Craft Punk: Why You Should Do It Yourself

In recent times, we have witnessed the hot glue revolution. The yarn ball transformation. The hodge-podge coup d’état. The resurgence of all things crafty and handmade infiltrating the consumer culture faster than Martha Stewart can turn a pine cone into a bird feeder. And as marketers, we feel pretty lucky to be hitting our stride at such an opportune moment in history. We’ve always loved creating something out of nothing (and too often, something out of expensive Michael’s purchases), and we love the chance to use our skills and spray paint-wielding abilities in our day-to-do work – for our clients and for ourselves. We create press packages and party favors, holiday gifts and trade show swag. We even use our skills for experiential marketing campaigns.

And so should you. Here’s why:

1. Make it and they will come. Here’s the deal – people love stuff that isn’t made in a factory in China. It’s science. For instance, you are offered two cookies. One is made in your co-worker’s kitchen, and one comes in a plastic, vacuum-sealed tube. Unless your co-worker has a hygiene problem, you will always pick the one from scratch. Or, remember when you made your mom that necklace out of macaroni and buttons and she said it was the best gift on the planet? It’s because YOU made it, and it came from the heart. These sentiments are ingrained in our psyche, and humans just can’t shake the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with receiving a handmade treat.
2. Go out on a whim. You probably don’t want to associate your company with sparkly unicorns and trees made of ice cream, but in select moments, a little bit of whimsy can do wonders for making your brand more personable. Knitted wine bottle cozies or jars of freshly made jam are way more interesting than a highlighter with a logo on it. They’re meaningful and they’re fun, and that ballpoint pen/flashlight combo is destined for a cup filled with ten others just like it. We can see it now – “In a jam? Call AAA Insurance Company.” And that’s why they pay us the big bucks.
3. It’d be a whole lot cooler if you did. Like we mentioned before, this whole craft thing is all the rage. Etsy, Pinterest and a slew of personal blogs are stuffed with do-it-yourself tips, handmade products and inspiration for projects. There’s even a street team called the Knitterati. What was once a quaint hobby for ladies with too many cats is now the “it” extra-curricular activity, so if you want to establish some in-the-know cred, look no further than your old crocheting needles.

But there is one caveat.

Ahem. It’s handmade, not homemade. If you’re spending time making crafty little gifts and packages for your business, don’t make it look like it was done at summer camp. The idea is that it’s BETTER than the store-bought alternative, not a kitschy piece of junk. Make sure your work is neat, clever and professional. You may want to avoid popsicle sticks and fabric paints, but we’ll leave that to your discretion.

We can tell you’re getting excited. That box full of miscellaneous scrap paper, ribbon and X-Acto knife blades have been burning a hole in your closet for years, and it’s time to put it to good use. Your mother will be so proud.