subject: Silicone Bracelets Make Wearers Feel They're Part Of The In-Crowd [print this page] Silicone Bracelets Make Wearers Feel They're Part Of The In-Crowd
Marketing a product, service, organization or cause today is more difficult than ever before. Bombarded with near-constant ads on billboards, radio, television, Web sites and social media, consumers have become experts at tuning out the "clutter." Silicone bracelets are one marketing tool that can break through the noise and reach consumers.
Silicone bracelets are particularly effective in promoting nonprofit organizations and social causes. They're a low-key way to advance an organization's message. As an example of the power of silicone bracelets, consider the one that started it all. The classic yellow Livestrong silicone bracelets, introduced by professional cyclist Lance Armstrong and Nike in 2004, have raised millions of dollars for cancer awareness and research.
Armstrong introduced the silicone bracelets following his own successful cancer treatment. The simple yellow bands quickly spread from the cycling world to other professional athletes, and then to the general public. By 2005, they were just about everywhere.
Other organizations quickly copied the idea for silicone bracelets after seeing the massive success of the Livestrong bands. Many other organizations adopted custom silicone bracelets in their own distinctive colors as a way to raise funds and increase awareness of their own causes.
Silicone bracelets are popular in part because of the association with Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious bicycle race. People like to have a link to celebrities, no matter how peripheral. Wearing the wristbands also links people into a group, which is a natural human inclination.
People who wear silicone bracelets generally have a personal link to the causes the wristbands represent. They or a loved one may be battling the medical condition the band stands for, or be making a political statement about a particular cause. The silicone bracelets give the wearers a link to other people who wear the same wristbands.
The key to the success of silicone bracelets as fundraising tools lies in the fact that they can be produced at very low cost, and sold at a low price, yet still raise significant funds because they offer a high per-unit profit margin. At a price of $1 each, just about anyone who wants a wristband can afford it, yet the cost of production is so low that the funds add up quickly. While the popularity of wristbands has declined somewhat in recent years, they are still strong sellers worldwide. Silicone bracelets are widely accepted by both children and adults as popular fashion accessories.
Silicone bracelets are available in several styles and colors. The type selected depends on the message conveyed. They can be subtle or they can be shocking, depending on the desires of the organization ordering them. The most basic and most popular style of silicone bracelets are the debossed wristbands, just like the Livestrong bands. The text is imprinted into the band for a low-key, understated look. Embossed silicone bracelets reverse the process, raising the lettering above the wristband surface for a more legible look. Debossed painted bracelets fill in the lettering of debossed bands with color for a bold, vivid visual effect.
