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PPAI News
By: Jen Alexander, Associate Editor
Issue: 2009mar
The PPAI Expo Voted Best Tradeshow In The Industry
The PPAI Expo is again listed as the best tradeshow in the industry by Corporate Logo’s 2008 Best of Business poll. Voted on by readers, this marks the fourth straight year PPAI has received this honor.
“We are privileged to receive such recognition,” says Steve Slagle, CAE, PPAI president and CEO. “To be recognized by those we aim to serve is quite an accomplishment, and we are committed to continue to make The PPAI Expo the premier tradeshow year after year.”
Share Your Expertise At The PPAI Expo 2010
Want to tell the industry what you know best? The PPAI Professional Development Committee seeks ideas on topics that offer a rich diversity of learning experiences for Expo conference attendees. The committee will accept submissions for workshops at The PPAI Expo 2010 through March 13.
This is an unparalleled opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with a respected audience of industry professionals. The Expo will take place January 11-15, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information on presentation, visit the Professional Development page at www.ppai.org.
PPAI Signs Petition To CPSC Calling For More Guidance On Testing
PPAI, along with other trade associations, filed a petition in December with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) asking the group to provide comprehensive guidance to the business community and testing laboratories on testing and exemptions.
The petition states that the absence of guidance on testing methodologies for all products, scope of testing (including component and quality control testing) and exclusions now create confusion and hardships to the industry, particularly since the CPSC general counsel issued a legal opinion that the lead limits would be retroactive, affecting all products on store shelves as of February 10.
Without a well-defined regulatory regime predicated on sound test standards and science-based exclusions that protect children, the threat to small businesses and their employees is significant.
Slagle Promotes Small Businesses’ Role In Healing The Economy
As chairman of the board of directors for the Small Business Legislative Council (SBLC), PPAI President and CEO Steve Slagle, CAE, is getting the word out about the potential for small businesses to put the U.S. economy on the right track again.
“Small businesses will lead the nation back to a healthy economy if we give them the opportunity to do so,” says Slagle. “The SBLC Board of Directors has identified our priorities for 2009 and at the top of the list are stimulus recommendations that will allow small businesses to do what they do best—create jobs.”
Slagle points out that many in the small-business sector rely heavily on a vibrant homeownership policy; therefore, the SBLC supports the expansion of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit to include all homebuyers. Additionally, he says the SBLC seeks to make sure tax policies help and not harm small businesses. For more on the council’s 2009 priorities, visit the SBLC online at www.sblc.org.
Promotional Consultant Increases Size, Frequency And Readership—Not Rates
In today’s world, it’s not often that a print product retools to give advertisers more bang for their buck, but Promotional Consultant magazine is doing just that.
Launched by PPAI in 2006 specifically for distributor salespeople, PC changed from a digest-sized to a standard-sized publication, increased in frequency to nine times per year, included a reader response card in every issue and now reaches 50,000 additional distributors through a digital edition. These changes have yielded a 57-percent larger ad page and increased readership by 90,000 distributors—yet the magazine has held its 2008 ad rates, as have all PPAI publications. PC’s new size made its debut with the January/February issue.
“We are very excited that we are able to give our advertisers even better access to our loyal audience of distributor readers,” says Pamela Webb, managing editor. “The popularity of the magazine has made it possible for us to expand its frequency and reach. And, in appreciation to our advertisers we are offering more for the same low 2008 rates.”
Additionally, the daily e-mail newsletter Promotional Consultant Today now has a new home on DailyBoost™. PCT reaches approximately 39,000 distributor salespeople and has been published since January 2006.
Put The Industry At Your Fingertips With The UPIC Desktop
Do you feel that sometimes even the fastest search for industry information isn’t fast enough? If so, check out the UPIC Desktop, a small search tool for UPIC subscribers that allows you to quickly locate contact information from the UPIC website. It runs in a small window on your PC to enable convenient and fast access to the information you need.
With the Desktop, you can quickly search for contacts by UPIC, company or contact name and launch directly to a company’s profile for detailed information.
Your UPIC credentials are stored, so login is automatic when you launch the UPIC website. Plus, you have fast access to your profile, allowing you to update information in your account.
Other features of the UPIC Desktop include: sorting search results in each column; displaying the number of search results for UPIC, company and contact name; identifying PPAI members with bold text in the search list and member logos in the contact screen; and displaying key contact information with links to e-mail and company websites.
To download the UPIC Desktop tool, visit the login page at www.upic.org.
Promotional Products Survive In A Down Economy
PPAI Senior Communications Manager Anne Lardner told Crain’s Cleveland Business in November that, despite hard economic times, the promotional products industry has shown resilience.
Putting a company’s name in the hands of a specific audience “gives us an advantage in a down market because you don’t want to risk your advertising dollars” going for a wider reach, Lardner says in the article.
Also attesting to the particular strengths of promotional products were Brian Smith, president and CEO of Cleveland, Ohio-based distributor Proforma (UPIC: PROFORMA), Bruce Felber, MAS, creative director of Twinsburg, Ohio-based distributor Felber & Felber Marketing (UPIC: felber) and Tim Connor, president of Cleveland, Ohio-based distributor The Shamrock Companies (UPIC: SHAMP004).
Staff Members Jump Into The Holiday Spirit With Toys For Tots Drive
Last winter, PPAI’s Community Services Committee organized a successful toy drive for PPAI staff on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots campaign.
“We donated a total of 75 toys and $210 in cash and checks,” says Sara Besly, committee member and manager for Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF).
This event was the second in a season of giving at PPAI. In November, the committee held a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit Irving Cares. Staff members donated a total of 273 pounds of food and $245 in gift cards to the food bank and assistance center.
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