PREPARE FOR CINCO DE MAYO WITH GAP PROMOTIONS

This time of year many Americans look forward to May as a sign that Spring has officially arrived. However, if you’re in the beverage industry, May means one thing: Cinco de Mayo.

Many people think Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexican Independence Day. However, Cinco de Mayo actually refers to the Battle of Pueblo, May 5th 1862. This was a battle between Mexico and France. Mexico had temporarily suspended foreign debt payments, and the French sent a battalion to confront President Juarez and the Mexican Army. Over 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated the French troops before they were able to reach Mexico City in the town of Pueblo. The Battle of Pueblo was a significant turning point in the French occupation of Mexico.

In remembrance of the Mexican army’s surprise defeat of the French, Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated by Mexicans and Latinos living in California since 1863. Over time, the holiday has gradually become a part of American culture as a celebration of Mexican heritage. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is regionally celebrated in the town of Puebla commemorating the Mexican military victory.

Knowing the history of Cinco de Mayo is important in order to fully embrace the celebration. The GAP Team would like to wish everyone a Happy Cinco de Mayo; and as always, drink responsibly.

We have included a few things that might help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year!

Jose Cuervo – “Made in Mexico” Tile Sign

Authentic wall sign made with 36 handcrafted ceramic tiles recessed in a wooden frame

Jose Cuervo – “Walk-In Cantina”

The perfect mass display for large format that commands high visibility

Jose Cuervo Margarita

Ingredients:

1 oz. Jose Cuervo Tequila

3 oz. Jose Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix

1 cup ice (or more)

Salt

Lime wedge

Your Choice of Tequila:

Silver

Tradicional

Platino

Especial

Directions:

Rub the rim of a chilled margarita glass with the lime and dip it into the salt to coat it. In a cocktail shaker, combine Jose Cuervo Especial®, Jose Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix® and ice. Shake vigorously and strain drink into the garnished glass filled with ice.

(via: wikipedia, mexonline.com, cuervo.com)

GAP PROMOTIONS PREMIERS AT THE 2011 WSWA

April 10th, 2011 marks the beginning of the 68th Annual Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention and Exposition. The convention returns to the beautiful Grande Lakes Orlando and is being held on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton and Marriot Hotels.

April 10th also marks GAP’s inaugural year as an exhibitor at this renowned industry show (See us at BOOTH 228). Several GAP team members, from Account Managers to Graphic Designers, will be on hand to connect with new, present and previous clients. The show offers GAP a new opportunity to extend our beverage industry knowledge and design talents into the fields of wine and spirits. Our 20’ x 10’ booth will showcase GAP’s talent, innovation, and manufacturing capabilities. Visitors are welcome to review many of our custom-designed racks, fixtures, and displays which have brought success and driven sales for our clients.

At BOOTH 228, visitors will be greeted by our friendly staff and, will also be eligible to receive a COMPLIMENTARY Wall Plaque specifically designed and produced with their company art or logos. We invite all attendees to see and discuss the fixtures on display, and schedule a few minutes with our Art Director to have their own fixture designed – at the show! One lucky winner will receive a free prototype of their fixture to use in their market.

The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America offers a great opportunity for GAP Promotions and all attendees and exhibitors. We hope everyone gets a chance to stop by BOOTH 228 and say hello!

GAP PROMOTIONS GOES TO CES 2011

For most people, the beginning of January means cleaning up the holiday decorations and making New Year’s resolutions. For GAP Promotions, a new year entails a new Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Recently the GAP team joined over 140,000 tech enthusiasts at the Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas to get a sneak peak at the latest technology and gadgets 2011 has to offer. Technology and electronic specialists from all over the globe come together at CES to showcase their newest and coolest creations.

From tech powerhouses like Sony and Verizon to the smaller tech companies like Gelaskins, their innovative advances truly change the way we see our gadgets. The show provides a level playing field for gadgets, tech, and accessories. For sure the big booths with flashy themes are eye-catching, but for the seeker of the 2011 “wow” ideas (like GAP), it is the discovery of break-through products that shine.

Honorable mentions and GAP team favorites include the new “glasses free” 3D television from Sony. Details are still held in secret behind the black curtain as the product is still in Beta testing stages. Currently there are only 2 prototypes and CES was fortunate enough to house both for this new technologies debut. Motorola also had a strong showing this year, introducing state of the art laptops, tablets, and their first LTE 4G Smartphone; an exciting showing for Motorola.

CES 2011 definitely did not fail to impress. This invaluable look into the future of technology gives GAP a head start on the competition as we incorporate the latest innovations into our displays and fixtures currently in development. It’s a great way to kick off another successful year. And there is no telling what contraption, gadget, or robot will steal the spotlight next year.

Below are a few of the many photos taken at CES.

AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY FOR GAP PROMOTIONS

December 6th, 2010 GAP Promotions team members, accompanied by Patriot Faithful, Pat Noone of Yuengling saw the Patriots beat the Jets. What a wonderful way to begin the week! Pat (2007 Patriot Fan of the Year) is long-time Yuengling executive and dear friend of GAP Promotions. It was truly an honor to have him visit GAP offices in Gloucester and share his stories and insights into the beer industry. Attending the Pats game with him and members of his family was an unforgettable experience.

GAP members Gayle, Hillary, Parker, Casey, Brian, and Rob bundled up and headed down to Gillette with Pat where we spent some time pre-game with friends and enjoyed some Yuengling before the action began. The Patriots exploded onto the field jumping out to a huge lead and never looked back, beating the Jets 45-3 to take the division lead. It was a wonderful event and we would like to thank everyone we spent time with and a very special thanks to Pat Noone for an amazing time.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM GAP PROMOTIONS!

The GAP Team celebrated its traditional Holiday party at a local casual eatery where everyone enjoyed plates of great hors d’ouvres and cocktails followed by lunch, and our not so “Secret Santa” gift giveaway. The tradition continued with the receiving of specially chosen holiday ornaments that match a personality, hobby or favorite thing. The team shared up a few hilarities and a round of oohs, aahs and yippees when all opened their gift of an Apple iPad in unison.

Discussions about each person’s family traditions became a conversation topic over dessert and after-dessert drinks, including, what else? Traditional holiday drinks. Here are two drinks using Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Enjoy. Happy Holidays!





Bailey’s® Best Hot Chocolate

1 oz Bailey's® Irish cream
Freshly made Hot chocolate (homemade, or the packaged kind will do)

Pour Bailey's Irish Cream into a coffee mug then fill with prepared Hot Chocolate. Stir briskly until frothy. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with a cherry.


Bailey’s® Holiday Mint Hot Chocolate

1 oz Bailey's® Irish cream
1 oz creme de menthe
6 oz freshly made hot chocolate (homemade, or the packaged kind will do)
1 oz whipped cream
shaved chocolate
Pour the Bailey's Irish cream, creme de menthe and hot chocolate into a mug. Stir. Top with whipped cream, and shaved chocolate.

Please share your favorite holiday drink recipe. As always, please drink responsibly.

GAP PROMOTIONS NBWA CHICAGO 2010 RECAP

The GAP Promotions team had a magical time at the NBWA!  It was a great opportunity to say ‘hi’ to many of our friends and colleagues.  We also met many new people who stopped by to learn more about GAP’s innovative promotional products.  Our team also had an opportunity to bond with our booth neighbors, the Joose Girls who definitely draw crowds.

We were thrilled to see everyone sporting our sponsored lanyard with our iconic black and gold logo and an ever-so-handy bottle opener (you just never know when you’ll need one).  Few will forget the GAP name thanks to our corporate magician, Danny Orleans, who shamelessly encouraged gathering crowds to shout the magic words “GAP Promotions” a half-dozen times during each performance. The GAP Promotions booth was hopping throughout the event with interactive games, table magic theatrics, and our GAP team members interacting non-stop with current and future customers.

We introduced visitors to GAP Promotions’ customized products and demonstrated how we can “Make It Easy” for our customer to promote their brands.  One lucky visitor won our raffle for an Apple iPad and several walked away with $100 bills!

And, we have to admit, we did a little bit of product sampling; all in the name of market research, of course.  Overall, we had a great time In Chicago; it was totally worth the trip.  Look forward to seeing everyone in Vegas in 2011!

Total Marketplace Domination

Our client, one of the largest Smirnoff markets in Florida, wanted to show retailers that the Smirnoff brand is indeed, “The World’s #1 Selling Vodka”.

Smirnoff was going thru a VIP packaging change, a major update, and wanted to create a display to emulate this exciting new change.

Their sights were set on a sleek looking, edgy and totally current display piece; something with the modern, clean line feel of an Apple store.  The client worked one-on-one with our graphics designers until the final rendition was nailed.  A mini-model of the display was created for our clients to introduce the concept. Fifty units were ordered as a test for this market.

In a unique selling approach, our client sold the displays to their independent accounts, and the word of this eye-catching display spread throughout the area. GAP team members were invited to join a two-day tour to assist in the set up of several displays, and see the displays come to life in the market. Store owners shared their enthusiasm for being among the first to set-up the display. The GAP team walked away with a wealth of knowledge that will be applied to the next generation of Smirnoff displays due out in the field mid-October.

The displays weren’t to be missed! Standing 90 inches tall the slick, silver display boasted the name of each store owner on the LED sign. With the Smirnoff display dominating the store space in all its modern, sleek coolness, the sales impact was immediate.