Reflections
I was debating whether or not to write about the promotional products/gifting industry, but I decided that it was timely to do so. When I was invited into this industry 30 years ago, it was referred to as “Ad Specialty.” If you think about it, it’s an appropriate name because the advertising or the message a promotional product sends is specialized. An actual product is branded and given away. No other advertising method does this. It wasn’t called “swag,” it was also unfortunately referred to as “trinkets and trash,” which is a terrible name because it slanders an industry and my livelihood. Hearing clients refer to the promotional industry as such, sent shivers down my spine. I knew instinctively that...