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Thursday
September 2, 2010 Sex=SalesFiled under: Education, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties As ASI’s Successful Promotions reports in this month’s issue, when it comes to marketing, sex still sells. And if you’ve got a sexy celebrity hawking your goods, look out: You just might make international news. In addition to a list of the 10 sexiest celebrity marketers, Successful Promotions details five successful marketing campaigns that incorporated sexy themes. The scintillating promotional products featured include Sexy Water and the “candom,” a can cooler shaped like an oversized condom. To read the Successful Promotions “Sex (Still) Sells” issue, click here. The reports were written by ASI Staff Writers Jennifer Vishnevsky and Daniel Walsh, who interviewed a slate of marketing experts about celebrity appeal and the role of sex in advertising. The key is to match the right celebrity to your brand – and integrate them in the campaign beyond just paying for them to show up for an event or a photo shoot. While there’s no guarantee that star power will translate directly into super sales, a successful sexy campaign can have a huge impact on the bottom line. As Walsh reports, Calvin Klein’s sales increased by 275% after the clothing company ran ads in 1980 featuring a young Brooke Shields saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Here’s our list of the Top 10 Sexiest Celebrity Marketers:
Successful Promotions is read by more than 50,000 corporate marketers throughout North America who are looking for innovative techniques and products to promote their businesses. As an added-value service, more than 800 of ASI’s biggest distributors have a gift subscription for Successful Promotions sent to their biggest clients. Let me know who you think is the hottest celebrity marketer by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
July 26, 2010 The Gift Book: Christmas in JulyFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties When the thermostat hits 90 and beyond, it’s hard to think of winter, but now is the perfect time to plan for the fourth-quarter gift-giving season, when more industry sales occur than in any other period. The Gift Book is the right catalog at the right time, providing loads of quality items for incentives and corporate gift-giving programs – some starting as low as $1.19. Order by August 31 and receive a free personalized digital version of the 2010-2011 Gift Book, plus free shipping. Distributors can also choose between two covers options: standard and a stylish, deluxe red version. No matter what the occasion, or the budget, you’ll find what your clients need among more than 400 products from 60-plus suppliers. Searching is easy, thanks to special sections on food and drink, cards and stationery, and the ever-popular golf section. Looking for high-end thank-you gifts? Choose from a variety of trendy electronics, writing instruments, desk accessories, stylish watches and leather portfolios. The Gift Book is just one of nine customized catalogs offered by ASI as sales-generating tools for suppliers to advertise a wide variety of products and for distributors to sell, market and promote their company. Best yet, distributors can personalize each catalog by imprinting thier logo and contact information on the cover in full color. For more information, click here to read our press release. And don’t forget – Saturday is the last day to nominate yourself or someone else for one of four ASI advisory boards. Nominations close July 31; voting begins September 1 and ends September 30. Names will be announced at the ASI Power Summit in November. Click here for more information. Let me know how catalogs have helped you sell by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
July 16, 2010 Cool Products From Hot SponsorsFiled under: ASI Shows, Using Ad Specialties How do you determine what’s hot? Counselor magazine editors tackle that question every year when devising their annual list of the hottest people, products and ideas in the ad specialties industry. Luckily, our editors have a lot to choose from, given the high “cool factor” inherent in this business. At the HOT Party, held this week at the ASI Show in Chicago, we got a look at a number of innovative products, including several from our party sponsors. For a look at the sponsors’ products, click here to watch my Tim’s Take video, which features:
Let me know your favorite cool products by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
July 15, 2010 School’s Out – But School Products Are InFiled under: ASI Shows, Using Ad Specialties It’s never too soon to stock up on Back to School items, and I got a terrific preview of fun products this week at ASI’s Chicago show. Click here to watch my Tim’s Take sampling of the many products I discovered browsing a packed show floor. Here are just a few:
Let me know your favorite product from the show floor by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
July 1, 2010 Some Like it Cool…We Like it HotFiled under: Industry Initiatives, Using Ad Specialties One of the best parts of this job is checking out all the cool stuff fueling this industry. This week, we released a Top 10 list of the hottest products with the season’s coolest features, including a USB wind turbine and a football that transforms into a can koozie. What more do you need on a hot summer day – or to inject a little sizzle into a summertime promotional campaign? The Top 10 Coolest Hot Products:
To see photos of the products and purchasing information for each, click here. And for more info, click here to read our press release. What products are heating up your recent campaigns? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
June 22, 2010 Celebrate the Top 10 U.S.-Made Promo ProductsFiled under: News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties Not long ago, The New York Times asked “Is anything made in the U.S.A. anymore?” Their answer? “You’d be surprised.” I know I was. The U.S. remains by far the world’s leading manufacturer by value of goods produced. For every $1 of value produced in China factories, the United States generates $2.50, the Times said. ASI is happy to do its part with its first-ever Top 10 list of promotional products made in the U.S., proving once again that the innovative American spirit remains in full force when it comes to promo products and creative ad campaigns. Just in time to celebrate summer and Independence Day, here’s our list of Top 10 Made-in-the-USA Products:
To see photos of the products and purchasing information for each, click here. To read our press release, click here. What’s your favorite U.S.-made product? Let me know by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
June 11, 2010 We’ve Got Your NumberFiled under: Guest Blog, Member Benefits, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties What would you say if someone offered you a complete customer service center – for free? That’s exactly what ASI is now offering distributors who buy our 2011 Spectrum catalog. In December, the first 100,000 Spectrums will come complete with an 800 number on each page that leads to an ASI call center. When end-buyers need info on any of over 500 products, a representative will happily provide it. Better yet – the ASI representative will then contact the distributor to let them know they have a hot lead and an interested client. There’s no additional cost. The catalog just needs to be preordered before August 4. For more information, click here to read our press release. With this latest program, distributors can better market themselves as a sophisticated, full-service operation – no matter their company size. And suppliers now have a way to track the performance of their advertising in the catalog. Spectrum is already one of the most recognized catalogs in the industry, and the 2011 edition will still feature all of the qualities that make it so successful: • “Customer Favorites” section, highlighting the most popular products Spectrum, which prints in November with a total circulation of 625,000, is just one of nine customized catalogs offered by ASI as sales-generating tools for suppliers to advertise a wide variety of products and for distributors to sell, market and promote their brand. Please contact me at dbrown@asicentral.com or at 800-546-1350 if you’re interested in learning more about the program. Since we’re printing a limited number, this will be on a first-come, first-served basis, so I urge to be the first to take advantage of this special program today. – Dan Dan Brown is ASI’s executive director of distributor services. |






