As the nation continues to grapple with the fallout of this pandemic, umbrellas have emerged as a rather surprising promotional solution to aid in establishing a “new normal.” With so many indoor events and activities cancelled, umbrellas are not only a mainstay for outdoor drinking and dining, but also in many medical professionals’ office parking lots to offer much-needed shelter while patients wait outside—socially distanced of course!
According to Charity Gibson at Peerless, the top trend in umbrellas at the moment is market/cafe umbrellas with businesses of all types—from veterinarians to doctor’s offices, restaurants, and more. “People are needing to wait outside for services, or register outside and wait to be called in,” she elaborates. “These larger umbrellas provide protection from the rain and sun and help companies maintain safe social distance at the same time. We even have a market umbrella that has a solar panel built into it with a battery cell in the pole and two USB ports on it so that people can charge their phones outdoors using the power from the sun. It's pretty impressive. Imagine a solar powered charging station sponsored by YOU!” She also explains that handheld umbrella orders are coming in as employee and/or client appreciation gifts, which have been mostly higher quality and higher perceived value items with mid-range price points.
Umbrellas are more relevant than ever as an advertising vehicle under the current restrictions on many indoor activities and events, Grethe Adams of Southern Plus asserts. “Umbrellas are needed more than ever as there will be more outdoor activities going forward due to social distancing requirements,” she comments. “An umbrella will not only keep you protected from the elements, but it also helps establish social distancing—both literally as well as visually. As social interaction in general will be limited for a while, the outdoor space is one of the few places where your clients can reach and connect with their customers/potential customers.
“As schools and colleges are planning a return to campuses this fall, students and faculty will need umbrellas to keep dry when they shuttle between classes on rainy days,” she continues. “Also, tailgating season is ahead of us. As sports/leagues will be played with empty stadiums or reduced seating in many areas, tailgating will be even more important for the fans whether done at home, the cul-de-sac, or a parking lot. A large golf umbrella is a must for true sports fans and tailgaters!”
Jennifer Stromberg at StrombergBrand Umbrellas emphasizes that providing the best bang for the buck with a promotional item people keep for years has never been more important! “Umbrellas that bring the most overall value to the table (not necessarily the lowest priced styles) are what companies are looking for: quality, design, color options, imprinting opportunities and, of course, a great price,” she states. “Umbrellas are a natural physical distancing accessory and still a rain/shine must-have. Their size and shape create a safe space of several feet, which makes them a great gift for these times, plus of course any time you need protection from the rain or sun.” She adds that more companies are taking advantage of the company’s individual drop-shipping program, in order to get the umbrella gifts into each recipients’ hands, because so many events were postponed/cancelled, and people have been working from home.
The “inverted” design, eco-friendliness, and cutting-edge technology are all trending with handheld umbrellas, Jeffrey Nanus at AAA Innovations reports. “The inverted design allows the umbrella to close without getting the user wet,” he says. “Our auto open/auto close version, which is also compact, is the best seller. In terms of being eco-friendly, AAA Innovations has made the commitment to eliminate all plastic packaging on the umbrella and we have created an eco-sleeve made with recycled paper for every umbrella!” The company has also patented an exclusive app that is free with all its umbrellas that actually informs the user when it going to rain.
PCNA’s David Pegher agrees that inverted umbrellas are hot ticket items, along with compact, oversized, and golf umbrellas. He adds that the company’s recycled PET eco umbrellas are trending and are “the first of their kind” to hit the market.
As for what is new, Gibson continues that the company’s director of sales always says, “’There's what's new and then there's what works.’ There is so much truth to this statement! Our best- selling items have and continue to be our strong sellers—our one and only Revolution handheld umbrellas. It's the combination of a modest price point and lifetime warranty on umbrellas that are also feature rich. They look good, work well, and stand the test of time.” She also says that the company’s Terra and Selva RPET/Eco friendly umbrellas are also performing well. “These are made from recycled plastic bottles and sustainable bamboo, are built to last as is but also include our lifetime warranty,” she notes, adding that the company also donates 1 percent of the net purchase to the Rainforest Action Network to support rainforest conservation. “At a time when the waste from disposable masks and single use hand sanitizer bottles stand to have a profound negative impact on our environment for hundreds of years to come, these products provide a functional, long lasting promotional product that not only makes brands look good, but also does good as well. Total win all the way around.”
StrombergBrand Umbrellas has also added more inverted umbrellas styles for 2020. Stromberg reports that the entire category is selling so well that it is up this year versus 2019, and the company’s best-value folding, golf, and patio styles are also moving nicely.
Nanus at AAA Innovations notes the company’s new Park Avenue Collection is also its best-selling line. “These are five styles that utilize luxurious fabric, mahogany handles, state-of-the-art frames, and crazy great prices,” he enthuses.
Nanus adds that a fun aspect of their umbrellas is the ability to customize the RainAlertz™ message. “Every time there is a 60 percent chance of rain the end user will receive a message reminding them that even though they are working remotely…their company still has them covered.”
These sentiments are echoed at Peerless. “My suggestions for choosing any product is always to look for what people are doing and look for ways these products can help to enhance the experience,” Gibson states. “Right now, people are flocking outdoors to escape the confines of quarantine. This means biking, hiking, picnics, runs, walks, and more. The root word for umbrella is the Latin ‘umbra’ meaning shade or shadow. Umbrellas are a product that help keep people happy outside, and really do have people covered.”