A Nanny for U: Sticking with Kids

A Nanny For U started in 1994 when full-time nanny Rebecca Vidmore recognized the for a higher quality of childcare in the Seattle area. Sixteen years later, A Nanny For U staffs not only full-time, part-time and temporary nannies but postpartum doulas, household assistants and personal assistants.

The focus of A Nanny For U is on trust and personalized service. All of their caregivers go through a comprehensive screening process that includes driving and background checks as well as detailed professional childcare references. In addition to traditional “in home” services, the business also supplies childcare for hotels, businesses and special events.

A Nanny for U focuses marketing efforts on a customizable pack of brochures detailing specific services that convey their value to potential clients like hotels and new moms. While the information in the brochures may be different for different customers, the sticker on the outside is the same, offering “at a glance” brand recognition.

The kids like these stickers, too, using them for art projections and even personal decoration at the childcare center of a local gym that's run by A Nanny For U. When those stickers go home with kids, parents learn about A Nanny For U and are directed to the company's website.

“Custom Sticker Makers are the most cost-effective, have the most options, [offer the] shortest shipping time and [have] an easy to use Web site,” said Annie Drury of A Nanny For U. “Our stickers arrived promptly and turned out very nice.”

Brand-Building: POM Wonderful Packaging

By now, just about everyone has seen the distinctive labels and packaging of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. But have you ever stopped to consider exactly what it is that gives their products such visual appeal?

A recent interview with Lynda Resnick (aka the POMQueen) on Brandmix got me thinking. First, the shape of their bottle imitates the curves of the pomegranate fruit, giving it some stand-out power among beverages. Secondly, the logo featured on their packaging imitates those attractive curves with a spacious, confident font that substitutes a heart for the ‘O’ in POM. That, plus the ‘Wonderful’ tells you something right off the bat: whatever it is in this unusual bottle, you’re going to love it.

This makes plenty of sense in terms of a focus for this brand, because prior to its entry in supermarkets everywhere, almost no one (other than the foodies) had any idea what a pomegranate was. POM's logo and packaging works to overcome that objection right away: it doesn’t matter whether you know what it is. People love this stuff. It’s wonderful.

For everyone who works with labels and logos in selling products, there’s an object lesson here. What’s your ideal customer’s single biggest objection to purchasing your product? And how can you work to address this (or negate it) with the feel, focus and aesthetic of your packaging and label design?

i-TAG: Branding, Identity and Alzheimer's

Currently, there are over 5 million people with Alzheimer’s—a number, unfortunately, that’s expected to grow in coming years. When these folks wander off, if they’re not found within 24 hours, up to half of them will suffer serious injury or even death.

Enter i-TAG, an identity solutions business serving the caregivers of individuals with Alzheimers with a simple little GPS device worn on a string. Using the i-TAG system, if a loved one with Alzheimers wanders off the property, an alert is sent to caregivers via email and text. They can then consult the i-TAG web portal and find their loved one in real time—without having to spend all day driving around, or calling in the local police.

i-TAG uses custom stickers to brand these handy little GPS devices with a clever, easy-to-remember slogan: “i-tag-along.” It's a tag that applies equally to other applications of the device, which include keeping track of wandering kids in chaotic situations like field trips.

“[CSM offers] a good quality sticker that fits perfectly on the i-tag-along GPS device,” said Jenaro Centeno of i-TAG. “The quantity choices along with price points are also positives.”

Newsflash! Custom Sticker Makers Expands Operations Following a Landmark Year

Thanks to everyone for a great 2009, and a record start to 2010!


PRESCOTT, AZ—While many small businesses are facing faltering sales and profitability, one Arizona-based business is leveraging the power of the internet and beating the recession with custom stickers.

Custom Sticker Makers, based in Prescott, Arizona, experienced 20% growth in 2009, its 3rd year in business. Due to the increase in sales, the company has recently purchased a second large format digital printer and added two employees; currently, they are looking to fill a full-time Customer Service position.

The new large format printer will effectively double the printing capacity of the company, which specializes in full-color, high-quality outdoor vinyl stickers for businesses, nonprofits, bands and service compliance.

The two new employees, Scott Bailey and Blaine Fisk, will be contributing their expertise to the Production and Order Fulfillment/Shipping Department. This will allow the company to implement new policies and procedures that will allow for greater efficiency in processing and fulfilling custom sticker orders.

Customer Sticker Makers is an online business serving customers all over the country and occasionally overseas, as well; over the course of 2009, the company has implemented online marketing strategies and search engine optimization to increase traffic to the company’s website.

In addition to increased website traffic, Jeff Daverman, Custom Sticker Makers’ founder and CEO, credits increased repeat business from satisfied customers as a factor contributing to the company’s growth and success in 2009.

“The growth of CSM is the natural result of working hard every day to provide a valuable service,” said Daverman. “We are grateful to our terrific network of customers for a landmark year.”

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