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Articles by Will Prettyman
Sweet Success: Adding Food Gifts to Your Next Campaign
Key Takeaways • Food promotions remain underutilized, presenting distributors with opportunities to capture additional sales. • Creative packaging and printed materials can turn edible gifts into memorable, multisensory marketing experiences. • Seasonal food gifts can strengthen customer relationships and generate repeat business. Humans have five senses, and a good promotional campaign can engage all of them.
Editor’s Picks: Sustainable Writing Instruments
Pens are a quintessential promo product for good reason – they’ve been the top-searched product on ESP nearly every month for the past five years. Importantly, consumers have an even more positive view of promo essentials like pens when these products are eco-friendly. According to ASI’s 2026 Global Ad Impressions Study, 75% of consumers view the advertiser more favorably when the writing instrument they receive is sustainable, compared to a standard product.
Gemline Sponsors Benefit Dinner for Children’s Camp
Key Takeaways • Counselor Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) sponsored SeriousFun Children’s Network’s benefit dinner for the second consecutive year. • The sponsorship supports free camp experiences for children with serious illnesses. Gemline (asi/56070), a Counselor Top 40 supplier and certified B Corp, is helping to provide free camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses.
Katie Whitehead Joins Zagwear as Brand & Creative Manager
Key Takeaways • Zagwear (asi/365552) has hired Katie Whitehead as brand and creative manager. • Whitehead most recently served as vice president of marketing at Counselor Top 40 supplier Starline (asi/89320) and previously spent nearly a decade at Counselor Top 40 distributor HALO (asi/356000). Zagwear (asi/365552) has announced that Katie Whitehead has joined the firm as brand and creative manager.
NC Custom Acquires CPS/Keystone
Key Takeaways • NC Custom (asi/44900) has acquired CPS/Keystone (asi/43051). • The deal gives NC Custom a third manufacturing facility and its first in Pennsylvania. • CPS/Keystone will operate as an NC Custom affiliate, with expanded products and capabilities expected to begin rolling out in early 2027. Counselor Top 40 supplier NC Custom (asi/44900) has acquired Custom Plastic Specialties/Keystone (asi/43051). Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Promo Insiders Deep Dive: What the Midterm Elections Mean for You
The 2026 midterm elections are just days away. On Tuesday, voters will head to the polls and cast their ballots to determine which politicians will fill all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and the 35 Senate seats up for election. The results could have several implications for business owners and promo companies, and play a role in shaping policy around tariffs, healthcare costs, petroleum prices and other key issues.
Delightfully Spooky Toilet Paper Kills It on Brand Messaging
We have a delightfully spooky example of printed communications, just in time for Halloween. Who Gives a Crap Halloween toilet paper kills it on brand messaging with themed packaging. Watch this full video on Printing Impressions, a publication of Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance.
Tracing Apparel Trends in a POD World
What’s trending in apparel? Now more than ever, this question isn’t all that easy to answer. It’s no longer about predicting popular styles, manufacturing thousands upon thousands of blanks, and apparel decorators purchasing and holding onto boxes worth of stock hoping to sell it. Christina Marcantelli, Sales Enablement, S&S, explains that despite the new way of sourcing apparel, it is possible to stay on top of what’s trending.
Convergence Corner: Taking a Proactive Approach to Print & Promo
Some companies that specialize in print and then add promo have trouble getting the word out. The problem, in some cases, is that distributors are waiting for the customer to ask. Sure, it happens all the time where a customer might say, “Do you do pens, too?” and you’re off to the races.
ASI Power Summit 2026: Day 3 & Conference Wrap-Up
Key Takeaways •The 2026 ASI Power Summit concluded with discussions on resilience, the future of e-commerce and next-generation leadership at family-owned businesses. •David Doctorow, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Custom Ink (asi/173232), emphasized the importance of listening to customers. The 2026 ASI Power Summit in San Diego concluded on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with a half day of programming.
The ‘Brain Hack’ Behind Embellished Print
Embellished print is engineered to tap into a human’s emotions. Eric Vessels, chief experience officer at Taktiful, explains they affect people on a deep level. “Digital embellishments are a brain hack,” he says. “[They] create an emotional reaction in us that is hard to beat.
ASI Power Summit 2026: Sharing the Beauty of Traditional Craftsmanship
Key Takeaways • Clase Azul México, a premium tequila brand, differentiates itself through distinctive packaging and exceptional craftsmanship. • It also focuses on an emotional connection to Mexican culture and tradition. • Chairman Juan Jose Sánchez said Clase Azul has prioritized opportunities that align with its premium positioning. Guadalajara, the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, is to tequila what California’s Napa Valley is to wine.
ASI Power Summit 2026: Day 1 & 2 Wrap-Up
Key Takeaways • Attendees at the 20th annual ASI Power Summit explored the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. • Sessions highlighted the potential of emerging technologies to streamline operations, improve efficiency and drive innovation. • Attendees explored how to navigate change, strengthen relationships and position their businesses for long-term success.
Are Your Customers Getting the Wrong Message?
A few weeks ago, I received an email from Zoom informing me that Zoom Scheduler was becoming a paid service. Don’t panic, as I did. This story has a happy ending and a reality check. So back to the email. My immediate reaction was, I am not paying one more cent let alone $5.99 per month, for the ability to schedule meetings on a meeting platform. They have LOST their minds. So I started investigating. And the more I looked into it, the more frustrated I became.
FTC Sources Say Regulator Will Sue To Block Cintas-UniFirst Deal
Key Takeaways • Counselor Top 40 distributor Cintas’ (asi/162167) proposed $5.5 billion acquisition of UniFirst could face a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit over antitrust issues. • The FTC has not made a final decision, but staff have reportedly raised concerns about the combined company’s market share. The Cintas-UniFirst deal appears to have hit yet another roadblock.
ASI Power Summit 2026: The Power of Agentic AI
Key Takeaways: • By integrating agentic AI with key business systems, companies can analyze data, evaluate leads and identify inefficiencies. • With human direction, businesses can automate complex tasks, boost efficiency and free up employees to focus on building relationships. Agentic AI has huge implications for business owners in the promo industry. Isar Meitis, CEO of MultiplAI and a speaker at the ASI Power Summit on Oct.
S&S Opens Vancouver Distribution Center, More Than Doubles Regional Footprint
Key Takeaways: • S&S Canada (asi/90703) opened a 162,000-square-foot Vancouver distribution center, more than doubling its regional footprint. • The facility adds picking automation, 20,000 additional pick locations and expanded shipping infrastructure to improve fulfillment. • S&S (asi/84358) plans to invest about $50 million in inventory at the site as it expands capacity across Western Canada.
ASI Power Summit 2026: The Science of Cognitive Fitness
Key takeaways: • At the ASI Power Summit, Neurophysiologist Louisa Nicola emphasized that the brain can change and adapt throughout life. • Proactive lifestyle choices help preserve cognitive function and reduce the risk of decline. • Regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, limited alcohol consumption and mentally stimulating activities can help strengthen brain health. Everyone should be more conscious of their brain.
Counselor 2026 Power 50
As the promo industry stands on the threshold of a new technological age, its future still rests with a more antiquated source of intelligence: humans. And not just any humans, but bold leaders with the foresight and resolve to see beyond the hype and turn limitless promise into real results. You’ll find them on the Counselor Power 50.
The Hidden Cost of Bad Mailing Data
Your direct mail campaign may be wasting money before a single piece reaches the mailbox. When marketers look for ways to improve direct mail performance, they usually focus on the creative, the offer, the format, or the call to action. All important, of course. But there is another factor that can quietly drain your budget and undermine your results before your beautifully designed mail piece even gets delivered. Your mailing list. Bad mailing data doesn’t just mean returned mail.
Brilliant Names Tommy Gomez VP of Creative
Key Takeaways • Tommy Gomez has been promoted to vice president of creative at Brilliant (asi/146116). • Gomez will oversee Brilliant’s creative strategy and design teams, including sourcing, ideation, trend research and concept development. • Gomez has helped expand Brilliant’s creative capabilities and develop more scalable workflows since joining in 2021. The Counselor 2023 Distributor Up-and-Comer of the Year is indeed moving on up.
American Made Bags’ Former Owner Pleads Guilty To Failing To Pay Employment Taxes
Key Takeaways •Thomas Armour II, former owner of American Made Bags (asi/35556), pleaded guilty to failing to pay nearly $1.25 million in employment taxes. •The Akron, OH-based supplier previously faced federal investigations over wage, overtime and employee-classification violations. •Armour faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for Jan. 11, 2027.
Next Level Apparel Receives Fair Labor Accreditation
Key Takeaways • Counselor Top 40 supplier Next Level Apparel (asi/73867) earned Fair Labor Accreditation after a multiyear review of its labor practices and global supply chain systems. • The Fair Labor Association cited the supplier’s worker rights protections, supply chain transparency and factory engagement. • Next Level joins several other promo apparel suppliers with accreditation.
Innvoke: Always Embracing Opportunity
Innvoke produced this red printed necklace reproductions based on Robert Longo’s original pieces of painted textured art. Robert Longo is pictured with the piece.
Botanical PaperWorks Promotes Kim Ewchuk to VP of Sales & Marketing
Key Takeaways • Botanical PaperWorks (asi/41273) has promoted Kim Ewchuk to vice president of sales and marketing. • Ewchuk will continue to drive sales and marketing initiatives, with a focus on enhancing customer experience. Botanical PaperWorks (asi/41273), a certified B Corp in Winnipeg, MB, has promoted Kim Ewchuk to the position of vice president of sales and marketing. Previously, Ewchuk was the company’s director of sales and marketing, a role she held for the past three years.
This Week’s New Suppliers: Products That Won’t Scare You
This tumbler with straw is made of stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation for maximum heat and cold retention. Great for teams, retreats, campsites and more. Shop ESP. Shop ESP+. This faux leather luggage tag features an ID cover that protects personal information during travel. Measures 4.3” x 2.8” and offers a front imprint area for logo placement. Shop ESP. Shop ESP+.
Promo Insiders: Breaking Down Promo’s Q3 Growth, Cost Pressures & What’s Next
The promo industry grew sales 3.4% in the third quarter, even as that growth was unevenly spread across distributor sizes and economic or supply chain difficulties continued to mount. “It feels like it’s just stacking,” said Nate Kucsma, ASI’s senior executive director of research. “It’s stacking challenges.” “A lot of the distributors I spoke with said, ‘Tariffs are old news – now we’re concerned about freight delays and oil prices,’” added Tara Lerman, Counselor’s digital news editor.
Q&A: How To Prove the ROI of Promo Products
Key Takeaways • Set measurable goals before ordering promotional products. • Match campaign metrics to the client’s objectives. • Using QR codes is a simple way to track campaign responses. In this age of information overload, end-buyers increasingly want more than assurances – they want proof, especially when evaluating the effectiveness of promo campaigns.
The Next Inkjet Investment May Be Beyond the Press
Production inkjet has changed the role and economics of print manufacturing, bringing digital flexibility, automation and productivity to a broader range of applications and volumes. But as providers move more work to inkjet, the performance of the press is only one part of overall production performance. Finishing: Production Inkjet’s Next Frontier, an Alliance Insights study, examines what it takes to get more from production inkjet as volumes, applications, and production complexity increase.
Whose Job is it Anyway?
In working with senior leaders in organizations of all sizes, a common theme emerges. I sometimes call it the “shared frustration paradox.” Managers lament the fact that they don’t have the level of authority that they need to execute the responsibilities of their job. Senior leaders complain that their direct reports lack initiative and bring to their attention problems, obstacles, and challenges without proposing possible solutions. What’s going on here?
Cotton Heritage Brings Shanann Heaton on as Chief Operating Officer
Key Takeaways • Cotton Heritage (asi/46778) has appointed Shanann Heaton chief operating officer. • Heaton will focus on strengthening operations, improving processes and supporting scalable growth. Apparel supplier Cotton Heritage (asi/46778) is building up its leadership team with the appointment of Shanann Heaton as chief operating officer.
Automation, Inkjet & Expanding the Ecosystem
Louie Pastor, CEO of Xerox (left), along with Mike Jenoski, President and CEO, Goodway Group; and Terry Antinora, President, Global Production Print Services, Xerox, for the launch of the Proficio Jet CS1100 at PRINTING United Expo 2026. Xerox knows it has to work on rebuilding trust after it exited the iGen space.
Chris Laniak of Excelsus Solutions on Meeting Customer Needs
Chris Laniak, vice president of operations and sales at Excelsus Solutions, describes how customer need has helped define the company’s path, and how extensive steps into fabrication have led to a “don’t say no” philosophy. Watch this interview on Wide-Format Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
Zebra Marketing Acquires MnM Logos in Tupelo, MS
Key Takeaways • Zebra Marketing (asi/365683) has acquired Tupelo, MS-based MnM Logos. • The deal follows Zebra’s recent acquisition of East Beach Specialties. Zebra Marketing Corporation (asi/365683) is gaining a foothold in the Mississippi market. The Mobile, AL-based distributor has acquired MnM Logos Inc., a Tupelo, MS-based distributor. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Miller Zell: Putting Sustainability at the Forefront
When companies discuss innovation, the conversation usually focuses on faster equipment, automation initiatives, or the latest software. At Miller Zell — a company that builds branded environments through services including strategy, creative store design, signage, merchandising, fixtures, decor, POP, digital and execution — innovation takes a broader view.
Boost Promotions Brings on Rusty Park as Vice President of Sales
Key Takeaways • Boost Promotions (asi/142942) named Rusty Park vice president of sales. • Park previously held leadership roles at Brand Revolution and MadeToOrder (asi/259540). • In the new role, he’ll lead sales growth, strategic account development and efforts to strengthen client relationships. Boost Promotions (asi/142942) has a new VP of sales. The Beverly, MA-based distributor has announced that Rusty Park will move into the leading sales role.
Investor Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Gildan Over Alleged ‘Channel Stuffing’
Key Takeaways •A Gildan (asi/56842) investor filed a class action lawsuit alleging the supplier inflated revenue through channel stuffing and misled investors about internal financial controls. •The case follows a June short-seller report making similar allegations, which Gildan disputed, saying its disclosures provide accurate and comprehensive information.
The Labels Market Is (Still) Booming
Did you know labels are one of the biggest growth opportunities a distributor has? The market is booming on both sides of the label business. Prime labels get the attention. These are the labels with bright colors and marketing sizzle that catch the customer’s eye on the retail shelf and say, “Buy me!” The bigger opportunity, however, can be found in industrial and durable labels.
UNLV In-Plant Expands Wide-Format, Promo Reach
Abbas Badani, senior director of the university’s Integrated Graphic Services at UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) covers his in-plant printing operation’s strong growth into wide-format, and describes its involvement in the promotional products space. Watch this full video on Wide-Format Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
Convergence Corner: Rodney Double’s Promo Career Started With a Trial by Fire
Rodney Double’s introduction into promo wasn’t easy. The job was promising: an employee store for a financial services company. It would be 145 products they would inventory and sell according to demand. “With about two or three weeks before the store had to launch, people around the building started getting nervous because none of the products had started coming in,” Double says. Uh-oh. “There were purchase orders made for all of the items, but none of them got sent,” Double says.
Branding Together: In Search of the ‘Unicorn’ Who Can Sell Both Print & Promo
What does it take to be a successful salesperson in both print and promo? Dana Schumacher, chief growth officer at Quality Resource Group (asi/303015), joins Branding Together to discuss the skills needed to sell both commercial print and promotional products, how to overcome the intimidation factor when branching into a new category and why cross-selling can be the key to unlocking growth. She also shares insights on sustainability, AI and the importance of profitability.
Which Software Platforms Should Apparel Decorators Implement?
Every decorator I know has a version of the same bad afternoon. A customer calls asking where their 400 shirts are. The person who took the order is off today. The art is buried in somebody’s email. The due date lived on a sticky note that may or may not still be stuck to the press. Nobody in the building can answer a basic question about a job the shop already got paid for. The tools you run decide whether your shop operates on one version of the truth or 12.
TSC Taps Sheila Johnshoy as Chief Revenue Officer
Key Takeaways • Sheila Johnshoy will join The Specialty Company (asi/341203) as chief revenue officer on Oct. 26. • Johnshoy brings more than 20 years of promo experience, including executive roles at Counselor Top 40 distributors ePromos (asi/188515) and Stran (asi/337725). A promo industry veteran is joining The Specialty Company’s (asi/341203) executive team later this month. The Ridgeland, MS-based distributor has announced that Sheila Johnshoy will start as its chief revenue officer on Oct. 26.
Logomark Names Brad Eisenstein Chief Financial Officer
Key Takeaways • Brad Eisenstein has been named CFO of Logomark (asi/67866). • He succeeds retiring longtime finance chief Russell Taitz, who spent 25 years with the company. • The leadership change follows the recent appointment of Clive Goldberg as CEO. Logomark (asi/67866) has a new chief financial officer.
Cintas Moves Closer to UniFirst Deal After Regulatory Review
Key Takeaways • Cintas (asi/162167) and UniFirst have cleared key regulatory review steps, certifying compliance with Federal Trade Commission information requests and responding to Canadian antitrust regulators. • The companies agreed not to close the $5.5 billion acquisition before Dec. 11, though Cintas still expects the deal to be completed by year’s end. • If approved, the merger would combine two of the industry’s largest uniform providers.
Target Report: Confluence Versus Convergence
Historically, wide-format printing expanded outward from relatively straightforward signs, banners, and point-of-purchase graphics. Then several adjacent streams began flowing together: display graphics, trade-show exhibits, environmental graphics, retail décor, architectural signage, dimensional fabrication, branded interiors, installation, and, increasingly, management of the entire physical customer, employee, and visitor experience.
Promo Insiders: Highlights & Takeaways From PRINTING United Expo
Fresh from the PRINTING United Expo in Las Vegas, editors Theresa Hegel and Brendan Menapace break down the trends, technologies and ideas that stood out on the show floor. They discuss the return to a more balanced mix of decoration methods, elevated apparel and promo trends, innovations in packaging and signage, and what the new ASI Pavilion revealed about the continued convergence of the print and promotional products industries.
Route 66: Celebrating with Stamps
At the National Postal Forum in Phoenix this past spring, the Route 66 stamps had their official unveiling, with executives from the USPS, and both the stamp designer and photographer in attendance. “Get your kicks on Route 66.” Nat King Cole’s iconic song is one that has endured through the ages. Even those of us born after the heyday of the famous route not only have nostalgia for a less complicated time, but can also probably sing the entire song from memory right now.
The Broadcast: Dave Leskusky on Career and Retirement
Dave Leskusky, president of PRINTING Untied Alliance, who is retiring after 31 years serving the printing industry, sat down with Wide-format Impressions during the 2026 PRINTING United Expo to discuss his career, his reasons for retirement, and lessons learned along the way. Listen to the full interview on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
PCNA Adds Kimberly DiGiandomenico as VP of National Accounts
Key Takeaways • Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) has hired Kimberly DiGiandomenico as vice president of national accounts. • DiGiandomenico brings more than a decade of promo industry experience, including leadership roles at several Counselor Top 40 companies. Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) has appointed Kimberly DiGiandomenico as vice president of national accounts.
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