Buzz Worthy
Archive for July, 2012
Ready for Fall?
0299 days
Whether or not you want to admit it, the autumn season is right around the corner. Don’t worry — it’s not time to pack up the bathing suits and pool supplies just yet. But when it comes to promotional items, it’s best to be prepared for next season’s promotional campaigns!
Thankfully the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI)’s “The Joe Show” covers fresh products all the time. The most recent episode covers “New Products for Fall Promotions.” Check out the clip here:
As you can see, Joe’s picks range from unique socks to dazzling holiday ornaments. These giveaways are perfect for tailgating events, charity drives, and more.
Make sure your company or organization has the best fall promotions so you can stand out through the holiday season!
Where’s Your Holiday Spirit?
0302 days
The holiday season seems to begin earlier and earlier each year. As soon as fall rolls around, we begin prepping for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah and eventually Christmas. It might be a little soon to feel any holiday spirit today, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start preparing.
The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI)’s “Promotional Consultant Today” offers the following tips on seasonal selling:
- Suggest holiday-related ideas
Share relevant products and information ahead of a specific holiday or season to pique readers’ interests. When they’re prepping for Halloween, for example, “share ideas on the best flashlights to use for trick-or-treating.”
- Show off your lively employees
One trick to becoming a well-liked company is to be (and have) fun. Organizing an office-wide Thanksgiving feast? Post photos and videos of your celebration on social media platforms and blogs. Customers and potential customers will enjoy the personal touch.
- Dress up your logo
We’ve all seen at least one “Google Doodle.” You, too, can add a special touch to your logo or website landing page to observe special holidays and seasons, “be it a football jersey, an injection of orange and black for Halloween, Valentine hearts or whatever the season.”
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get your company involved in celebrating the season! Any more tips? Leave a comment below!
SAAGNY Elects Board of Trustees, Holds Annual ‘Pirates Day’
0306 days
Just days after the SAAGNY Foundation elected its new Board of Trustees, the non-profit charitable organization went to work at Happiness is Camping’s 12th annual “Pirates Day.”
The board’s newly elected chair, Rhonda Blum, CAS, of Motivators Inc., said in a press release that she is excited to bring a new energy to the foundation. And her words ring true; Blum and other members of SAAGNY Foundation’s Board of Trustees donated their time (along with some promotional goodies) to Happiness is Camping’s “Pirates Day” event.
Happiness is Camping, a free summer camp for children with cancer and survivors, “provides a total of 400 girls and boys ages 6-15 with a free overnight camping experience that varies in time depending on their health,” according to SAAGNY Foundation’s press release.
Eric Rackoff of Staples Promotional Products, a member of the SAAGNY Board of Directors and Chair of the Happiness is Camping initiative, said running the event is very personal for him. “Having lost a sister and brother to cancer when they were kids, over forty years ago, I do this in their memory. I was also taught by my father to ‘give back,’ especially to children,” Rackoff said.
Additional companies within the promotional items industry that donated include American Ad Bag, Jetline, National Premium, Sweda and Tekweld.
Is the Promotional Items Industry Still Green?
1313 days
Is your promotional products company still selling eco-friendly items?
According to Counselor magazine, an Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) publication, the demand for green products has begun to decline. Cathy Cummings, supplier relations manager for AIA Corporation, told Counselor that the decrease in requests for eco products is due to the high price. “With the economy in such a fragile state, the average consumer isn’t going to pay more for a product just because it’s green,” Cummings said.
What kind of green shoppers are there? According to Colette Chandler, a green marketing expert,”there are two types of buyers who purchase eco-friendly goods: those who do so only when it’s financially viable, and those who think of the environment before any purchase and are willing to pay more for items that are truly green.” The good news is that the latter group is said to be on the rise.
But customers are also becoming more conscious of what truly is environmentally-friendly. For example, consumers are becoming more and more familiar with the term “greenwashing,” which is the practice of exaggerating or flat-out lying about how eco-friendly a product or line of products is.
The solution? Offer affordable products that are 100 percent green if you want to appeal to eco-aware customers.
Best Places to Work 2012 Summer Road Tour: Sneak Peek
0316 days
by Brandon
in Promotional Items
Counselor magazine’s “Best Places to Work” 2012 Summer Road Tour has made several stops across the country. Want a sneak peek into the industry’s coolest offices? If so, you’re in luck! The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) has posted several short interviews from some of their favorite locations. Let’s take a look:
1. Mid-Nite Snax
2. Motivators
3. Visstun/Digispec/CounterPoint
Which promotional items company do you think is truly the best place to work?
USA-Made Promotional Items Reign This July 4th
0321 days
While Independence Day technically took place last Wednesday, festivities continued into this weekend. And, as if setting out to prove just how patriotic they really are, people all over America opted for USA-made promotional items this holiday.
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) reports that the “U.S.A-made trend is picking up speed,” with “more than a third of U.S.-based manufacturing executives at companies with sales greater than $1 billion are planning to bring back production to the U.S.” It’s therefore no surprise that promotional items made within the US were the stars this July 4.
According to ASI president and CEO Tim Andrews, “ASI found numerous companies distributing products that are made in the U.S. – and whose sales help drive the American economy. As we celebrate our independence, there’s no better time to honor the American entrepreneurial spirit in full force throughout the $18.5 billion promotional products industry.”
Some favorite USA-made promotional items this summer include cocktail shakers, beach towels, and coolers.
What promotional items did you see at your 4th of July gathering?
Summer and Fall Promo Items from Spectrum
0327 days
by Brandon
in Promotional Items
Looking for the hottest products and freshest ideas for summer and fall? The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) has released the summer/fall edition of its 2012 Spectrum Celebration — a catalog that comprises more than 200 products from over 50 suppliers.
According to an ASI press release, the latest edition of Spectrum has already reached almost 300,000 industry professionals.
In addition to hundreds of products, Spectrum Celebration also comes with a budget and planning guide, a self-mailer, and a free digital version. You can view a sample and/or purchase the catalogue online by clicking here.
Will you be ordering ASI’s newest catalogue?