Logomark

Tustin, California-based Logomark announced the company is offering distributors a new incentive to help during the economic downturn.

I finished up research for my article on computer accessories last week, and I can't believe all the crazy stuff I found. There are USB watches, Internet phones that are also mice, and MP3 players so complex they make iPods seem like sleekly designed doorjambs.

[...] in a changing industry full of uncertainty—one begging for someone to take an ethical stand on how to conduct business, and facing a barrage of new product safety laws—where does the industry look for guidance, a solid knowledge base and products that offer peace of mind? Perhaps the Quality Certification Alliance (QCA), a nonprofit group founded by industry leaders, can provide that assurance. With a solid mission statement, “to raise the bar in providing consistently safe, high-quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise to clients and their constituents,” the organization is attempting to offer as much certainty as possible without a calculator and Schedule C or one foot in the grave. At the PPAI Expo in January, Promo Marketing sat down with three of the organization’s founding members, Jay Deutsch, CEO of Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BDA), Woodinville, Wash.; Trevor Gnesin, president of Logomark, Tustin, Calif.; and Andrea Engel, vice president of merchandising for BroderBros., Trevose, Pa., in order to learn more. The QCA is really a group of 14 founding members coming together and saying we are going to put together a quality program, a safety program, surrounding products and social compliance inside of the marketplace. The great thing about this organization is that you’ve got suppliers who are in different categories ... [and distributors who] really care about doing the right thing for the industry. There are so many laws, so many things that are procedures that really aren’t standardized, we thought it was important to do this as a service to our customer base, so they would feel comfortable knowing that no matter what product they bought from this group, they could be sure it met all the requirements, it was safe and there were no worries. First of all, we’ve been having conversations with our clients over the past five years. What we are really focused on is getting our founding members ... accredited. Consumers want safe product and that’s not too much to ask. [...] that should be the standard of this industry. ... [...] you have to [answer] prequalification questionnaires. Dee with third-party testing companies [goes] into your facilities, both here stateside—any domestic decorating, any overseas factories, and to a representation of your factories to ensure that your SOPs are alive and breathing. Product quality, product safety, social compliance, environmental stewardship and supply-chain safety. The overall basis of the self-assessment is [to ask the questions] “Do you have policies in place?” and “Do you have ways to enforce those policies?” It’s very intensive. If you have been in this business a long time and you have been doing the right amount of testing—you’ll find mistake opportunities in the manufacturing process. No one can test every single piece of every single consumer product sold or given away ... it’s impossible. In the olden days, one could start a business, you could bring in product and you could sell it. Hopefully, there is going to be a natural attraction for people who take product safety and social compliance seriously.

Yonkers, New York-based Gemini Manufacturing, maker of Jetline, announced the launch of a free 24-hour rush service. The service, which started January 2, offers distributors access to more than 1,000 promotional solutions. “Now, more than ever, it is important to provide flexibility in buying to both our distributor partners as well as to their end-user customers,” said Jetline president Eric Levin. “Many purchasing decisions will be made with little lead time as end-users work outside of the annual budget structure that they have accustomed to in the past,” Levin concluded.

Key leaders in the promotional products industry today announced the formation of the Quality Certification Alliance, LLC (QCA), an independent, nongovernmental organization dedicated to elevating the standard in providing consistently safe, high quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise to Fortune 500 companies and small businesses. Executives from the organization’s founding companies officially launched QCA today at the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo in Las Vegas. The QCA certification process assures merchandise manufactured, imprinted and imported by member companies conforms to established domestic and international product laws, regulations and standards. QCA has garnered wide support from numerous suppliers and distributors, including Avaline; Barton

Commenting on a new joint interview with John McCain and Sarah Palin, NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd described the Republican ticket as lacking cohesion, chemistry, and (he hinted) trust. Commenting on a new joint interview with John McCain and Sarah Palin, NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd described the Republican ticket as lacking cohesion, chemistry, and (he hinted) trust.

Natick, Massachusetts-based Newton Peripherals, the developer of the revolutionary MoGo family of Bluetooth-enabled products, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Logomark, Tustin, Calif., the premier supplier of personalized gifts, accessories, pens, tools and timepieces, for the company to be the authorized reseller of customized MoGo products for the corporate promotional products industry. For this market, Logomark and Newton Peripherals will offer a special combination package that includes one of the following MoGo Mouse Models—the MoGo Mouse BT, a business-card-sized mouse that stores and charges inside your laptop computer’s PC card slot; the MoGo Presenter Mouse X54TM, a combination Bluetooth-enabled wireless presenter

Leading promotional product supplier Logomark Inc., based in Tustin, Calif. named Gardnar O’Brien as its new chief financial officer. Gardnar, as a key member of Logomark’s executive team, will work closely with company founders Trevor Gnesin and Neal Harper on overall corporate strategic planning. Gardnar is an accomplished CFO, having served in senior management, finance, accounting and operations roles in the promotional products, private equity, direct mail and retail industries for international, Fortune 500 and privately held companies. Most recently he was interim CFO for a $65 million importer of gift products from China. In his previous role as CFO for Sweda from 1998-2005,

VARIETY MIGHT VERY well be the spice of life, but as seasoned chefs can confirm, too much of a good thing often ruins the pot. The perfect accompaniment deliciously complements, without overpowering, a main course. Not unlike the contents of the kitchen spice rack, “Drinkware comes in many different sizes, colors and price points, so it makes a perfect option in almost every distributor presentation,” said Brian P. Padian, vice president of inside sales at Tustin, California-based Logomark. Yet, in creating success-ful drinkware promotions, distributors can benefit from the discretion, foresight and planning of the most elite culinary artists to find the right

Hi. Welcome back, you.
Since I got nothing but crickets from my last post’s call for comments, I am forced to do all the heavy lifting this week. But that’s the point of having one’s own blog, I suppose. It seems you’re onto the fact I’m trying very hard to not have to think of a new topic each week. Thanks reader, for always keeping me on my toes and teaching me a life lesson to boot.
Now, let’s talk a little bit about things that are free.
First up, free editorial. Suppliers, I’m going to let you in on a not-so-hidden secret: