant is a little non-traditional, but he says that the business’ name imprinted on them “brings a smile to every recipient” and they will be more likely to keep and use an item printed with a funny name.
Zany business names can allow you, like Garza, to experiment a little. Obviously, the owners of these businesses are fun-loving, so suggesting lighthearted items is apropos. “Unlike some brand names that may have conservative marketing strategies, the businesses with humorous names allow your imagination to flow freely with no limitations,” he says.
Deborah Jeanne Sergeant is a NY-based freelance writer.
| Funny Business |
Build the Sale
Selling promos to a client with a funny business name? Great! Here’s how you can add onto that order.
Ask about their uniform program. Even if they already have one, providing them personalized T-shirts similar to those offered to customers, for example, can help them move more retail shirts. Their employees could wear them on casual Fridays.
Once their basic items are selling well, expand their promo line to include women’s sizes, pet apparel, gift items, and so on, all with the same logo for continuity. Research their target market to discover their interests.
Get their promos on their Web site. That 500-piece order may quickly grow to a 1,000-piece order once it hits the Web.
See if they need thank-you gifts for employees or sponsors. Be mindful that these items should be of higher quality and not resemble freebie items or uniform shirts too closely. For example, giving away inexpensive, generic T-shirts to the general public is fine, but a holiday gift should be a brand name with eye-catching details in high-quality fabric.
Urge these clients to dedicate a little floor space to a rack of tees and hats or a shelf for gift items for sale. If people see things, they’ll want them, and the more they want, the more repeat orders you can fill.
Use Your Imagination
Suggest items that further the fun by adding their own pun or humor. For example, if your local flower shop is called “Petal to the Metal,” suggest a squeeze light shaped like a van with hippy-like flowers imprinted on it, such as The Bentcil Company’s (asi/39850) item FSB-095, which can be imprinted with up to 10 spot colors on both sides. The florist name evokes images of a vehicle and flowers. This item would be a perfect melding of both and would be especially appealing in locations where many retirees live.
If you’re pitching ideas to a bakery called “Vincent Van Dough,” use the artist’s work (or caricatures of it that incorporate the logo) as part of the promotion. Special Markets Marketing, Inc. (asi/88571) can personalize their oblong glass pastry tray (item P170) with camera-ready artwork. An item like this would make a terrific item to sell in the bakery’s gift area.
Or if your client-to-be named his daycare “Merry Pop-ins,” use symbols iconic to the musical, such as the black umbrella. Bullet Line’s (asi/42424) five-section, black polyester umbrella (item SM-9473) at $4.20 represents an affordable giveaway. Parents would also appreciate the practical nature of the umbrella.
Of course, these are fictional business names, but you get the idea. When developing pitch ideas for actual businesses, brainstorm all the wacky ideas you can think of that play to both meanings of the business name. Pick the top several that appeal to you and your sales team. And don’t forget to keep your pitch lighthearted, too.
Businesses Prone to Funny Names
While researching this article, several types of businesses seemed especially fond of using humorous names. Funny names abound in urban locations close to universities, where the target market is young. Skim your local Yellow Pages and see what you find:
1. Hair salons (Curl Up & Dye)
2. Coffee shops (Counter Culture)
3. Restaurants (Big Pecker’s; their logo is a big, happy rooster)
4. Animal-oriented businesses (Reigning Cats & Dogs, pet
store; Laund-Ur-Mutt, dog-washing service)
5. Children-oriented businesses (Future Scholars Learning Center; Wild Things, day-care centers)
6. Gift and flower shops (Floral and Hardy)
7. Specialty services such as dry cleaners (Sudsies). |