The CDC has officially updated its mask usage recommendations to include layering, something that public health experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, as well as government officials, have previously suggested. Certain mask combinations, however, should not be used…
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To No One’s Surprise, the McDonald’s Pokemon Cards Promo Went Off the Rails
After 25 years, the Pokemon card craze is still going strong. That anniversary is actually causing pandemonium at McDonald’s restaurants all over the U.S., with adults swooping in and buying as many Happy Meals as they can to get their hands on limited edition promo cards…
Read More4 Million Bobbleheads? What MLB Teams Are Doing With Their Stockpiles of Unused 2020 Promos
Major League Baseball teams did everything they could to keep promo giveaways in place for fans last year, but there’s still an enormous stockpile of unused bobbleheads and other promos waiting for their time to shine/bobble. Right now, about four million of them are in a BDA Inc. warehouse…
Read MoreHarley-Davidson Removes Branded Merchandise From Amazon, Prioritizes Its Own E-Commerce Initiative
It’s not hyperbole to say that Amazon dominates e-commerce. But Harley Davidson CEO Jochan Zeitz said his company will no longer sell branded merchandise on Amazon, instead choosing to prioritize its own dealers’ e-commerce efforts. Previously, Nike said it would stop selling on Amazon…
Read MoreWhy Athletic and Performance Apparel Is Selling (and Easy Ways to Increase Order Value)
Some suppliers have seen an increase in athletic apparel as distributors have pivoted to work-from-home kits and employee wellness-outside-of-the-office programs for their end-user customers. Here are some leading trends in athletic and performance apparel and tips for increasing order value in this category…
Read MoreWe Now Have More Details on Those Consumer Mask Certification Standards in Development
In November, we reported that ASTM International, an independent organization that develops and implements technical standards, has been working with manufacturers and health experts to develop a set of standards for consumer face masks. We now have a better idea what those will look like…
Read MoreSamuel Adams Commemorated Its Super Bowl Ad With Another Ad Announcing ‘2021 Beer Commercial Champions’ Merch Line
For all the people who only watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, Samuel Adams went all out commemorating its “your cousin from Boston” Wicked Hazy IPA Super Bowl ad with an entire merchandise line that includes a DVD of the original 30-second commercial and a lot more…
Read MoreA Wu-Tang Parody T-shirt Sparked an International Incident Between China and Canada
Last year, a staffer at the Canadian embassy in Beijing reportedly designed shirts parodying the Wu-Tang Clan “W” logo, with “Wuhan” written in the middle of the logo. Months later, the shirts caught the attention of Chinese government officials, forcing Canada to apologize and explain…
Read MoreBAMKO’s Gifts By Design Acquisition Is a Look at the Post-Pandemic Future of Promo
On Monday, BAMKO LLC announced that it acquired Gifts By Design to operate as its awards, recognition and incentives division. The move is noteworthy not just for the size of the two companies, but for what it says about the post-pandemic future of promo, at least in the near term…
Read MoreBiden Administration Considering Plan to Send Face Masks to Every U.S. Household
President Biden’s COVID-19 Response Team is working on the logistics of sending millions of face masks to U.S. citizens. The plan is still in the early stages, but some of the administration’s top health experts have been discussing its viability. It’s similar to a plan the Trump administration considered but ultimately scrapped in 2020…
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