How Promotional Products Distributor The Icebox Got the Job Providing 10,000 Uniforms for Super Bowl Volunteers

It was announced this week that Atlanta-based promotional products distributor The Icebox would provide 10,000 uniforms for volunteers at this year's Super Bowl in Atlanta. The Super Bowl Host Committee said the company would be the official supplier for its Team ATL volunteer program, which means The Icebox would create a collection of apparel, gear and accessories to help the volunteers stand out during the game.

We spoke to Scott Alterman, chief SWAG officer and founder of The Icebox, about how the 2018 Top 50 distributor landed the gig and why the company is excited for the opportunity.

The Pitch

When it came to the sales process, The Icebox found a way to stand out from the competition.

"We gave a full presentation and tour of our facility, which allowed the ATL host committee to better understand our capabilities," Alterman said. "We also quickly produced samples based on the direction we were given. I believe our creativity was a major differentiator, along with the ability to move really quickly to put our ideas in front of them."

For Alterman, the quick turnaround time was a key component of the pitch.

"We are always learning in our various pitches that we make," he said. "For this project, we were very focused on producing samples that were on point, as we were under a really tight timeframe. We have an amazing group of people at The Icebox. It was amazing to watch our team be pushed to come up with a unique solution and step up to the challenge."

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The Design Process

For a big project like this, the design process can be daunting, and The Icebox had a lot to keep in mind. Alterman explained how the company managed to come together to make it work.

"The design process was collaborative both internally and externally," he said. "We listened first, and then leaned on our uniform and sourcing experience to recommend the right materials and decoration techniques, while considering the logos, lead times, and demographics and budget. We wanted the items to be great quality, look good and perform well in unpredictable weather conditions in February."

The Icebox's Goals

Alterman said the team at The Icebox is incredibly excited to be working on a global event like this, especially with the company's roots in Atlanta.

"Many in our company have grown up in Atlanta and watched our city continue to evolve and thrive," he said. "We are proud to call Atlanta our home, and we love the opportunity to put our stamp on the image of the NFL and team ATL volunteers."

In regards to the endgame for the volunteer uniforms, Alterman shed some light on what he hopes to achieve.

"We hope to make our employees, customers, vendors and city proud," he said. "The volunteers working during Super Bowl week are passionate about volunteering their time. We want them to love the collection of items that we designed and produced, and we don't take the responsibility lightly.

"One of the cool parts about working on this project is our ability to support one of the pillars of the Atlanta host committee," he added. "Sustainability is a focus for them. The jacket that we are providing is made of recycled water bottles that were collected from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the Atlanta Airport. It feels good to make a commemorative piece in a responsible way."

The uniform reveal is set to take place Oct. 28 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.