Adult Coloring Books: Who's Using Them for Marketing?
With over 25,000 results for adult coloring books on Amazon, you know this is a popular category. Publishers Weekly says 'the adult coloring book craze shows no signs of slowing down.'
The connection between art and health is well documented--starting with psychiatrist Carl Jung who is credited with introducing the Eastern concept of mandalas to the Western world. Jung believed the mandalas represented 'self' and was believed to have prescribed coloring mandala images to help patients access their subconscious.
Have we gone deep enough for you yet?
BOTTOM LINE: How does this adult coloring book craze relate to your business? How you can you use adult coloring books to market your business, keep your company name in front of clients or thank customers for their support?
Many of our clients have decided they are good branded business items. Some insights as to how they utilize custom coloring books in their marketing plan are below:
Travel Agencies-Cruise Lines
Many of our travel business clients use custom journals in their marketing mix. One travel agency client sent journals classicly debossed with their company logo along with matching pens. The letter with the journal encouraged the clients who had booked trips to use the journals on the plane, in the airport--as a way to remember their journey.
Several of these clients have mixed things up a bit by adding Adult Coloring Books to their marketing tools. One travel agency ordered these Japan Coloring Books for a tour that I bet you can guess the destination! They had a special letter as the promo page inviting the tour participants to 'be present to the moment' and 'notice the details'. They also added quality colored pencils and fine point pens to the package. 
Health Care-Assisted Living-Senior Retirement Communities
Coloring carries many of us down memory lane to that 64 pack of Crayolas with the built in sharpener. What was your favorite color?
One of our assisted living communities purchased the Botanicals Coloring Book for each of their residents, as well as all new residents. Every quarter, there is a contest where all residents vote on their favorite. The top 3 are taken to a local frame shop and then proudly displayed on the wall in one of the gathering areas. At the end of the year, there will be twelve, covering one wall. 
An oncology group also purchased adult coloring books for adult, as well as teenage patients to use during chemotherapy sessions. Stress relief and distraction was the goal. They have had such positive responses they have reordered twice.
Employee Wellness-Work/Life Balance Programs
One of our client companies aspires to be on a list of best places to work with life/work balance programs. One of their many initiatives included adult coloring books placed on everyone's desks along with pens and pencils. For stress relief, as well as creativity, coloring gets high marks. One completed page is submitted monthly if desired and voted on by their peers. What does the highest vote getter receive? A day off. How's that for balance?
One company was awarding trips to top sales producers. They ordered Outside The Lines coloring books because 'outside the box' was the annual theme. Each sales person received the customized coloring books along with pens. At each sales meeting, every sales rep put one completed page in a box. A page was drawn at random and a special gift was awarded--free dinners, electronics, cash, etc.
TAKEAWAY: Customized coloring books for adults aren't the correct promotional products for all businesses and not all companies will have the marketing budget. Those that do are sharing great success stories with the PROMOrx team. And they're reordering. Says it all, doesn't it?
The picture below? From Color Me Calm. Using pencils. I'm not quite finished! Ha!
Blogger: Vickie MacFadden, the PROMOrx.com owner. I'm a tell it like it is Southerner who loves tech and is insatiably curious. I'm the author of the infamous 5.5 Ways to Know if Your Company Swag Sucks Vickie at PROMOrx dot com
Want to talk about your company's branded items? Call me: 888.553.9569 extension 3
