Everything is a tech item these days, it seems. It’s getting to a point where “technology” actually might not exist as a standalone category, as just about everything we use has some sort of tech integration. Golf is no different. No matter how much golf wants to pride itself on its dignified, simple design of…
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Menapace
The ‘Instagram Egg’ Merch Wars
#LikeTheEgg #EggSoldiers #EggGang. Do those hashtags mean anything to you? If so, you were part of the weird Instagram phenomenon that got a picture of a brown egg to be the most liked image in Instagram history. And, of course, there is merch…
Read MoreNobody Buys Music Anymore, So Merchandise Bundles Are the Future
Buying an album isn’t just buying an album anymore. Even if you go the classic method and buy an album on vinyl or (gasp) CD, most artists these days have some sort of promotional tie-in to sweeten the deal, or at least make the whole thing more interesting to people who otherwise aren’t buying it. That brings with a whole bunch of questions…
Read MoreChocolate Inn/Lanco Combines Embroidery Business With Shoreline Monogramming
Chocolate Inn/Lanco announced the combination of its screen print and embroidery decorating business, Screen Printers Design (SPD), with Shoreline Monogramming Inc. to form SPD/Shoreline, as the group will now be called. Shoreline, founded in 1984 and based in Westchester County, N.Y., is a long-established leader in the embroidery and screen-printing business, servicing major retailer and…
Read More‘To Catch a Predator’ Host Charged With Writing Bad Checks for Promo Items
Why don’t you take a seat right there? Chris Hansen, best known as the host of MSNBC’s “To Catch a Predator,” was arrested for writing bogus checks for $13,000 worth of promotional products. USA Today reported that Hansen was arrested last Monday and charged with issuing fraudulent checks…
Read MorePaul Bellantone on PPAI Expo 2019, Tariffs, Shutdown, Industry Evolution and More
At the end of the last few PPAI Expos in Las Vegas, we’ve made it a point to catch up with Paul Bellantone, PPAI’s president and CEO. The conversations cover his feelings about the show, usually as it’s being broken down around us (as was the case this year, too), and tap into larger themes regarding the industry and the economy overall…
Read MoreThe Biggest Promotional Products Trends We Noticed at PPAI Expo 2019
Wandering around the show floor and taking it all in is one of our favorite parts of the PPAI Expo. And as much as it might seem like aimless strolling, there’s actually a great deal of learning involved. Here are some of the biggest promotional products trends we saw at the show this year…
Read MorePaul Kiewiet on Promotional Products Sales: Landing Large Accounts
On Wednesday, Jan. 16, promo industry consultant Paul Kiewiet, MAS+, shared his experiences in landing big accounts like Kellogg’s, and gave distributors advice on the steps they should take to make their business dreams a reality…
Read MoreCommonsku’s Mark Graham on How to Build a Community of Devoted Fans
Obviously, business owners, principals or businesspeople in general want to create a loyal customer base. That’s how their businesses stay afloat. But, how do you go beyond that? How do you create a customer base that can’t get enough of your products or services?…
Read MoreQCA Announces Restructured Participation Model, Tiered Payment Plans
Quality Certification Alliance, Chicago, announced a newly restructured participation model and tiered fee structure to further engage and include distributors and end-buyers, along with providing more access for suppliers and distributors of varying sizes. The new model will have four categories: End-Buyer Supporters, Distributor Advocates, Certified Distributors and Decorators, and Accredited Suppliers. “What we’ve done…
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