Boundless Network, based in Austin, Texas, a leader in professionalizing the promotional products industry, announced the acquisition of San Diego-based Street Smart Promotions. The deal, part of Boundless Network’s nationwide acquisition strategy, includes offices in California, Florida and Texas. “Boundless Network’s acquisition of Street Smart Promotions represents a great win for both companies,” said Boundless Network CEO Jason Black. “Jill Sands built a great business. Yet, she saw that joining Boundless Network would provide her employees with the opportunity and tools to achieve even greater success.” Street Smart Promotions, founded in 1997, over the years has grown steadily as key employees left San Diego
Read MoreWorkflowOne Names Rizzi VP of Strategic Sales
WorkflowOne, based in Dayton, Ohio, one of North America’s leading providers of print, promotional products and supply chain services, has named Thomas Rizzi has been named vice president of strategic sales. He will report to Scott Berry, senior vice president of sales. In this newly created position, Rizzi will lead a sales channel focused on targeted vertical markets and large account opportunities. “We created the new function of strategic sales to leverage the burgeoning relationships that WorkflowOne is forming with technology leaders like SAP, Four51 and others that can help us deliver leading-edge solutions to our best customers,” Berry said. WorkflowOne launched its
Read MoreMegaman Daryn Ross Wins Superconference Award
Daryn Ross, also known as Megaman, the super hero of marketing for Excelsior Springs, Missouri-based industry supplier, Megafast, recently won the title of extraordinary marketer of the year at the annual Marketing and Moneymaking Superconference held in Chicago. Nearly 1,000 marketing professionals and business owners from 13 countries were present. Of the 75 people who submitted their companies’ marketing materials, six were chosen to present, with Ross receiving the award. Ross develops and implements all the marketing campaigns at Megafast, and created the ‘Super Hero’ character called Megaman. Ross attends six national trade shows a year dressed as Megaman and his marketing strategies have
Read MoreBodek and Rhodes Introduces Industry’s First Private-Label Organic Cotton Line
Philadelphia-based Bodek and Rhodes, one of the leading wholesalers of imprintable activewear, announced the introduction of the promotional products industry’s first private-label organic cotton apparel, UltraClub Organic. UltraClub Organic is now available in long- and short-sleeve ring-spun tees and coordinating men’s and ladies’ polo shirts. “This is the first step into organic apparel, a whole new niche that’s only going to explode from here,” said Mike Rhodes, president. “A lot of people are talking about organic food, but not many of them understand organic cotton.” To illustrate the importance of organic cotton, Rhodes described how nearly one-quarter of the world’s pesticides are used on
Read MorePrime Line Honored For Manufacturing Excellence
Prime Line, headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn., was honored with two Silver Awards at the 52nd annual PPAI Suppliers Achievement Awards competition sponsored by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). The event recognized Prime Line’s 2007 award-winning promotional campaigns, products and services. “Winning suppliers are honored for their superiority in craftsmanship, graphic arts, creativity, innovation and service to distributors with this award,” said Steve Slagle, CAE, PPAI president and CEO. “The winners worked very hard to earn this special recognition and their commitment to excellence is a tribute to this industry.” “We are very pleased to be recognized as an industry leader for our innovative
Read More157 Distributors Affiliate with iPROMOTEu in 2007
Wayland, Massachusetts-based iPROMOTEu announced it enjoyed another record year in 2007, generating order volume in excess of $43,000,000— an increase of 44 percent over 2006 (on the heels of a 63 percent increase the previous year). In the past three years, iPROMOTEu’s order volume has increased from $18,000,000 to $29,000,000 to $43,000,000. In addition to being among the largest distributor companies in the industry, iPROMOTEu continues to be one of the fastest-growing companies, as well. iPROMOTEu also announced that 157 promotional products distributors affiliated with it in 2007. Put another way, iPROMOTEu is welcoming new affiliates at the rate of one every 1.6
Read MorePictureframes.net Develops New Custom Frame Design Tool
Andy Arruda, MAS of Pictureframes.net of Warren, RI is pleased to announce an exciting design tool called the Custom Framing Wizard, which allows promotional consultants or their clients to design their own custom frames. This new tool allows you to customize the molding, matting and glass based on your personal preference. All this can be done virtually, right from the pictureframes.net website. “The Custom Framing Wizard can match the paint color on their wall to the matting on their frame. If a client wants to match the frame molding to their office furniture, the Custom Framing Wizard can
Read MorePromoCard Services Introduces Earth-Friendly Promotions Card
Miami-based PromoCard Services, a leader in PIN-based promotions, announced it is offering a new eco-friendly CornCard for card-based programs. The new cards are produced with NatureWorks PLA corn plastic, a substrate manufactured from corn, making it an abundant and annually renewable resource. PLA is fully biodegradable because it is derived from plant-based materials. Whether it is composted or landfilled, PLA will biodegrade into its constituent organic parts. Since corn is domestically grown, it is readily available for manufacturing, supports US farmers, the US economy, and reduces dependency on foreign petroleum supplies. CornCards are virtually identical in look and feel to traditional credit, debit,
Read MoreTell Me Something Good!
Today, I am feeling appalled. Appalled that while our media dedicates massive resources to the coverage of the excesses of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, the people of Haiti have been reduced to eating “mud cookies,” literally made of dirt; appalled that the words “ethnic cleansing” are still uttered in the present tense; and appalled that hardworking people face losing their homes because of the subprime lending mess. Globally, wealthy governments and industry leaders have the power to make a difference, but unfortunately, it seems that unless there is something “in it for them,” they choose not to.
In an era where
Sex vs. Environment
What is the world coming to? Have we finally reached the point where sex doesn’t sell (or at least doesn’t sell as well as it used to)?
On the one hand, there’s a history of product lines that have found success by partaking in what some might call morally-questionable advertising. Using campaigns based on little more than young women in little more than underwear (where did the actually clothes being advertised go). Not caring in the end if their ads are disparaged a bit on modest blogs such as my own because in reality the mere mention probably drives people (men)