Blogs

As we celebrate National Ballpoint Pen Day on June 10, it’s a good time to reflect on one of the promotional industry’s best sellers. Here’s why I recommend ballpoint pens for cost-effective, memorable branding and why you should suggest them for your corporate clients...

Award season is in full swing. Help your clients take home the Oscar for "Best Party" with these five movie-themed promotions.

A short example about how a little promotion can go a long way.

Threadfast Apparel, New York City, recently announced the results of its 2021 “Plant With Threadfast” Reforestation program, having planted over 46,000 trees in partnership with the nonprofit One Tree Planted. As part of the program, Threadfast plants a tree for every case of Threadfast product purchased...

Screen printing has long had significant health and safety hazards, but with more sustainable technologies, those have been reduced.

On November 23, 2015, the world’s largest food manufacturer, Nestle, disclosed publicly that slave labor was being used to produce its seafood sourced from its supply chain in Thailand. An investigation had shown that Thai fishing operators lured migrant with false promises. The migrants were sold systematically and then kept in bondage and degrading conditions…

The value Augmented Reality brings to all forms of print is significant.

Printers focus on how a project looks, but how often do you consider the suitability of a printed piece for someone with a disability?

The only way to replace a retiring population of print craftsmen is to bring in young people who are trainable. Enter, the Millennials.

The U.S. Department of Labor published its yearly increases to the maximum civil penalties that may be assessed via OSHA citations.

The “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” (IIJA) represents the largest federal investment in infrastructure in more than a decade.

Supply chain and labor challenges are getting a lot of press right now, and for good reason. But one not-so-publicized challenge facing the industry is technology security that protects companies and customers. Security threats are real, and not going away. Those in the industry that make the necessary investments will pick up market share and ultimately enjoy the financial benefits...

For decades, Topps owned the baseball card market. The company had an exclusive contract with Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. A few weeks ago, Topps was blindsided when MLB and MLBPA announced a new exclusive contract with the online sports merchandise retailer Fanatics Inc. There are two big lessons here...

Though I already have provided my opinion of the best NBA giveaways, the experts at ESPN ranked the top five NBA giveaways this season. There certainly are some creative promotions, and even with the ones I thought I had seen before, I noticed cool, new features that I wouldn't have thought of. ESPN gave the…

I'm going to level with all of you. A few years ago, I did not know the first thing about…

Now that I've fully immersed myself in the AAF life (aka finally learned the name of the Stallions' quarterback), I feel that there's no better time to take a look at the promotional marketing efforts behind the league...

This week has been a dismal one for me: The Philadelphia Eagles were eliminated from the NFL playoffs, my brother beat me several times in the Settlers of Catan, and it's been raining nonstop in Los Angeles where I live (I know, it's hard to feel bad for me). So, I sought to cheer myself…

With March Madness gone, basketball fans are focusing on another basketball event: the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Whether it's to watch LeBron go for another ring or the Golden State Warriors' dream team, fans everywhere are ready for an exciting end to the 2017 NBA season. And, as per usual, all I can focus on are the…

Tons of brands are getting in on the Advent calendar action. It's a chance for companies to showcase some of their favorite products, and it turns out consumers are loving them. Here are a few of my favorites this year...

When it comes to the holiday season, I know it's all about giving and being thankful. But, I also can't help but get excited when musicians, sports teams, theme parks and TV shows release special edition holiday gear. In fact, my coworkers know my Sixers ugly sweater is one of my most coveted possessions, as…

We know you're still settling into your post-holiday routine. It seems like just yesterday you were hanging the stockings on the fireplace and singing "Auld Lang Syne." But like it or not, Valentine's Day will be here soon, and there's nothing worse than waiting 'til the last minute to plan for it. If your clients…

Here at Promo Marketing we love a good charity promotional tee. Charitable causes are always great to spotlight, and we especially love when a charity gets creative and designs a must-have tee. In 2018, there have been a slew of amazing, inspiring charity T-shirts that I wanted to spotlight. Honestly, it was difficult to just…

Yesterday, I wrote a story about American Apparel founder and former CEO Dov Charney's new apparel company, which he plans to build into a rival of his former company. So far, we don't actually know the name of the company, but we do know that it's based in…

In this industry, we know the power of a T-shirt. We know how many impressions they provide—and how effective those impressions can be. A shirt donning a slogan in support of Orlando combats the hate that caused this tragedy and unites us all in support of our fellow man...

Many years ago, when my company entered the promotional products marketplace, we were told that every style of apparel we introduced must have a women's companion piece. This women's apparel companion style should be manufactured with the exact same fabric as the men's styling—but be distinctly “women's” in make and silhouette. The theory and logic…

In an effort to protect Planned Parenthood against proposed defunding, companies are stepping in to create promotional products with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit. Power and Light created a tote bag that went viral, and these Nasty Women T-shirts helped raise more than $100,000 for Planned Parenthood. Now, it seems the fashion world wants in on…

Here's what's happening this week in the apparel world ... * Athletic wear companies Under Armour and Adidas have kissed and made up. Both retailers have reached a settlement in a patent infringement lawsuit regarding mobile fitness product patents, according to The Baltimore Sun. "Adidas AG, Under Armour Inc. and MapMyFitness Inc. have resolved their pending patent…

The Trump brand has seen licensing agreements disappear dramatically of late. In 2015, before Trump’s presidency, 19 companies were paying the Trump Organization to produce or distribute Trump-branded goods. Today, only two remain. Yet, the Trump campaign store is still a major mover of merchandise. What gives?...

Five apparel pieces fit for any stadium, team or any baseball-loving client to give away.

The best thing we can do as garment counselors is to make our clients look like heroes to THEIR end-users. The perfect apparel category for that? Jackets.

It's hard to believe that Donald Trump's Inauguration Day is almost here. And while many people are focusing on the actual politics, I always have a different angle. Working in this industry, I know one thing is true—it's all about the promotions. During the election, I took a look at some of the weirdest political…

With March making its debut next week, St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. I get extra excited about St. Patrick's Day because it's a chance to bore people with my stories about spending a semester in Ireland. I'll save you the snooze-worthy stories and instead provide some insight as to how your brand…

With fall just weeks away, I've been thinking about all the reasons to be excited for it. Pumpkin spice lattes, cozy sweaters, football season and, of course, the "Gilmore Girls" revival. Honestly, there is nothing more fall than "Gilmore Girls," which is set in the fictional New England town of Stars Hollow. And with Netflix…

While it's been uncharacteristically cold here in Philadelphia, the first week of April still has brought chirping birds and blooming cherry blossoms. The start of spring also signifies that Earth Day is almost here, and if you're anything like us, you love the opportunity to give back to Mother Earth. Whether it's with eco-friendly products…

Providing cross-promotion products increases the brand exposure for your client(s). Here are two cross-market promotion ideas to celebrate warm weather.

Imagine this: The event is going a lot better than you had expected. Everyone seems really excited about the new launch, and a bunch of the prospects in attendance have expressed interest in learning more about what you can offer. You have gathered lots of new, quality leads it seems! Even better, your chief marketing…

Paul Bellantone and I walked to dinner after the first day of PPAI’s 2015 Product Responsibility Summit and talked about the same thing

Jane Nelson-Halverson, owner of Dakota Promotions & Printing, describes her experiences volunteering for an abused adult resource center, which she also does some promotional work for. She details the services the center provides, as well as how she handles selling promotional products to an organization she also volunteers at.

The Rising Trend in Personal Care Good marketing, and the products or services being promoted, seek to identify and fill a void within the consumer’s present life. For millions of individuals, that void often centers around wellness and personal care. An overlooked yet deadly serious element of daily life, self-care is an activity or habit…

College was an exciting time in my life. For me, a kid from suburban Central Pennsylvania, it was a time when I moved to an exciting city, made new friends from all over the country (and the world)…

I got the Microsoft Surface Book (not the Surface tablet) two weeks ago, and it’s going back to Microsoft this week. It’s an expensive laptop that has great potential, but it’s not worth the extra money. Here are my thoughts. The potential is there: Beautiful and stylish Powerful Excellent tablet functionality with a great Bluetooth…

What are you going to do in 2016 that is going to make you even more relevant in 2017? What are you going to do to create the customer experience needed to ensure that you can compete and flourish long term? Are you going to curse the online challengers who are driving you crazy? Or,…

I am, without a doubt, the most mobile CIO in the USA. Name one other CIO that is so committed to mobile that immerses themselves all the way to the point of staying in a mobile home.

How to find potential Labor Day clients and implement a promotion before September 2.

A review of Diamonds Cosmetics Inc.'s nail polish and ideas for including polish in your upcoming promotions.

What to wear and bring while traveling to Vegas, Atlantic City or any other show location.

Feeling burnt out and unproductive? Make time for a vacation—even if time isn’t on your side.

Season 3 of HBO's "Game of Thrones" premieres on March 31. Here are some fun ways to connect the worlds of fantasy and promotional products.

Clients not wowed by QR codes? Watch this video for a way to focus on their strengths and make them impressive and intriguing again.

Valentine's Day and other promotion ideas for February and March.

My favorite promotional item carries a lot of meaning for me. Here's a clue to figure it out: If you're like rapper Wiz Khalifa, "you know what it is."

Are you looking for a product that sends just the right message for an awareness campaign? Here are some suggestions.

Even in our tech world, I find I need paper products every day. Do you?

PCA Calendars and Pepco Promotional Products share some of their new products from the show floor.

A quick preview of all the cool stuff I'm working on for June.

I know it's only March 10th, but I'm starting to feel it—golf season is near. In my dinning room is a brand-new Big Bertha driver, a Christmas gift from my wife who apparently didn't know just how much the size of your club matters when it comes to golf (I explained it to her).