PPAI

On July 10, the Washington-based Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) announced it will implement a revised PhRMA Code on Interactions with health-care professionals on Jan. 1, 2009. The updated code, which includes tightened regulations on consulting fees, complimentary meals and assurances of adequate representative training, also mandates a change that will have major ramifications on the promotional product industry. Item 10 in the revised report entitled, “Prohibition of Non-Educational and Practice Related Items,” explicitly states that it is prohibited to provide, “items for healthcare professional’s use that do not advance the disease or treatment education...” This provision would eliminate the dissemination

In a joint statement today, Robert Schwarz, CAS, president of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY), based in Montvale, N.J., and Stanley Breckenridge, MAS, chair of the Irving, Texas-based Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) announced the two companies have mutually agreed to terminate their collaborative management agreement for the annual June SAAGNY Promotions East trade show in Atlantic City, N.J. Schwarz said, “Our boards entered into an agreement in 2005 for PPAI to provide a major part of the management services required to produce Promotions East. Our goal has been met and PPAI provided a high level of service for our

Many communities and businesses in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and neighboring states have been devastated by recent summer storms and flooding. As flood waters recede in some towns, and continue to rise in others along the Mississippi, additional communities are expected to struggle with transportation, flood damage and communication challenges. The Irving, Texas-based Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), announced it is reaching out to member companies affected by these floods in the form of the Promotional Products Business Recovery Plan. The purpose of the recovery plan is to take care of immediate needs by determining which companies have been affected and what they need

As people have probably seen from both this week’s and last’s newsletter, there is no end to the compassion shown by the suppliers and distributors of this industry. With the two tragedies, the earthquake in China and the continuing flooding in the Midwest, came news of devastation that needs no elaboration. What also came was a true outpouring of support. Journalbooks, Norwood, PPAI amd Hub Pen are just a few of the companies and organizations providing support and relief efforts. I hope everyone will consider donating to help make their efforts a success. Below are links to articles from last week’s newsletter.
Journalbooks Aims

Irving, Texas-based Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) released the results of its annual study confirming distributor sales of promotional products in 2007 increased 3.5 percent to $19,440,837,547 for 2007—setting a new sales record for for the third consecutive year. Distributor sales for the same period in 2006 were $18.8 billion. The annual study was conducted exclusively for PPAI by Richard A. Nelson, Ph.D., at the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University; Rick Ebel, principal of Glenrich Business Studies; and Michaela Mora, research consultant at Relevant Insights, LLC. Sales of promotional products have increased by more than $670 million in 2007. This

I’ve got some good news and some great news. I’ll start with the great news first: After a tenure of 51⁄2 years, Friday, April 25 will be my last day at Promo Marketing magazine. I’ve accepted a new position as a writer at an ad agency. So, herein is my final entry to my three-month stint as a PromoMarketing.com blogger (well, I suppose the part about the end of the blog might be the only bad news).

But, here’s the good news: Although I will no longer be a full-time staff editor at Promo Marketing, I will, however, continue writing for the magazine

The Irving, Texas-based Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) announced it has selected The Omnia Group, PPAI Travel and PPAI Fun Pass as authorized Business Partners. PPAI members will be offered benefits, including pre-employment hiring tests and consulting services from Omnia, comprehensive travel services through PPAI Travel and discounted entertainment tickets from PPAI Fun Pass. Designed to provide savings on everyday products and services, the PPAI Business Partner Program allows members to save money while they grow their businesses. From discounted shipping with FedEx to artwork conversion with ArtworkServicesUSA, PPAI offers an abundant choice of member incentives. “We want our members to get the

Some people may have seen me strolling around the recent PPAI and ASI shows. I was the one with the video camera convincing unsuspecting marketing managers and sales reps to show off their companies latest products on film. Now that the editing is finished, we’ve begun posting the first of the videos. I hope that everyone will take a few minutes to check them out. You never know, the sights and sounds of the shows may just shake a few of those forgotten memories loose (whether you like them or not).

Check out all the new videos including Ball Pro, Visstun and Canyon

IT’S HARD NOT to detect a sense of pride in the tone of business owners who manufacture domestically. The whole thing can be likened to a proud father announcing the birth of his firstborn son. At this year’s PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, this writer marveled at the countless booths that donned the “Made in the USA” designation. From household items constructed of plastic derived from U.S.-grown corn to U.S.-manufactured T-shirts decorated with crystals, the selections were endless. Then, it suddenly made sense—despite all the hype of overseas manufacturing purported to being the wave of the future, American manufacturing continues to thrive in

On the island of St. Croix, USVI—my native homeland—we have a saying that goes: “Hurry dog eat raw corn.” In phonetically written, local-dialect form, the saying would look (and sound) something like this: Huh-ree dawg eat rawh kahn. It simply means: those who make hasty and poorly-thoughtout decisions will reap the fruitless, sometimes harsh, repercussions thereof.

So, in the spirit of “Hurry dog eat raw corn,” this week, I wanted to highlight a few bloopers I’ve made as an editor for this fine publication over the years. Sometimes, it’s good to laugh at ourselves—actually, it’s often good to do so.

1. Hurry