WHEN THE FEDERAL government created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958, people were looking to venture into the most remote locations imaginable. The thirst for discovery was demanding and required vast sums of capital to invest in new technologies, inventions and enhancements. NASA contracted many businesses and manufacturing plants to create tools that would meet the needs of space travel. Once the new technology was in place, these companies had the building blocks to manufacture space-age products on a large scale and reduce prices, making them accessible to average consumers. NASA can be thanked for home smoke detectors, cordless drills and
Read MoreAuthor: Laurence Liss
Leashables Unleashed
Anyone who has been to a few recent promotional products trade shows has probably come across Parker, Colorado-based Leashables. Even distributors that have no interest in selling personal care or hygiene products find the Leashables booth mesmerizing. Perhaps it is the televisions playing a reel of skiing stunts or commercials made to look like 50s-era filmstrips, albeit more edgy, that attract show-goers. Though, the appeal could equally be the obvious excitement of the Leashables staff, most notably the company’s founding brothers, Jeff and Brady Anderton. Any reports of the promotional marketing business getting younger should cite the Andertons. But their youth does not cause
Read MoreProducts Fore Promotions
IT IS DIFFICULT to think of a game as uncomplicated as golf: hit a ball into a hole with a stick. But simple rules do not an easy game make. Due to its international renown, the techniques of the game have been studied as a science. Even without the fast pace expected by a generation raised on MTV, golf’s popularity is unfaltering. And, while the Super Bowl and NBA Finals promote some of the most highly paid athletes in the world, the number one earner is still Tiger Woods, a golfer. Nearly any suburban town with enough green space will have a green. On
Read MoreMaking Green with Green
IN RESEARCHING ORGANIC apparel, one supplier asked why anyone would need an organically produced shirt. “You’re not going to eat it,” he said. When it was explained that the term “organic,” when applied to clothing, meant it was produced without pesticides or harmful fertilizers, the supplier still saw no purpose and asked what difference it would make to the shirt. It was a bad way to begin delving into a major trend in the promotional products industry, but it touched upon wide-spread misconceptions about the terminology. It also cast some light upon industry practices and viewpoints, which do have far-reaching implications. The consequences
Read MoreMail This!
Anyone who has attended one of the large trade shows knows the scene well: A long aisle of carpet covering a concrete floor; booths flooded with distributors and suffering a drought of people to answer questions; and little hand carts, blocking every turn and tripping attendees. The “beeping” sound of scanners creates a strange techno-music soundtrack on the show floor as distributors are scanned at each booth for catalogs to be mailed later. These are the trials and tribulations of trade shows in the promotional products industry. In a recent e-mail newsletter, the editors of Promotional Marketing addressed a concern voiced by some suppliers. Many
Read MoreAttack of the Cumulonimbi
AT THE TIME of this writing, a storm front reaching from Canada to Mexico was crossing the United States, pelting the Southern states with liquid precipitation and flurrying Northern states with flakes. Simultaneously, the beaches of southern Florida were enjoying the caress of bright, unadulterated sunshine. When gravity displays its dominance over tropospheric water, distributors and suppliers are reminded of the beauty and utility of promotional umbrellas. On the beaches, too, joy is felt upon seeing larger-than-life logos protecting users from harsh UV rays. Jason Nanus, vice president of business development at AAA Umbrella, Paramus, N.J., admits he feels a certain sense of accomplishment when
Read MoreIn The Spotlight
In May 2000, Michael J. Fox, best known for his starring role in “Back to the Future,” retired from his role on the ABC television show “Spin City,” and formed The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. From its inception until 2005, the foundation raised nearly $70 million. As a direct result of Fox’s efforts, Parkinson’s disease research has taken a sharp upward turn, and now his foundation is even driving the development of a genome map of the disease. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research proudly reports its efficiency: 84.4 percent of income is directed to research-related activities; 3.3
Read MoreTo Your Health!
THERE IS A growing problem in the United States: citizens’ bellies. With each passing year, the Center for Disease Control, the surgeon general, and the American Heart Association continue their cries about the dangers of obesity. And, if the official U.S. health-oriented organizations aren’t proof enough that Americans are growing wider, surely a poll of any eatery would confirm the fact. The warnings have reached a violently high pitch and Americans are finally catching on. Healthy living trends are changing retail and corporate focuses. The new considerations encompass relaxation, mental health and skin care, as well as exercise and diet. This is an ideal time for
Read MoreTO TAG OR NOT TO TAG
TO TAG OR not to tag. This is the question facing new companies entering the promotional products arena and established companies reevaluating the way they do business. “Tag” in this case refers not to the products but to the companies themselves. In this industry, nearly everyone is familiar with ASI numbers and most are familiar with UPIC identifications. Why would one company choose a UPIC identification over an ASI number or vice versa? Why do some companies opt for both? Why do other companies use neither? To better understand the markets, Promotional Marketing contacted Tim Andrews, president of Trevose, Pennsylvania-based ASI; Scott Fuhr, director of corporate
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