Amazon is set to expand its “FC Games” program that turns warehouse tasks into arcade-style video games. Designed to increase productivity while rewarding top performers with “swag bucks” redeemable for branded merchandise and other items, the program might actually be having a negative impact for some workers…
Read MoreHow One Buying Group Is Bringing Print, Promo and Office Supplies Together to Help Distributors Meet the Evolving Needs of Today’s Customer
In January 2020, Ampersand Group’s Todd Mellon and his team officially launched The Power of One Group. The idea was simple: Create a robust directory of vendors in print, promo and office supplies, giving distributor members easy access to all three segments…
Read More6AM Sourcing Offers North American Products for Custom Apparel and Promotional Products
6AM Sourcing, Upland, Calif., is a group of industry experts with more than 20 years of experience in sourcing, supply chain management, compliance, product development, design, logistics and export expertise. As the world looks ahead to a post-pandemic era, the company is building…
Read MoreUnlikely Promotional Marketing Lessons From Netflix’s ‘Canine Intervention’
We’ve had a lot of time to watch Netflix over the last few, uh, well, year. (We are now the foremost experts in the British Monarchy.) But our most recent Netflix watch, intended as a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon, actually turned into a lesson in branding and promotion for small businesses…
Read MoreA Year After Launch, SwagCycle Has Kept 60,000 Promo Products Out of Landfills and Raised $168K for Charity
In August 2019, Grossman Marketing Group launched its SwagCycle program, which let companies repurpose their unwanted or unused branded items. In its first year, the program engaged with 21 different companies, kept 60,418 items out of landfills and yielded $168,922.18 in charitable donations…
Read MorePeople Are Somehow Reselling Sealed Boxes of McDonald’s Promotional Pokemon Cards
We knew those Pokemon cards that McDonalds used as Happy Meal toys would end up on eBay and other resale sites. What we didn’t expect was to see entire boxes containing hundreds of packs sold while still sealed in the original boxes in which they were shipped…
Read MoreFacilisgroup Holds Two Successful In-Person Events for New Partners
Facilisgroup has reinforced the value of its community pillar with two successful New Partner events held recently at its headquarters. On February 24-25 and March 10-11, 2021, Facilisgroup welcomed a total of 15 new partners to participate in the events, the first to be held in-person since January 2020…
Read MoreHow a Colorado Brewery Turned a Beer Label Typo Into a Win
The best thing you can do when you make a mistake is own up to it, maybe laugh about it a little, and do better next time. That’s exactly what Colorado brewery Snowbank Brewing did after can labels for its Aprés Ski Lager listed that the beer contained “seal salt” (rather than “sea salt”)…
Read More4imprint Revenue Dropped 35% in 2020, Profit Down 96%
4imprint this week announced its 2020 fiscal year results. According to Morningstar, the company’s revenue was down 35% to $560 million from $860 million. Specifically in North America, revenue fell 34%, and U.K. and Ireland revenue dropped 53%. The distributor also posted a 96% drop in annual pretax profit…
Read MorePromoPlacement Adds Doug Hazel to Leadership Team
Kevin McHargue, CEO of St. Louis-based promo industry recruiting firm PromoPlacement Recruiting, has announced that Doug Hazel is joining the firm as executive vice president. Hazel grew up in the promo industry with family-owned supplier firm Hazel Manufacturing. Later, Hazel partnered with the McHargue family in a venture that operated a distributorship, decorating facility and…
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