OYALTY HOLDS POWERFUL sway over many people’s actions. It is difficult to settle for good when the best is just a little further. Loyalty will see the extra mile traveled, the extra call made and the extra cost paid. Often, it is a result of superior quality or superior service, while other times familiarity can be held accountable, and yet other people will have a simple affection toward a brand. This is the dream of any corporation: To be known of not as a source, but as the definitive source for a commodity.
Promotional Marketing’s 2007 Supplier Excellence Awards recognize the best in more than 30 categories spanning the range of promotional products. More than 50,000 promotional products distributors received a survey asking them to select whom they believe to be the leading supplier in apparel, drinkware, electronics and many more merchandise classes. So overwhelming was the response that each category includes a Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist to account for the large numbers and close competition. The results revealed distributors care not only about their favorite companies, but about their industry.
As a supplement to those suppliers selected for Excellence Awards by distributors, also included is a list of the Top 50 Suppliers, found on page 82. These companies are the largest and most successful organizations in the industry, and ones with which any distributor would do well to become acquainted. Inclusion and ranking on this list were based on the voluntary submission of 2006 promotional products revenue*, ensuring those featured are legitimately the top suppliers of advertising specialty products.
In an industry where self-promotion and branding are focal points, the winners of the 2007 Supplier Excellence Awards are masters of the craft. The suppliers on the following pages are known for being the best at helping companies to become known, and have created their own recognized brands for branding. Innovative products, excellent service, extensive knowledge and accessibility are traits universal to all of the winners, but each has managed to cultivate an even more important, and more elusive, characteristic. Each winner has been selected by its customers as the best in its field; each winner has distributors’ respect, cooperation and, most importantly, loyalty.
*Privately held companies that elected not to disclose financial information were ineligible for consideration.
