The Senate on Wednesday passed the record-shattering $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package aimed at rescuing the foundering U.S. economy. The bill is expected to pass the House on Friday. We looked through the full text of the bill and consulted various online sources to see how the legislation applies to the promotional products industry. Here are some key details...
Sean Norris
With everything going on right now, sales calls feel uncomfortable at best, tone deaf at worst. But promo professionals have businesses to run. How do you balance giving your customers the space they need while still doing your job? There’s no single answer that works for everyone, but here are some ideas...
Early Wednesday, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake City and surrounding areas, knocking out power and forcing the city's airport to close. While there were no reports of injuries as of 12:30 p.m. eastern, the earthquake caused disruptions for promo businesses in the area...
Each week, Nick Lateur posts a video. He picks a product—something unique or quirky, maybe a top-seller—and looks for any funny twists that would translate to video. The results, some of which may or may not involve Lateur wearing a superhero costume with shiny gold tights, are delightful...
In-N-Out released a new pair of shoes in its online store. They're white slip-ons in the style of classic Vans, and they're decorated in the same red squiggly stripes and palm trees pattern as In-N-Out's drink cups. They are extremely cool, but there's a problem: They sold out almost instantly...
As of Thursday, there were more than 7,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, with 170 deaths. Cases have been confirmed in multiple other countries, and many nations have restricted travel to and from China. In the promo industry, which relies on China for the majority of its products, the situation is causing some anxiety...
If you're not from Britain, you probably aren't familiar with 'Love Island,' the U.K.'s favorite reality dating show. It's basically the cross-the-pond version of "Bachelor in Paradise," where sexy young singles in an even sexier exotic locale compete for each other's hearts (and a substantial cash reward). Unlike "Paradise," though, the real stars of "Love Island" are the promotional water bottles...
We lost count of the number of brands that teamed up with shoe companies this year for limited-edition collections, licensed offerings and custom designs. Whataburger did cowboy boots. Dunkin’ had running shoes. Heck, Post Malone released his own Crocs. As sneaker culture moves more mainstream, we fully expect the trend to continue well into 2020 and beyond. Sock 101 thinks so, too...
Amazon launched Merch Collab, its latest on-demand merchandise service, in 2018. What is it? And what does it tell us about Amazon’s future plans for promotional products?
Of the many notable statistics in PPAI’s 2019 Consumer Study, here’s one that really stands out: The percentage of consumers who value sustainability consistently rises with each successive generation. Just 8 percent of boomers and 10 percent of Gen Xers said they care about sustainable promotional products, but the…
Popeyes' chicken sandwich launched over the summer, promptly sold out nationwide, and relaunched again in November to impossibly long drive-thru lines and the occasional parking lot brawl. Demand has since returned to normal. But, considering its enormous popularity, there was a baffling lack of chicken sandwich merch. Until now...
Vistaprint left calls, chats and emails from customer service interactions in an unencrypted online database. The database stored some 51,000 customer service interactions and included customer names, phone numbers, email addresses and more...
Carol Hudson, former vice president of sports marketing for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau in Florida, allegedly purchased promo items from her own side company, Saints Enterprises, without telling Broward County officials it was her company. As you might guess, that's against the rules...
Christie's, the world's preeminent auction house based in London and New York City, is well aware the perception that auctions are for old rich people, and is get more young folks into the auction game. It plans to do so by, what else, auctioning off an enormous collection of Supreme merch...
We've all wanted to take out our frustrations on a vending machine at some point, and Rovio, maker of the Angry Birds franchise, is looking to turn that shared experience into promotional gold. The company's "Venting Machine" will dispense Angry Birds branded merch to anyone who beats it up...
