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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.
Friday
May 28, 2010 Promo Products Save Taxpayers MillionsFiled under: Industry Initiatives, Research, Using Ad Specialties Don’t you love when the government saves us money – rather than spends it? If so, you’ll appreciate this: Using promotional items to remind people to mail back their census forms could save U.S. taxpayers up to $85 million. So far, more than 72% of the nation’s households have responded, which the Census Bureau says already surpasses the total response rate in 2000 of 67%. The massive awareness campaign was fueled in large part by promo products – everything from branded totes to pens, mugs and magnets – that reminded people to send in their info. And while census workers will still come knocking, thanks to the power of promo products, fewer are needed, which is where we all save money. Overall, the Census Bureau spent $340 million for advertising, targeting $140 million on television, print and Internet ads, and $22.7 million on promotional products. Guess which saved taxpayers more? Census promo items cost an estimated nickel per person while “mainstream media” ads cost roughly $1 per person. Talk about more bang for the buck! Numerous industry companies did their part to get the word out. Proforma Double Dog Dare in New Albany, Indiana provided the government with 50,000 travel totes, PromoShop (asi/300446) contracted with several U.S. cities and Halo/Lee Wayne (asi/356000) distributed products throughout Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Oklahoma. It’s a critical message. The government relies on census data to help determine how to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year. Halo/Lee Wayne Senior Account Executive Anita Daniels echoed the sentiments of many when she said she found this job particularly rewarding: “It gave me a great sense of pride knowing the government was helping me and I was helping some of my fellow American workers.” To read more about the industry’s Census efforts, click here. And let me know if your company conducted any Census-related work by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Wednesday
May 19, 2010 Working for You: Promo Products on CBS StationFiled under: Education, Industry Initiatives, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties CBS affiliate WFMY of Greensboro/Winston-Salem (weekly audience: 671,980) recently showcased a number of promotional products on its long-running “Good Morning Show,” including caffeinated soap, the electric riding beer cooler and the “instant abs” tee shirt. The segment was centered on the “Top 10 Wacky Ways to Promote a Business in 2010,” a recent promotion that’s part of ASI’s ongoing push to educate end-buyers about the power of the $16 billion ad specialty industry. To view the segment, click here. The Top 10 Wacky Ways to Promote a Business in 2010:
For photos of all products and purchasing information, click here. So far, the ASI press release touting the “Top 10 Wacky Way to Promote a Business in 2010” has been picked up or posted by more than 150 news outlets and blogs. I’d love to know what promotions are working for you, so please post a comment or email me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
May 11, 2010 Savvy Solutions Provide Keys to SuccessFiled under: ASI Shows, Members, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties I recently put MediaTree President Rob Watson on the “Hot Seat” at our New York Show to discuss how his company rode the Internet wave to become one of the world’s leading digital advertising agencies exclusive to the promo products industry. In my Tim’s Take video, which you can watch by clicking here, Rob describes MediaTree as hip and cool, and I have to agree. I met up with Rob and MediaTree CEO Bill Grassmyer at last week’s Counselor Awards, when Bill was named Supplier Entrepreneur of the Year. Barely 30, Rob was named MediaTree’s president in April 2008 after enjoying major success as the company’s director of marketing. Since starting up 15 years ago, MediaTree has developed online solutions for brands and Fortune 500 companies from Agway, Bayer and Coca-Cola to ReMax, United Airlines and Whirlpool. It works like this: MediaTree partners with select promotional product distributors to develop customized promotional and incentive programs. Having exclusive relationships with the most recognized online content providers, MediaTree offers virtually unlimited content and content combinations. Knowing the savviest distributors are now selling full, turnkey solutions, MediaTree took that same model and is now the solution provider for the online part of the equation. In my interview, I asked Rob about the credit quandary some distributors are reporting in this economy and he said the best solution is for distributors to develop as strong a relationship as possible with suppliers in order to obtain the best possible terms. His company further stokes those relationships by making sure company reps have superior sales sheets and PowerPoint presentations to take on sales calls to entice potential clients. Let me know what solutions your company is providing that set you apart by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
May 6, 2010 Hot Products: A Real Treat from New YorkFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties ASI TV shot a lot of video at our New York show this week and I’d like to share some highlights from my “Tim’s Takes,” direct from the Counselor awards and a bustling show floor at the Javits Center. If you click here, you’ll see me in my tux just before our glamorous event at the Plaza, where we joined 350 dignitaries to honor the Top 40 suppliers and distributors; the International Person of the Year, Nicolas Paillot, CEO of BIC Advertising & Promotional Products; and our 2010 Person of the Year, Proforma’s Greg and Vera Muzzillo. Click here for my report from the show floor, which includes breaking news from Counselor magazine that distributor first-quarter sales are up by 11.1% over 2009. Now that’s news we can all celebrate – and take right to the bank. Finally, click here to check out two very cool products, which we featured Wednesday morning at a press breakfast that attracted reporters from the likes of SmartMoney, CNNMoney.com, Fox and ABC News. ASI’s Dave Vagnoni (pictured) did a great job demonstrating to reporters the innovative products businesses are using in 2010 to promote their companies and events – including a riding electric beer cooler that goes 10 mph. We actually rode it in Times Square and boy, did people go crazy for that cooler, which companies like Miller, Snap-on tools and Coors are using to draw attention to their products. At right, Melinda Ligos demonstrates. Sarah Caplan, a 27-year-old entrepreneur who started Footzyrolls (asi/54915) with her sister, joined us to talk about her fantastic new roll-up shoes, which actually fit in a clutch and are perfect for high-heeled women who need a break. Footzyrolls are even being included in gift bags for the upcoming Sex and the City 2 movie. The video also shows off Celebarktion Gourmet Pet Treats. We brought a chocolate lab to our press event and she just loved these dog treats, which are very large, pretty tasty (Dave took a bite) and actually imprintable. As we told the press, promotional products provide the best ROI for your dollar. No wonder they’re being used to promote everything from American Idol to the Oscars. They really work! Tell me your favorite products from the New York show by posting a comment or emailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
