Marketing and Sales

CoasterStone, Indianapolis, announced that it has acquired Tree-Free Custom, which has rebranded as 4 Quarts by CoasterStone. 4 Quarts by CoasterStone will now bring activity books, monthly planners, coloring books, playing cards, drinkware and more to CoasterStone’s product line. “Our relationship with Tree-Free Greetings has developed into a strong business partnership over the years,” said…

Yesterday, we included this “Hello Kitty” branded Japanese bullet train in the Fave 5, but we wanted to investigate it a little further because it’s pretty darn impressive. The train debuted in 2018, and pretty much from top to bottom (or engine to caboose), it's decked out in all things “Hello Kitty"...

In an ideal world, we'd have promotional fireworks that explode in a dazzling display of a client's brand name and logo. Until then, we’ll have to just celebrate the many existing promotional products that are awesome and worthy of our admiration every day. Check out this week’s edition of the Fave 5!...

As we head toward the summer, industry professionals know that many variables exist. What, then, should expectations be for the state of business as the economy reopens? And what about further out—what will the promotional products industry look like after the pandemic?...

I recently read an article from TheLadders.com written by Michael Thompson, who explained a story about Steve Jobs and what he believes to be the one thing that separates the doers from the dreamers. When Jobs was 12 years old, he wanted to build a frequency counter but was missing some of the parts he needed, so he...

Nike reportedly pulled all of its Redskins merchandise this past week, issuing another blow to the team by depriving it of a major licensed merchandise stream. Nike has a contract with the NFL as its official uniform and sideline apparel merchandiser through 2028, but it has joined the growing call for the team to change its name...

Leveraging their more than 35 years working with leading promotional products suppliers and distributors, Kelsey Cunningham and Bill Petrie today announced the launch of brandivate, a full-service business services agency that will drive marketing, sales and branding solutions. “When Bill and I started talking about forming a business, we both saw a void in the…

Jenna Kadziulis, social media coordinator for S&S Activewear, is the creative force behind the supplier's DIY ideas and other killer social media content. And she had a lot to offer about how to create other kinds of engaging content, especially on Instagram...

Prospects are loathe to be pitched by someone they’ve never met before. Instead of taking that gamble, why not consider an approach that puts this new relationship on the path to trust as quickly as possible with displays of what makes you who you are and why you do what you do?...

Customer account review is not a new idea, though it is rarely done in a robust, comprehensive way. As businesses emerge from the impact of COVID-19, retaining customers at any cost seems likely and logical. Given the unique challenges of bringing business back, this may be the best time to incorporate the discipline of structured, purposeful account review and analysis...