Taylor Corporation earned the No. 5 spot on our list this year with $238 million in promotional products sales. We interviewed Mike Giachetti, vice president of promotional marketing for Taylor Corporation, about the role of millennials in promo, the impact of tech and what makes Taylor Corporation a top distributor…
Read More2018 Top 50 Distributors: For Proforma, Relationships Are Top Priority
Proforma nabbed the No. 3 spot on this year’s list, with nearly $369 million in promotional products sales. We spoke to Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, about industry acquisitions, the company’s future and outside competition facing promo companies…
Read More2018 Top 50 Distributors: HALO Branded Solutions Makes a Big Leap
At $415 million in sales, HALO Branded Solutions made a large leap in 2018, jumping from No. 4 in 2017 to No. 2 this year. Jim D. Stutz, executive vice president for HALO Branded Solutions, spoke to us about business challenges, consolidation and the company’s 2017 accomplishments…
Read MoreAmazon to Create an Armada of Small Delivery Companies In Move With Promo Implications
In move with potential implications for the promo industry, Amazon has announced that it is recruiting hundreds of entrepreneurs to start their own businesses delivering Amazon packages. In the press release, the company claims that the opportunity will allow new small-business owners to hire tens of thousands of delivery drivers across the U.S. In addition,…
Read MoreMake Sure Your Supplier’s Purchase Order Matches the Invoice
Question: Do I need to make changes to my supplier’s PO to match the supplier invoice? Answer: Yes, and making this adjustment is a standard and absolute best practice in our industry. The supplier’s invoice almost always differs from the original purchase order, and it is the final invoice numbers that need to be correctly…
Read MoreShakira Accidentally Made Tour Merchandise With Nazi Imagery
An item from Shakira’s “El Dorado World Tour” merchandise is receiving some heat for what critics say is a striking resemblance to the Black Sun image used by Nazi Germany and modern far-right extremist groups. As a result, concert producer Live Nation has stopped the sale of the necklace two weeks into the tour (coincidentally,…
Read MoreSix of the Highest-Earning Promotional Products Distributors Share Their Secrets
In 2017, our Top 50 promotional products distributors totaled $5.033 billion in sales. How did these powerhouse distributors get there? We asked six of the top earners and fastest growers from this year’s Top 50 list for the secrets to their success…
Read MoreBurger King’s Partnership With Budweiser Is Super Weird, But It Gave Us an Awesome Promotional Product
Movie reboots and cover versions of songs, among other forms of art, serve as ubiquitous—although not always well-executed or even necessary—reminders that nostalgia is a powerful marketing tool. Particular concepts can latch onto consumers and never let go. Budweiser and Burger King are banking on that, pairing a beloved commercial from the latter and a…
Read MoreProforma Receives Three 2018 American Inhouse Design Awards
Proforma, Cleveland, announced that it is the recipient of three 2018 American Inhouse Design Awards from Graphic Design USA for the concepts and designs behind its marketing campaigns. Recognition includes two Inhouse Design Awards and one Inhouse Web Design Award. “One of the challenges many distributors in our industry face is having the time and…
Read MoreHarsh Penalties, Shady Practices: Mumbai Becomes Largest City to Ban Plastic Bags
In what is possibly the largest and most severe plastic ban, Mumbai has issued a ban on single-use plastic bags, cups and bottles. While the size of Mumbai (population: 12.4 million) is enough to make this big news, it’s the way that officials are carrying out the ban that stands out the most…
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