Editorial Type: Audio

Jeff Laniado, Promo Buyer for CBS, on His Distributor Past, Landing Large Accounts and the Dreaded Suitcase Full of Samples

Jeff Laniado, who worked for distributor Axis Promotions before moving to a promo buyer role at CBS, gave us the inside scoop on what it’s like making the switch, what he and other promo buyers are looking for, landing large accounts like CBS and some common mistakes distributors make when pitching prospects. Let’s just say Jeff isn’t a fan of the suitcase full of samples. Plus, Sean and Brendan get Gritty!…

Read More

BrandVia’s Sam Brown and Eric Nelsen Talk Organic Growth, Company Culture and Getting Sh*t Done

BrandVia Alliance was a big riser on our 2018 Top 50 Distributors list, jumping eight spots from No. 31 in 2017 to No. 23 this year. Sam Brown and Eric Nelsen joined the podcast to talk about that growth, plus a look at company culture, customer experience and (a recurring theme) getting sh*t done. Plus, Brendan and Sean discuss the fake Warren Buffett Twitter account that captivated the internet…

Read More

Goldstar Pens’ Parker Melvin on Switching From Distributor to Supplier, How Both Sides of Promo Work Together

Before joining Goldstar Pens, Parker Melvin spent his entire promo career on the distributor side of the industry. That makes him uniquely qualified to talk about the state of collaboration and communication between distributors and suppliers—what’s working and what needs work. Plus, Sean and Brendan discuss Disney’s move to eliminate plastic straws at its theme parks, and analyze the most important and exciting story of the summer: SHARK HEIST 2018!…

Read More

PPAI’s Paul Bellantone on Mergers and Acquisitions, Embracing Competition and Facebook Whining (Positivity, People!)

On episode 4 of the Promo Marketing Podcast, PPAI’s Paul Bellantone joined Sean and Brendan for a wide-ranging discussion on mergers and acquisitions, outside competition, Promotional Products Work! Week, Legislative Education and Action Day, and why it’s time for the promo industry to grow up and start respecting itself, dangit! Plus, have you seen those apology commercials from Uber, Facebook and Wells Fargo? Man are they bad!…

Read More

Hong Kong Gifts Fair: The Magnet Group’s Dan Jellinek Talks Pricing, Weird Lack of Tech Products and 13-Hour Flights With No Power

In episode 3 of the Promo Marketing Podcast, Dan Jellinek of The Magnet Group gave us the inside scoop on pricing, products, color trends and much more from his trip to the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair. Plus: a shipping change the promo industry should steal from Amazon, the perils of 13-hour flights with no way to charge your electronics, and terrible meeting advice from Elon Musk…

Read More

Talkin’ Tariffs: Source Abroad Founder Caro Krissman on How Much the Promo Industry Should Really Worry

Tariffs, trade wars and other scary-sounding words have been all over the news, but how much will the proposed tariffs actually impact the promotional products industry? In episode 2 of the Promo Marketing Podcast, we try to answer that question as we chat with Caro Krissman, former CEO of Source Abroad, and the gang from INLT, Caro’s new customs brokerage firm. Plus, an update on the surprise closing of Nationwide Promotions LLC, and a topic we hold very dear—SPACE HOTEL!

Read More