Advertising Specialty Institute

Lindsey Cole of Ethix Merch explains why sustainability initiatives ring hollow without a focus on the workers who produce products and building ethical supply chains.

Ben Grossman of SwagCycle and Mel Lay of Allmade Apparel talk about the progress the print and promo industry have made when it comes to sustainability – and where the biggest challenges still lie.

Dryvve and Bold Promo share their best advice and explain why rebranding was a necessary and welcome change.

Enrique Perez, president and founder of Hitex Marketing Group (asi/515762), tells the story of the company's journey into print as a result of following opportunity, and using its staff's imagination to create out-of-the-box packaging ideas.

ASI Media editors Sara Lavenduski and Hannah Rosenberger discuss the informational sessions on tariffs, classroom education with business experts, energizing keynote and trends from the bustling show floor.

Jodie Schillinger, Joelle Stahlecker and Jamie Johnson have all built careers at the Wisconsin-based Maple Ridge Farms (asi/68680) – inspired by their mother, Virginia Lemmer, who introduced her children to promo when she started her own career there nearly 40 years ago.

Oliver Kimberley, Quad's general manager of managed services, talks about the company's entrance into the promotional products market – and how the firm aims to succeed in the space.

Dr. Mary Kelly, a renowned economist and U.S. Navy veteran, delivers data-backed insights to bring the economic picture into focus – and there's better news that some may expect.

Ahead of Earth Month, Kris Robinson of Jackalope Creative shares tips for promoting sustainability with your self-promos and pitching eco-friendly merch to clients.

In this month's episode, we chat with Rick Roddis, business unit president of Counselor Top 40 distributor Taylor Promotional Products, who talks about his career in print and promo – from lucky breaks to biggest mistakes.

Let's talk on-trend, beginner-friendly decoration. On today's podcast, we're joined by Dave Conner, Content Director at STAHLS' (asi/88984), who's sharing everything you need to know about new-and-improved Chenille Patches and Flexbroidery Emblems. We'll explain what these decoration methods are, why they're so popular and how easy they are to try out for yourself, even if you never have before.

Josh Ellsworth of Stahls' discusses the growing importance of on-demand decoration. *Please excuse the technical difficulties with our audio.*

What does it mean for apparel and sports uniforms to be female-focused – and why is that an important consideration for promo pros to consider when selling? ASI Media is joined by Cassie Stanczyk and Victoria Thomas of Counselor Top 40 supplier BELLA+CANVAS (asi/39590), as well as Marina Paul, founder of women's sportswear brand SPRHRA, to discuss.

With a PhD in chemistry and past working for Coca-Cola, Dominique Downing relies on the scientific method to troubleshoot problems – and to drive an eco-friendly approach at her Big Frog Custom T-Shirts franchise.

ASI Media editors Hannah Rosenberger and Christopher Ruvo offer insights into how the employment phenomenon is impacting the branded merchandise business.

ASI Media editors Theresa Hegel, Sara Lavenduski and Hannah Rosenberger reflect on noteworthy promo campaigns, share sales tips for the spring and summer months, and taste-test interesting eats.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Kate Nash of Raining Rose discusses the value of sustainability certifications, how to choose which is right for your business and where such certifications fall short in evaluating a company's environmental and ethical efforts.

Ryan Cady, director of client success at Imprint Engine (asi/190620), tells the story of how one massive promotional campaign across more than 300 college campuses hit an 11th hour roadblock, but with the strength of his network and relationships, everybody ended up happy.

ASI Editors C.J. Mittica and Christopher Ruvo sum up the blitz of tariff news and how suppliers & distributors companies are dealing with it.

In this month's episode, we delve into what the partnership between ASI & PRINTING United Alliance means for the print and promo industries – and what's in store for the future.

Courtney Bills, CEO of Tactive (asi/299441), discusses the company's recent acquisition of Concept Prints Inc. (asi/166238), blending print and promotional products together to create "multisensory marketing for a digital world," working on e-commerce platforms with customers and more.

Gross, a marketing executive and competitive race car driver who also happens to be a C6 quadriplegic, will be a keynote speaker at ASI Fort Worth in March.

Scott Edidin and Scott Pearson of supplier 6AM Sourcing (asi/46173) discuss the promo industry's opportunities in Mexico, following President Donald Trump's swearing-in for his second term.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Francis Pierrel, talks about moving from the luxury retail space to becoming the CEO and partner of LR Paris (asi/246857).

In the inaugural episode of Branding Together – a monthly video podcast hosted jointly by ASI and the PRINTING United Alliance – editors Theresa Hegel and Cassie Green discuss the most important things print should know about promo, and vice versa.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Francis Pierrel, talks about moving from the luxury retail space to becoming the CEO and partner of LR Paris (asi/246857).

Three ASI Media editors weigh in on industry sales, tariffs, AI and their guess for Product of the Year.

ASI Media's Christopher Ruvo and Brendan Menapace sweep you through some of the most pertinent takeaways from promo's first major trade show of the year.

Jeffrey Schrimmer, president of Brighter Promotions, explains how promo firms can file a claim in the $5.5 billion settlement in an antitrust class action suit against Visa and Mastercard.

Three ASI Media journalists share stories with important significance for the promo products industry that they believe deserve another run in the spotlight.

Mary Furto of Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) gives an overview of several consumer trends to watch in the months to come, and presents promotional product ideas in line with those trends.

Convergence Corner: How One Proforma Owner Saw the Value in Print and Promo Together From the Start by ASI

Stephanie Stuckey, chair of Stuckey's, a roadside oasis famous for its pecan log roll, provides tips and engaging tales that will you breathe fresh life into your business in this preview of her keynote at the ASI Show Orlando 2025.

Rusty Pepper of Taylor OnDemand shares tips for selling print to clients in six of promo's top sectors.

Wayo co-founder and CEO Julia Xu joins ASI Media to discuss the tech at the heart of the supplier: AI. The company has built an AI model based on information about thousands of factories, with the goal of easing overseas product sourcing for the industry.

ASI's top research executive and news director discuss the numbers and narratives behind the merch market's third quarter, how Q4 is shaping up and what lies ahead in 2025.

Multiplai CEO Isar Meitis and ASI Director of Software Engineering John Young discuss how AI can transform your business and the best practices to start using it right now. To hear more from Isar: AI Business Transformation Course: https://multiplai.ai/ai-course/ The Leveraging AI Podcast: https://multiplai.ai/podcast/ Connect with Isar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isarmeitis/

AI, consolidation and the election dominated the discussion at this year's event, which brings together the leaders of the promotional products industry.

ASI Media's editors talk fall selling opportunities and taste-test unique snacks.

As the end-buyer research series wraps up, ASI Senior Executive Director of Research Nate Kucsma outlines a few key trends and takeaways from the study's 26 market segments.

Jeff Butler, CEO of TrinityFix, delivers actionable tips to help get this essential aspect of business continuity correct in what's a preview of his upcoming talk at the ASI Power Summit.

Lou Elliott-Cysewski of CoolPerx, a member of the Promo for the Planet Editorial Advisory Board, talks about greenwashing and how to avoid it – both in your own marketing and when dealing with other companies.

Millie Tadewaldt, founder of Brilliant (asi/146116) and a contributor to this year's Counselor Gift Guide, offers her advice for selling in Q4 and the products that are proving popular this year.

In a preview of her upcoming talk at the ASI Power Summit, renowned economist Dr. Mary Kelly discusses the state of the marketplace – and how promo products executives can steer their firms to success within it.

On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson, who's been blind since birth, escaped the World Trade Center by navigating 78 flights of stairs with his then guide dog Roselle. Now, he shares his story – and the many lessons he's learned about teamwork, facing fear and trust – with audiences around the world. He'll be a speaker at ASI's Power Summit in October.

The promotional products business is becoming more globally interconnected than ever. As such, don't miss the key findings from this in-depth exclusive study on distributor performance in Europe.

From strike threats to militant attacks, there is a lot in play. What does the disruption mean for the promo products industry in the final months of 2024? ASI Media editors Christopher Ruvo and Sara Lavenduski weigh in.

Frank Carpenito, CEO and president of the Counselor Top 40 supplier, and Tim Behling, vice president of supply chain and sustainability, discuss the importance of getting a handle on Scope 3 emissions.

Description: Andrew Titus, president of Counselor Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted (asi/384000) and his brother A.J. Titus, president of Signarama – both part of United Franchise Group – joined the Promo Insiders podcast to talk about the main similarities and differences between the print and promo industries, and how companies in the industry see the value in offering both.

Description: Counselor Editor-in-Chief C.J. Mittica and ASI Sr. Executive Director of Research Nate Kucsma highlight the most interesting findings from our annual report and what it means for distributors and suppliers.

ASI Senior Vice President Michele Bell interviews Schmidt on his successes, big strategy swings, some notable misses and why he's in it for the long haul.