Leyland Leader is a glossy A5, free distribution magazine, filled with local suppliers, traders, professional services, networking groups, advice, information about the town. It is distributed monthly, personally by owner publishers Keith and Ruth Bradshaw because it ensures correct circulation. Here is a long term case study about a business gift job completed for them recently.

Why use branded promotional gifts?

Leyland Leader were looking for a gift to say thank you to advertisers in the run up to Christmas 2015. Keith and Ruth had used the services of BusinessGiftUK.com in previous years for pens, mugs, glassware and coasters. For 2015 BusinessGiftUK recommended the eco-friendly, promotional cotton shopper bag because it was topical, practical and easy to distribute.

What was the business objective in using printed gifts?

Partner Keith Bradshaw says “The idea behind the bags was to engage/reward customers, contacts, family and friends of Leyland Leader. It represented something different, we had done pens (various), coasters, mugs etc. This was something both attractive and practical, could be carried easily and when in use became a ‘mobile advertisement.’ It was eye-catching, attention drawing and a talking point.”

BusinessGiftUK.com had recommended the bag as a topical gift because the government had recently introduced the compulsory charge for plastic carrier bags and it has a very prominent print area.

Did you meet your campaign objectives?

Keith says “It was extremely popular and the initial order soon ran out and, as you will recall, because of demand we ordered more.” “Being heavily involved with social media at the time (and PR) the #leaderbagontour was an extension of this and lots of people quickly bought into it – it became quite competitive even, with the bag popping up unexpectedly all over the world, along with ‘celebrities’ getting involved (see below).

The number of contributors (including some impressive names) and the ‘Spotted In’ places underline the success of the campaign. I think it had a real ‘feel good factor’ as people enjoyed submitting to Facebook Twitter Instagram and more, it was fun and, all along, it underlined the name Leyland Leader – a very small business in a small town but rolling along nicely. I have driven the campaign but it did develop a momentum of its own and I have been genuinely surprised how it’s panned out.

Surprisingly, I thought the campaign had finished some time ago but just last month a picture from a church friend who is working as a missionary in Mexico submitted a photo of the bag in Chihuahua, amazing.” In 2019 the bag is still touring and has recently “turned up” in Glasgow, the BBC Breakfast TV studios Salford, Tuscany, Pisa and the Cape of good Hope!

How did you find working with BusinessGiftUK?

“The cotton shopper bag as a ‘different’ business gift was your idea, and I’m grateful to you for that.”

Do you see yourselves using more promotional merchandise in the future?

Four years on, at the time of writing, Keith and Ruth have placed several more orders with BusinessGiftUK.com, including a reorder of promotional bags. Now in its fourth year, the #LeaderBagOnTour continues to circulate on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you for your positive story Keith and Ruth, it has been great working with you for many years now. It is really satisfying to recommend a product to a client and then see such positive results. It is also great to see a promotional tote bag still working effectively nearly four years on. If you are doing business in the Leyland area, check out  LeylandLeader.com as a great way of getting your business message into the local community.

#LeylandLeaderOnTour Countries Visited:

Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Channel Islands, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dubai, England, Finland, France, Germany, Gran Canaria, Greece, Holland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, North Pole, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tenerife, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Wales, Zanzibar.

#LeylandLeaderBagOnTour Contributors, Selfies and Celebrities:

Abba Glamma, Abba tribute band,
Harry Aikines-Aryeety, GB Athlete
Jane and Iain Aitken
Arthur Albiston ex Manchester United
Brian Ashman, Radio Leyland
Paul Atkinson
Ian Bailey, musician
David Barnes (Jamin Sports Belgrade)
Beatrice, Tanzania schoolteacher
Michael Berry
Mark Booker
Ian Botham (Sir)
Rachel Boyle
Keith and Ruth Bradshaw
Joe and Jess Bradshaw
Mrs Braithwaite
Angela Browne, La Corte
Martin Carlin
Paul Chapman
Danny Cipriani, Rugby Union International and players player of the year 2018/19
Becky Cotterall
Robin and Eileen Currie
Norman Cutler, St Catherine’s Hospice
Martin Deacon
Andy Dobson, Atlas Sailing
Mark, Diane and Luke Croasdale
Donna Crook
Mark Cueto, Sale Sharks RU
Sarah Cunningham
Phil Daniels
Peter and Lesley Daniels
Margaret Dixon
Eilidh Doyle, GB Athlete
Helen Entwistle
Lora Fairclough, European Golf Tour winner
Michael Finnegan
Steve Fishwick
Alan & Margie Foots
Pat and Neil Frodsham
Pat and Paul Frodsham
Kevin Gallagher
Gilly’s Duck
John Gilmore, BBC Radio Lancashire
Councillor Mary Green, Mayor South Ribble
Jonathan Grundy
Martin and Tessa Harrington
Phil Heaven
Stefan Holm, Sweden Olympic high jump gold 2004
Glynis Holt
Neil Howarth
Rick Humphries
Paul Hunter
Craig Jackson, Northcote GM
Michael Jackson, not the singer!
Mike Johnson
Lis Todd Jones
Archie Kelly, comedian
Mike Kennedy
Seema Kennedy MP
Peter Ketley
Anna-Marie Knipe
Ian Lancaster, Christians In Sport
Claire Leech
Cheryl Lewis
Lucky 6 Marketing
Christine and Gordon MacLellan
Simon MacLellan
Philip Marsden
Lorraine May
Terry May
Lynn McCann
Kirsty McCaslan, GB Athlete
Alan McKenna
Jan McKenna
Duncan McKenzie ex Everton footballer
Jennifer McLean, Canada
Jenny Meadows, GB athlete
Sam Miller, GB Athlete
Darren Moorby
Laura Muir, GB athlete
Dave and Lucy Nankivell
Deborah Noblett
Tim Owen
Trevor Painter
Laura Parker
Colin Patterson, BBC Radio Entertainment Correspondent
Trevor Pearce (Jamin Sports Belgrade)
Helen Pilkington
Mansel Pope
Ashley Preston, AWP Computers
Sue and Phil Price, Australia
Norman Prince, comedian
Colin Rawlinson
Julia Reeves
Gary and Karen Renison
Colin & Val Richards
John Robb
Rover the Dog, Blackburn Rovers FC
Steve Royle, comedian
Jazmin Sawyers, GB Athlete
Shane Sharples
Karen Shaw , SRBC
Martin Simpson
Toms Skujins, Latvia professional cyclist
Vincent Slater
Eddie Stableford
Mandy Stableford
Steve (Coral Sea cruise captain)
Craig Statters
Jed Stone, comedian
Dave Swanton, BBC Radio Lancashire, Sale Sharks
Kay Taylor, St Catherine’s Hospice
John Thompson
Gwen Tomlinson
Matthew Tomlinson, SRBC Labour Councillor
Julie Turner
Roland Turner
Ros Tyrell (Jamin Sports Belgrade)
Michael Vaughan, ex England cricket captain
Claire and John Walters (and George)
Edna Warbrick

Ann Ward
Adrian Ward
Ben Ward
Steve Ward
Phil Weaver
Robert White, crime fiction author
Mark Willetts
Ben Williams, GB Athletes
Stephanie Willson, actress
Alison Winstanley
Ben Woolnough (Jamin Sports Belgrade)
Malcolm Wyatt
Danny Young, Northcote chef

Headmistress of Mumbai High School

Publishing author: BusinessGiftUK

Publishing date: 23rd May 2019