• • • • • • March 11 • 2014
SEND NEWS TO
JAMESK@PPAI.ORG • • • • • •
Top News
PPAI Introduces New App And PPB Tablet Edition
PPAI publications have gone mobile. Late last month, PPAI began rolling out its new custom app through a staggered launch via email to all members. The app, designed to be read on iPad (iPad 2, 3, iPad Air and iPad Mini) and Android tablets, gives members convenient access to a new tablet edition of PPB magazine and other PPAI publications including Promotional Consultant Today, PPB Newslink, Connections and Navigator, plus an events calendar and live PPAI Facebook and Twitter feeds.
Read More PPAI Media
Industry News
Industry Companies Feel And Deal With The Effects Of Winter Weather
Punctuated by polar vortexes, freezing temperatures and days-long traffic jams, this winter has been a difficult one for businesses of all sizes. Icy weather has kept employees from reaching the office, prevented deliveries from being made, encouraged customers to stay home and forced the cancellation of a broad range of events and activities.
Read More Winter Weather
Facebook, Instagram Tops In Consumer Attachment
Social media has become a valuable tool for companies to connect with audiences and consumers with business and product news, and other content. A survey by UTA Brand Studio, United Talent Agency’s brand strategy division, and technology and consumer sampling company uSamp found that most consumers prefer Facebook as their primary social media outlet.
Read More Social Media
Artistic Toy To Host PPW!W Factory Tour
Artistic Toy Manufacturing, Inc. (UPIC: ARTSTOY) in Allentown, Pennsylvania, will host a factory tour and kick-off event on March 28 for Promotional Products Work! Week (PPW!W), which runs April 21-25.
Read More Artistic Toy
Clearmount Named Exclusive SIGG Bottle Supplier For Promotional Products Industry
Clearmount (UPIC: CLRMNT), the Toronto, Ontario-based supplier, has announced a partnership with SIGG, a Swiss company known for producing high-quality, sustainable water bottles, to become the exclusive authorized distributor of customized SIGG bottles in North America.
Read More Clearmount
Beacon Promotions Joins The Partnering Group
The Partnering Group has announced a new supplier partner to the group, Beacon Promotions, Inc., (UPIC: BEACONP).
Read More Partnering Group
In Memoriam: Walter Jung
Walter Jung, founder of the PSI Show, Europe’s largest promotional products trade show, passed away last month at the age of 79.
Read More Jung
Spector & Co. ‘Promotones’ Take To The Stage For Charity
Several Spector & Co. employees are participating in the G!EE 9-5 Edition show, organized by the “Just For Kids” Foundation’s “Take Heart” campaign. Calling themselves the Spector & Co. Promotones, the team will sing and dance on stage April 3 at Montreal, Quebec’s Théâtre St-Denis in support of the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Read More Spector & Co.
PPAI News
Fossil Grants PPAI A Tour Of Its Sleek, New Headquarters
Three representatives from PPAI traveled to the new headquarters of Richardson, Texas-based Fossil (UPIC: FOSS0001) to meet with Doug Smith, vice president of sales for Fossil (UPIC: FOSS0001), and Daniel Schiele, marketing coordinator, last week.
Read More Fossil
Promotional Products Work! Week: ADvocating For The Industry
Promotional Products Work! Week (PPW!W) returns April 21-25. Introduced by PPAI last year, PPW!W is an industry-wide collaboration of regional associations, distributors, suppliers, multi-line representatives, corporations and small businesses working together to promote the use of promotional products, share facts on the medium’s effectiveness and provide greater access to the market.
Read More PPW!W
Nominate Your Company For PPB’s Greatest Companies To Work For
Do you work for one of the greatest companies in the promotions industry? Would you recommend your company to a friend? If so, tell PPB about it. The magazine is seeking nominations for its annual editorial recognition program to spotlight some of the industry’s greatest companies. If your company is selected, it will be included in an upcoming feature article.
Nominations will close at midnight CT on March 14. Companies nominated must be current members of PPAI. Previous companies selected for the honor are no longer eligible. Click here for the nomination form.
PPAI Technology Awards Now Accepting Submissions
In an industry that prides itself on developing creative marketing programs, technology continues to play a strong role in its success. It takes a company with keen vision and unconventional thinking to create innovative and awe-inducing technological solutions. These companies deserve recognition; this is where the PPAI Technology Awards come in.
Read More Technology Awards
PPAI’s Webinar Series Revisits Expo 2014 And More In March
The PPAI webinar schedule for March looks at SEO marketing, working across generations and highlights of The PPAI Expo 2014 education program.
Read More Webinars
PPAI Law
Canada’s Anti-Spam Regulations Pose Challenges For E-mail Marketing
Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) goes into effect on July 1. CASL prohibits almost all unsolicited commercial emails, requiring recipients to opt-in before communications are allowed.
Read More Spam
PPAI Encourages Industry Members To Participate In The L.E.A.D. Virtual Fly-In
On April 9, 70 PPAI members and staff will once again take the industry’s message directly to Capitol Hill to ensure lawmakers recognize the $18.5 billion promotional products field. PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.) will address taxation, independent contractor use and other issues in D.C. as well as tell the story of the promotional products industry.
Read More L.E.A.D.
Product Responsibility
Attain Product Safety Aware Status At The SAGE Show This April
Among its education offerings, The SAGE Show, to be held in Fort Worth, Texas on April 23-25, will include four Product Safety Awareness program eligible sessions, including the three required courses—Product Safety Basics, Prop 65 & State Regulations, and Undue Influence Training.
Read More Product Safety Aware
People News
Hub Pen (UPIC: HUBPEN) has hired Steve McDonald as graphics production manager. McDonald brings 30 years of experience, including a background in managing graphic services, to the Braintree, Massachusetts, supplier. Prior to joining Hub Pen, McDonald managed graphic services in the educational publishing industry. He has also provided creative management support within the hospitality, travel, restaurants, manufacturing and health services industries.
Frank Firicano, MAS, vice president of business development at New York City-based distributor Axis Promotions (UPIC: axispromo), is retiring after 46 years in the promotional products industry. Firicano joined Axis in January 2011 when his distributorship, Advertising Concepts, Inc., merged with the company. Firicano was owner/CEO of Advertising Concepts for 30 years. Prior to that, he spent 14 years on the supplier side of the business. Firicano was also one of the six founding members of the PeerNet Group, an alliance of promotional products and marketing distributors across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Firicano leaves Axis with plans to spend more time with his family and to dedicate himself to volunteering with his favorite organizations, including the Lawrence Rotary Club Board and UNICO, where he is president-elect.
American Solutions for Business (UPIC: AMER0005) has named Amy Lamb (left) director of sales recruitment and retention. Lamb, who has been with the Glenwood, Minnesota, distributor for 16 years, held positions in human resources, sales and most recently as a recruiting specialist. In her new position, she will work to further develop and grow American’s recruiting process and will be assisted by a six-member Home Office Sales Support Team. Also joining the Recruitment/ Retention team is Kim Hoffmann who has 11 years of expertise in the human resource industry and will be specializing in the onboarding of new sales associates. Hoffmann has been with American for five years.
Rubin Malpica has been selected by Starline USA (UPIC: STAR0009) as the Grand Island, New York, supplier’s inside sales rep for the Midwest North and Midwest East. Malpica is a graduate of the University of Fredonia with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Gardner, Kansas-based DistributorCentral (UPIC: DC) has added three members to its team. Charlie Cochran (left) has joined the company as a web application developer. He will be responsible for enhancing the overall usability of DistributorCentral and the development of new features. Stephanie Protz (center) has joined the team as a national account manager. Based in South Carolina, Protz will focus on growing new accounts in the Southeast and increasing market share with key accounts across the country. Heather Windler is the company’s new customer and technical support specialist. Her responsibilities include support of supplier and distributor users including product data management, website design and maintenance, and product research.
Supplier EMT (UPIC: EMTEASY) in Indianapolis, Indiana, has hired Brian Stidham as key account manager. Stidham’s background includes six years in the screen print industry, seven years in product design and managing licenses, and five years at an industry supplier company.
Accolades
Newton Manufacturing Recognizes Top Suppliers At Awards Ceremony
Newton Manufacturing Company (UPIC: NEWTON) hosted a Star Supplier Open House and Awards Ceremony on February 27 at the distributor’s Newton, Iowa, home office. During the event, employees, local sales representatives and top suppliers enjoyed a company luncheon, awards ceremony and supplier showcase where everyone was able to meet and visit.
Read More Newton
Proforma’s Vera Muzzillo Recognized For Franchise Leadership
Vera Muzzillo, CEO of Proforma (UPIC: PROFORMA), was named one of the Top 24 Women in Franchising by Franchise Update magazine. The publication analyzed more than 200 woman-led franchises to create its top 24 list.
Read More Proforma
SAGE FACT OF THE WEEK
Revolutionizing Email Marketing
Studies show 44 percent of email recipients made at least one purchase last year based on a promotional email. Smart, targeted email marketing campaigns help businesses stay in front of customers and drive more sales. The new Email Campaigns module in SAGE Online provides the ability to create professional, eye-catching emails in just a few minutes, including seamless integration with the SAGE product database, SAGE Online’s CRM area and users’ SAGE PromoSearch website. To learn more about the Email Campaigns module in SAGE Online or SAGE Online, contact SAGE to find out how to get it at no additional charge through the Power of Two relationship, exclusive for PPAI members.
This Month’s PPB
Standing Out From The Crowd
PPB takes note of some of The PPAI Expo’s most unique, trendsetting and eye-catching products for 2014.
Read More Expo Products
Five Minutes With Thomas Healy, Founder Of Promos On Campus
In 2012, college junior Thomas Healy needed logoed drawstring bags for an event hosted by the student government of his school, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. After experiencing difficulties finding what he needed, inspiration struck and Healy launched South Easton, Massachusetts, distributor Promos On Campus.
Read More Healy
The Hat That Gives Back
Cause marketing hit home at The PPAI Expo in January. Hastings, Minnesota-based supplier Storm Creek (UPIC: StormCrk) used the event as an opportunity to tell its distributor customers about the life of its friend, Patrick Orton, and to raise money for a scholarship fund in his name.
Read More Cause Marketing
Contribute To PPAI Publications
Campaigns For The People
Have you created campaigns or sold products targeting dramatically diverse and largely unknown demographics, especially those in mid- to lower-income brackets? If so, PPB would like to talk to you for an upcoming story. Please email Tama Underwood to share your experience by Friday, March 14.
Sweater Weather
As another winter comes and goes (So long, polar vortex!) PPB is looking ahead to the next crop of sweaters and knits that will provide protection from Old Man Winter. Suppliers: Send high-res images and product descriptions of your sweaters, scarves, hats, wraps, socks, legwarmers and the like for inclusion in PPB's May issue. Distributors: Tell us what knitwear items your customers love or share decorating tips for knits. Email all materials to Tama Underwood by March 14.
Diversity At Your Doorstep
How do you serve the vibrant, diverse community in which you work and live? Are you an expert at developing health awareness campaigns in different languages, or do you excel at promoting and supporting multicultural community events? PPB wants product suggestions, case studies and tips for marketing to multicultural clients, for Market to Market in May. To be a contributor, contact Jen Alexander McCall by Monday, March 17.
Counting Down The Days
June PPB’s Editor’s Picks will feature the best, most innovative and most clever calendars in promotional products today. Send product descriptions and large image files, as well as case studies of promotions that incorporated calendars and unique ways to pitch calendars to clients, to Jen Alexander McCall by Monday, March 17.
What Would You Do?
A Distributor Asks: Why do suppliers call me on the phone to verbally confirm orders I’ve submitted in writing, sometimes stopping the order if I can’t take their call? I’m more comfortable submitting written orders because mistakes or more likely to be made over the phone, and I don’t think these calls are necessary.
What's Your Answer? Email answers along with your name, title and company name to Question@ppai.org by March 28 for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of PPB magazine.
Need peer advice on a sticky situation? Send your question to Question@ppai.org.
<img align="left" heigh