The Recommended Short Trips Guide was print collateral that I developed for Omoi Life Goods in late 2021 as part of a promotional weekend event to engage the existing customer base, as well as area users of the TRAVELER’S COMPANY (TRC) notebook system. The Japanese company makes a point of staying relatively small despite its popularity, and grants special Partner Shop status to likeminded stores around the globe who sell and use their flagship product. When Omoi became a Partner Shop in 2018, we were required to submit a list of recommended places to visit, as TRAVELER’S COMPANY’s focus on travel brings international visitors who appreciate this kind of information.
The Short Trips Guide featured three different itineraries for neighborhoods within walking distance of the store, plus a map so you can stay off your phone and adventure, and a place for notes.
In 2021, business was still extremely challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, I organized seasonal meetups for TRC fans, who would gather at the shop to journal, chat, show off their TRAVELER’S notebooks, and try out each others pens and so on. It was fun! In 2021, with our immuno-compromised staff still ardently masking and with social distancing still in vogue, we couldn’t conscionably hold a gathering in the store. So I proposed to the owner and to TRC that we be allowed to run this Short Trip Weekend event, where fans could touch base with each other without necessarily having to be there all at the same time.
Turnout for the event was so-so compared to official TRC events, and yet we learned a lot, one being that a paper guide of places to visit in our city of Philadelphia was a hit. After that, I made regular updates to the Recommended Short Trips guide each time it was time to print more, altering the design slightly for the collectors out there.
Eventually, we added a Chinatown Supplement thanks to superstar Norna, as an act of solidarity with Philadelphia Chinatown’s effort to prevent a stadium from being built in the middle of their neighborhood (and smack in the center of downtown), which would’ve effectively destroyed a beloved destination for many Asian communities, young Philadelphians, and others who appreciate the dining, shopping, and community that Chinatown has to offer.
The guide became so notable that more than a couple organizations called asking to please have some or can they just copy it for their own org or what have you, to which the owner would kindly respond no.
I think this goes to show how impactful paper collateral for a business can be. The word “collateral” here implies throw-away promotional materials, but coming from a background where resources are not to be squandered, it’s my belief that good promotional material serves as useful to its recipient, creating a memorable and hopefully lasting connection.
