It’s Music’s Biggest Night! Well, Sunday is. That’s right, the 2021 Grammy Awards are happening, and while the event is going the mostly-virtual route of other award shows, there will still be the famous gift bags for nominees—with a few notable twists…
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Promo Company Reaches Six-Figure Settlement With FTC Over False ‘Made in USA’ Claims
Akin Kurji, owner and president of Gennex Media, dba Brandnex, reached a $146,249.24 settlement with the FTC after he and his company falsely claimed online that their products were made in the U.S. If the names sound familiar, it’s because Kurji and his company were also involved in a price fixing case that started in 2017…
Read MoreGuinness and Carhartt Want You to #MakeYourOwnParade With Branded Apparel for At-Home St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
This St. Patrick’s Day, people are staying away from crowded bars and downtown parades in favor of social distancing. It’s a tough reality for a holiday built around such a party atmosphere, but it doesn’t have to be a total bummer. Guinness and Carhartt want to bring that St. Paddy’s fun straight to people’s homes…
Read MoreDecoration Diaries: How One Distributor Set Up a Nonprofit Customer for Branded Apparel Success
Bret Mealing, owner of SC Embroidery & Screenprinting, a promo distributor and decorator based in Columbia, S.C., explained how he expanded his apparel decoration business and helped a nonprofit create a branded merchandise program that grew into the organization’s second-largest revenue stream…
Read MorePRO Act, Bill That Threatens Independent Contractor Status, Passes House
The PRO Act (H.R. 842), passed in the House with a 225-206 vote on Tuesday. The bill, intended to support workers in the gig economy by making it easier for them to unionize, would effectively eliminate independent contractor status on a nationwide level. The bill now heads to the Senate, though it is unlikely to…
Read MoreHow Brands Used Merch to Celebrate and Give Back on International Women’s Day
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, and brands seized the opportunity to celebrate inspirational women and draw attention to important issues or causes. Some of them even did it through merchandise, with clever twists on their branding or items designed to give back. Here are a few of our favorite examples…
Read MoreRecord Snowfall at Major FedEx Hub Caused Even More Shipping Delays in Another Setback for Shippers
FedEx is facing prolonged delays due to winter storms at its Memphis hub last month. The centrally located Memphis hub is FedEx’s largest, chosen in part due to the nearby Memphis International Airport rarely being closed due to winter weather. But, “rare” does not mean “never”…
Read MoreThe Louvre Turns to E-Commerce, Branded Merchandise Partnerships Amid COVID
The Louvre, arguably the most famous museum on the planet, has lost about about $108 million as a result of the pandemic, forcing it to find new ways to generate revenue, just like anyone else. So the museum began leaning heavily on branded merchandise and e-commerce, even teaming up with Uniqlo for a…
Read More10 Strategies to Maximize Sales From Existing Customers With Annual Reviews
We’re now a full two months into 2021, but one of the most common New Year’s Resolutions I hear centers around growing business with new and existing clients. We all know that gaining new clients takes a lot of time and energy, so why not put that same amount of energy into maximizing sales with existing clients?…
Read MoreGoogle, Amazon and Social Media Sites Ban Face Mask Ads, Making PPE Sales Difficult
Online platforms like Facebook, Google and Amazon have made it nearly impossible (or actually impossible) to sell or advertise face masks, creating problems for suppliers, distributors and even some end-buyers. Two distributors shared their experiences and how they’ve worked around the advertising bans…
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