eNewsletter: March 2009

Recession Chic:  Rethinking Your Lifestyle in the Recession

Let Rewards Direct be your source for meaningful and motivating rewards for employees, customers, channel partners, sales personnel and more. Make the perfect connection with rewards purposefully chosen and flawlessly delivered to engage those people most critical to your business. Email info@rewardsdirect.com or call 800-298-8729 for all your corporate merchandise needs.  Go to www.rewardsdirect.com to view our rewards catalog online.

In this edition:

Recession Chic: Bringing the Family Together

Hot New Item: Cuisinart Greenware Eco-Friendly 10-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set

Trend Watch: Micro-Scope

What People Want Right Now: Comfort at Home

Brand Spotlight: Cuisinart

Recession Chic: Bringing the Family Together

We've created a new area within the Rewards Direct Collection dedicated to clients and participants who are cost-conscious and attentive to spending during the current economic challenges.  Recession Chic offers "affordable luxury" items and new reward ideas for participants whose lifestyles have been affected by the recession.   Here are three items that are included in the "Family Time" section of Recession Chic:

Cuisinart Soft-Serve Ice Cream Maker Wow them with delicious, homemade soft ice cream, yogurt, sorbet or sherbet - with sprinkles, chips and all their favorite mix-ins added as the soft-serve is automatically served! Three built-in condiment dispensers stand ready; just a pull of a tab sends sprinkles, chips and other goodies down the chute to mix right into frozen delights as cones or bowls are filled - making them extra delicious! Fully automatic operation - simply pour in fresh ingredients and turn the dial. Makes 1 1/2 qts. in as little as 20 minutes. Instruction/Recipe book included.
Halex Perfect Pitch Bean Bag Toss Great for the backyard, a picnic or tailgating, this is the classic game of accuracy and aim. Includes 2 bean bag pitching targets, 8 color-coded bean bags and a playing surface of 35 1/2" x 23 1/2". Folds in half for easy storage and packed in a convenient storage bag.
The Singing Machine Portable CDG Karaoke System with 5 1/2" Monitor Who wants to be the next "American Idol"? This music karaoke system features a portable design with a built-in 5 1/2" black and white TV monitor that displays on-screen lyrics. Even better, a built-in video camera will record your performance so you can play it back on your TV. Invite your friends over, grab the remote and crank up the volume for your own concert! FM tuner and microphone included.

Hot New Item

Cuisinart Greenware Eco-Friendly 10-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set

Introduce a new, eco-friendly path to great cooking to your kitchen. This new cookware from Cuisinart not only contains eco-friendly materials, it's made in eco-friendly ways! The exclusive Ceramica™ ceramic-based nonstick technology is petroleum-free and is applied at a temperature one-half that of conventional nonsticks. It's also PTFE- and PFOA-free for healthier cooking. The aluminum construction heats quickly and evenly, saving money, and even the riveted stainless stick handles are made of 70% recycled stainless steel. Set includes an 8" omelet; 10" deep fry pan with cover; 1.5 qt. saucepan with cover; 2.5 qt. saucepan with cover; 6 qt. Dutch Oven with cover; and a steamer insert that fits the 2.5 qt. saucepan. Oven and broiler safe. Color: Black. *Warranted Product.

Trend Watch: Micro-Scope

Smaller items help with the environment and are easier to carry around.  The growing trend of shrinking things will touch and become more important for convenience, eco, affordability, and the recession in the coming months ahead.    Here are 4 different examples from our collection.

Sonnet LED Flashlight/Radio Rechargeable compact unit is perfect for emergencies. Crank provides instant power to the 5 LEDs, for a broad light beam.
Shark Steam Bottle Blast with steam and wipe it clean. This handheld steamer turns ordinary tap water into a powerful, chemical-free household cleaner. You can refill it at any time, and it provides instant continuous steam making it perfect for quick cleanups whether you're inside or out. The 13-foot power cord gains you access to appliances, countertops, bathrooms, tiles, mirrors, glass and more. Kit includes reusable micro-fiber hand cloth, large squeegee, small scrubbing brush, large scrubbing brush, concentrator and filling flask.
Dirt Devil KWIK Hand Vac Cleans computers, desks, and every nook and cranny in your home or office. This little vac looks high-tech because it is. Powered by rechargeable premium lithium-ion technology, it boasts 2 very clever charging options: a USB charging stand and an additional AC outlet/USB adaptor that plugs into your laptop for charging. It's incredibly lightweight, quiet, compact and easy to use - and looks great as it stands by waiting for a chance to perform. Bagless, with an easy-empty dirt cup, onboard dusting brush and crevice tool. *Warranted Product.
Sony XPERIA Smart Phone Combining a three-inch wide VGA (480 x 800-pixel resolution touchscreen) display and a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA enables you to work efficiently or enjoy your favorite entertainment while on the move. It features a unique customizable paneled desktop that lets you quickly access the applications and functions you need and use the most. Other attractive features include a 3.2 megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, Wi-Fi networking, assisted GPS, a large 400 MB internal memory, and an FM Radio. Finally, a unique arc design gives XPERIA a distinctive presence. This is cutting-edge technology and convenience on the go!

What People Want Right Now: Comfort at Home

Many people are choosing to spend more time at home during this recession.  So why not upgrade your house for the times ahead with great items that can help you in your everyday living.  These products may also come in handy when hosting that next party.

Home– Top 10

Brand Spotlight: The Cuisinart Story

Turning the Art of Great Cooking Into an American Lifestyle

Cuisinart, universally known for introducing the food processor in America, is a leader in culinary appliances, cookware and kitchen accessories. As a longtime trusted brand, Cuisinart perpetuates a sense of community among consumers and is committed to inspiring home cooks with kitchen products, recipes and other resources that make home cooking a rewarding experience.  The company's reputation as an innovative leader can be seen on numerous fronts, from industry-first products and design awards to TV cooking show sponsorships.

Innovative Culinary Tools are Our Signature
Julia Child let people in on the Cuisinart secret and so did James Beard. They were among the first culinary experts to hail the food processor as a revolutionary kitchen appliance when it was introduced to America in 1973 by the late Cuisinart founder, Carl Sontheimer. They saw the food processor as a quick and easy way to make fine food and healthy dishes. 

Under management from Conair Corporation since 1989, the legacy is alive and well. Today, Cuisinart is a universally recognized name, endorsed by culinary connoisseurs such as Jacques Pépin and Hubert Keller.

Our Mission is to Help You "Savor the Good Life®"
The prestigious Cuisinart® brand is not limited to food processors. Plugged or unplugged, nobody covers the kitchen like Cuisinart. The company is a full-service culinary resource with a wide array of products, preferred by chefs and favored by consumers. These include: 

• Bakeware  
• Blenders 
• Brick ovens
• CleanWater™ Countertop Filtration System 
• Coffeemakers (including espresso makers) and tea kettles 
• Cookware (including the industry's first eco-friendly GreenGourmet™ hard anodized nonstick and stainless nonstick products) 
• Countertop cooking appliances 
• Food processors (including the PrepExpress™ Handheld Food Processor) 
• Frozen yogurt, ice cream & sorbet makers  
• Hand mixers 
• Kitchen tools & gadgets 
• Microwave oven 
• Pizza oven 
• Stand mixers 
• Toaster oven broilers and toasters 
• Waffle makers 
• A host of specialty products, including wine cellars, a popcorn maker, bread maker, pressure cooker and deep fryer.