Leed's

THE BRANDING OF AN INDUSTRY
December 1, 2007

THE PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS industry is an evolving one. Case in point: a little over five years ago when this writer first came aboard the Promo Marketing (formerly Promotional Marketing) ship, there was little, if any, talk of the environment and what the industry could do to preserve it. However, within the past two years alone, it seems the entire industry has gone “green,” with both suppliers and distributors heralding their environmentally responsible business practices and industry publications dedicating entire issues to the topic. Even with the widespread attention environmental safety has received, there are other notable topics brewing in the industry these days.

New Environment Line Introduced at Leed’s
November 6, 2007

Leed’s, New Kensington, Pa., unveiled 100 percent post-consumer recycled products and other environmentally-friendly products in its Meeting and Conventions launch. Leed’s, a Polyconcept North America company, is debunking the perception that environmentally-friendly products compromise style by offering options that are made from recycled material but still maintain mainstream appeal. Owl is the flagship collection for Leed’s EcoSmart effort and includes bags composed of either 100 percent or 51 percent post-consumer recycled material. EcoSmart also encompasses stationery made from recycled leather or cardboard. For every EcoSmart import order placed, Leed’s will plant a tree through American Forests. “We stand by our environmentally responsible products,” explained

Leed’s® and Cutter & Buck Continue Strategic Partnership
October 16, 2007

Leed’s, Pittsburgh, a member of Polyconcept North America, the second largest supplier within the promotional products industry, announced a multiyear extension to its 2003 exclusive licensing agreement with Cutter & Buck. The agreement grants Leed’s a continuation of its exclusive rights to select non-apparel Cutter & Buck products for the promotional products industry with the potential to license additional products in the future. “Since 2003, we’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Cutter & Buck and we’re excited to continue our strategic partnership,” said Jeff Brown, vice president of marketing and product development. “Our customers insist on the best product, which

Leed’s Holiday Gift Guide Features New Brands
August 7, 2007

The 2007 “Brand the Holiday” catalog from Leed’s, Pittsburgh, includes the addition of Dockers, Alicia Klein and Day-Timer branded products. The catalog features 128 pages dedicated to new products in six categories: lifestyle gifts, business and travel, drinkware, executive and desktop, stationery and technology. The three new brands join Cutter & Buck, High Sierra, Laguiole, Wenger, Slazenger, Stanley and Garrity branded products, in addition to a wide selection of exclusive items. “This year’s holiday gift is a labor of love,” said Erin Lewis, manager of marketing promotion. “We know that our customers share suppliers’ catalogs with their customers, so we’ve taken the time to

Leed’s To Carry Dockers Brand
July 17, 2007

Leed’s, Pittsburgh, recently announced an agreement with Dockers San Francisco in which Leed’s will offer a range of Dockers brand bags, travel items and stationery in its gift catalog. The items will be available beginning Aug. 1. Jim Epstein, Leed’s chief development officer who worked closely with Dockers’ management in developing the deal, said: “Dockers found that Leed’s offers a unique top-quality platform for high profile brands to distribute within the corporate gift channel.” The Dockers brand marks the 13th retail brand carried by Leed’s and is the third announced since the beginning of the year. “Leed’s is ecstatic to be working with such

OFFICE SPACE
July 1, 2007

FOR MANY AMERICANS, work and personal life have become indistinguishable. Living according to the business motto, “it’s who you know,” has blended friends and colleagues together. Perhaps the biggest changes are the result of technology. Wireless communications enable people to work on the road or in a café just as easily as if they were in the office. All the needed resources and capabilities of modern working society now fit into a briefcase. Working from home is increasingly popular for employees of major corporations as well as for small business owners and the self-employed. Office and desk items are changing to keep up with the times.

Leed’s Unveils 525 New Product Styles in 2007 Catalog
January 23, 2007

Leed’s, Pittsburgh, has introduced its full-line catalog with a host of options and ideas, complete with superb feature images, collection shots of entire branded lines, and a layout that is easy to navigate. With 1,167 product styles in multiple color options spanning 11 categories and including 10 retail brands, the 596-page resource provides a one-stop shop for distributors. According to David Nicholson, president, Leed’s primarily focused on “quality and innovation” during the development of the 2007 product line. “We designed, researched, investigated and tested thousands of options before we honed in on this exciting combination of products.” And the company’s products come in a

Hit (the track) and Run
January 1, 2007

WINTER HAS NEVER been the ideal season for health and wellness. Heavy holiday feasts inevitably lead to the purchasing of larger-sized, cold-weather wardrobes in anticipation of the expanded waistline. Too many fruitcakes could be battled with a few trips to the gym, but a focus on fitness has never been part of the holiday season. The dark days of winter make hibernation appealing—especially when faced with the prospect of scraping the ice off the windshield and driving to the gym. Fitness can wait until bathing suit season, right? Wrong. These concessions can mean the holiday weight never gets shed. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in