According to the sticky note put on my desk by Charles Plyter (PM’s esteemed Web editor and my cube neighbor), I am a grinch.
I can’t help it.
I’m just not feeling very Christmas-y this year. And though that just happens to be my denominational holiday, I’ll even go out on a limb and say I’m also on the outs with Hannukah and Kwanzaa. Not even up for Festivus. My lassitude is that bad—I’m actually denouncing holidays I’ve never even celebrated.
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to rain on your seasonal parade. However, if I may, I’m going to widen the scope a bit by talking about the industry’s day-to-day philanthropists. December doesn’t have to be the only month of “goodwill toward men” and all that. Here’s a quick look at what some of your industry brethren are doing to drive that point home every day of the year.
• Kavio! and Feed the Children: The company’s current online promotion is 20 percent off the total purchase price, however, should distributors/suppliers elect to contribute to Feed the Children, they get 15 percent off their total, and their other 5 percent plus a 5 percent match from Kavio! goes to the nonprofit. Not a bad compromise.
More info:
• EcoBranders and 1% For the Planet: EcoBranders donates a minimum of 1 percent of its annual revenues to environmental groups via 1% For the Planet, an organization that facilitates donating partnerships between various member corporations and earth-friendly nonprofits. Additionally, through CarbonFund (a nonprofit that describes itself as “leading the fight against climate change), EcoBranders offsets 100 percent of its carbon emissions that are generated during the shipping process.
More info:
www.ecobranders.com/about.html
www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en
• The Icebox and Common Threads: Atlanta-based promotional products and apparel supplier, The Icebox, recently launched Common Threads, its philanthropic division. Through this arm of operations, The Icebox provides nonprofit organizations low- or no-cost promotional products to help with branding efforts at events.
More info:
www.iceboxonline.com/default.aspx?id=75
• 4imprint and One by One: For every business day in 2007, 4imprint will choose a charitable organization to be on the receiving end of a $500 donation of promotional products, as chosen by the nonprofit. The program is application-only,
and open to nonprofits, religious organizations and accredited schools.
More info:
onebyone.4imprint.com/
That’s just a small sampling of promotional product suppliers that get gold stars for corporate responsibility. Know of other companies that are, in the words of Tears for Fears, “sowing the seeds of love”? Post a comment! You’ll be doing your part in keeping this blog alive, and that’s something you can write home about. Happy holidays from all of us here at Promo Marketing (yes, even us grinches).
Cheers,
Christen
