Wristbands.com is Giving Silicone Watch with Purchase

Wristbands.com, a premium  retailer of stock and custom wristbands, announced today that all customers who  order $99 or more will automatically receive a free silicone watch with their  purchase! To redeem the free gift, shoppers can simply enter the promotional  code “TICKTOCK” at the wristbands.com checkout when making a purchase. The  order must total $99, before tax and shipping. The free watch offer is only  available to orders made within the 50 United States and is only valid while  supplies last. Wristbands.com’s free silicone watches are available in the  following colors: black, blue, brown, gray, green, orange, pink, and white.  Wristbands.com will select the color of the free watch that eligible customers  receive.  

The free silicone watch offer  is a small way that Wristbands.com can show their appreciation to their clients  for making it a leading online supplier of stock and customized wristbands for  the leisure and entertainment arena. On the Wristbands.com website, shoppers  can choose from dozens of styles, more than 20 vibrant colors, an assortment of  materials, and additional exiting options to ensure customers find the perfect  wristbands for any type of event or fundraiser they may be hosting. Wristbands.com  carries top-quality wristbands made out of the following materials: silicone, Tyvek®,  vinyl, plastic (tri-laminate), woven, and thermal.

Tyvek® wristbands are a popular choice for short-term applications – like single-day events – because  they are economical, lightweight, and extremely cost-effective. In fact, they  are one of Wristbands.com’s top selling styles of wristbands! You can implement  Tyvek® wristbands at concerts, sporting events, festivals, fairs,  nightclubs, bars, fieldtrips, and so much more. Instead of selling tickets that  can be easily lost or misplaced, substitute them with Tyvek® wristbands  as your admissions system. Wristbands.com offers dozens of stock Tyvek® wristbands  with fun designs and bright colors that are shipped the very same day as you  order them! Whether you are looking for festive holiday-themed wristbands or  more event-focused wristbands, Wristbands.com is your one-stop-shop for quality  Tyvek® products. You can even order stock Tyvek® wristbands  with a unique, wavy shape that are attractive and loved to be worn by kids and  teenagers.

For a longer lasting, more  durable solution, vinyl wristbands will do just the trick. These sturdy  wristbands are constructed from multi-layered vinyl for unbeatable strength and  unparalleled comfort. Wristbands.com’s vinyl wristbands feature a locking snap  to prevent tampering and transferring among patrons. Wristbands.com offers cool  and trendy see-through ClearImage® wristbands that offer a  professional look while offering a one-of-a-kind finish. Our newer vinyl Wave  wristbands have a playful wavy design and are durable enough to last for weeks  on end! Wristbands.com also carries vinyl ClearImage® Wave  wristbands that are perfect for summertime fun, kids birthday parties, and  more.

Plastic wristbands are  another great option for multi-day festivals, pool and other water-related  events, and more. Similar to our vinyl wristbands, our plastic wristbands also  feature a locking snap to prevent tampering to ensure the wristband stays  securely on a patron’s wrist until an event has ended completely, or until they  wish to remove the wristband. Our SureImage® custom full-color  wristbands are printed with photo quality in a 4-color (CMYK) process. Resorts,  amusement parks, and concert promoters can give their guests a keepsake to  forever remember their event by using these high-quality waterproof wristbands  as proof of admission. You can order plastic wristbands with our without serial  numbering. All of our plastic wristbands are one-size-fits-all and feature  holes along the band for individual adjustment.

For nighttime events, Wristbands.com  carries glitter wristbands that will shimmer and shine under all types of  natural and artificial lighting. Made from a strong tri-laminate material, our  glitter wristbands are not only extremely secure, but are attractive and make a  fun impression on guests who wear them. You can even custom imprint messages on  the surface of our glitter wristbands in white or black ink, for just a couple  of cents more per wristband. Wristbands.com carries four exciting metallic  styles: liquid glitter, confetti, stars, and rain. Each type of metallic  wristband can be custom printed with messaging and line art, available upon  request.

If you are interested in  fundraising or awareness campaigns, silicone wristbands are a perfect tool to  use in exchange for donations. Wristbands.com offers five styles of silicone  wristbands – from basic to premium – that can be customized with color,  desbossing, embossing, text, and graphics. Silicone wristbands are fashionable  for all age demographics and serve as excellent conversation starters, helping  to increase awareness to your charitable cause.   Wristbands.com has great online deals and specials for our silicone  wristband selection, so be sure to check back often for exclusive discounts and  savings. 

With all these eye-popping options  to choose from, ordering just $99 of product for a free silicone watch is a  simple task! Don’t let your patrons be the only ones to sport a fashionable,  decorated wrist. Now you too can join in on the fun with a bright silicone  watch, yours FREE from your friends at Wristbands.com.

About Wristbands.com
Wristbands.com is owned and  operated by Precision Dynamics Corporation, the leading global manufacturer of  identification wristbands since 1956. As a global organization, we have  manufacturing facilities and offices in Valencia, California; Port Orange,  Fl; Tijuana, Mexico; and Nivelles, Belgium. The company’s product lines started  with hospital bands and expanded in the past forty years to include more than  50 wristband styles, more than 20 colors, and hundreds of designs, created  solely for leisure and entertainment venues. Previous customers include The  Olympics, Tour de France, Kentucky Derby, Wimbledon, Disneyland, MTV, Apple,  Microsoft, The Academy Awards, and others.
To learn more, please visit http://www.wristbands.com

School Trips for Black History Month with Wristbands

Since 1976, The United States has officially designated the month of February as the celebration of Black History Month. Many schools teach important lessons on the many contributions of African Americans to the history, culture, and education of the United States. Churches and youth groups may also teach Sunday school lessons that tie into Black History Month, such as sermons on equality and brotherly love. There are lots of charities that can use Black History Month to their advantage by raising donations for non-profit organizations that support inner-city youth or another reputable cause. Whether you are an educator, youth group leader, Sunday school teacher, or campaign promoter – ordering quality wristbands from wristbands.com can significantly help you be successful with the planning and organization of Black History Month lessons, field trips, and activities.

Teachers of elementary, middle school, and high school students are likely to be preparing Black History Month lessons during February. For elementary students, visiting a library that focuses on Black History is an excellent option for a field trip. Take the students to the library in the beginning of Black History Month, and require each student to check-out a book on a prominent African American figure from the Civil Rights era. Then, have each student present an oral book report to the class. Wristbands.com has a large assortment of stock print and customizable wristbands for single-day use that are economically priced and perfect for short-term applications like field trips. Wristbands.com carries an entire line of Tyvek® Expressions Child Safety Wristbands that feature a write-on area to fit a child’s name, guardian name, and emergency phone number. Our Child Safety Wristbands have fun stock prints such as bright red stop signs and yellow school busses. We also carry Child Safety Wristbands that do not feature a write-on area.
If you live close by a historical site that became monumental during the Civil Rights Movement, take your students there for a Black History Month field trip. Some good ideas for Black History Month field trips are:

• Tribute to the Great Migration (Chicago, Illinois)
• Apollo Theater  (New York, New York)
• Carter’s Grove Plantation (Williamsburg, Virginia)
• Emancipation Park (Houston, Texas)
• National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen (Detroit, Michigan)

For multi-day Black History Month field trips, wristbands.com carries durable plastic and vinyl wristbands that feature a non-transferable SecurSnap® closure. These wristbands are so sturdy that you need a pair of scissors to remove them. You can customize your Black History Month field trip wristbands for an economic price at wristbands.com. Add your school’s name, address, and phone number for heightened security. If children get lost on a Black History Month field trip, their customized wristband, that features your school’s information, will help adults re-unite you with your lost student. Parents will have peace of mind knowing their child has proper identification while on their Black History Month school field trip.

Churches also often recognize Black History Month, and Sunday school teachers may want to teach the children under their care about some influential African American men and women who were large contributors to the church. Sunday school teachers can teach children some facts related to Black History Month, and the next time they meet, quiz them. If they answer correctly, you can reward them with a trendy silicone wristband from wristbands.com. Ask them who these important contributors to the black church were: Peter Durrett, George Liele, Andrew Bryan and Matthew Moore. People of all ages and demographics like to wear trendy silicone awareness wristbands as a bragging right. You can customize the silicone wristbands you order from wristbands.com with your church or youth group’s name. For example, you could imprint, “Grace Baptist BHM 2013,” or something more descriptive such as, Celebrate Equality 2013.”  Wristbands.com carries five styles of silicone awareness wristbands, from basic to premium, in 20 bright and vivid colors.

Non-profit organizations and charities may also find wristbands a helpful tool with helping to promote an awareness campaign that is related to Black History Month. If you are a non-profit that supports inner-city youth sports or arts, Black History Month can work to your advantage. If you order custom or stock silicone wristbands in bulk, you will be pleased by how much money you save. Sell the wristbands for $2 and donate the profit to your organization or non-profit of choice. Brand your campaign by purchasing premium color-fill debossed silicone wristbands from wristbands.com with your charity’s personal message imprinted onto the surface of the wristbands. You can even imprint line art and cool graphics onto the surface of the wristbands for an even greater impact.

Black History Month should not only be educational, it should be fun! Be adventurous and give your students a field trip they will remember by visiting a historical site or library related to Black History Month. Make sure to order your plastic, vinyl, silicone, or Tyvek® wristbands from wristbands.com early enough to make it in time for your field trip. The more you buy, the more you can save, so stock up on wristbands for the following year’s Black History Month. You will be easily able to keep track of children and parent volunteers with bright and noticeable wristbands from wristbands.com. With so many styles and materials to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect Black History Month wristbands for your class on wristbands.com. Don’t forget to order today and enjoy the savings from wristbands.com.

Using Wristbands for Your Valentine’s Day Party Ideas

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest nights a year for restaurants and bars, and staff may become overwhelmed if their facility is not sufficiently prepared for the inevitable Valentine’s Day rush. Like adults, children also look forward to Valentine’s Day, mainly for the candies and cards they will receive from their classmates during parties at school.

Since Valentine’s Day has become such a largely commercialized holiday, many places of business create promotional Valentine’s Day items to give to customers, such as pink or red silicone wristbands with a company’s name imprinted onto the surface. Likewise, charities or fundraising committees also follow the Valentine theme by creating awareness campaigns offering keepsake items, such as custom Valentine’s Day wristbands, in exchange for donations to their charity or non-profit organization. Even churches and temples have Valentine’s Day events for the members and children of their congregations. Wristbands.com offers a huge selection of stock red, pink, and hot pink wristbands, and custom Valentine’s Day wristbands to keep track of attendees, verify age, and more. Whether you’re hosting a Valentine’s Day event at your bar or restaurant, or are collecting donations to raise awareness for heart disease, choose wristbands.com for all your Valentine’s Day organizational and fundraising needs.

Bars, restaurants, and nightclubs often have special deals and discounts to attract large crowds for Valentine’s Day. It is likely going to be a crowded evening, and if alcohol is going to be served, age verification wristbands are a must. Wristbands.com carries bright pink and red “Over 21” wristbands that will tie perfectly into the Valentine’s Day color scheme. If you are looking for fun wristbands that sparkle under any type of lighting, order our holographic wristbands, made from a strong tri-laminate material, that are available in a variety of glittery Valentine’s Day colors. At wristbands.com, you can customize any wristband for just a couple cents more per piece, to make your very own personalized Valentine’s Day patron ID. You can print your own custom messages, such as “Valentine’s Day 2013 at Club Dance,” on the wristbands for your bar, restaurant, or nightclub. Your custom wristbands will serve as a special Valentine’s Day memory to your guests.

Schools may also find wristbands helpful if they are going to be hosting a Valentine’s Day dance in the evening or a school-wide Valentine’s Day party during the day. Many elementary schools have a Valentine’s Day parade for their students, and teachers or staff may want to purchase wristbands to keep count of children and verify the ID of adult volunteers. You can purchase Tyvek®, vinyl, and plastic wristbands from wristbands.com that feature a patented SecurSnap® non-transferable closure. Kids love our ClearImage® see-through wristbands available in multiple colors that work perfectly for Valentine’s Day. If your school is hosting a Valentine’s Day dance in the evening, purchase custom wristbands from wristbands.com and give the students a keepsake to take home with them. Silicone wristbands are trendy for high school students, and wristbands.com offers five unique styles of silicone wristbands, from basic to premium, in 20 bright colors. You can custom print line art, such as hearts, onto the surface of the silicone wristbands and use silkscreen or color-fill to add a personalized message such as, “Royal HS Valentine’s Dance 2013.”   

Stores and other places of business often decorate for Valentine’s Day. Places like dental offices, medical offices, and banks will often put a basket of Valentine’s Day candies or other freebies out for customers to take. Instead of handing out candies like so many other businesses, you can purchase custom wristbands with Valentine’s Day messages to give to your customers. You can easily fit short phrases like, “First Bank 2013 Valentine’s Day,” or “Happy Valentine’s Day from Dr. Smith.” Silicone wristbands serve as a fun and free promotional gift that customers of all ages will enjoy. Unlike candy, which after consumed is quickly forgotten, your Valentine’s Day wristbands can be worn for months on end. Economically-priced promotional wristbands can serve as free advertisement on anyone who wears them. Wristbands are an excellent conversation starter, and people will be likely to remember your business because of your colorful Valentine’s Day wristbands they see someone they know wearing.

Wristbands are also great for fundraising and awareness campaigns. You can use Valentine’s Day wristbands as promotion for your awareness campaign. For example, if you are raising funds for a heart disease fundraising campaign, it would be clever to tie in Valentine’s Day because it is commonly associated with hearts. Order pink, red, purple, and white Valentine’s Day silicone wristbands with custom messages like, “Putting an End to Heart Disease,” or ”2013 Heart Disease Prevention.” You can ask for $1 or $2 donations for the custom Valentine’s Day themed awareness wristbands and give the money to the appropriate charity. Silicone wristbands are ideal for fundraising and awareness campaigns because not only are they re wearable, but they are extremely fashionable and popular. People will be happy to donate several dollars to your charitable cause because it makes them feel good to give back to society. People will also enjoy wearing their awareness campaign wristband because others will ask them what they are and it will give people an opportunity to explain how they helped spread some love for the less fortunate this Valentine’s Day.

Lastly, churches and temples that are hosting Valentine’s Day events should purchase wristbands from wristbands.com to help keep your event organized, keep track of attendees, manage food and beverages, and to hand out as prizes. It may be fun to host a Valentine’s Day fair with an assortment of games and booths. You can order custom wristbands in Valentine’s Day colors with your church or temple’s name printed on the surface of the wristband. It’s easy to fit a message such as, “Church of Christ Valentine’s Day 2013” or “Valentine’s 2013 at Temple Judea.” Wristbands will add some lighthearted fun to your event and will give it a professional touch. Your congregation will be able to look back at their keepsake silicone wristbands from Valentine’s Day and have fond memories from your event. Remember to order from wristbands.com for the best prices, quality, and largest selection.

Celebrate Mardi Gras With Safety Measurements For Your Valuable Guests

Mardi Gras is a historical tradition, globally recognized for its reckless and wild parties and parades, that had continued to thrive for thousands of years. The French phrase Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday,” which is the annual ritual of debauchery and indulging in fatty foods before Lent, a season of fasting. In the past, the occasion was most commonly celebrated in states like Alabama and Louisiana, but today, more and more people throughout the United States are choosing to participate in the celebration of Mardi Gras. If you are planning a large Mardi Gras party for your bar or nightclub, or are hosting one at your home, choose from a wide selection of wristbands from wristbands.com to help keep your event safe and organized. 

Mardi Gras celebrations are a big hit for Bars and nightclubs, and being prepared for larger than normal crowds is a must. With its ornate beads, masks, and bold colors – Mardi Gras can be a great way to attract extra business to your bar or nightclub. Wristbands.com carries all sorts of decorative and non-transferable wristbands in a variety of materials and styles. For just a few cents more per wristband, you can order customized wristbands with printed messages like, “Happy Mardi Gras,” on any type of wristband we offer. Make sure you can identify and accommodate all your guests by having different colored and customized wristbands on hand.

Since Mardi Gras can be celebrated for about a three-week period, bars and nightclubs would be smart to purchase a variety of custom wristbands from wristbands.com to help ensure guests are not re-using wristbands from a previous night to gain admission. The three colors of the Mardi Gras flag are: purple for justice;  gold for power; and green for faith. Purchase vinyl, plastic, silicone, or Tyvek® wristbands in all three of the Mardi Gras colors to help add spirit to any Mardi Gras themed event. It may be fun to print common celebratory French Mardi Gras, or “Shrove Tuesday” phrases on a variety of colored wristbands. Purchase wristbands in the three classic Mardi Gras colors, with the following short French and English phrases custom printed onto their surface:

• Bon Mardi Gras! (Good Shrove Tuesday!)
• Joyeux Mardi Gras! (Merry Shrove Tuesday!)
• Heureux Mardi Gras! (Happy Shrove Tuesday!)

You can use wristbands at your bar or nightclub for admission, age verification, designated driver identification, VIP privileges, and as tickets for food or beverages. If you are hosting a Mardi Gras event for adults, there will undoubtedly be liquor present. Order age verification wristbands from wristbands.com to ensure only of-age guests are purchasing and consuming alcohol. Use one Mardi Gras color, such as purple, to identify adults 21-years-old and above. Use another Mardi Gras color, like green, for underage guests. To add some festivity to your event, add a small amount of food color to different types of beer and serve gold, green, and purple drinks. Wristbands.com carries premium Wrist-Rider® wristbands that feature three, four, or five tear-off tabs that can be redeemed for refreshments. We offer an assortment of stock Wrist-Rider® wristbands that feature the tear-off tabs printed with numbers. Or, customize your wristbands with classic Mardi Gras colors, graphics, and your bar or nightclub name imprinted onto the surface of the wristband to serve as a branding tool.

In addition to bars and nightclubs, many people throw parties at their home to celebrate the Mardi Gras season. If you are hosting a large party, you may want to have a cover charge at the door. You can hand the wristbands out at the door when your guests arrive and pay to help the duration of your Mardi Gras party run smoothly. Wristbands.com carries colorful glitter and metallic wristbands in all three of the classic Mardi Gras colors that are ideal for parties. Kids will love the metallic purple, green, and gold tri-laminate wristbands, that sparkle and shine in all types of lighting, available for purchase at wristbands.com. We also carry five customizable styles of trendy silicone wristbands that both kids and adults will love to wear. Order custom premium color-fill debossed silicone wristbands with Mardi Gras graphics like court jester hats and masks imprinted onto them. Place the graphics around the date of you party, “Jones Mardi Gras Ball – Jan. 2013.” Guests will enjoy taking home a keepsake from your party that is stylish to wear!

There are all sorts of fun decorations and activities that serve as entertainment for Mardi Gras parties.  Balloons, beads, confetti, costumes, masks, and streamers all highlight the spirit of Mardi Gras and are an inexpensive way to decorate in true Mardi Gras style. You can inform guest on your invitations that there will be a costume contest, as elaborate costumes are a major part of the Mardi Gras celebration. For guests who arrive without costume, set up a mask creation station so all attendees will have something festive to wear. Masks can be adorned with all the Mardi Gras classics like beads, feathers, glitter, paint, and sequins. If less guests arrive than expected, you can chain-link leftover wristbands together to make bright and colorful, yet highly economical, decorations for your Mardi Gras party.

Mardi Gras can be a fun history and cultural lesson to teach children at school or in the home. Teach children about the culture behind Mardi Gras by preparing traditional Cajun dishes and playing customary games such as “King’s Cake.” Place a plastic baby figurine in a random place in the cake, and whoever gets the slice with the baby in it is “king” or “queen” of the Mardi Gras party. You can also make Mardi Gras colored Jell-o® shots to add some lighthearted fun to your event. For large parties, implement wristbands.com Wrist-Rider® wristbands and charge $3 per tab. Your guests can redeem the tabs for a plate of traditional Cajun cuisine or a fun Mardi Gras drink. Use different colored Wrist-Rider® wristbands for food and alcohol, if you are going to price them differently. There are countless ways that wristbands can help you stay organized at any Mardi Gras celebration, so make sure to order wristbands from wristbands.com today to ensure they arrive in time for your Mardi Gras party.

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. With Commorative Wristbands

Every third Monday of January, our country sets a day aside to commemorate the life of one of the most influential people in our history – Martin Luther King Jr. While children and young people enjoy getting a holiday off from school, too many of them do not understand why Martin Luther King’s birthday is celebrated. If you are an educator, group leader, or mentor, you can use commemorative wristbands as a useful and fun learning tool to teach children about the American civil rights milestones established by Martin Luther King Jr.

You can custom imprint some of Martin Luther King’s famous words on silicone, plastic, vinyl, or Tyvek® wristbands from wristbands.com. “I Have a Dream,” is by far the most well-known speech by Martin Luther King Jr., delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The phrase “I Have a Dream,” can easily fit the length of even a child-sized wristband. Purchase custom wristbands with “I Have a Dream,” printed on them, and pass them out to children before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or all throughout Black History Month. You can reward children who memorize King’s speech with a brightly-colored wristband that features one of our nation’s most historical and meaningful phrases.

Since the entire “I Have a Dream” speech is about 17 minutes long, it is quite a lot for young students to memorize. As a group activity, have different kids in your class memorize sections of the speech, and perform it in front of the school during Black History Month. Or, have your class say the speech in front of their parents at a special school event or fundraiser. After the speech, explain to parents and other audience members that each child is encouraged to wear their commemorative “I Have a Dream” wristband the entire Black History Month in remembrance of Martin Luther King’s great achievements. Ask some of the children in your class to help pass out “I Have a Dream” wristbands to their family members in the audience, so they too can participate. 

Order pre-printed “I Have a Dream” wristbands in an assortment of colors to help give Martin Luther King’s message meaning to our youngest generation –  who are perhaps learning about the American civil rights movement for the very first time. Wristbands.com offers endless customization options for wristbands of all colors and styles. Order “I Have a Dream” wristbands in an assortment of colors to help teach the lesson of Martin Luther King’s life to your students. All of the wristbands will be different colors, yet unified with the same phrase, just as Martin Luther King taught us about our fellow Americans.
Encourage other teachers at your school to participate in teaching their students about Martin Luther King  Jr. and Black History Month. For an impactful school-wide activity, have all of the students, teachers, and staff hold hands in a circle around the school and say Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech out loud together while wearing different colored wristbands from wristbands.com. Or, have different grades or classrooms memorize sections of the speech and recite it while the whole school is holding hands in a circle. You could also do the same activity with a single classroom or grade of children around the flagpole on your school campus.

A wristband makes a circle, which is the universal symbol for unity. That is why they are an ideal tool to use when explaining a difficult lesson to children such as the American civil rights movement of the 60s. It may be hard for children to imagine that less than a century ago, slavery was still a thriving realism in American culture. For this reason, this is not a lesson that should take a day to explain and study. Instead, it should be done over an extended period of time. You may want to purchase wristbands made from a durable, waterproof material like vinyl or plastic. Or, you can order silicone wristbands which can easily be removed, but are re-wearable for weeks on end. Silicone wristbands are especially trendy for both children and adults, and can be custom imprinted in a variety of basic and premium styles on wristbands.com.

We also offers glitter wristbands that can be custom printed with the phrase, “I Have a Dream,” in either white or black ink. Children will love wearing these wristbands to commemorate Martin King Jr. Day, or even for the entire month of February , which is Black History Month.  Our metallic glitter wristbands are manufactured from a sturdy tri-laminate vinyl and are non-transferable. They feature a plastic one-time snap closure so children and their parents will not have to worry about them falling off or getting lost. Our glitter wristbands sparkle in the sunlight, which will be fun for children during recess or on their lunch break, and are available in multiple colors and patterns.

You may want to take a more solemn approach if you are purchasing Martin Luther King Jr. Day “I Have a Dream” wristbands for teenage students. Try using solid colored vinyl, plastic, or silicone wristbands instead of glitter wristbands. You can print a large variety of colored ink on solid colored wristbands. For teenagers, you can use matching wristbands instead of a various colored wristbands.

Chances are, this is not the first time your teenage students have been taught or have heard about the American civil rights movement, so you can challenge them with trivia to win “I Have a Dream Wristbands.” Create a quiz on Martin Luther King Jr. with information such as his birthday, what year his famous speech was delivered, and a bonus section where students must write out Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  If they write the whole speech correctly, make sure to reward them with a trendy silicone “I Have a Dream” wristband from wristbands.com!

Microchip Wristband Becomes a Theme Park Essential

In a nondescript manufacturing plant on a quiet San Fernando cul-de-sac, a khaki-green machine the size of a buffet table sucks in bright pink ribbon and spits out one of the hottest features in theme parks.
Here, Precision Dynamics Corp., a company that began making plastic hospital wristbands out of a Burbank garage more than 50 years ago, has become the nation’s top producer of a new microchip-enhanced wristband for amusement parks, concerts, resorts and gyms.

Smart Bands with RFID by Precision Dynamics Corp.

The wristbands use the same technology as electronic tollbooths, security key cards and the newest U.S. passports. But at Precision Dynamics, this sophisticated electronic know-how has found its niche at theme parks, where the high-tech wristbands act as high-security admission passes, cashless debit cards, hotel room keys and a form of identification to reunite lost children with parents.

In the last year alone, Precision Dynamics’ wristbands came on line at Great Wolf Resorts’ newest water park in Concord, N.C.; at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Galveston, Texas; and at Water World, one of the nation’s largest water parks, near Denver, Colo. In total, more than 50 theme parks across the country strap the wristbands on visitors.

Company leaders envision a future when they can expand the technology for use in border security and hospital identification, among other purposes.

“All sorts of things can be done with this technology,” said Walter Mosher Jr., a founder of the privately held company and a member of the board of directors.

Precision Dynamics began in 1956 when a friend who worked in hospital supplies suggested that Mosher, a UCLA engineering student, design a better wristband to identify patients at hospitals. At the time, hospitals made wristbands from plastic tubes, using separate tools to cut and fasten the bands on patients. For infants, hospital workers strung together lettered beads that spelled the babies’ names.

At the machine shop at Burbank High School, Mosher and two partners devised a one-piece plastic wristband that required no tools to fasten. The business that began with only $2,000 in start-up money has since expanded to 680 employees, a handful of trademark patents and offices in Belgium, Japan, Italy, Mexico and Brazil.

In 2006, Mosher sued Precision Dynamics in a dispute over the election of board members. But the dispute was settled out of court last year with a deal that keeps Mosher as a shareholder and a member of the board.

The idea of using radio frequency identification, or RFID, technology in wristbands came to Mosher about 10 years ago when he learned that microchips were being implanted in dogs and cats to identify them in shelters and veterinary clinics. A short time later, company Vice President Robin Barber moved ahead with the idea after meeting with managers from Great Wolf Resorts, who wanted to let guests buy food and drinks at the water parks without carrying a wallet or cash.

The result was a patented wristband containing a tiny antenna and a microchip only slightly bigger than a postage stamp.

Unique Custom Designed Wristbands with RFID chips

Each microchip is programmed with a unique 16-character code. A separate device known as a reader emits a low-power radio wave that activates the chip to collect the information and upload it into a computer. The reader must come within a few inches of the wristband to connect to the chip. Thus the wristband acts as a key to access a computerized debit account or unlock an electronic hotel room or a clothes locker.

The microchip wristbands now account for about $3 million in annual sales for Precision Dynamics, representing only a fraction of the company’s more than $100 million in annual sales, according to company executives. The bulk of the company’s business comes from the sales of wristbands that employ simpler bar-code technology to identify hospital patients, among other uses, and plain plastic wristbands with colors that tell security officers at theme parks and concerts who has paid for admission.

At theme parks, parents can use a kiosk to upload amounts that their children can spend, using the wristbands to buy food or play video games at the park. The microchips are coded so that the wristbands can be used only on a specific day. Once a hotel guest or theme park visitor departs, the wristbands becomes obsolete.

Because cashless spending is more convenient, industry reports suggest that visitors who use the wristbands spend as much as 25% more at resorts and parks.

“Our guests appreciate the convenience of it all,” said Jennifer Beranek, a spokeswoman for Great Wolf Resorts. Precision Dynamics wristbands are used at seven of its 12 water parks nationwide.
But price remains a barrier for the technology. Simple wristbands that use bar-code technology, for example, sell for as little as 14 cents each; the RFID wristbands sell for about $1 each. An RFID reader sells for about $450, roughly twice the cost of a bar-code reader.

Creative Ways to Get Sponsorship

There is a lot of advertising racket out in the world for people to take in these days. It can get overwhelming. There are times people might feel bombarded with messaging—the ride to and from work, the grocery store, the gym, the internet. It can jump out anytime and anywhere.

All this noise makes it difficult to stand out and get noticed. It can be challenging to spread the word, and even more challenging to invite sponsors to advertise in support of a cause, organization or event. That’s where wristbands with a message come in. Wristbands with a message provide creative ways to get sponsorship. An economical marketing tool, wristbands with a message are a fun and unobtrusive means for reaching a highly targeted audience.

If you are hosting an event in which you are seeking sponsorships to raise funds, you can sell advertising space on wristbands. There are a multitude of creative ways for sponsors to increase branding and build both awareness and customer loyalty. The first is imprinting wristbands with a message. You can include a logo or a tagline or both!

People tend to wear their wristbands for a few days after the close of an event—especially if it is comfortable and includes a cool message and design. Guests become walking, talking mini billboards. Everywhere they go, their wristband with a message is a conversation starter. If your sponsor wants to increase website traffic, you might suggest that they imprint the company website address on the wristband along with a message.

If sponsors really want to engage their target audience, the ability to imprint quick response (QR) codes might be enticing. QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes. When people use their Smart phone to snap a photo of a QR code, they are led to a wide variety of places—places that provide information, offers, or freebies for on-the-go access. Usually these offers are exclusive. Here are some examples of what your sponsor might consider offering with the help of a QR code imprinted on wristbands with a message:

·         Invitation to opt in to a newsletter to get exclusive discounts

·         Invitation to purchase a raffle ticket to win prizes

·         Link to download a playlist

Whether your sponsor chooses to imprint their website address or a QR code onto wristbands with a message, they have a prime opportunity to boost social media activity. You could work with the sponsor and hold a contest. Encourage people to “like” the sponsor’s Facebook or invite guests to follow the sponsor on Twitter. Everyone who acts on the invitation to do so during the event gets a 10% off purchase coupon. Additionally, each person is entered into a drawing. Every hour during the event a name is drawn. The winner receives an awesome prize.

Sponsors can also imprint coupons directly onto wristbands with a message. This is another great strategy that motivates people to take action. Maybe the sponsor is opening a new store. The street address could be imprinted along with “show us your wristband, get 20% off any purchase.” The store will get a lot of traffic and sales will spike. Guests may even “check in” via Facebook and share how awesome the store and the products are. Word of mouth can spread as rapidly as fire. Guests’ friends will come check out the store; friends of those friends will stop by; and so on and so on

Wristbands with a message provide sponsors with a world of possibilities to promote their organization, as well as their services or products. Imprinting a logo, design, tagline, QR codes and/or website URLs onto wristbands with a message can trigger some interesting conversations that will likely lead to a live testimonial. There is nothing better than a recommendation from someone people trust.

Not only do wristbands with a message encourage word-of-mouth advertising, which is the most effective form of advertising, but also, the cost of these wristbands is minimal. When you get sponsors to purchase advertising space and promote their message on wristbands, you will not only cover the minimal expense, but will likely make a profit. You can also encourage sponsors to team up with other business for co-sponsorship. That will save them money, yet benefit all three organizations! There really is no way to lose with wristbands with a message. This effective marketing tool is fun and effective!

Precision Dynamics’ Smart Band(R) RFID Wristbands for Cashless Point-of-Sale

Following a successful trial last season, Hersheypark* deployed a fully integrated cashless point-of-sale (POS) system using PDC Smart Band(R) RFID wristbands on opening day, May 4, 2012. The new RFID cashless POS system is safe, convenient, and user-friendly. Guests use their Smart Band(R) RFID wristband to make in-park purchases, check balances, and load additional funds onto their wristband at any of the park’s 200 RFID-enabled POS stations. Since Smart Band(R) RFID wristbands are waterproof, guests can use them in both dry park and water park areas. 

Greg Cetera, RFID manager for Precision Dynamics Corporation, points out that, “RFID capabilities are already built into most POS software systems, so the conversion is seamless and cost-effective. The convenience factor for guests is a huge bonus since they no longer have to carry cash or access their locker for money to make purchases. Faster transactions and shorter lines equate to increased efficiency and time savings for guests, and greater ROI for the park.” 

The cashless POS system is an expansion to Hershey’s embracement of RFID technology. Four years ago, Hersheypark* implemented RFID enabled lockers which guests access using PDC Smart Band(R) RFID wristbands. Based on the success of the current RFID installations, additional applications are being reviewed for use in the future. 

Since the first SmartBand(R) RFID wristband installation over a decade ago, PDC’s RFID technology has helped many theme parks across the nation deliver a better guest experience while reaping significant bottom line benefits. Proven RFID wristband applications include social media integration, cashless payments, keyless lockers, electronic access control, photo management systems, and customer loyalty programs. In addition to Smart Band(R) wristbands, other innovative PDC RFID Solutions include PDC Smart(R) Cards, Key Fobs, Lanyards, and Parking Passes. For more information, visit http://www.pdcorp.com/rfid . 

Hersheypark (known as Hershey Park until 1970) is a family theme park situated in Hershey, Derry Township, Pennsylvania, United States

About Precision Dynamics Corporation

With over 50 years of experience, PDC is the global leader and pacesetter in the development of wristband and label systems for healthcare, leisure and entertainment, and law enforcement. The company introduced the first patient bar code ID wristband, patented Smart Band(R) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristbands, and the award winning PDC Smart(R) Kiosk. PDC is committed to 100% quality in service, design, and manufacturing and complies with ISO-9001 standards (Organization for International Standards). 

*Used under license by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company.

Send Short Messages with Wristbands

Text Bands — a new product that encourages kids to connect face to face while using an interactive wristband.  To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hallmark-bumps-the-trend-with-new-kid-product-text-bands-163246116.html

First-of-its-kind Text Bands allow kids to swap messages by bumping fists or shaking hands. Recently, thousands of kids and celebrities, including Cody Simpson and Demi Lovato, have bumped fists and traded messages at Hallmark Text Bands launch parties. Starting today, everyone can participate in the Text Bands action. Text Bands are available for $14.99 at Hallmark Gold Crown^® stores nationwide.

“In this world of behind-the-screen communication, we wanted to give kids a new fun way to connect face to face and express themselves,” said Dan Woodall, Hallmark Product Manager. “In Hallmark focus groups and at Text Bands launch parties, kids have been enthusiastic about Text Bands. We are excited Text Bands now are in stores so everyone will have a chance to experience this new way to connect.”

How Text Bands Work
Text Bands starter kits feature a purple or charcoal-colored Text Band, complete with a texting module and style band. Kids enter up to 10 characters into the screen and, when they see a friend wearing a Text Band, they connect by bumping fists or shaking hands. The bands will light up, and the message transfers from band to band. A bad-word filter built into the Text Band helps ensure kids send positive messages. Text Bands hold up to 24 messages at a time — the newest messages push out the oldest — giving kids the perfect excuse to connect with their friends again and again.

Text Bands Style
Hallmark also offers style bands, giving kids an opportunity to showcase their style. Style bands feature various designs, including Peace Graffiti, Camo Breeze and characters, such as Minnie Mouse, and retail for $4.99 each.

“With eight style bands to choose from, kids can change their Text Bands to match their outfits or moods for the day,” said Dan Woodall, Hallmark Product Manager. “Additional style band designs, including one featuring teen pop sensation Cody Simpson, will be introduced throughout 2012.”

The Power of Positivity
Before using Text Bands, kids are encouraged to recite the “Text Bands Oath” and promise to use their band for positive communication and friendship. Teen stars, including Demi Lovato and Cody Simpson, led fans in the Text Bands Oath this summer at Hallmark Text Bands launch parties. Other celebrities who attended Text Bands debut events included Ariel Winter (“Modern Family”), Kendall and Kylie Kardashian (“Keeping Up the Kardashians”) and Kelli Goss (“Big Time Rush”).

What Others Are Saying About Text Bands

• “You can show people who you are through the use of your Text Band.” — Kenton Duty, actor from “Shake It Up!”
• “I wish I had these [Text Bands] in middle school, because it’s much easier to ask a girl out with this.” — Cody Simpson, teen singing sensation
• “If I could bump fists with all my fans with a Text Band, I would say ‘URLoved’.” — Tiffany Thornton, star of “Sonny with a Chance” and “So Random!”
• “I love these things [Text Bands]. I’m going to be wearing this all the time now.” — Cole Pendery, singer, IM5

Article was quoted from Sacramento Bee

Raising Donation with Wrisbands

When members of Signing for Change donated $200 worth of clothes and about $80 worth of toiletries to StandUp for Kids, Executive Director Josephine Clark thought that’s all she would see from them.
“I did not anticipate them to take it any further,” she said.

StandUp for Kids

But the North Kitsap High School American Sign Language students and teacher Karen Johnston, the creators of the Signing for Change project, weren’t done.
After rehearsing with participants in Life Skills — a program for people 18-21 years old with various disabilities that prepares them to be more independent — the group put on a performance June 9. The performance, which included students signing to music, was done in front of an estimated 300-plus audience.
The performance, combined with “Signing for Change” wristband sales, raised more than $1,000. As of Wednesday, the money was still being counted. Prior to the performance, Johnston estimated approximately $1,500 would be raised.
The money will be distributed to the Kitsap chapter of StandUp for Kids, a program to help homeless teens based in Bremerton, and the Pazapa Center for Handicapped Children in Jacmel, Haiti.
Johnston described the performance as “amazing.” In an email, she said more than 300 people attended — possibly close to 400. About 80 people performed.
Clark was asked to say a few words at the church. She reiterated by saying she had never seen “youngsters or any other group for that matter, come up with a plan and bring it to fruition so quickly and so well.”
Because StandUp typically receives most of its donations during the winter holidays, she was grateful to see the Signing for Change event happen in spring.
Clark hopes those in the audience saw what Signing for Change did and will be inspired to do something for the community.
“I don’t think they’ve finished,” Clark said of the project. “This is just the beginning.”
StandUp for Kids provides approximately $600 every month to provide food to those in need. About 180 snacks are provided per day around the county and 21 kids are being fed three meals a day on the weekend. In the Poulsbo area, about 150 homeless kids have been identified.
More than a week before the performance, sophomore Emily Calder told the Herald she did not realize the scale of homelessness in Kitsap. After her and the rest of the students were given statistics, she said “It seems crazy. There are so many homeless people … we didn’t even know.”
On June 9, a speech written by Emily was given prior to the performance. The speech described the approximate 140 students involved in ASL having “a vision for a better tomorrow, which started when we heard statistics about the huge amounts” of need in the community.
“We hope that ‘Signing for Change’ will be a chain reaction,” a copy of the speech reads. “We hope that the good deeds that we have started will spread to the rest of you and realize that one small deed can help out in a huge way.”

Source: North Kitsap Herald Education/Sports Reporter Kipp Robertson at (360) 779-4464.