As of Thursday, there were more than 7,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, with 170 deaths. Cases have been confirmed in multiple other countries, and many nations have restricted travel to and from China. In the promo industry, which relies on China for the majority of its products, the situation is causing some anxiety…
Read MoreAuthor: Sean Norris
How Promotional Water Bottles Became the Real Stars of ‘Love Island’ (Britain’s Version of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’)
If you’re not from Britain, you probably aren’t familiar with ‘Love Island,’ the U.K.’s favorite reality dating show. It’s basically the cross-the-pond version of “Bachelor in Paradise,” where sexy young singles in an even sexier exotic locale compete for each other’s hearts (and a substantial cash reward). Unlike “Paradise,” though, the real stars of “Love Island” are the promotional water bottles…
Read MoreFootwear Drop: How Sock 101 Brought Fully Custom Shoes to Promo
We lost count of the number of brands that teamed up with shoe companies this year for limited-edition collections, licensed offerings and custom designs. Whataburger did cowboy boots. Dunkin’ had running shoes. Heck, Post Malone released his own Crocs. As sneaker culture moves more mainstream, we fully expect the trend to continue well into 2020 and beyond. Sock 101 thinks so, too…
Read MoreWhat Is Amazon Merch Collab—and What Can It Tell Us About Amazon’s Plans for Promo?
Amazon launched Merch Collab, its latest on-demand merchandise service, in 2018. What is it? And what does it tell us about Amazon’s future plans for promotional products?
Read MoreLiz Haesler Leads PCNA Into the Sustainable Products Future
Of the many notable statistics in PPAI’s 2019 Consumer Study, here’s one that really stands out: The percentage of consumers who value sustainability consistently rises with each successive generation. Just 8 percent of boomers and 10 percent of Gen Xers said they care about sustainable promotional products, but the…
Read MorePopeyes Finally Gives the People What They Want: Chicken Sandwich Merch (That Also Sold Out)
Popeyes’ chicken sandwich launched over the summer, promptly sold out nationwide, and relaunched again in November to impossibly long drive-thru lines and the occasional parking lot brawl. Demand has since returned to normal. But, considering its enormous popularity, there was a baffling lack of chicken sandwich merch. Until now…
Read MoreUPDATE: Vistaprint Left Customer Calls, Chats and Emails in Unencrypted Online Database
Vistaprint left calls, chats and emails from customer service interactions in an unencrypted online database. The database stored some 51,000 customer service interactions and included customer names, phone numbers, email addresses and more…
Read MoreTourism Official Allegedly Used Florida County Money to Source Promo Items From Her Own Company at Inflated Cost
Carol Hudson, former vice president of sports marketing for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau in Florida, allegedly purchased promo items from her own side company, Saints Enterprises, without telling Broward County officials it was her company. As you might guess, that’s against the rules…
Read MoreChristie’s Is Auctioning Off an Enormous Collection of Supreme Merch—Here’s the Coolest, Weirdest and Most Expensive Stuff
Christie’s, the world’s preeminent auction house based in London and New York City, is well aware the perception that auctions are for old rich people, and is get more young folks into the auction game. It plans to do so by, what else, auctioning off an enormous collection of Supreme merch…
Read MoreThis Angry Birds ‘Venting Machine’ Will Give You Branded Merch If You Beat It Up
We’ve all wanted to take out our frustrations on a vending machine at some point, and Rovio, maker of the Angry Birds franchise, is looking to turn that shared experience into promotional gold. The company’s “Venting Machine” will dispense Angry Birds branded merch to anyone who beats it up…
Read More