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Friday
February 3, 2012 Super Bowl Means Super SalesFiled under: ASI Shows, Member Benefits, Using Ad Specialties No matter which team scores the Super Bowl trophy, ASI member companies printing T-shirts, jackets and other sports-related memorabilia will be big winners this weekend. Hundreds of ad specialty companies are sure to work into the wee hours Sunday into Monday to get Super Bowl items to eager sports fans. We spoke to Jay Meyer, president of Blue Dolphin Screen Print & Embroidery (asi/141732) of New Hampshire, which is one of the companies working tons of OT this weekend to keep sports fans happy. If the New England Patriots win in the big game against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, Blue Dolphin expects to print at least 25,000 shirts overnight in the initial order. “The big sports stores start showing up around 3 a.m. because they want to have the apparel ready in the morning when they open,” Meyer told us. “If it’s really doing well, they’ll reorder, probably another 5,000. Last week after the AFC championship, we printed 7,000 shirts.” Over 40 employees will work on the initial order, starting by the game’s third quarter. Printing starts as soon as the game finishes. And even if the hometown team fails to take home the title, Meyer said Blue Dolphin still expects to print at least 9,000 Giants shirts. We’ll be back from the ASI Show in Dallas – where Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wowed the crowd this morning with business and social media tips – and I can’t wait to see the newest commercials along with Madonna’s half-time performance. And the game of course! Who’s your Super Bowl pick? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedInand YouTube.
Wednesday
February 1, 2012 Promo Products Star In DallasFiled under: ASI Shows, Media Coverage, News About ASI We kicked off the ASI show in Dallas in a really big way, with a terrific slate of education – and national news coverage of our industry. Steve Noviello, an Emmy Award-winning consumer reporter for the Fox affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth, reported a series of hot product segments from the Dallas Convention Center that were aired across the country. The segments were seen by viewers in 13 markets, reaching a total potential audience of 610,606 — with a total publicity value for the industry of $27, 642. The reports, which ranged from 1-2 minutes, aired in Dallas, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orlando, Salem NC, Louisville KY and Gainesville, FL.
Steve discussed the power of promotional products and the strength of the industry itself while showing off some of the newest products we have to offer. He also included some election products, mentioning that the very first promotional products in the U.S. were commemorative buttons dating back to the election of George Washington in 1789 – and how much money the industry is expecting to make off the 2012 election. Click here to view one of the segments, broadcast in Phoenix. KDFW (also known locally as Fox 4) broadcasts more local news per week than any other station in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the most of any television station in Texas. Steve’s team was terrific to work with, joining Counselor senior writer Dave Vagnoni and ASI Show’s executive director of operations, Cheryl Childers, at the Dallas convention center before sunrise to set up the segments that aired continuously across the country. Joe “The Joe Show” Haley worked hard at gathering all the products showcased during the segment and made sure everything arrived safely – and on time – in Dallas. Thursday and Friday are exhibition days in Dallas, and Friday morning we’re in for a special treat with a keynote by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. I hope to see many of you there! Let me know what you think of the news coverage for our industry by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Tuesday
January 31, 2012 Onward To DallasFiled under: ASI Shows, Community, Media Coverage, News About ASI, Using Ad Specialties We’re winging our way to the ASI show in Dallas for a three-day event that promises to be as action-packed as the great state of Texas itself. Education day on Wednesday features the “Industry’s Biggest Speed Networking Session”. As always, all sessions are eligible for credits in the ASI Certification Program. In addition to two days of exhibits featuring the industry’s hottest new products, Dallas features a brand-new gala at the Dallas House of Blues and a keynote by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. In addition to offering up some awesome business tips, Stone will let us know how one of the most influential social media outlets in the world opened opportunities in marketing, politics and philanthropy. We’re definitely on a roll, especially considering what a great success we enjoyed in Orlando, with record-breaking education, a SRO keynote and 2,100 people whooping it up at Disney’s Animal Kingdom gala. If you missed us in Orlando, check out some video highlights: Click here to see an interview on the Orlando Fox affiliate with keynoter James Carville, a Democrat who sparred onstage with Republican pundit Bill O’Reilly. Click here for a wrap-up video with highlights from a barn-burner of a show. Click here for best-selling product highlights from our Supplier of the Year, Hub Pen (asi/61966). And click here for a roundup of terrific products for the adventurer set, featuring Counselor Distributor Choice Award winners. Featured products include Tekweld natural insect repellent mister (asi/90807); carabiner bottle opener watch and matching wristwatch from Logomark (asi/67866); Elleven Amped checkpoint-friendly compu-backpack from Leed’s (asi/66887) and the Port Authority Nootka jacket from SanMar (asi/84863). Let me know if you’re joining us in Dallas by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Friday
January 27, 2012 2011 Industry Sales Top $18.5 BillionFiled under: News About ASI, Research The numbers are in, and the results couldn’t be much better. ASI’s 2011 distributor sales research report shows total industry sales of $18.5 billion, up 6.2% from 2010. Sales have increased for eight straight quarters, with a 6.5% 2011 fourth-quarter sales increase reported – the highest since the first quarter of 2011. What this proves is that the industry rebound begun two years ago is real – and lasting. A majority of distributors feel optimistic about 2012 sales, which is another indication of continued growth. The bottom line is that companies, charities, schools, hospitals, teams – you name it and there’s a logo on it – are continuing to buy ad specialties for a very simple, undeniable reason: they work. Highlights of the survey, conducted by ASI’s executive director of research, Larry Basinait, include:
To read the report, click here. ASI commissioned the exclusive survey to estimate industry sales for 2011. The industry outlook for 2012 was also included in the study. Invitations went to ASI distributor members who were the primary contact with their firms, and had been in business at least one year. One thing we can’t do is become complacent. We need to keep the economic ball rolling throughout 2012 – and beyond. So let me know what you’re planning to do this year to keep your numbers up, or tell me what worked best for you in 2011, by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Thursday
January 26, 2012 Listen, Laugh, Heal And HopeFiled under: ASI Shows, News About ASI After listening to Michael J. Fox this week on ASI Radio, I’ve decided to adopt a new catch phrase to use in response to whiners or naysayers: “A lady had a baby in a tree. What do you got?” Let me explain. Fox told our listeners he draws inspiration from a reported story about a pregnant woman who not only survived floods in Africa by clinging to a tree, but did it while giving birth – alone. He said, “When anyone comes to me with a problem, my first reaction is, ‘A lady had a baby in a tree. What do you got?’ There’s nothing you can imagine that you can’t overcome. Look for a tree branch, fight the current … You have choices; you have options. You can climb that tree if you have to.” As always, Fox was compelling. Which is why we’ve invited him back as a keynote speaker. He’ll speak Wednesday, April 4, at 8:15 a.m. at ASI San Diego. Register now if you haven’t already – I can guarantee you’ll walk away inspired and armed with advice you can easily apply to your life and business. Like another upcoming keynoter, Biz Stone (who’s speaking at ASI Dallas next Friday), Fox says humor is critical. When asked what scares him, Fox said, “People who don’t have a sense of humor. They’re the most dangerous people in world. Humor is essential. Humor is a way of expressing humanity and maintaining humility and being able to laugh at yourself.” Fox told us he was shattered when diagnosed with Parkinson’s while still acting in the hit sitcom “Spin City,” but that becoming proactive about his health made a big difference in his life. “You kind of expect people smarter than us to tell us how to get better,” he said. “It doesn’t work that way. I realized patients have to be agents of change … Everything is up to me.” Fox established The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to push for a cure. Check out his website, which is packed with valuable information – and inspiration. I spent 15 minutes listening to the guy on the radio this week and walked away feeling pumped about life’s possibilities – and about our industry. Fox told us his foundation often uses promotional products to promote its cause, saying, “Those keepsakes really, really mark a connection between a company and people and a charity. I think it’s important people express their involvement and companies express their connections … It’s really valuable and important.” I can’t think of a better endorsement. To listen to the entire interview, go to www.asicentral.com/radio. Let me know what you took away from the interview by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Monday
January 23, 2012 Sourcing City And ASI Form Strategic AllianceFiled under: Industry Initiatives, News About ASI ASI is very pleased to announce a new strategic alliance with Sourcing City, the market leader of digital services and networking trade events for the ad specialty industry in the U.K. Together, we’ll work closely together to foster connections and introduce best practices that will benefit the U.S. and U.K. markets. To that end, Sourcing City and ASI created a three-year, multi-point strategic plan, with various elements to be rolled out over the next year. Initially, supplier members will be able to exhibit at both ASI and Sourcing City trade shows. Sourcing City has an invitation-only event called Marketplace in September 2012 and will be launching a new trade show, Sourcing City Live!, in January 2013. Sourcing City also has strict policies to ensure its suppliers are properly vetted to guarantee they are truly U.K.-based manufacturers or importers of products, preserving the supply and distribution chain ASI has endorsed and nurtured for more than 50 years. ASI believes this alliance will help members on both sides of the pond form lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. I was invited to the recent Sourcing City Marketplace event and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. ASI is looking forward to fostering an even greater understanding of customer relations and the needs of distributor partners in both regions. Alistair Mylchreest, CEO of Sourcing City, said in the release he’s excited to be involved with ASI on such a close level. “In particular,” he continued, “we want to help professional distributors and suppliers grow their per capita spend in the U.K. market, and we are certain joining forces with a U.S.-based powerhouse like ASI is one great way to accomplish that.” Click here to read the press release announcing the alliance. For more information about Sourcing City, visit www.sourcingcity.co.uk.
Wednesday
January 18, 2012 Orlando Knocks It Outta The ParkFiled under: ASI Shows, Members, News About ASI And we’re off! The 2012 show season kicked off in grand style in Orlando this week, posting record-breaking education, attendance and exhibitor levels, contributing to making it the fastest-growing show in the industry. In a standing-room-only keynote, 1,438 industry professionals watched Bill O’Reilly and James Carville face off on the nation’s hottest political and business issues. The event was co-sponsored by Pepco Poms (asi/77280) and Showdown Displays (asi/87188). Education participation set a record, with 2,410 distributors attending classes during ASI Orlando’s Education Conference on Monday, January 16. All sessions were eligible for credits toward BASI (Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information) and MASI (Master of Advertising Specialty Information) certification. During a reception in their honor, 17 graduates of the ASI Certification Program were recognized in a pinning ceremony. To date, over 15,000 industry professionals have registered for classes necessary to obtain the industry certification. We got tons of great feedback throughout the show. Here’s a sampling: “ASI Orlando has been fantastic,” said Jason Emery of Logomark (asi/67866). “The attendance is phenomenal. We brought seven people to the show and could have used another two. There were times when we couldn’t even get into our own booth. Distributors are having open conversations about their annual strategic plans versus only looking at individual products.” Michael Leigh, of Calibre International (asi/43442), said: “This has just been an amazing show. We’ve spent a lot of time with quality distributors. This is not a ‘scan and go’ crowd. Everyone is interested in finding new products to help them do a great business in 2012.” Our new show VP and GM, Lorenz Hassenstein, got off to a great start. “ASI supplier members are reaping the benefits from this year’s Orlando event, and many already are planning to expand their presence at future 2012 ASI Shows, and certainly Orlando next year,” he said, adding that strong attendance was being viewed by exhibitors as a positive sign for the year. American Solutions for Business (asi/120075), Brown & Bigelow (asi/148500), Geiger (asi/202900) and AIA (asi/109480) were among the Top 40 Distributors that hosted large sales meetings at Orlando. Visit http://www.asicentral.com/ for full coverage of ASI Show Orlando. Upcoming 2012 ASI Shows are Dallas (February 1-3), San Diego (April 2-4), New York (May 8-10) and Chicago (July 17-19). To learn more about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities for 2012, contact Karen DiTomasso, vice president of sales, at kditomasso@asicentral.com. If you attended the show, please let me know what you thought by posting a comment or e-mailing me here. I’m also on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. |
