It’s a provable fact that companies that invest in developing their brand’s online presence in a structured, consistent way, experience sustained growth. However, smaller distributors have big misconceptions regarding digital marketing for their business, as shown in frequent discussions about online marketing…
Read MorePromo Company Reaches Six-Figure Settlement With FTC Over False ‘Made in USA’ Claims
Akin Kurji, owner and president of Gennex Media, dba Brandnex, reached a $146,249.24 settlement with the FTC after he and his company falsely claimed online that their products were made in the U.S. If the names sound familiar, it’s because Kurji and his company were also involved in a price fixing case that started in 2017…
Read MoreiPROMOTEu Annonces Affiliate Award Winners During Virtual Conference
iPROMOTEu, Wayland, Mass., announced its annual affiliate award winners during REViVE 2021, the company’s virtual affiliate conference. The distributor organization hosted its annual awards gala to recognize and honor affiliates for their accomplishments in 2021…
Read MoreAIA’s Joél Bastien on Subject Matter Experts, Ideas Direct From End-Buyers, Surprising Referrals Advice
Joél Bastien shared ideas from AIA’s new “Ask the Experts” series featuring actionable PPE sales advice, emerging trends and direct feedback from end-buyers in thriving markets (including a surprising revelation about asking for referrals). She also explained how any distributor can use subject matter experts to help their own businesses…
Read MoreGuinness and Carhartt Want You to #MakeYourOwnParade With Branded Apparel for At-Home St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
This St. Patrick’s Day, people are staying away from crowded bars and downtown parades in favor of social distancing. It’s a tough reality for a holiday built around such a party atmosphere, but it doesn’t have to be a total bummer. Guinness and Carhartt want to bring that St. Paddy’s fun straight to people’s homes…
Read MoreThe Search for Softer T-shirts: Researchers Use 3-D Imaging to Measure Garment Friction
Have you ever bought a shirt online, thinking everything would be perfect once it arrives, only to find that it’s itchier than you had hoped? Researchers at NC State University have developed a way to analyze and quantify a garment’s friction using 3-D imaging in an attempt to scientifically identify fabric softness…
Read MoreOur 5 Favorite Promotional Products of the Week: Canceled Tour Tees, Turntables and More
St. Patrick’s Day is a week away, which means you still have seven days to find a green T-shirt or maybe a fun pint glass. While we wait patiently for the Most Irish Time of Year, let’s check out a batch of promotional products from this past week, including a cool gift set, to-go margarita labels and more…
Read MoreDecoration Diaries: How One Distributor Set Up a Nonprofit Customer for Branded Apparel Success
Bret Mealing, owner of SC Embroidery & Screenprinting, a promo distributor and decorator based in Columbia, S.C., explained how he expanded his apparel decoration business and helped a nonprofit create a branded merchandise program that grew into the organization’s second-largest revenue stream…
Read MoreDon’t Fall Into the Hard Seltzer Trap: How Chasing Trends Can Hurt Your Business
Reliance on a trend may yield some results in the short term, but the long-term damage of blending in with the crowd will be difficult to repair. In any creative industry, when organizations rapidly move in the same direction as their competition, it tells me that a new approach is a far better, perhaps only, approach…
Read MorePRO Act, Bill That Threatens Independent Contractor Status, Passes House
The PRO Act (H.R. 842), passed in the House with a 225-206 vote on Tuesday. The bill, intended to support workers in the gig economy by making it easier for them to unionize, would effectively eliminate independent contractor status on a nationwide level. The bill now heads to the Senate, though it is unlikely to…
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