Parsippany, New Jersey-based MediaTree, a leading supplier of music download, ringtone and other digital gift-card incentives and promotions, announced it believes it has ushered in a new era in green promotions with its Seed-the-Future custom-branded tree cards. Seed-the-Future is an easy-to-use online promotion that is delivered through a gift card, Web site and PIN code. The Web site allows consumers to enter his or her PIN and have a tree planted in his or her name in one of seven forest reforestation projects worldwide. The site also has an online application that measures end-users’ effect on the environment by calculating monthly energy consumption.
Read MoreHanesbrands To Close Nine Plants Globally
Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Hanesbrands Inc. announced continued progress in executing its consolidation and globalization cost-reduction strategy, which includes increasing production in Asia. The latest supply-chain streamlining, expected to be completed by the end of summer 2009, will consolidate production through nine plant closures in five countries in the Western Hemisphere, affecting approximately 8,100 employees. It also will complete the migration of the company’s large knit-fabric textile production from the United States. “We are making significant progress in expanding our supply-chain production capability in Asia and consolidating into fewer, larger facilities located in lower-cost countries around the world,” Hanesbrands CEO Richard A. Noll said. “Globalizing
Read MoreJournalbooks Celebrates FSC Certification
Journalbooks recently celebrated their Forest Stewardship Counsel (FSC) certification and commitment to be an eco-friendly company by honoring its employees with a steak luncheon. Plant Manager Tim Klima and production supervisors grilled steaks and served the entire staff. According to company president Tom O’Boyle, “The company cookouts have been a long-standing tradition at Journalbooks, however, the exciting thing was this event was paid for entirely through proceeds from recycling scrap-magnesium dies, printing plates and paper.” For more information on Journalbooks and its FSC certification, visit www.journalbooks.com
Read MoreBodek and Rhodes Adds Six New Lines
Philadelphia-based Bodek and Rhodes, one of the leading wholesalers of imprintable activewear, recently announced the addition of six new brands of apparel and accessories to its 2009 lineup. With the early release of their annual catalog in November, Bodek and Rhodes will now offer a total of 36 brands. “It’s all about giving our customers and their clients the choices and variety they deserve,” said Mike Rhodes, president. “We’re … making sure we’ve got the hot names people are looking for like Adidas Golf, which is new for us this year. We’re also making sure we’ve got a variety of styles and accessories to
Read MoreJoffrey’s Coffee Brews Java For Bloggers
Here’s some news that will surely keep bloggers up at night:
Tampa, Florida-based Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company announced it is launching a new blend, Coffee 2.0, as the perfect complement to the java-fueled techie. The blend is inspired by the more than 1,500 bloggers who participated in a recent java beta test coordinated by Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company, where they sampled its Jamaican Me Crazy flavored coffee.
Bloggers participating in the java beta test sampling program also filled out a survey about their coffee preferences. Survey results showed 93 percent of bloggers prefer regular coffee, while a mere seven percent prefer decaf.
Inoculation and Mutation
ON JULY 10, 2008, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a large trade organization of pharmaceutical companies, substantially revised its governing code. Among other changes, PhRMA banned the use of promotional products intended for health-care professionals, with the exception of items purely educational in purpose. Slated to take effect January 1, 2009, the new code will cut the once-vast array of promotional products available to the pharmaceutical industry down to a few select items. Given these major changes, many distributors are surely wondering what their next move should be. To help explain which promotional items pharmaceutical companies are still interested in purchasing,
Read MorePin it Down
IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to prepare an article on badges and buttons without at least one reference to flair. Yes, “flair”—a term made famous by the 1991 cult comedy, Office Space. In the movie, Jennifer Aniston plays a long-suffering waitress who gets chided by her boss for not adorning her T.G.I. Friday’s-esque suspenders with enough buttons, or flair. As he explained: “They come to Chotchkie’s for the atmosphere and the attitude. OK? That’s what the flair’s about. It’s about fun.” And with that, flair’s place in the cultural lexicon was secured. Cut to 2008. With nary a be-buttoned suspender to be found, can a
Read MoreFind Little Risk in Company Rewards
THERE IS NO soon-to-be-dropped crystal ball hanging in Times Square. Washington is not setting up for a gigantic fireworks display (Congress not included), and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Q. Public aren’t ardently making New Year’s resolutions, but none of that means businesses and organizations aren’t getting ready for the new year—a time when corporate gifts and award programs usually reach a triumphant end or enlightened launch. Yes, distributors, it’s time to start thinking about the season of giving. Get with the program A 2008 survey by Scottsdale, Arizona-based WorldatWork, a nonprofit organization focused on knowledge leadership for human-resources diciplines, stated nearly 90 percent
Read MorePromo Marketing Partners with Promotions East
Robert Schwarz, CAS, president of the Montvale, New Jersey-based Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York Inc. (SAAGNY) announced the association’s board of directors has entered into an agreement to have Philadelphia-based Promo Marketing conduct the sales and marketing program for the Promotions East, the Association’s premier trade show conducted in Atlantic City, N.J. each June. “After an extensive search, Promo Marketing was selected to conduct the sales and marketing programs for Promotions East, the largest industry trade show in the East,” Schwarz stated. “We are very excited to have an industry publisher and service provider working with us to market and sell the
Read MoreCrystal D Coordinates Blood Drive
St. Paul, Minnesota-based Crystal D hosted an American Red Cross blood drive on Sept. 11, 2008. Crystal D coordinated the blood drive along with Warners’ Stellian, a local appliance retailer. A total of 24 individuals participated from both organizations. Fourteen Crystal D employees donated blood. During the five-hour event, 24 units of blood were collected—enough blood to save up to 72 lives. “The blood drive is a great part of our community outreach program at Crystal D,” said Bridget Dahlgren, marketing coordinator. “Coordinating this blood drive allowed us to work with companies in our business district and give back to the American
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