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Tuesday
September 8, 2009 Get Caught in My “Web”Filed under: Editorial, Interviews Hi Everyone! I’m just back from a long holiday weekend in my beloved Avalon, NJ, where I reveled with such abandon that I now know how Keith Richards feels after a Stones tour. Now that September is off and running and school is officially back in session, we’re kicking our education efforts here at ASI into high gear. This Thursday, September 10, I’m moderating a free Webinar featuring three of the smartest, savviest, most talented people I know in the industry: David Nicholson, the newly-appointed president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America; Vera Muzzillo, co-owner of Counselor Top 40 distributor Proforma; and Memo Kahan, owner of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop. Each of these leaders will be panelists at ASI’s third annual Power Summit, which will be held from November 1-3 at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA. For more information on this year’s Power Summit, click here. What listeners will glean from this Webinar are the panelists’ insights and advice on the strategies they’ve been using to keep their businesses above water in a dismal economy, and their stance on topics like new safety regulations and what the industry can expect for the rest of 2009 and into 2010. See below for more information on this free education event. I hope to see you log on this Thursday! More later in the week, and cheers! – M
Monday
January 28, 2008 Interview with Leslie OesenFiled under: Interviews Leslie Oesen, who has been a prominent member of the Canadian ad specialty indusry for the last 24 years with her husband, Fred, sat down with me during the second day of the PPACanada Show to discuss trends and changes in the marketplace. Leslie and Fred owned Task Force Marketing, a well-known and respected company in the Canadian industry and are now vice presidents of ASI Canada.
Sunday
January 27, 2008 Interview with Joe HafnerFiled under: Interviews Joe Hafner, a pioneer in the Canadian ad specialties market for more than two decades and the owner of the supplier Redi-Medic, sat down with me to discuss trends in the Canadian ad specialty market, the vibrancy of the industry in Canada and his perspective on the shows so far this year, as he exhibited at ASI Orlando, PSI Dusseldorf, PPAI Las Vegas and now PPACanada.
Saturday
January 26, 2008 Interview with Craig MorantzFiled under: Interviews Craig Morantz, vice president of Polyconcept North America and the person at the helm of Leed’s Canada, with the six Image awards the company collected last night from PPACanada, including “Supplier of the Year” which the company has won for the last three years. Never at a loss for words or one to shy away from the limelight, Craig hosted a Polyconcept party last night and worked the room like Hugh Hefner at the Playboy mansion.
Saturday
January 26, 2008 Interview with Mark BrukFiled under: Interviews Mark Bruk, vice president of business development for CFS Promotions For Now, and I chatted at the ASI Canada reception last night regarding his take on the first day of the PPACanada Show. Mark convinced me that I should join him and the other suppliers for a week on the Advantages traveling road show and blog from each different city. He assures me that the stories would be priceless.
Sunday
January 13, 2008 Interview with Arni Esra EinarssonFiled under: Interviews I get to travel quite frequently as an ASI editor, though I have never been to Iceland. After meeting some Icelandic distributors at the PSI Show, I have learned two things: First, like Poland, Iceland has a rapidly growing economy and one that supports a vibrant promotional products industry; Second, I don’t know if because of the 24 hours of sunlight that makes their capacity for consumption flourish, but these people party like Vikings… to the point where they made me seem downright Amish. I talked with Arni Esra Einarsson, who runs one of the largest distributorships in Iceland, Margt Smatt Bolur (translation: “Many Small Things”), located in Reykjavik. He is as smart as he is hearty in his partying.
Saturday
January 12, 2008 Interview with Philippe VarnierFiled under: Interviews Towards the end of the PSI Dusseldorf Show, the traffic didn’t dissipate and the excitement continued right up until the end of the show on Friday at 4:00 p.m. Trends on the show floor included metallic accents and embellishments, a continued emphasis on eco-trends including one company, Everything Environmental, who carries pens made from recycled CD cases, and Polyconcept, who showed items powered by water instead of electricity. Wooden toys, too, were prevalent, in response to the backlash against metal toys. I spoke with my favorite French-accented industry oracle, Philippe Varnier, chairman of Polyconcept, and asked him for his outlook on upcoming trends.
Saturday
January 12, 2008 Interview with John LynchFiled under: Interviews I sat down with my friend John Lynch, a native of New Jersey who moved to Krakow, Poland to start his own supplier company, Lynka. Now, 14 years later, his company is one of the largest promotional products businesses in Poland and John is both an expert on this emerging market and quite the fun expat if you’re ever in the area and want to know the best restaurants and where to find the most sublime Polish vodka. |
