Betty Bangs: Kick-A** Stickers with Bling

It's a novel fashion concept: bikinis created out of old rock and roll t-shirts, hand-stitched, lined and emblazoned with Swarovski crystals. But Betty Bangs goes beyond merely high-fashion swimwear to create, ahem, bangin' bikinis, for truly confident women (the suit shown below, featuring an old Who t-shirt, is probably the most modest of them). And there's no doubt about it--these suits are hot, creative, and just plain cool.

It all started four years ago when Beth Gearhardt of Miami (a.k.a., Betty Bangs) started making hand-made rock-n-roll bikinis--originally, just so this fashion-school alum could have a different bikini every week to wear out to her friends' boat parties. Then, when all the girls went crazy for them, she started doing custom suits and eventually, a collection for local stores. Now, in addition to her "tee-kinis", she's also done a "regular" bikini line and brought both collections to the MAGIC show in Vegas this past Feburary.

As far as custom stickers go, Beth reports that she personally sticks them EVERYWHERE. In the true spirit of a guerilla marketing "stick up," she tells us that she's surprised she hasn't been arrested yet! Has this DIY self-promotion contributed to the runaway success of her suits in Miami, Vegas and beyond? We're inclined to believe so.

"What sold me on Custom Sticker Makers was their awesome customer service, their reasonable pricing and turn-around time but most of all, the quality of their stickers," said Beth. "My Betty sticker KICKS A**!!!"

Guerilla Marketing Tactics That Stick

A lot of people are interested in guerilla marketing, but not that many people are all that clear on what it is, much less how to do it.
While the definition of a form of marketing that is, by definition, “out of the box” will always be changing and evolving, it’s safe to say that guerilla marketing is, at its base, marketing that is unexpected and therefore doesn’t roll off our eyeballs like water off a duck’s back.

Towards that end, custom stickers—a medium that can wind up just about anywhere in public life—are a prime tactic for a well thought-out, clever guerilla marketing. In fact, custom stickers (we prefer to think beyond the bumper) have been noted as one of the Top Ten Guerilla Marketing Tactic You Should Be Using (this post actually covers 50, but custom stickers is in the top 10!)

To provide some inspiration, as well as a few rules of thumb for all you aspiring guerilla marketers out there, check out these cool pix, from the blog of Francesco Mugnai. While these aren't built around custom stickers specifically, each of them is "applicable to what's stickable."

Free Air Guitar! Lesson: If people have to stop and think about it, you’ve got them.

Highland Games—Lesson: Subject/object agreement. What could you do with a custom sticker designed specifically to create a visual illusion when placed on a laptop? How about a bike, or skateboard, or? The possibilities are endless…

Coffee Taste Like Crap? Lesson: Placement, placement, placement. Along the same lines, what could you do with a sticker specifically designed to enter public space, via a stop sign, a bathroom stall, or trash can?







Got a great example of guerilla marketing with custom stickers? We’d love to see your pix! Hit us up at csm.sales@gmail.com

Gallup Journey: Good News for the Southwest

Looking for some good news for a change? If you happen to live in the Gallup, New Mexico/Four Corners area, you’re in luck. The Gallup Journey is a free publication with a focus on the positive, especially as it applies to the local community. Within its pages, you’ll find everything from a story about mountain-climbing with (house)cats to reviews of local restaurants, fiction, and a feature on a 3rd grade karate champ—along with columns on hiking trails, local history, and more.
Founded by Nate Haveman and Chuck Van Drunen in 2004, the publication has grown in popularity over the years, with distribution now at 12,000 copies a month. Key to the Gallup Journey’s promo strategy has been their use of custom stickers, marketing not only their publication, but its underlying message: "Believe [in] Gallup." It’s an eye-catching message that’s been the basis of a guerilla marketing campaign for the publication, appearing everywhere from the McDonald’s drive-thru to stop signs in downtown Gallup.
“I knew Jeff [of Custom Sticker Makers] from years ago, when we ordered some die-cuts,” said Nate. “They were sharp-looking stickers, and well-received. So when we needed new stickers, we went with CSM.”

Building Some Buzz

Hey folks, we've got some exciting things in the works for the StickerFly blog, and it's all about what makes Custom Sticker Makers so great: Our Customers.

Be sure to follow this page for innovative business concepts, guerilla marketing tactics and "marketing ideas that stick," featuring some of the most interesting, outrageous or just plain cool businesses on the Web.

To kick things off, we'll be featuring an energy drink straight out of a video game--recycled skateboard furniture--a two-headed calf skull (modeled after a real specimen)--and couture-fit organic cotton eco-apparel. Never a dull moment, we promise.

If you're a Custom Sticker Makers customer who'd like to be considered for a feature on this blog, just drop us a line at csm.sales@gmail.com . We're interested in who you are, what makes your business or nonprofit unique, and how you use custom stickers as part of your overall marketing strategy.

We look forward to hearing from you!