Based in St. Paul, Minn., Crystal D, a leading supplier of crystal awards, plaques, trophies and corporate gifts, donated to Freedom Calls Foundation to help support the foundation’s effort to provide communication services to military families. The Freedom Calls Foundation is a public charity that provides state-of-the-art communication services free of charge to military families. This foundation provides more than 2,000 video conferences and more than 1.5 million minutes of free telephone calls every month. “Crystal D donated to this foundation because it provides such an important service to the people serving the United States, as well as their families,” said Cathy
Read MoreCorporate Logo Magazine Acquired By Arlington Capital
Phoenix-based Virgo Publishing, publisher of Corporate Logo Magazine, announced it has been acquired by Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington based private-equity fund with more than $1 billion of committed capital under management. Arlington Capital Partners is a middle market private equity firm focused on buyouts and recapitalizations in targeted growth industries in partnership with management. The firm leverages a combination of private equity and operating experience, as well as an extensive network of strategic contacts. Founded in 1986 and based in Phoenix, Virgo publishes 17 national trade magazines and produces 10 trade shows and conferences across several industry groups. Virgo president and CEO
Read MoreAmerican Artisan Announces New Marketing Alliance
Dallas-based American Artisan announced a strategic marketing alliance with industry veteran Vicki Lake Naranjo. The unique partnership will focus on Texas, Okla, La. and Ark. markets. Said President Bob Buddenbohn, “With each company’s growing reputation for innovation, quality and service, and Vicki’s depth of marketing experience, the aim is to deliver truly imaginative, powerful, profitable and enduring solutions that distributors will be able to easily use to attract and build loyal/repeat clients.” For more information on American Artisan, visit www.amer-artisan.com or call (214) 906-7016.
Read MoreSkyDancers Featured in Plant/Krauss Video
Northridge, California-based SkyDancers International Inc., a technology leader in active motion promotional inflatables, announced that DNA Studio, based in Hollywood, Calif. selected SkyDancers for the special effects set design for the music video entitled, “Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On),” starring artists Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The writer and director of the “Gone” music video, Rocky Scheneck, and producer, David Robertson went to SkyDancers in search of fulfilling a set design idea that was “an eye-catching special effect” for the video. The result included Plant and Krauss singing their new crossover country rock song amongst a variety of SkyDancers with
Read MoreGo On, Admit It
If you don’t know what the CYA acronym means, or if you’ve never had to do it, this post is not for you.
Recently, I went to a screening of Jack Black’s new movie: Be Kind Rewind. If you’ve seen the previews, you’ll know it’s about two video-store workers (aw, how cute, videos!) who accidentally erase all the tapes and begin recreating such classics as “Ghostbusters” on their own. If you haven’t seen the previews, then I just ruined it. You’re welcome.
Between all the on-screen shenanigans, I started thinking about the crazy things people do to avoid accepting blame. When we
The “S” Word
I recently had to apologize to a friend that lives, oh, some 80,000 miles away … in the West African country of Coté d’Ivoire, to be exact. He’d (I figured you’d want to know who it was) done something I thought was unjust … and well, I let him have it (via e-mail, of course). However, after having had a week or so to reflect on my response to my Ivorian friend’s unjust deed, I sent him yet another e-mail—this time, expressing my sorrow for the things I’d previously written. Thankfully, he accepted my apology, and in his best “Frenglish,” wrote back: “Today is
Read MoreR.S. Owens Sends Distributors to 2008 Televised Emmy Awards Event
As part of an exciting sweepstakes event at this year’s PPAI Expo, Chicago-based R.S. Owens awarded a pair of tickets and an expenses-paid package to Brooke Ness of S&S Promotional Group, Fargo, N.D. Ness was the winner of a drawing that was held at the end of the Expo’s second day. She received a pair of tickets to the 2008 Primetime Emmy’s, round-trip airfare, two-night hotel accommodations, dinner for two and a limousine ride to the awards ceremony, which will take place in September at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Ness’s card was drawn from more than 500 registrants, and she will
Read MoreDri Duck Partners With Realtree in Nationwide Racing Series
DRI DUCK Traders, Overland Park, Kan., secured a partnership with Realtree Camo of Columbus, Ga., and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) of Welcome, N.C., that allowed the DRI DUCK brand to appear in three locations on Car #21 driven by Bobby Labonte at last weekend’s Nationwide Series, Camping World 300 presented by Chevrolet race in Daytona Beach, Fla. The event is the first of the Nationwide Series (formerly Busch Series) races of the 2008 NASCAR season. It is said to be the most prestigious event on the Nationwide Series calendar. “We are so pleased to be part of Realtree’s family and have the opportunity
Read MoreRaynor Promoted, Serwer Joins Journalbooks
Journalbooks/Timeplanner Calendars, Charlotte, N.C., has announced the promotion of Jamie Raynor to national sales manager, effective immediately. Raynor has worked at Journalbooks for more than eight years and most recently served as creative sales director. She will continue to lead the creative team, and in her new role, will work directly with Tim O’Boyle, vice president of sales, to develop the company’s inside and outside sales teams, in addition to managing national accounts. “Jamie brings 20 years of advertising, printing and promotional product experience to our clients,” said O’Boyle. “Her ability to create marketing solutions with our products is unparalleled in the industry,
Read MoreVantage Apparel Takes Home Triple Crown
Vantage Apparel, Avenel, N.J., a leading manufacturer and decorator of logoed apparel, was honored with two Gold Awards at the 52nd annual Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Suppliers Achievement Awards competition. The company also received a first-place finish in the 2008 Advertising Specialty Institute’s (ASI) Distributor Choice Awards for decorated apparel. The Gold Embroidery award was won with a 140,000-stitch, multi-media logo, the Shell Game. The logo conveyed the picturesque scenery of the event location through a variety of embroidery techniques. Appliqué, 3-D puff, metallic threads, creative color choices and impeccable registration all contributed to the award-winning design. The Gold Web award was
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