Debco Manufacturing

Philadelphia-based Promo Marketing magazine, the source of product and marketing information for distributor sales professionals, announced the finalists for the 2009 Supplier Excellence Awards.

Philadelphia-based Promo Marketing magazine, the source of product and marketing information for distributor sales professionals, announced the winners of the 2008 Supplier Excellence Awards in its July issue. The Excellence Awards are the industry’s objective standard for supplier achievement and honor winners in more than 30 categories, spanning the range of promotional products. This year Norwood and Leed’s were named winners in the most categories, each with a total of 7. The Top 50 Supplier list was also revealed, ranking the largest companies in the industry based on 2007 revenue. “The July issue and more specifically, the Excellence Awards, recognizes suppliers for

» Americans have discovered the fragility of life, that ominous fragility that the rest of the world either already experienced or is experiencing now with terrible intensity. « JOSÉ SARAMAGO

Our lives as Americans are changing. I remember vividly, as a child, visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum. I was enthralled with the “charmed” lives of the people in his artwork, the simplicity, the joy. His work captured the innocence and mores of post-WWII America.
But even as a child, I knew these pieces of work did not depict my America. Twenty-five years later, I can say with great certainty, there will be

THE PROMO MARKETING Excellence Awards are the premier platform for distributors to make their voices heard and to recognize the suppliers who make the industry what it is. In an arena of constant change and innovation, the following companies stand out in the minds of the readers as being the go-to sources for the most popular premiums. Distributors voted in 30 categories encompassing all of the biggest and best products and services offered by the promotions industry. Over several months, more than 50,000 votes were cast, and with topics ranging from caps to clocks, from luggage to lanyards, there was a product for every

EVERY SCHOOL YEAR brings with it a graduating class, a new batch of fresh-faced students and simultaneously, the sense of starting all over again. Educational institutions subsequently need to “restock” with incoming students, and revamped marketing initiatives can be just the thing to attract the next star quarterback or future valedictorian. Promo Marketing asked Ilene Wilder, director of marketing and business development at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, about the needs of such a sprawling institution. “My primary responsibility is to create and execute marketing plans to support the business initiatives of the [business services] division,” she explained. “In addition, I manage new

While normally we don’t take time out to highlight non-industry-related achievements, we felt in this case a few words must be said. One of the promotional products industry’s very own will be representing the good, old, U.S. of A. this summer at the Olympic Games in Bejing. This professional’s professional will hang up the cell phone and holster the Blackberry as he travels abroad to become one of America’s only two-sport threats—competing in both table tennis and synchronized swimming. While some have questioned his choice of sports, we at Promo Marketing pledge to give him full support (and possibly a place on the cover

Here in Philadelphia, things are really starting to heat up (and it’s only March). Even though the Republican nomination is sewn up, the Democratic primary is coming to town in full force. Bus stops preach the message of hope and campaign ads talk passionately about change. It’s a different feel for a state normally an afterthought in the doldrums of late primary season. It seems that every cubicle, street corner and marketplace is buzzing with the same question, “Who will win—Barack or Hillary?
The youth vote is cited for Obama. The blue-collar vote is assured for Clinton (or so the news outlets keep saying

Crystal D, a St. Paul, Minn. supplier of crystal awards and corporate gifts, won the B2B Standard of Excellence WebAward from the Web Marketing Association. This is the 11th annual competition including more than 2,400 sites from 40 countries in 96 industry categories. To win the WebAward, the Crystal D website, www.crystal-d.com, earned above-average scores in the business-to-business category. Three or more experts judged each contending Web site. The judges were provided information, including the site’s mission statement and target audience. As the site was evaluated, the judges assumed the role of the target user. In this case, the target user was

Mary Busch, manager of executive accounts at R.S. Ownens, Chicago, received Adventures in Advertising’s (AIA) top award in the “Best Hard Goods Customer Service Rep or Team—Category 1” at AIA’s annual conference in Denver last month. “This is such a great honor,” said Busch. “It really shows what teamwork can do and I’m flattered to receive this honor on behalf of everyone at R.S. Owens. It’s a real testimonial to the work we do and the products we manufacture.” Adventures in Advertising recognizes its franchisees and supplier vendors at the annual conference. R.S. Owens’ Executive Accounts Team received AIA’s “Save the Day” Award in

LOYALTY HOLDS POWERFUL sway over many people’s actions. It is difficult to settle for good when the best is just a little further. Loyalty will see the extra mile traveled, the extra call made and the extra cost paid. Often, it is a result of superior quality or superior service, while other times familiarity can be held accountable, and yet other people will have a simple affection toward a brand. This is the dream of any corporation: To be known of not as a source, but as the definitive source for a commodity. Promotional Marketing’s 2007 Supplier Excellence Awards recognize the best in more