usinesses are looking for new ways to distinguish their products and services—or simply their names—from the competition. Progressive companies exercise corporate giving and marketing campaigns to increase sales, heighten public goodwill for their company and benefit worthy causes. We in the promotional products industry need to do the same. With this in mind, I believe distributors and suppliers can work together to unite charity and business. This can represent an extraordinary opportunity to increase the supplier’s or distributor’s business and provide an unparalleled opportunity to help non-profits. Cause-related marketing is not a new idea but it is increasingly gaining popularity. This is when an
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May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back And, may your Irish crystal recognition award be shipped directly from County Tyrone, Ireland. Not exactly how this Irish phrase goes, but it could very well be the dictum from Incentive Concepts, the Maryland Heights, Missouri-based supplier that knows the importance of adding value to distinguish its offerings from the slew of brand-name choices available in the ad-specialty industry. “Buyers are looking for the perfect product that will motivate, excite and create the desired response, yet buyers will do their homework and research to find the best value—not just price—for their customers,” said
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Eric Levin, president of Gemini Manufacturing/Jetline, Mt. Vernon, N.Y., announced a key new hire in the company’s sales department. Kathryn Lynch will service midwest distributors from Jetline’s new facility, located at 30 Warren Place in Mt. Vernon. “Kathy’s professionalism and expertise will enable her to immediately increase service levels to distributors in her territory,” said Levin. “We are upgrading the company’s sales and customer service presence nationwide, so this is another step in that process.” Lynch will be responsible for the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. For more information, call (914) 375-0855
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In “Schedule Calendars Into the Daily Grind” in the June 2006 issue, the two featured images were misidentified. The following are the correct product descriptions: No cumbersome handling with MeadWestvaco’s spiral bound journal/calendars. Ease of use makes them attractive to those who prefer simplicity. Circle 206 on Info Card or visit www.pmdm.com/infocard The Clearview calendar is one of TimePlanner Calendars/JournalBooks’ newest products. It features a trendy, fresh style that’s in high demand in the finance, real estate and insurance markets. Circle 207 on Info Card or visit www.pmdm.com /infocard
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Nearly 200 entries were submitted for Philadelphia-based Bodek & Rhodes’ first “Best Decorated UltraClub Contest,” which was created to recognize outstanding decoration achievements and to discover how the company’s private-label UltraClub line was being used in the market. “The contest was both exciting and a source of learning for us,” said Mary Ellen Hudicka, director of marketing communications. “From all the entries, we were able to get a clearer picture of how our customers are using UltraClub products for their promotional and decorating objectives. We can now use this information to enhance our marketing initiatives, support our customers’ sales and further develop the
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River’s End Trading, Minneapolis, recently announced its partnership with Idea Workshop to become the industry’s exclusive distributor of Lacoste classic pique polos. Lacoste is synonymous with the legendary crocodile logo, bringing name brand recognition to its polo shirts: the original classic, 100 percent cotton pique polo for men and a 94 percent cotton/6 percent stretch mini-pique polo for women. River’s End Trading will offer both styles in a variety of fashion and classic colors. For more information, call (800) 488-4800 or visit www.riversendtrading.com.
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The following information was provided by agencies and offices of the Department of Health and Human Services: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States (Physical Activity and Health, 1996; Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001) and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Healthy People 2010): *37 percent of adults report they are not physically active. Only three in 10 adults get the recommended amount of physical activity. * Poor diet and inactivity can lead to becoming overweight and obese. People who are overweight
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Last month, Seattle-based SanMar debuted its first uniform catalog, Uniform Collection 2006/2007. The 36-page catalog features 12 new styles, including pants, outerwear and safety wear from CornerStone—SanMar’s workwear collection that premiered last year. Designed to cater to a variety of uniform needs, the catalog showcases apparel and accessories for restaurant wear, corporate wear, hospitality, retail uniforming, construction and manufacturing. Along with the CornerStone brand, the catalog features apparel from Port & Company and Port Authority. It also includes a quick-read guide that lists the industries for which each product is best. Furthermore, the catalog’s cover can be customized with
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Dunbrooke Announces New Decoration Options for Reebok, Hires Sales Rep Dunbrooke, Independence, Mo., announced an agreement has been reached allowing customers to decorate items from its Reebok Promotional Apparel line, which the company launched this past January. The exclusive license agreement initially called for decoration to comply with Reebok’s brand protection guidelines and to be performed only by Dunbrooke. The change permits Dunbrooke customers to decorate the items, provided they agree in writing to follow certain guidelines disallowing logos, designs and other marks that represent alcohol, tobacco, gambling or other specified references. “The vigorous response to the new Reebok line is pushing sales well above
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Norwood Hires CFO Norwood Promotional Products, Indianapolis, announced Bill Steckel has joined its executive team as senior vice president, CFO and treasurer. Steckel, a CPA, has spent his career in a broad range of senior finance and general management positions, primarily with global firms that manufacture and distribute electronics. Most recently, he served as president of Lambda Power, a division of Invensys, San Diego. “We are very thrilled to have an executive of Bill’s caliber join the Norwood Promotional Products team,” said Frank Bellis, CEO. “In addition to his financial prowess, he also brings a natural leadership ability that will be crucial in helping Norwood achieve
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