Just got back from the 48th PSI Show in Dusseldorf, Germany, which was quite the success! The show, the largest ad specialty trade show in the world, attracted 883 exhibitors, nearly 19,000 distributor attendees from all over the world, and took up more than 370,000 square feet of exhibition space.
It was a special year for my PSI friends, as the organization is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The show’s exhibitors seemed to give a nod both to PSI’s golden year and the hot commodity that is gold, as that was the predominant color most items were shown in. My favorite new items? A pocket, portable GPS device for those walking around a city, personalized logos to customize bottles of beer and wine with one’s face, a motorized mini-hovercraft toy that can be controlled by your iPhone, BlackBerry, etc., and a watch that doubles as a phone… How cool and secret agent-ish is that?
Other news included the announcement of ProPSI — an alliance of Pro Exhibitors & Publishers and PSI, who are joining forces to create a new show that will be held from August 25-27, 2010 in Amsterdam. (Will I be there? That’s a “hell to the yeah!”) For more information go to http://www.pro-8.eu/page/news/155
The 49th installment of the PSI Dusseldorf Show will be held from January 12-14, 2011. For more information go to www.psionline.de.
Cheers, and more from the PPAC Show in Toronto next week!
– M
Here’s my travel pal Ed Koehler, ASI associate publisher and an all-around super guy! My favorite thing about Ed? He has a voice like Lurch from the Addams Family. Listen here: http://www.addamsfamily.com/addams/yourang.wav. In this photo, we were at a fabulous Mongolian barbeque restaurant in Düsseldorf called Mongo’s, where they have intensifying degrees of hot-sauce marinade. Special Ed went for the hottest, called “The Bomb.” This is his reaction after taking his first forkful. Me? I drank my weight in Riesling… ; )
(From left): My boss, ASI executive vice president & publisher, Rich Fairfield, Polyconcept’s CFO and member of ASI Advisory Board, Yann Leca (have I told you all lately how much I adore Yann???) and Ed Koehler, having dinner aboard Polyconcept’s boat which they keep docked on the River Rhine for the duration of the show. The Polyconcept staff — about 100 people — stay on the boat, and clients and special guests are invited to join them each night for dinner.
Why do I love Europe? Because the boys look like this… Meet Francois Vehoeven (left) of the Netherlands-based company Big Bang and Albert van der Veen, PF Concept’s director of product development. They were as charming as they are adorable…
These sparkly white winter woodland sprites were the spokesmodels for the Thermo Togo booth at the PSI Show. They looked like the ice princesses from fairyland, and as though they needed some Irish coffee to warm up…
A unique way to exhibit promotional displays, these life-size cut-outs were eye-catching and drew lots of traffic to the supplier’s booth.
The Polyconcept team invited their friends and clients from Staples Promotional Products for dinner on their boat and graciously invited me along too. It was a relaxed, fun and interesting evening, and meeting Nina was highlight — she’s one of my new favorite industry people. (From left): Graham Winter, managing director of PF Concept UK Limited; Yann Leca; U.K.-based Nina Lyons, purchasing manager for Staples Promotional Products; U.S.-based Howard Trilling, vice president of international sales for Staples Promotional Products; Polyconcept’s chairman of the board, Philippe Varnier; and U.K.-based Rod Cullen, managing director of Staples Promotional Products.
The PSI lounge, a rest area for attendees, was tres cool and came complete with squishy beanbag chairs, hanging beads (which reminded me of the kind you used to have to walk through to get into that Den of Iniquity of 70s retail stores, Spencer’s Gifts, where my mother was convinced orgies were being held under the black lights and velvet posters of nymphs riding unicorns) and a bar. I sank into one of the bean bag chairs and wallowed in the comfort, until it was time to get up again. Then, I struggled like an upside-down turtle on its shell…
The Macma booth — which, with its partner company’s booth, Easy Gifts, costs over $1 million (US) — is spectacularly baroque/rococo, in a red and black velvet, True Blood/Marie Antoinette kind of way. After the second day of the show, a party was held in the Macma booth, featuring a band, open bar, hors d’oeuvres and many smoking (both in the aesthetic and inhaling sense) Europeans.
Philippe Varnier, Polyconcept’s chairman of the board and the suavest man alive, and me during dinner. Jeff Kramer, the founder and former owner of Bullet Line — which was sold to Polyconcept in 2006 — recently bought a thoroughbred race horse. Its name? “Thank You, Philippe.” (See images, below)
ASI’s third annual Power Summit is in full swing at La Costa Resort & Spa in sunny Carlsbad, CA. Two hundred of the industry’s most prominent professionals are here, taking part in panel discussions on topics like safety and legislation issues, new media for marketing and challenges for the industry for 2010 and enjoying many great networking events.
I’m moderating a panel at 8:30 am, Cali time, on the topic of keeping employees motivated in a down economy with Lon McGowan, owner of iClick, my pal Eric Johnson (aka, “E”), executive vice president of Halls & Co., Tina Montgomery, president/CEO of L.W. Barrett Co. Inc., Fred Albrecht, founder and co-owner of Proforma Albrecht Co. and Mark Ziskind, COO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Caliendo-Savio Enterprises (CSE) — all of whom have been on Counselor’s “Best Places to Work” list for the past two years. With this fabulous panelists, it should be awesome
More later and enjoy the photos!
Cheers!
– M
When last year’s Power Summit attendees said they wanted more networking time, we responded with our own version of “speed dating” for networkers, in which people sat at a circular table and rotated seats so they could meet 10 new people in 20 minutes. It was a hit!
(From left): Here’s my BFF Jim Hagan, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 this year; Neal Harper, Logomark’s COO and owner Trevor Gnesin’s consigliere; and the illustrious Trevor himself. LOVE these guys!!!
Scott Pearson, vice president of merchandising for Sweda and the genius behind their “24″-themed YouTube videos touting the company’s 24-hour service, gets ready to show Trevor Gnesin, owner of Logomark and a member of Counselor’s Power 50, the love.
On the second night of the Power Summit, I hosted a table of some of my industry favorites including, from the left, Scott Siegel, owner of R.S. Owens; Todd Singleton, owner of The Singleton Co. Inc. — who was on our “Marketing with New Media” panel and did an awesome job; and the lovely and talented Laura Holt, a Geiger MVP.
A view of La Costa’s spectacular golf course from view on the patio of the resort’s Legends Grille.
When we arrived on Friday and took a tour of the facility, ASI executive vice president/publisher Rich Fairfield, Counselor editor Andy Cohen and education coordinator Dana Reaume and I came upon an Oktoberfest Party, complete with lederhosen-clad musicians playing polka.
Here’s Rich Fairfield, Dana Reaume and Andy Cohen, posing with the Oktoberfest mascot.
A view of the Resort Pool, where dinner will be held on Monday night and this year’s Counselor “Power 50″ will be announced.
Because we were here on Halloween, the fun and festive staff at La Costa got into the spirit by donning costumes. “Medusa” was our cocktail waitress at the Blue Fire Grille.
ASI Show director of operations Cheryl Childers, senior vice president/editor-in-chief Melinda Ligos and Rich Fairfield at La Costa’s Blue Fire Grille the night before ASI’s third annual Power Summit began.
ASI vice president of supplier sales Ron Ball and Dana Reaume at dinner on Saturday night.
Jo-an Lantz, executive vice president of Counselor Top 40 distributor Geiger (left) and Vera Muzzillo, co-CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Proforma. LOVE my pal Jo-an’s butterscotch leather jacket!
A group shot of all industry attendees at ASI’s Power Summit, for an upcoming issue of Counselor.
Sunday night’s dinner was held outdoors, on La Costa’s Terrace Lawn. It was chilly, but fun!
Industry BFF’s Marc Simon, president of Counselor Top 40 distributor HALO/Lee Wayne (left) and Jonathan Isaacson, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Gemline.
Suzie Gunsauls, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda (left) and Tina Montgomery, president/CEO of distributor company L.W. Barrett.
Barry Deutsch, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 distributor BDA (left) and Memo Kahan, owner of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop.
(From left): Ira Neaman, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage; Kris Robinson, vice president of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop, ASI’s Melinda Ligos and Andy Cohen.
(From left): Shepenco’s Dan Townes, Todd Singleton, owner of distributor The Singleton Co. Inc., and PromoShop’s Memo Kahan.
So my buddy “Bell” asked me to guest blog for her while she is out of the office this week. We tend to think on the same page, get into the same type of shenanigans, and share a mutual respect for each other’s ability to incite a crowd to riot - or at least lead a gaggle of folks on an evening of unadulterated fun. Since it’s the last day of August, it seemed fitting that I send out the industry’s favorite vacation month by paying homage to my top 5 favorite summer escapes. Bell asked that I tie the post into the promo industry, and so I’ve included a promotional product that one would find most useful on each of these escapes. Please share your favorite vacation escapes in the comments, and let me know which promotional product you found useful to have along for the ride.
I love getting away from people, but I can recognize a good city when I see one. I would have placed Philly here, but most readers wouldn’t get why. Chicago in the summer is another story, and one that won’t spark as much question. Plain and simple during the months of June, July, and August, it’s just gorgeous. It’s all about being lazy between the Zoo and the Conservatory in Lincoln Park, or playing volleyball until dusk on the lake. Stumbling around wrigglyville or the Viagra Triangle or snagging music at Free Festivals in Wicker Park or hanging out with Perry Ferrell at Lollapalooza in Grant Park – Chicago in the summer is on like Donkey Kong!
For information about Chicago’s Park District, click here.
Promo Product that you will find useful: Frisbee (175 grams, people - none of those wimpy disks) – yep, simple and still fun.
Ever since I stopped attending and working at summer camps, I missed them. The closest thing I’ve found to summer camp for adults is the summer music festival. No festival in the country is as pro as the intimate offering in Quincy, CA known as High Sierra. Do you love live music? Want to smell the California pines, and sample some of the bay area’s finest wines? Want to catch music from 2- 5 am and then play kickball at 6:00 am with a few hundred others? Cool – me too!
For information on the High Sierra Music Festival, click here.
Promo Product that you will find useful: Double-wide Collapsible Chair w/ Beverage Holders in the center – because your legs will be tired, and it’s always nice to have room for friends.
It’s not as off the beaten path as it once was, but thru-hike the narrows in Zion on a couple hot days in July or August – you’ll thank me for changing your life later.
For information on Zion National Park, click here.
Promo Product that you will find useful: Nalgene Water Bottles – rehydration is key, even though you’re wet most of the hike.
2. Summit County, Colorado
Get in 18 holes at the Ranch course at Keystone, drop the clubs at the pad, jump on the bike and ride around Lake Dillon, stop for a light lunch and rum runners at the Tiki Bar at the Lake Dillon Marina while you watch the J-class boats race. Then ride your bike back to Frisco in time to catch the tail end of the Frisco BBQ challenge. Then snooze until dusk and jump back on the mountain bike to snag a 5- to 10-mile ride. Finish the night at the Moose Jaw or the Backcountry Brewery, but call it at midnight because tomorrow you’re going kayaking on a run from Pumphouse to Radium on the Colorado River. I could go on, but the list of outdoor activities, arts, and fun would just make your head spin, and yes, the winter has even more.
For information on Keystone, click here.
For information on Frisco, click here.
For information on Moose Jaw, click here.
For information on the Pumphouse Run, click here.
Promo Product that you will find useful: an extra sleeve of golf balls – because you’re going to need them for holes 5 and 16.
1. Maine
I have an unfair advantage, because I grew up in the state of Maine and almost always feel the need to escape to the foothills of the White Mountains or do dawn patrol surfing the 3- to 4-foot slabs of glass on Higgins Beach. Maine’s license plate motto says it best: “Vacationland,” and it’s called that for good reason. Send the kiddos up to summer camp in the lakes region and stay on Sebago Lake for a week. Then sample the 20+ microbrews in Portland (Gritty McDuff’s is a sure bet). Personally, I recommend a good hang in southern Maine. Take the Casco Bay Ferry lines to Peaks Island for reggae Sundays, or head up to Backcountry Bike Excursions for some of the east’s sickest mountain bike trails. Maine is one of the best family vacation spots in the world, so do yourself a favor and visit soon.
For information on Higgins Beach, click here.
For information on Backcountry Bike Excursions, click here.
For information on Gritty McDuff’s, click here.
For information on Jones Landing, click here.
Promo Product that you will find useful: Lobster Bibs – because you’re going to eat more than a few of these tasty crustaceans.
Again, please comment and share your favorite vacation escapes, and let me know which promotional product you found useful to have along for the ride.
Jake Krolick, online marketing manager at ASI, also writes freelance for the music industry, specializing in live show reviews, photo journalism and video mash-ups. He has been known to enjoy long walks on the beach, skiing, biking, surfing, cooking, and travel.
I’m just back from the ASI Chicago Show, which was awesome on a multitude of levels. It was fabulous seeing old industry friends (Windbrella’s Bob Hechler, JournalBooks’ Tim O’Boyle & Jamie Raynor and R.S. Owens’ Scott Siegel, I’m looking at you… ; ) ) and meeting some amazing new ones like industry veteran Lisa Bennett.
That Lisa and I have never met is perplexing. Lisa, who lives in Chicago, is a multiline rep who handles companies like Counselor Top 40 supplier Ash City, my friend Leigh’s company, Say Thank You with Coffee, and some others. She is sassy, hilariously wry and we share many of the same friends. She also has the distinction of being the person to convince me to stop being such an old-school whiner and join the Twitter flock. (Though I still maintain, as I routinely tell SnugZ’s Charley Johnson, it will be easier to raise the dead than to get me on Facebook … that so isn’t happening.) Stay tuned for next week’s blog which will have my Twitter info.
The show itself was well-attended and steadily crowded, and participation in ASI’s educational offerings was up nearly 10% from last year. I myself moderated two panels, which turned out well – mainly because I am so lucky to be friends with such talented people. On my panel for suppliers, which offered the chance to gain insights into how to win a distributor’s business and loyalty, I had Deluxe Corp.’s Sheila Johnshoy, Touchstone’s Tad Webster, Brown & Bigelow’s Cindy Jorgenson and WorkflowOne’s Mike Riddle. On my ”Secrets to Wildly Successful Self-Promotions” panel, I had industry speaker and veteran Cliff Quicksell, OnTime Promotions’ Sharon Biernat and PromoShop’s Kris Robinson. I’d like to thank all my panelists for being so gracious and giving with their time and expertise.
Lastly, my favorite event of the Chicago Show is always the Counselor awards banquet, where we recognize the Person of the Year, as well as the Top 40 suppliers and distributors (for a list of winners, click here). It was an exciting night for me because my girl Bonni Shevin-Sandy, executive vice president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Dard, won the very well-deserved International Person of the Year award. I adore Bonni, and when it comes to doing business in a global marketplace, my girl has skills!!!
The funniest line of the evening came from Chuck Fandos (”Chuckles,” as I call him), who took one look at the group of hooting and hollering rowdy rummies – PromoShop’s Kris Robinson and Memo & Sabrina Kahan, Chuck’s business partner Conrad Franey, Sweda’s Jim Hagan and Scott Pearson, BIC’s Dave Saracino, in addition to myself and ASI’s publisher Rich Fairfield – at our very prominently placed (dead center in the front of the room) table and looked at me with dread. ”What the hell are you doing putting us up so far in the front, Michele??? Look at us – we’re back-of-the-bus kind of people!!!” But hey, that’s my way – I love surrounding myself with excessive rock stars and charismatic wackos. ; )
Enjoy some photos below from the show and look for more next week!
Cheers,
M
Mark Messner, a former pro football player with the L.A. Rams and now with Canon Printing, and my girl Jilly Albers, sales chica extraordinairre with WorkflowOne. Jilly’s cocktail of choice is the “Skinny Pirate” (Captain Morgan and Diet Coke), which she has Mark hooked on as well. Between the two of them, they drank Kitty O’Shea’s — the bar at the Hilton Hotel where all the industry partiers gather before heading off to Shenanigan’s — dry of Captain Morgan’s. Seriously. The place actually ran out! Rock on, my little revelers. ; )
Jilly and I on Monday evening at Kitty O’Shea’s. There has not been one night Jilly and I have hung since we met that we haven’t had an EPIC time (even if we need a timeline and photographs to remember all details).
Here’s my pal Samantha Tucker, who oversees programming ASICentral.com and is one of the coolest tech nerds I know, at the Counselor Top 40 banquet. If you received Tweets from ASI broadcasting the names of each award-winner in real time, that was Sam Twittering like crazy.
Shall I count the ways that I adore Jim Hagan (left), the president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda? He’s funny, he’s whip-smart, he’s charming as hell and he can drink shots like a rock star. Love, love, love him! Here, Jim’s looking suave at the black tie Counselor awards banquet, with my boss, the ever-patient and tolerant Rich Fairfield, ASI’s senior vice president and publisher. It’s mystifying that Rich doesn’t drink more to dull the pain of dealing with me. ; )
Could there be a more glamorous couple? With Sabrina and Memo Kahan, the owner of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop, let it never be said that this industry is devoid of The Beautiful People.
Kris Robinson, my pal and vice president of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop, is the God of Green (and he’s no slouch when it comes to self-promos; many of his win awards and garner double-digit ROI). Want someone to give you a tutorial on how to successfully integrate eco into your business? Kris is the go-to guy. Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson … ; )
Jake Krolick, ASI marketing manager and rock journalist/videomaker on the side, is ASI’s version of illustrious, iconoclastic and famously wacko music writer Lester Bangs — reporter of all the best degenerate musicians of the ’70s.
Here’s Jakey with ASI’s marketing manager for suppliers, Colin Graf. When Jakey and Colin are out on the party circuit at a show, they always remind me of the Night at the Roxbury guys.
My girls, the gorgeous Sharon Biernat (left), a 20-year distributor sales veteran, and the luminous and svelte Natalie Townes, enjoying cocktails and conversation at Kitty O’Sheas.
My editorial colleauges, Counselor editor Andy Cohen (a.k.a., Captain Killjoy) and Managing Editor & star of The Joe Show, Joe Haley (a.k.a., my reluctant “handler”) partying after the Counselor awards banquet.
ASI’s advertising director Dan Dienna, ASICentral’s dominatrix Samantha Tucker and Marketing Manager Colin Graf, exemplifying the old adage, “A rose between two thorns.” ; )
Sharon Biernat and Ira Neaman, owner of Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage. I met Ira about 11 years ago, and since that time, I have always referred to him as the “Yoda of Wearables.” A phenomenal teacher on the topic of apparel, he is.
Industry favorite Jay Donlin, vice president of sales & marketing for Counselor Top 40 distributor Newton Manufacturing, shown here with the super-sweet and fun Angie Gibbons, formerly with Visions Awards, now a distributor client.
The editors out in force. From left, Counselor editor Andy Cohen; ASI Show education coordinator (and one of my favorites!) Dana Reaume; Editor-in-Chief & Vice President of Education, Melinda Ligos; Staff Writer Dave Vagnoni and Executive Director, Research Services Larry Basinait.
So how cool is this? Jim Hagan, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda and Scott Pearson (”Giggles” to you and I…), its super-talented vice president of merchandising, were out and about on the town after the Counselor banquet and ran into football superstar Peyton Manning. They asked him to sign their Counselor Top 40 award, and hot Mr. Manning happily obliged.
We’re just back from ASI’s second annual New York Show and it was both a success and a blast! The trade show posted strong attendance of nearly 2,800 distributors from 1,338 firms, up more than 7% from 1,247 firms last year. Education day attracted nearly 450 distributors – up about 8% from a year ago. Even more impressive because education day was held on a Sunday.
I’m a little out of my comfort zone in New York, but with the help of some friends, managed to hang out in some of the best places. For example, at the legendary Algonquin Hotel, where writer Dorothy Parker and other renowned writers traded bon mots and barbs around the notorious “vicious circle,” Shepenco’s Dan Townes and I had quite a few cocktails. A New York landmark, lounging at this hotel and it’s amazing bar — steeped in tons of local lore — was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Had I known it existed, I would have shaken Dan down to buy me the Algonquin’s $10,000 martini — into which they plop a diamond in lieu of ice. (Click here to learn more about the famous — and infamous — writers who used to frequent the Algonquin: and here for some trivia regarding the historic establishment.)
This napkin, mystifying free from any spillage from my three Cosmo martinis, bears a famous quote from Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker’s BFF and prodigiously talented writer for The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Life magazines in the ’20s and ’30s.
So, without further adieu, enjoy the sights from the show!
More at the end of the week when I give a heartfelt send-off to the best show on TV, Battlestar Galactica. Get ready to get your CYL-ON, my little toasters! ; )
Cheers,
Michele
A throng of attendees enter the second annual ASI New York Show on opening day, this past Monday.
At the famed and fabulous Del Frisco’s steak house, here I am (center) with Randee Horwitch (left), vice president of sales at Counselor Top 40 supplier Dard and my gal pal Bonni Sandy, the company’s executive vice president and the president of Dard Design. A savvy, wicked-smart cookie, Bonni’s brilliance is only exceeded by her wit.
Brett Hersh, president of AdMints (left) and Sean Huban, director of sales for ePromos, enjoy a drink after the first day of the show at ASI’s “Welcome NYC” reception.
Ron Ball, ASI’s vice president of supplier sales and my weapons-grade wacko work husband, raises a glass at Balthazar. Not a huge fan of New York City, my boss Rich Fairfield — ASI’s senior vice president, publisher and a native New Yorker — made it his mission to show me a side of New York I would love (trust me… that’s not such an easy thing). Knowing what a Francophile I am, he took Ron, Dard’s Bonni Sandy and Randee Horwitch and I to Balthazar on Spring Street in SoHo — a French bistro that looked (and felt) as though I was back in my beloved Paris. I drank quite a few Kir Royales (champagne with a drizzle of Chambord) and declared it my favorite place in New York. What can I say? Rich knows me well…
Cliff Quicksell and I, at the Marriott Marquis bar. Cliff was one of the first people I met in the industry, about 11 years ago at an industry networking mixer. His name badge said, “Hello! My name is… Buffy.” And that is what I still call him to this day… “Buffy Quicksell.”
ASI’s Executive Director of Distributor Services, Christian Brandt and one of the ASI Show’s top-drawing education facilitators, Cliff Quicksell.
Star magnets Matt George (above, left) & Joe Haley took turns cozying up to Tracy Morgan, one of the stars of NBC’s hit sitcom “30 Rock.” Joe and I love “30 Rock,” due in large part to the tour de force performance by Alec Baldwin. If we had seen him, I would have coerced him to join us for cocktails, with the intent of doing naughty things.
With stunning views of New York City, hundreds of guests enjoyed ASI’s hospitality at the “Top of the Rock” gala, held on the famed building’s 64th floor. With a sumptuous spread of food, top-shelf open bar and a fabulously fun band, it was the perfect night in mid-town Manhattan.
(From left): Dan Townes, owner of Shelbyville Pencil/Shepenco & his wife Natalie — both of whom resemble the fabulously witty and cocktailing bon vivants Nick & Nora Charles from “The Thin Man” television series from the 1930s — shown here with industry educator extraordinaire, Cliff Quicksell.
(From left): ASI’s editorial staff, in all their wacky glory, at the bar inside the Marriott Marquis in NYC: Wearables editor C.J. Mittica, Staff Writer Dave Vagnoni, Education Director & Stitches editor Nicole Rollender, Staff Writer Matt George, Senior Application Developer Samantha Tucker, Web Designer Steve Hawk, Counselor editor Andy Cohen and Managing Editor & star of The Joe Show, Joe Haley.
ASI’s radio and Internet celebs at the swanky and high-class Rodeo bar, located at 375 3rd Ave. in NYC. Taking advantage of the bar’s “Recession Special” (a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a shot of Whiskey for $7) are Web Designer extraordinaire Steve Hawk, Staff Writer Matt George, managing editor and star of “The Joe Show” Joe Haley and Counselor editor Andy Cohen. Steve Hawk, who is a beer aficionado and brews his own award-winning beer would have rather swallowed shards of glass, I think, than PBR.
As guest photographer Joe Haley said, “Check out the Oy-Veys… the toughest Jewish street gang in New York City!” From left: Counselor editor Andy Cohen, Web Designer Steve Hawk, Senior Application Developer Sam Tucker — the shiksa mascot of the group — and Wearableseditor C.J. Mittica.
You have to hand it to ASI marketing rock star Jake Krolick, who always — regardless of what city we’re in — finds the most high-brow, refined establishments. This one, Rudy’s Bar & Grill, comes up under the search phrases: “dive bars” and “free hotdogs.” ASI’s cast of characters, from left to right: Dan “The Man” Brown, director of distributor services (honking Porky’s snout); Jake Krolick, marketing manager & Dionysian degenerate; Mike Landis, distributor services account executive; Porky, the other white meat; Shannon Blaszczyk, account executive, catalog sales; and Chris Glowacki, account executive, supplier Internet sales and recipient of ASI’s prestigious Rising Star Employee of the Year Award.
(From left): Ross Silverstein, iPROMOTEu’s director of marketing Linda Forsvall, and ASI’s senior vice president Dan O’Hallaran enjoy the “Rat Pack”-style atmosphere of the Carnegie Cigar and Scotch Bar in New York City.
IPromoteU’s Ross Silverstein and my new favorite gal pal Sheila Johnshoy, director of promotional products for the Deluxe Corp. What a pair… For those of you who know Ross, he’s a pistol; Sheila is as whip-smart as she is fun!
(From left): Ross Silverstein, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor iPROMOTEu; Glen Carrigan, president of Counselor Top 40 distributor EmbroidMe (Canada)/Plan Ahead Events Canada; and Tipton Shonkwiler, brand director for EmbroidMe/Plan Ahead Events relax after the show at the Carnegie Cigar & Scotch bar for an exclusive event hosted by ASI executive director of distributor services, Christian Brandt.
The lovely and lively Missy Kilpatrick, vice president of Castelli, and my old pal Michael Bistocchi, vice president of CleggPromo, party like rock stars at the ASI Show gala at the Top of the Rock.
In full view of the patrons at Rudy’s Bar & Grill on 9th Ave. between 44th & 45th Streets, this fine young gentleman leans against this upstanding young lady for some late-night support. Let it never be said that the City that Never Sleeps isn’t one super-duper friendly town!
Karyn Coates, ASI’s executive director of E-Media & Member Benefits, meets Anthony Geary, a.k.a. “Luke Spencer” — a super-celeb on ABC’s legendary soap opera “General Hospital.” At the hotel where we all stayed in NYC, the Marriott Marquis, there was a party being held for ABC’s soaps. Karyn, being all super-stealthy, managed to slip into the party and sidled up to some of her favorite stars. We just want to know, Karyn, where was that hottie guy who plays Nikolas Cassadine? He would have had us in a lather… ; )
Here’s ‘Lil Joe Haley, ASI’s managing editor and star of “The Joe Show,” posing with Cameron Mathison — who stands 6′ 1″ — and is a star of the ABC soap opera “All My Children” and was on season five of “Dancing with the Stars.” Our colleague Karyn Coates, executive director of ASI’s E-Media and Member Benefits, apparently squealed like a teenybopper when she saw the soap star… though, sadly, not “The Joe Show” star… ; )
ASI’s Brandon “B-Rabbit” Miller (above) and Steve Cattau, both distributor services account executives, go down for the count on the bus ride back to Trevose after a high-energy, non-stop ASI NYC Show.
I just returned from another fabulous PPPC Toronto Show, the association’s annual convention and trade event. As usual, our friends to the North do an amazing job with their show. With informative education sessions, fun special events and an always-well attended show, this event is one that’s consistently good. Though the industry may be small to compared to the U.S. (Canada’s estimated annual sales hover around $3 billion; Promogram announced last week that the U.S. market is on track to report $20 billion in sales for 2008), it is a vibrant and sophisticated market.
For example, there is a lot of multicultural and ethnic diversity in the Canadian market, which adds various and layered perspectives and creativity. Also, just having returned from the PSI Dusseldorf Show, it struck me that the PPPC Show is more like that one — the booths are designed for consultative meetings with distributors, and distributors come into exhibiutors’ booth with specific promotional campaigns for their clients in mind. Also, this is one of the few shows I attend that is always still crowded in the afternoon on the last day of the show – attendees are very loyal to this event.
“This week’s PPPC show and strong attendance was a good indication that distributors are forging ahead with business as usual in what will be a challenging start to the year,” says Marc Giroux, vice president of sales for Spector and Co., one of Canada’s most prominent suppliers. “It was really reassuring to see our customers getting past the ‘gloom and doom’ talk of the economy and sharing their strategies to double their marketing efforts, be even more creative and working hard to provide solutions to meet the needs of budget conscious end-users.”
At PPPC’s “Go for the Gold” Image Awards recognizing the best distributor campaigns and the top three suppliers – as voted on by distributors – in the Canadian marketplace, Leed’s Canada took the top Gold prize, followed by second-place Silver winner Debco and ESP Wholesale garnering the third-place Bronze award.
Toronto itself is one of the great, cosmopolitan metropolitan areas to which I get to travel. Yes, it’s cold, but Philly isn’t exactly balmy this time of year either. I only had one ”issue” (if you know me, you know there’s always an issue… ): Despite the fact that it’s only a 90 minute flight from Philly to Toronto, and despite the fact that I have ”Preferred” status on USAir, the airline lost my luggage for 24 hours. Consequently, I had to attend PPPC’s “Spring Break” networking event in the jeans and snow boots in which I traveled (again, if you me, being without my fancy clothes and stilettos is like having my vital organs removed with a shrimp fork). And, because I packed my fur coat, I had to walk around in a heavy, long white robe the Hilton graciously lent me — like a wandering patient let loose from the mental facility. Other than that, however, the trip was a blast — as evidenced by the photos below.
More next week when I talk about a feature I wrote in the upcoming February issue of Counselor, titled “The Fall & Rise of Sweda,” and what went on behind the scenes. Those guys rock!
Cheers!
– M
(From left): The perpetually chipper Jay Ostrow, ASI’s director of distributor services for Canada, the vivacious Meghan Bogarde, an account rep in ASI’s Distributor Membership department, and D.J. Jungling, from ASI Computer Systems at the Hilton bar in Toronto. D.J. once led a group of funny rummies on an Advantages road show across the border from San Diego into Tijuana for a tequila pilgrimage. Can’t tell you how sorry I am I missed that!
D.J.’s lovely wife Dawn, schmoozing with ASI’s senior vice president Dale Denham. As I’ve said before, at every show, I always spend time with one person who turns out to be a complete revelation to me. On this trip, it was Dale, hand’s down. He tells me that if he were an animal, he’d be an eagle, soaring and majestic. So to him I say, “CA-CAW.” (I incidentally, would be a bear — is there anything more glorious than five months of sleeping?)
Dale and I attended PPPC’s “Spring Break” beach party, which drew quite the crowd and was a blast.
Here are my pals Harry Fotopoulous from Custom HBC Corp. and Melissa Jillett. Mel left the industry last year to pursue another opportunity, but misses the fun and friends in this industry and is dying to come back. I hope she does — we miss her!
Here’s Dale (left), with Michael Woody (third from left) and some friends. Michael is a past recipient of Counselor’s International Person of the Year award and was at the PPPC show facilitating an education session on the topic of “The Future of Our Industry Structure,” which focused on how technology and globalization are impacting the industry.
Dale “Moondoggie” Denham attempts to hang ten on a mechanical surfboard. If these photos came with soundtrack music, it would be “Wipeout.” ; )
The calypso-style band had everyone dancing… And lest you doubt the level of fun, there was, indeed, a conga line.
Dale, sadist that he is, insisted that I pose in the beach hammock at the party. The only problem? I fell out, wearing a lei no less, with all the grace of a wounded wildebeest. Dale was laughing so hard as he took this photo, he let me lay there like a turtle on my back…
Donald O’Hara, (shown here on the right with Dale), PPPC’s new president, was a gracious host. He is certainly a welcome addition to the association.
One of the many great giveaways PPPC had at their Spring Break beach party was this towel, which Dale hilariously described as “Sham Wow!”
Paul Bellantone, PPAI’s executive vice president, and I in the Hilton bar. Paul, one of my favorite people at PPAI, had just returned from another successful Las Vegas show. He, like myself, is on the traveling show circuit. ; )
ASI senior vice president Dale Denham (second from left) and ASI’s director of distributor services for Canada, Jay Ostrow, selflessly offered to have their photos taken with these two girls, obviously wallflowers in need of warm clothing. Kidding! In fact, these two very cool chicas were Playboy bunnies resting their tails and warming up at the Hilton bar.
I told you that ASI distributor sales rep Meghan Bogarde was vivacious and these photos are evidence of that. Relatively new to ASI, she fits in perfectly with her easy-going nature, fun personality and whip-smart banter. She also, by the way, speaks fluent French… Tres magnifique!
Dale and ASI Canada vice president Fred Oesen, one half (along with his fabulous wife Leslie) of Canada’s bon vivant couple. Freddy is one of my favorites and is definitely a celebutante in the Canadian market. It seems as though everybody in Canada has a “Freddy story” and one is more hilarious than the next. Freddy loves his scotch like I love my Grey Goose… ; )
On Sunday night, I went out with my pals from Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda. I just wrote a profile on the company for the upcoming February issue of Counselor, so be sure to check it out next week. Here, veteran sales rep Paige Millard (is there anyone who doesn’t know Paige?) and new vice president of sales Suzie Gunsauls enjoy a night out on the Toronto town.
Scott Pearson (left), Sweda’s vice president of product development and the man with the most infectious laugh ever, and Jim Hagan, Sweda’s president. These guys are so awesome, so fun and so genuine, I just think the world of them.
Oh, let me count the ways I adore Jim Hagan, Sweda’s president:
1. A true Irishman, he likes his beer dark and his shots strong.
2. He’s one of those people that the more you spend time with him, the more you like and trust him.
3. He plays hard, but works even harder. He has, as Winston Churchill once said, “all the virtues I like and all the vices I admire…”
4. His team is almost rabidly devoted to him, which speaks volumes to me about what kind of leader — and person — he is.
5. He has seen me at my most rock-star degenerate, and hasn’t fled for cover in a bunker. ; )
Sweda’s Scott Pearson, Jim Hagan and one of my favorite wild chicas, Shauna Feldman, a sales rep with the Quebec-based distributorship Hannah Promotions. Shauna was on Counselor’s in augural Hot List in the August issue and she lives up to it! Rock on, Girlfriend!
Sweda’s Paige Millard, standing at about 6′ 5″ tall, juxtaposed with the petite, though formidable, Shauna Feldman.
The annual PPPC convention and trade event was well-attended and exhibitors were thrilled with the quality of distributors who came.
Marc Giroux, vice president of sales for Spector and Co., one of Canada’s largest and most respected suppliers, poses in front of their fabulous booth. This booth, more than any other, reminded me of the booths in Europe at the PSI Show — lots of space for clients to come in, sit, and meet with their reps to discuss projects. Spector also gave out Good Humor ice cream to its booth visitors.
Sweda’s trade show manager and industry veteran Paige Millard braved the Toronto snow and freezing temperatures yesterday to pose with a statue of one of his heroes, Winston Churchill. “I ventured out in the snow storm, and this statue was across the street in the park,” Paige says. “My dad is my real hero, but I liked the quote on the statue and am using it throughout my day today to inspire all around me.”
I just returned from Paris, France, where ASI senior vice president and I spent the weekend after the fabulously successful PSI Show in Dusseldorf.
France is my favorite place in the world, and Paris is my favorite city, so the cloud of snark and sass that usually envelopes me dissipated, and I was in my giddy, glorious happy place. The food, the wine, the architecture, the haute fashion and hot guys with those knee-weakening accents… Mon Dieu!
Rich and I stayed in this tres cool boutique place called Mon Hotel www.monhotel.fr, owned by a good friend of my good friend Philippe Varnier, CEO of Polyconcept — the parent company of Leed’s, Bullet Line and Journal Books, and the largest hard goods supplier of ad specialties in the world. Mon Hotel sells out for the French Open and Fashion Week, with the best athletes and top models staying there. The decor is very chic and very French — the walls in the rooms papered in suede and the elevator, lined with red leather. In fact, up until a few years ago, the hotel was the site of Paris’ most well-known — and best — brothel. Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase, “going out with a bang, not a whimper.” ; )
See below for an array of amazing photos from Paris. Next up on Michele’s Amazingly Excellent Adventures is the PPACanada Show in Toronto. Let me know if you’ll be there. And for all my friends at the PPAI Vegas Show who have been calling/texting/e-mailing, I miss you too! More next week…
Cheers!
– M
Patrick Politze, CEO of the European Promotional Products Association (EPPA), addresses a crowd of journalists from around the world to signal the opening of the 47th PSI Düsseldorf Show. Second from the left, seated, is Michael Freter, the new managing director of PSI — a super nice and supremely capable guy. The show was fantastic, and at this press conference, survey data was released on the state of the European market. To find more information, go to www.psionline.de.
An example of a booth that does it right: Gildan displayed its new shirts under Plexiglas, making for a very unusual floor in its booth. Not only did that draw attendee attention, but at the end of the first day, they served Italian wine, meats and cheeses to guests. Trust me on this, in Europe, exhibiting is like an art form.
Here, Miranda Rodenburg, Polyconcept’s top-selling salesperson in the Netherlands, spends some time with CEO Philippe Varnier. Philippe tells me that Miranda beats her own sales figures every year (impressive in a down economy), and is so passionate about her customers, that she advocates on their behalf as if they were her own children.
Rich Fairfield, ASI’s senior vice president/publisher and my boss, loved these little chili pepper buttons on this restaurant uniform. Another version had little skulls for buttons.
I loved these designated “Relaxing Zone” signs around the PSI Show floor, which indicated rest areas. The show was so busy, however, they were rarely in use. I should have gotten one for my office back at ASI, which is most definitely a “Procrastinating Zone.”
Some of ASI’s magazines on display in the Relaxing Zone, so people could check them out. Due to ASI’s strategic partnership with PSI, they were so graciously accommodating and welcoming to Rich, Ron Ball and I. To them, I say Danke Soviel!
Some of you have asked about the Polyconcept “hotel boats” on which Rich and I are nicely invited to stay every year. Well, here they are. Because Polyconcept brings so many staff people to work it’s 20,000 square foot (yes, you’re reading that right!) booth, usually between 150-200 people, they bring in these boats on which everyone sleeps and eats, and which is docked right near the convention center. It cuts down on the cost of hotel rooms, meals and taxis, with one boat for the staff and one for top clients, guests and the executive team. With restaurants, bars, an exercise room and a concierge, it has everything you could want — even life jackets should you get tipsy and fall into the Rhine.
Willem van Walt Meijer, the new CEO of MidOcean, the second-largest hard-goods supplier in Europe, after Polyconcept.
As an example of how intricate the booths at the European shows can be, check out this one from Koziol. And I would say this is moderate compared to some…
When Rich and I arrived into Paris on Friday night, we had dinner with my friend Yann Leca, the ever-charming CFO of Polyconcept and his lovely wife Severine, shown here. They took us to a fabulous restaurant called “Les Ombres“, atop the Primitive Art Museum at Quai Branly, on the left bank of the Seine river, next to the Eiffel Tower. The stunning view was only exceeded by the amazing company.
Here’s me, Severine and Yann, on the restaurant’s terrace with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. When you’re surrounded by something as spectacular as this, realize just what a sublime place Paris really is.
Rich, me, Severine and Yann… because you just can’t have enough great photos in front of the Eiffel Tower!
On Saturday afternoon, Philippe’s assistant of 14 years, Marie-Francoise Boulenger, took me to the Musee d’Orsay and the Louvre. It was an amazing day and Marie-Francoise, who is a fifth-generation Parisian, was the best host one could ask for, but towards the end I was getting a little tired. Right before we left, I turned a corner and came face to face with the Venus de Milo. To which I can only say, thank you, Marie-Francoise, for reintroducing my jaw to the floor.
On Saturday night, Philippe Varnier and his exotic wife Martine (shown here) took Rich and I to a very hip and delicious restaurant called Kube, in which all the food was indeed served in cubed form — except the steak tartar and the chocolate mousse dessert, which were served in little syringes. Literally, you inserted the syringe into your mouth and pushed down on the plunger.
Here’s Rich and I, surrounded by lit bears, to signify the chilly temperature inside the Iced Kube bar, atop the Kube restaurant.
As a special surprise, Philippe took Rich and I to the Ice Kube bar above the Kube restaurant. Once we climbed the stairs, we were each given parkas, gloves and fur hoods, to allow for the below-zero temperatures. You see, the bar was sponsored by Grey Goose (cue the sounds of celestial trumpets and angels singing) vodka, my favorite of all drinks, and everything in it was made of ice — the floors, walls, chairs, cups. Once you were parka’d up, you were given access through an igloo entrance. Here’s Rich, looking shell-shocked…
Philippe Varnier, Polyconcept’s CEO, entering the ice igloo on the way to Grey Goose heaven.
I quickly decided that when I die, I want to be frozen into one of the walls at this bar — like a preserved woolly mammoth — smiling and holding a Grey Goose cosmopolitan, so that will be my image in perpetuity.
Philippe and Rich, getting in touch with their inner-Eskimos.
Rich, holding court in an ice chair, drinking his second Grey Goose cocktail. It should be noted that neither Philippe or Rich are the streamlined drinker I am, so by the time we left, they were “happy,” to say the least. In fact, as we exited the restaurant, we all noticed the luminous full moon… at which Philippe and Rich both HOWLED in unison. And no, I kid you not. Let it never be said that I — and my precious Grey Goose — don’t have a potent affect on men. ; )
Click above to see a video of the Ice Kube bar in Paris, where the temperature is about 10 degrees below zero, the floors, walls, chairs and cups are made of ice and where they give you a parka, gloves and a furry hood to wear before you enter. The bar is sponsored by France’s Grey Goose vodka (my favorite!), and each visitor gets four Goose-based drinks, such as cosmopolitans and lemon drops, while visiting. In this video, Polyconcept’s CEO and industry celeb Philippe Varnier jumps around to stay warm. You’ll understand… I get cold just watching this… ; )
Gutentagen from Frankfurt, Germany! It’s 6:00 a.m. here and I’m at the airport on my way to Dusseldorf for the PSI Show, Europe’s (and, in fact, the world’s) largest ad specialties show.
Starting tomorrow, the show is set to welcome 21,000 attendees visiting over 500,000 square feet of exhibitors’ booth space. It is huge, it is wildly impressive and it is one of the best-run shows I’ve ever been to, featuring the year’s most innovative and chic product designs on display. It’s here where you see the creativity first, before it gets knocked off in China.
The flight from Philly to Frankfurt lasted almost eight hours, which is a cake walk compared to the 18-hour special brand of airborne hell I’ll be on in April when I fly to Asia for the Canton Show and Hong Kong Gift Fair. Let me know if you’re going… We can plan on medicating together!
The flight was also unexpectedly pleasant… I fly so often that I’ve become a jaded, bitchy traveler, one who sinks sullenly into her own fur coat on the plane rather than interact with anyone, and who listens to her iPod with a distinct “Disturb at Your Own Risk” aura enveloping her.
But on this particular flight, I sat with a 10-year-old German boy named Jannick (his parents were a few rows behind us) who was so precocious he told me he wants to grow up and live at Disneyland, but commute daily via his own plane to Wall Street where he’ll be an investment banker. This child was so self-assured, I have no doubt he’ll do it. Rock on, my little Gordon Gekko!
Next to him was 20-year-old Ryan from Cherry Hill, NJ, who was going to Europe for the first time to attend school in France for five months. He was so enthusiastic and full of optimism, I thought he was adorable. Or, maybe it was the fact that he asked if I was “a grad student.” God bless dim boys and dimmer airplane lighting. If it wouldn’t have bordered on a felony, I would have kissed him on the spot.
The three of us had a delightful time watching movies in sync, so much so that when I disembarked the plane, I had a renewed zeal and zest for travel. Right up until the point when I set off the metal detectors in the security line in Frankfurt. What was the reason, you may wonder? That would be my underwire bra, which — when the security agent waved the wand over me — sent the alarms screeching. Of course after a spectacle like that, the hands-on body search is imminent.
I will tell you: There’s nothing quite like entering a foreign country at 6:00 a.m. and being felt up by a burly German woman. At least she could have sprung for flowers and breakfast… ; )
Cheers and more tomorrow from Dusseldorf, where I will be staying aboard Polyconcept’s floating hotel boat, as a guest of the ever-suave and charming Philippe Varnier, the company’s chairman/CEO, and my favorite dance partner, Yann Leca, its CFO. Can. Not. Wait.
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