• • • • • • July 2 • 2015
SEND NEWS TO JAMESK@PPAI.ORG • • • • • •
Top News
HALO Completes Acquisition Of Newton Business
HALO Branded Solutions (UPIC: HBS) has completed its purchase of the business assets of Newton Manufacturing Company (UPIC: Newton) and announced details to compensate Newton suppliers. As previously reported in PPB Newslink, the Newton, Iowa-based distributor filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 31, 2015. HALO, headquartered in Sterling, Illinois, provided debtor-in-possession financing to Newton to fund the Chapter 11 proceeding.
Read More HALO
Industry News
New U.S. Jobs Up In June But Lower Than Forecast
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a modest growth in hiring in June with nonfarm payroll employment up by 223,000, according to numbers released today. That news is coupled with the fact that the unemployment rate dropped from 5.5 percent to 5.3 percent credited to a sharp decline in labor force participation. Those who have stopped looking for work dropped from 10.8 percent to 10.5 percent. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, retail trade, financial activities, and in transportation and warehousing. In a Reuters poll of economists, the number of new jobs in June was expected to total 230,000 with unemployment at 5.4 percent. Read the full report here.
A Look At The Year’s Most Popular Logo Trends
Next time you sit down with a client to talk about a logo, know your Sparkle from your Pick-up Sticks. Those are just two of the 15 logo design trends identified by graphic designer Bill Gardner, who is also founder of online logo database LogoLounge. Since 2002, he has reviewed more than 100,000 logos contributed by designers around the world and, from those, compiles an annual logo design trends report. The top 15 trends he has identified are worth a look to be inspired and challenged for your next logo project.
Phones Win Out Over Tablets For Short Videos
Why read about a technique or how-to when you can watch a video and glean the information with both eyes and ears? That’s the lesson marketers are learning as consumers flock to watch live action—and their choice of a device on which to view is most often their smartphones. Digital solutions provider Ooyala monitored activity on its network in the first quarter of this year and found that mobile phones accounted for 34 percent of digital video views worldwide during that time period, vs. seven percent for tablets. Videos of three minutes or less in length accounted for half of the watching time on phones, too. Tablets only won out when the video was 10 minutes or longer. Read the full story here.
PPAI News
Who Are The Industry’s Best Bosses? Nominations Now Open
PPB is searching for the industry’s best bosses for its annual recognition program. The magazine is looking for the industry’s most respected people managers—those who listen, set good examples and help their subordinates achieve their top-level performance. If you consider your boss among the industry’s best, send in your nomination by the July 16 deadline. Please note that all nominees must be employed by PPAI member companies and previous winners are not eligible. Click here for the nomination form.
Enter Now For PPAI Awards Competitions
PPAI awards competition deadlines are approaching. Submit your entries today.
·
Image Award Competition: Suppliers and distributors show off the image they portray to customers and clients. Deadline:
July 10
·
Pyramid Award: Distributors submit their most challenging and creative promotional campaigns. Deadline:
July 10
·
Suppliers Achievement Competition: Suppliers showcase their product, craftsmanship and creativity. Deadline:
July 24
Click here for competition information, and submit an entry
here. For questions, contact Christina Sanders at
awards.ppai.org or (972) 258-3070.
PPAI’s Summer Webinars Explore Testing, Product Category Specifics
Learn about transportation, ink testing and more in this summer’s online webinar series. PPAI’s education schedule features a wide range of best practices, updates and other topics important to promotional products industry practitioners.
Upcoming webinars in July and August include:
Ink Testing Protocols
July 8, 1 pm CDT
http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ppa/session.php?id=16318
Think Like A Marketer
July 15, 1 pm CDT
http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ppa/session.php?id=16314
Transportation Best Practices
July 22, 1 pm CDT
http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ppa/session.php?id=16319
Toxics In Packaging
August 5, 1 pm CDT
http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ppa/session.php?id=16407
Focus on Drinkware, Tableware and Kitchenware
August 19, 1 pm CDT
http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ppa/session.php?id=16408
PPAI’s live and on-demand
webinars enable industry professionals to continue their professional development anywhere, any time.
People News
Supplier BAG MAKERS, Inc. (UPIC: BAGMAKRS) has promoted Pete Gleason, MAS, to vice president of sales. Previously, he was director of sales strategy. In his new role, Gleason will assume more responsibility for sales development, including overseeing and training the company’s sales team. He will continue to work closely with Senior Vice President of Sales Roger Bayness, as well as the company’s full executive team, to help set and guide the company’s sales direction. Gleason also will continue to represent BAG MAKERS and work with customers in the company’s Northeast sales territory.
Liz Nesic has joined The Ampersand Group (UPIC: TheAm151), based in Akron, Ohio, as the company’s director of business development. In her new role, Nesic will help lead the strategic growth of its member network, and will be involved with marketing efforts to build brand awareness and recognition as a provider of services to independent distributors. She brings 25 years of sales and business development experience in the print and promotional products industries.
Chocolate Inn/Taylor & Grant (UPIC: CHOCINN) has named Marsha Brooks its new Midwest regional sales manager. Brooks will work to develop key accounts within her region and reinforce the Freeport, New York, supplier’s position as a food, mint and candy manufacturer in the industry. Brooks joins Chocolate Inn/Taylor & Grant with more than 15 years experience managing sales teams in both the promotional products and the branded premium industries.She also served several years on the Ohio Promotional Professionals Association board as trustee, vice president and president.
Petaluma, California-based distributor Imagine Promotional Group, Inc. (UPIC: ipgpromo) has added Neils Goodwin to its team as an account manager.
Charitable Contributions
BIC Graphic Raises More Than $130,000 For
Wounded Warrior Project
Clearwater, Florida-based supplier BIC Graphic (UPIC: BIC) has surpassed its commitment of $100,000 in support of the Wounded Warrior Project®. Upon announcing the partnership in January, BIC Graphic made a donation of $50,000 to WWP and is also donating $2 for each order of select BIC Graphic products. Through end of May, the supplier has raised $60,012 in proceeds bringing the total to date to $110,012. Plus, in a separate initiative, the company conducted an internal fundraising drive and its generous employees have pledged $20,000 to WWP in 2015 for a total so far of more than $130,000.
Read More BIC
SAGE FACT OF THE WEEK
Bring Your Clients To The SAGE Show On August 13
One of the industry’s favorite trade shows is coming to the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas, on August 12-13. August 12 is the education and meeting day for distributors only, but on August 13, attendees can invite their clients to join them on the show floor. Clients will enjoy seeing all of the hot new products of the season, and distributors will love the sales it brings in. SAGE Show is free to attend for all distributors, their salespeople and their clients. Distributors are encouraged to register their teams and invite their clients today at
www.sageshow.com.
PPAI members can join SAGE at no additional cost through the
Power of Two relationship. Contact SAGE today at 800-925-7243 or visit
www.sageworld.com to get started.
This Month’s PPB
Hitting Her Stride
Have you joined the chorus calling for younger recruits to the promotions industry? You may change your tune after meeting Janie Goldberg, president and CEO of Indianapolis, Indiana-based distributor OmniSource Marketing Group (UPIC: OMNI007).
Read More Janie Goldberg
Defeat The Terrible Tyranny Of Tiny Tasks
Our devices, apps, hacks and tools make us think we’ll save time. In reality we just overload it with low-value, repetitious, wasteful activity—usually motivated by anxiety and fear.
Read More Simple Solutions
Getting A Grip
If a client needs a promotional vehicle that promises universal appeal and lifetime functionality, Americanna Promotional Products (UPIC: AMER0022) has the solution—flexible jar openers in more than 180 shapes, 14 colors and seven types of materials that offer 6,300 options for virtually limitless opportunities.
Read More Americanna Promotional Products
Contribute To PPAI Publications
Pencil This In
Editor’s Picks in September
PPB is all about writing instruments.
Share images and descriptions of pens, pencils, markers and more, as well as case studies, by
July 9.
Helping Higher Education
September
PPB looks at the higher education field in Market to Market.
Send product images and descriptions, and case studies of college and university client promotions, and share tips for working with clients in higher education, by
July 9.
Cotton Tale
The comfort and reliability of cotton apparel has long made it a favorite choice for all ages and all occasions. Tell PPB about some of the bestsellers in your line for a PPB October article. Suppliers: Submit high-res images and product descriptions of cotton apparel for possible inclusion. Distributors: Submit decoration tips, case studies and best practices about selling cotton apparel. Send all materials by August 3.
A Distributor Asks: I’ve heard and read that some suppliers have a circle of customers they call “Preferred Distributors.” What is the advantage for selected distributors and what is the process for being invited into that circle?
Email your answer along with your name, title and company name to Question@ppai.org by July 10 for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue of
PPB
magazine.
Need peer advice on a sticky situation? Send your question to Question@ppai.org.
Read the answers to each month’s question here.
Industry Job Listings
PPAI Website
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