Advertising Specialty Institute

The COVID-19 pandemic has flipped traditional marketing and communications strategies on their heads, leaving promo professionals to navigate uncharted waters. If you’re struggling to find the right words or are fearful of coming off tone-deaf in 2020, this episode is for you. ASI's Melissa Newman chats with ASI’s Public Relations & Corporate Communications Director Dawn Marie about best practices for communication strategies in 2020.

If social media in 2020 has got you down, take heart: You’re not alone. Social media-induced stress is real. And this year, it’s only gotten worse. COVID-19, combative politics, economic doldrums, widespread societal unrest – all have become flashpoints that ignite vitriol on social forums. It may be tempting to terminate your accounts and tune out social altogether. But what if you need to be active on social media as part of your job? Also, if you did nix social, you’d miss out on all the good stuff that brought you there in the first place (yes, it’s still there). So what to do? ASI Editorial staffers Christopher Ruvo and John Corrigan have a few ideas. In this podcast, they share easy-to-implement strategies that will help you protect your mental health on social media – and enable you to benefit from the positive things the platforms have to offer.

Parenting during the pandemic ain’t easy. Theresa Hegel and Christopher Ruvo know that firsthand. The ASI editorial staffers are working parents who, like thousands of other professionals in the promo products industry, now daily perform the juggling act of meeting job responsibilities and caring for/educating their children during COVID-19. As school resumes around the United States, the challenges for working parents are intensifying. In this Promo Insiders podcast (recorded during a Facebook Live event on Aug. 25), Chris and Theresa share strategies that will help parents navigate the obstacles that back-to-school presents, whether you’re sending your kids for in-person instruction or having them educated at home through cyber learning.

In his freshman year of college, Isaac Hetzroni founded Imprint Genius (asi/230604), a distributorship based in Gainesville, FL, by selling cell phone fans at parties. Today, he is a CEO and recent college graduate from the University of Florida. In this episode of Promo Insiders, Eloisa Gutierrez of ASI, talks with Hetzroni about how he got Imprint Genius on its feet and, more recently, through a global pandemic.

In this Social Angle podcast, Ryan Moor, of Ryonet and Allmade Apparel, discusses what goes into being the spokesperson for his brands on social media, the pros and cons, advice for promo professionals who are reluctant and camera-shy, and much more.

Chris Bernat of Vapor Apparel takes issue with a recent study that depicted gaiters negatively, discusses the characteristics of high-quality gaiters and more.

In the last few years, millennials and Gen Z-ers have changed the fashion industry by investing in used clothing. “Thrift-flopping” has even become a trend on social media platform TikTok, as people buy used clothes and give them new life with some simple handiwork. The billion-dollar thrifting industry is growing as young people intentionally make purchases to reduce waste, save money and keep up with trends. In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI’s Eloisa Gutierrez speaks with Patricia Garcia, a student entrepreneur from Florida International University, about how Garcia tapped into the needs of college students across the country as they look for eco-friendly (and wallet-friendly) purchases. “As a student who would dread walking into the college bookstore because I knew I couldn’t afford anything,” says Garcia, “I wanted to change that.” Garcia founded College Thrifts LLC, an online platform for college students and alumni to sell their gently used university merchandise.

Like everyone else, Social Media Managers are going through a lot in 2020. From a global pandemic and mass layoffs and furloughs, to the constant threat of trolls and a TikTok ban, these folks have had to make some quick pivots to match the pace of this unprecedented year. In this episode of the Social Angle Podcast, ASI’s Melissa Newman sits down with Holly Singletary, a digital content strategist from ASI Creative Labs, to discuss self-care tips for social media professionals and how organizations can better support them and their current self-care routines.

Ellen Overcast, vacation specialist at Main Street Getaways in Kutztown, PA, says the unprecedented number of cancellations due to COVID-19 was one of the most challenging situations she and her fellow travel agents have ever experienced. Listen to more in this Promo Insiders podcast.

Jon Norris, of supplier Starline (asi/89320), knows a thing or two about social media. The VP of operations was the first winner of ASI's #PromoInTheWild, a social media campaign run by ASI that encouraged industry pros to post videos and photos of promo items they spotted in everyday life. It was also announced that Norris' company won the "Best Use of Social Media" category of ASI's annual Promo Campaign Awards.

When companies throughout the United States sent their employees home in mid-March, most expected to be back in the office by now. That hasn’t been the case for Nashville, TN-based On Promos Powered by Proforma (asi/491390). In this Promo Insiders episode, co-owner Kimble Bosworth tells senior writer John Corrigan how she and her husband transitioned the company to working remotely, offering plenty of tips and strategies along the way.

Tips and advice on how to build the right brand voice for your social media channels.

PPE expert Kimberly Fulford of Proforma provides insights on what products are trending, which end-markets to target now, how clients’ PPE needs are evolving and more.

Emblems and patches are two of the most popular decoration products in our industry – and with current needs for this decoration method on the rise, it’s important to know why you should sell them and how to speak to current customer concerns. In this podcast, learn from Alison Zuccaro, Strategic Product Manager of STAHLS’, a leading decoration materials manufacturer as she breaks down everything you need to know. Listen now to learn what exactly all the different types of patches and emblems are, how they’re used and expert recommendations to exceed expectations on every order.

Distributor Joseph Sommer saw some of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand in his native New York City. But he’s found ways to adapt and keep business moving – something he shares here.

Businesses are reopening to a new reality, so there's no better time like the present to assess your current social media strategy and make changes. In this episode, Melissa Newman walks you through conducting a social media audit, and then speaks with Jeremy Picker, CEO and creative director of AMB3R Creative, on defining your company’s mission statement and how that influences quality content and branding on social media.

Be nice and tell the truth. Marty Lott attributes his nearly 50-year career and the massive growth of Top 40 supplier SanMar to those two kindergarten lessons. In this Promo Insiders episode, Lott reflects on growing SanMar from his parents’ basement and discusses how the company has endured the COVID-19 crisis.

In this Promo Insiders podcast, Jo-an Lantz, CEO/president of Top 40 distributor Geiger(asi/202900), discusses everything from how to lead effectively, to dealing with the impact of COVID-19, to ways forward for the promo industry, to why empathy, making mistakes and perseverance are essential to success.

Counselor's Michele Bell talks to Spencer Kramer, Chris Ferriter and Scott Latimer of Sobe Promos.

In June, Counselor asked the promotional products industry to share the most creative and interesting imprinted masks and other personal protective equipment they’ve worked on since the coronavirus pandemic started. The Decorated PPE Challenge had more than 50 entries, all of which were impressive in their own right. ASI writers and editors narrowed the field to 10 finalists, then opened the voting up to our readers, through an online poll. The winner, by a wide margin, was Toronto-based supplier Canada Sportswear (asi/43682). The company received more than 2,600 votes for the lighthearted masks it designed for a children’s ward of a Halifax hospital. In this episode of Promo Insiders, Theresa Hegel, executive editor of digital content, speaks with Michelle Wilson and Ron Brownstein of Canada Sportswear about how their winning entry came together and why PPE is here for the foreseeable future.