CamelBak Products, Petaluma, Calif., recently announced it has begun converting its entire line of polycarbonate, re-usable water bottles to a new material that is 100 percent free of bisphenol-A (BPA)—Eastman Tritan copolyester. With the growth in bottled-water consumption in the United States, more than 50 billion plastic bottles are thrown away each year, raising a number of environmental concerns. Last August, The New York Times reported it takes about 1.5 million barrels of oil to make the bottles for the bottled water Americans use each year, enough to fuel 100,000 cars. In addition, the Times noted, only about 23 percent of those bottles are
Read MorePromoCard Services Launches Hotel Card Promotion
Miami-based PromoCard Services, a leader in PIN-based promotions, has announced the newest addition to its portfolio of PIN-based incentives—the Hotel Card. Powered by a leading global travel services provider, the Hotel Card gives recipients the gift of cash for use on hotel bookings, worldwide. Available in $25 and $50 denominations, recipients can choose from more than 30,000 hotels, applying the value of the Hotel Card toward full or partial payment of the reservation. Applications for the Hotel Card include sales incentives, employee rewards, client thank-you gifts, loyalty programs, vacation-booking incentives, performance rewards and customer retention. “The Hotel Card is
Read MoreBag Makers Promotes Hitzeman, Witt
Bag Makers, Union, Ill., announced the promotions of Crystal Hitzeman and Stephen Witt to newly created leadership positions. Hitzeman has been appointed the manager of the company’s recently formed ColorVista Service Team. ColorVista is Bag Makers’ newest imprint process that offers close registration multi-color and four-color process imprinting on non-woven polypropylene totes. Hitzeman’s team will be responsible for all aspects of delivering the new process to distributors. Witt, a graphic artist at the company, has been promoted to assistant supervisor of order processing. In his new role, he will be responsible for assisting in the day-to-day supervision of nearly 30 order processors and
Read MoreCustom HBC Hits Milestone In Pocket Sprayer Production
Custom HBC, Waconia, Minn., recently celebrated the 10 million mark in the production of its Pocket Sprayer. According to president, Larry Wilhelm, since the product’s introduction in 2005, the company has expanded the line to include 13 cap/sprayer colors, 28 product fills, three attachments and two sizes, “ensuring there is a Pocket Sprayer suitable for any promotional application,” he said. Wilhelm added, “We continue to be pleased with the acceptance of our Pocket Sprayers by distributors. It has truly become a universal promotional product appropriate for virtually all end-users.” For more information on Custom HBC, visit www.customhbc.com or call (877) 442-9881.
Read MoreCrystal D Wins Gold and Silver at 2008 PPAI Awards Ceremony
Crystal D, St. Paul, Minn., was selected as a gold winner in two categories and a silver winner in one category at the 2008 Promotional Products Association International Awards ceremony during January’s PPAI Expo, held in Las Vegas. Crystal D won gold in the “Etching-Engraving” and “Two or More Distinct Processes to Produce a Specific Visual Effect” categories. Crystal D submitted the crystal Columbus Award, which was both front- and reverse-etched to create a unique visual effect, for the “Etching-Engraving” category. For the category, “Two or More Distinct Processes to Produce a Specific Visual Effect,” the crystal NASCAR Car was submitted.
Read MoreAwards With Character
I just had a nice conversation with Leo Kennedy from Awards With Character. I’m doing a product showcase for the magazine on sports teams and was looking for products a little more off-the-beaten-path than cups, seat cushions and caps (not that there is anything wrong with any of those items).
Leo’s company provides trophies and other products as incentives to schools for both sports teams and academic programs. The difference is, his trophies aren’t brassy figures or silver cups, they are small (adorable, some would say) bear figurines talking part in various sports. Girl soccer bear. Boy baseball bear. Hockey bear (there is a
Selective Memory
Well, I’m back from ASI Dallas. Let the existential crisis begin.
In the week immediately following a trade show, I begin the process of reaching out to those I met over the course of the two-day event. Truth be told, the task is often fruitless.
Right now, you might be saying to yourself, “Fruitless? Surely you jest.” But no, unfortunately, I’m not. The sad fact is that, out of the hundred or so cards I gave and received, I’ll only hear from a few people. Which leaves me wondering, am I just not memorable?
In PM’s January issue, the subtitle of
Humphrey Line Goes Green
Humphrey Line Goes Green
Read MoreTrade Show Hangover
It’s not a literal hangover, but I have to say three trade shows in five weeks really takes a toll on one. The latest and greatest trip was to Dallas, where I did not get to visit Dealy Plaza, but where I did get to meet a ton of people and add to our growing product video library. Keep an eye on the Web site for new videos from companies like Pro Towels (who all call me Chaz) and Snugz (starring national sales manager Sydra Newell). By the end of the third day both the camera and myself had enough. Ugh.<br
Read MoreStupid Groundhog
Well, Punxsutawney Phil wasn’t lying a couple of weeks ago when he predicted six more weeks of winter. In Philadelphia, it is cold outside——probably the coldest it has been all winter. Regardless of negative-degree weather, today, my team and I began looking for sunnier skies in preparation of spring; looking at assignments, story angles, possible sources and great products to introduce to the market for the spring and summer seasons.
I know we are not the only crew beginning to look ahead, at least in terms of work projects. If you know of a product that is perfect for a spring / summer event