Natural Trends, Provo, Utah, recently secured a utility patent for its Sani-Pen dispenser, marking a total of five patents on the device. While additional patents are pending, the recent patents provide protection for the product in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. The Sani-Pen dispenser clips in the pocket, while a Twist-Lock Top eliminates the need for a cap. The test-tube-like container holds a half ounce of liquid and delivers 200+ sprays. The popularity of the device in the promotional market has also opened the door for a successful launch into a variety of retail markets with a wide selection of liquids.
Read MoreChef’n Partners with DesignLab
Chef’n Corporation, Seattle, a familiar name in the housewares industry, recently announced its partnership with new promotional products supplier, DesignLab, Florence, Ala. Effective immediately, DesignLab will present and promote 10 Chef’n products. “This is a new distribution channel and provides a great opportunity for both parties,” noted Kevin Clishman, national sales manager at Chef’n. “DesignLab understands our brand positioning, and will serve as an excellent strategic partner. DesignLab’s Chef’n product lineup will include the PepperBall, SaltBall, DualGrinder, PalmPeeler, PalmBrush and Switchit Long and Short, as well as three other items. With design at the forefront, Chef’n’s products have garnered national and international
Read MoreBagged Goods
IT’S TIME TO rethink everything that’s previously been said about promotional bags and luggage. No more are the items, particularly bags, confined to the category of “trade show giveaway” or subjected to “who-would-want-that” scrutiny. A new day of higher-end luxury bags and luggage has dawned. The incentive bags and luggage category is ever expanding to include a variety of tasteful items worthy of gift-giving and receiving. Clients should know that long before the plane sets off to the Caribbean carrying 50 of its top salespeople to a well-deserved four-day, three-night stay at an exotic resort, they would do well to throw in a
Read MoreIN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
WHAT MAKES A true fan? It seems to be more than simple enthusiasm. A dedicated fan will drive hundreds of miles and pay hundreds of dollars to see the source of his or her admiration. In a way, a dedicated fan is much like an adolescent in love. The fan is dedicated to the point of irrationality. No wrong can be perpetrated that will sway the fan’s feelings. No loss is great enough to make the fan lose hope; no foul is ever fairly called in the fan’s mind. It’s best not to inadvertently insult a fan. Luckily, most are easy to spot. Most fans
Read More2007’s Top Distributors
Should there be any reservations about the topic, the promotional products business is a thriving one. This assertion would be hard to dispute, given the impressive numbers the industry reported for 2006. According to an annual survey conducted for Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), total promotional product sales revenue in 2006 amounted to $18.8 billion, up 4.25 percent from 2005. This figure translates to an increase of $766 million in sales from the previous year. That’s a lot of promotional products! To put $18.8 billion into perspective, Promotional Marketing’s Top 50 Distributors brought in a total of $2.35 billion in promotional product sales
Read MoreUPGRADE YOUR GRAY MATTER
IN MAY 2007, The New York Times published an article about schools on the cutting edge of the educational technological revolution. These institutions had instated programs through which each student had access to his or her own laptop computer. The students could do research easily through wireless networks and lesson plans could incorporate advanced graphics and tools. The schools scrapped the programs. As the article reported, the laptop-based lessons were constantly hindered by technical problems and inconsistencies. Students rarely used the computers for research, opting instead to play games, chat via instant messaging programs, watch videos on YouTube, cheat on tests and even view pornography.
Read MoreThe Master Plan
IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT calendars. Days, weeks and months would run together (more than they do now). Recitals would be missed and birthdays forgotten. Sporting events would be poorly attended and turn times would never be met. The importance of calendars in the flow of daily life is hard to miss. For this reason, the products have remained a promotional favorite and show no signs of letting up. OLDIE BUT GOODIE Calendars are one of the oldest and most celebrated promotional products, and with good reason. “They provide such high visibility, as [they] are referred to countless times a day by the user,” explained Jeff Taplin,
Read MoreNEW SCHOOL
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, there are 4,388 colleges and universities in the United States. For distributors looking to successfully sell imprinted apparel to this market, there is certainly no shortage of opportunities. The top schools and most recognized names probably have long-standing deals, but what about the 3,500 other schools of which most people have never heard? Each institution has proud students willing to promote their school and school teams on T-shirts, pants, sweatshirts and even underwear. “Students will spend money on anything that has [their school logo] on
Read MoreVistaPrint Offers Printed T-shirts in Low Quantities
VistaPrint, Lexington, Mass., now offers new printed T-shirts in quantities as low as one, beginning at $9.49. The T-shirts are useful for small businesses, such as landscaping and painting companies that want to dress their crews with uniforms showcasing the company’s logo and message. The T-shirts are also ideal for youth or adult sports leagues that want to outfit a team with a corporate logo. Customers can pick from more than 300 professionally designed templates or upload a company logo or multiple photos to a T-shirt on the VistaPrint Web site. Designs can be printed on the left chest area or full front, with
Read MoreCalibre International Purchases Alcraft
Calibre International, Irwindale, Calif., has purchased Alcraft, Pawtucket, R.I., one of the original suppliers in the industry. Calibre International will continue to operate Alcraft as a stand-alone company, but will broaden its product line. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Alcraft has been in the industry for more than 45 years. Company president, Michael Davis, called the acquisition “an excellent choice for both companies”. He said: “Today, suppliers need depth and breadth of product line in order to have the necessary market reach. It’s time for Alcraft to market on a larger stage and Calibre is the perfect venue to accomplish this.” Of the
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