• by Tricia Despres , March 15, 2006

Imagine a stadium filled with thousands of people. It's the final seconds of the big game, and the home team is about to win. As the players celebrate, confetti begins falling on the ecstatic fans below.

But this is no ordinary confetti. The shiny bits of paper bear the team's logo, with a select few pieces offering fans a free cup of coffee from a participating sponsor.

Sound ridiculous? According to Roger Wachtell, owner of Van Nuys, Calif.-based Artistry in Motion, "It all comes down to the imagination of the company and the message they want to get out there."

The confetti runs anywhere in size from 0.25 to 5 inches. Marketers can order custom die-cut confetti in the shape of their logo, or they can include a message and image imprinted on confetti or streamers. "Put a message on a piece of confetti and it instantly becomes a souvenir," Wachtell says. And a branding opportunity.