vol 2 / April 22, 2011
News | In The News | People On The Move | Show News
MESSAGE FROM MICHELE Text only
Welcome to the second installment of ASI's newest e-newsletter, Promogram Canada.

We were happy to get such positive feedback from readers of the first edition, and plan to continue culling together industry news that affects ad specialty suppliers and distributors in the Canadian marketplace.

Please don't hesitate to e-mail me directly with any news pertaining to your company, such as mergers and acquisitions, new hires, awards and accolades received, creative client promotions or new product launches. You can reach me directly at (215) 953-3323 or mbell@asicentral.com.


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NEWS Trimark Sportswear Sells...
Royal Wedding is Promo Products...
Obituary: Wilson Dunn...
Profile of Genumark's CEO

Trimark Sportswear Sells to Polyconcept North America
Counselor Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America (PCNA) has acquired Trimark Sportswear Group (asi/92122), an apparel supplier based in Ontario, Canada. While financial details of the transaction weren't released, PCNA said it purchased a controlling interest in Trimark from Weston Presidio, a private equity investor. For PCNA, which is the parent company of Bullet (asi/42424), JournalBooks (asi/91340) and Leed's (asi/66887), this deal marks its first move into the promotional apparel category.

"Apparel was a natural next step for PCNA," said David Nicholson, president of PCNA, in an exclusive interview with Counselor. "We have significant experience in the category via our European division (PF Concept) and it is the largest category here in North America." Yann Leca, CEO of Polyconcept Supplier Group, said: "We could not have imagined a better way to enter North America's largest category, which we already lead in Europe with PF Concept. Trimark has proven category expertise and a strong market reputation. We will now have the opportunity to tap into each other's sourcing and product development capabilities, which will enrich both companies' offerings."

Nicholson confirmed that Trimark, which currently has 100 employees in its Richmond Hill, Ontario facility, will continue to operate as a separate entity with no change in its management or sales teams. Trimark's Chief Executive Officer, Derrick Milne, and President/Chief Operating Officer, Will Andrew, will continue to lead the organization and will serve on PCNA's management committee. Additionally, the Milne family and Andrew have increased their investment in the company as part of the transaction. All distributor programs, policies and terms will remain in place and there will be no change to Trimark's daily operations.

Milne told Counselor that Trimark and PCNA had actually first talked about a deal four years ago, and recently began talks again. "There is a great fit between our companies," said Milne. "The leadership position that Leed's in particular has enjoyed in the U.S. market is similar to the leadership position that we have in Canada on the apparel side. We will only strengthen relationships with our distributors by sharing information, best practices, purchasing power and decorating expertise with Polyconcept."

PCNA, which reported $320.1 million in 2010 North American ad specialty sales, ranked as the fourth-largest supplier on Counselor's Top 40 list last year. Trimark last appeared on the Counselor Top 40 in 2004, at which point it sold River's End Trading Company and focused its sales efforts entirely on the Canadian market.

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Royal Wedding Is Promo Product Bonanza
The wedding of England's Prince William and Catherine Middleton, taking place on April 29, has become almost impossible to miss in London, and one of the main reasons is the huge number of souvenirs and promotional products that fill shops on nearly every highly trafficked block. While austerity and budget cuts have become the norm in England, the wedding has given tourists a timely reason to visit and locals a reason to spend. The moment the engagement of the two was announced, manufacturers began churning out mugs, plates and commemorative pens. Neil Saunders, consulting director of retail researchers Verdict, predicted to The Telegraph that the sale of royal wedding merchandise could top £26 million [$42.5 million].

Walking through the streets of London, visitors come across everything from William & Catherine compacts, commemorative tea tins, ashtrays and shot glasses to pens, cookie tins, book marks, reusable bags, car flags, and yes, condoms. Click here to see a gallery of images showing Royal Wedding promotional products.

Some promotions offer a more irreverent take on the event, such as a commemorative plate reading "Thanks for the free day off," a "Keep Calm and Marry On" poster, and "Kiss Me Kate" beer. While many of these sales are through retail channels, suppliers and distributors have found a number of other opportunities to capitalize on an event of such national and international interest. "A lot of our supplier members have seized this opportunity and are working with distributors to offer a huge variety of products suitable for all occasions," said Annette Scott, CEO of PROMOTA, a trade association for the ad specialty industry in the UK. "Products such as flags, pens, hats, mugs and badges are the perfect giveaways at community parties or business events."

James Biggin, co-owner of Yorkshire-based Steel City Marketing has seen quite a bit of interest, with clients buying up branded paper crowns, handflags and decorated bunting to incorporate into events they are hosting to correspond with the celebration. But while the prices for William and Kate merchandise can run as high as $3,000 for an 18k white gold replica of Kate's engagement ring, Biggin has primarily seen interest in less-expensive offerings. "It's been bits and bobs really, the very low-end price range stuff," he said. "Clients want to focus on things that they can give away to kids at their events."

Whatever the price point, distributors must adhere to branding guidelines that limit what can appear on the souvenirs, such as they must only use approved images of the royal couple and the official Coat of Arms. Perhaps the biggest restriction for distributors is that merchandise using royal photographs or insignia must be "free from any form of advertisement." To comply with this for clients that want to include their logo on products, distributors can use generic wedding and British imagery. For a client buying handflags for a royal wedding event, Biggin used a Union Jack flag with a central space for the client's logo.

Which royal wedding promo product is your favorite? Check out our online gallery and vote now in our poll.

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Profile of Genumark's CEO, Mark Freed
Genumark Promotional Merchandise (asi/204588) is a Top 40 Distributor, has been voted one of Counselor magazine's Best Places to Work, and was recently named PPPC's Canadian National Distributor of the Year. Want an extra accomplishment for this Toronto-based company? It's involved in more than 30 charity organizations annually.

CEO Mark Freed has learned over the years that community involvement is directly linked with business success. "Cause marketing is a business platform that we have and advertising specialties play a very prominent role in that," Freed says. "So it's good for business, but more importantly, it really gives you an opportunity to give back."

Click here to read the full profile: www.asicentral.com/images/blogs/people.pdf

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Obituary: Wilson Dunn, Founder of Wilson Dunn Promotions
Wilson Dunn, founder of Ontario, Canada-based Wilson Dunn Promotions Ltd. (asi/361166), died on March 28. He was 85.

Well-respected throughout the industry, Dunn founded his company in 1968 following several years as a marketing executive with BP in the United Kingdom, then with Texaco and General Motors in Canada. Beyond his career accomplishments, Dunn also served in the Royal Air Force from 1943-1946 as a flying officer.

Dunn is survived by his wife Athena, son Chris, and granddaughter Ashlea. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada in Dunn's name.

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IN THE NEWS  

Starline Celebrates 40 Years as a PPPC Member
Counselor Top 40 supplier Starline (asi/89213) is celebrating 40 years as a member of the Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC), with representatives from the company receiving a pin and plaque from the organization to commemorate its membership. "We are proud to have been able to provide our distributors over the past 40 years with many innovative and quality products," said Cindy Soles, the company's vice president of sales. "Starline is proud that over the years we have been able to grow and expand our line from 40 products to over 800 products in seven industry categories."

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Kanata Blanket Company (asi/63723) has hired Kimberly Hachey as the newest addition to its sales team. Based in the company's Ontario office, Hachey will be responsible for overseeing and managing Kanata's accounts across Ontario, alongside Stephanie Lancaster.

With over 12 years of industry experience in sales and customer service and having worked on the distributor side of the ad specialty industry, Hachey is looking forward to working with Kanata's customers and utilizing her knowledge to attend to their specific needs. To contact Kimberly Hachey, e-mail: Kim@kanatablanket.com.

Andrew Philips/Millennium Leather LLC (asi/36205) has hired Infinity Sales Group Ltd., based in Mississauga, Ontario, to provide independent sales representation throughout Canada. Darren Storr, founder of Infinity Sales Group, has been the company's lead sales executive since its inception in 1997; Trevor Farion is its account executive.

"Infinity Sales Group, more than any other agency, was highly recommended by our top customers in Canada, and we are excited to work with them," said Philip Kahan, CEO of Andrew Philips/Millennium Leather LLC. "They have strong relationships with most, if not all, of the key distributors in Ontario. Most of these distributors are already familiar with Andrew Philips, and we are confident Darren and Trevor will take us to the next level."

Donna Kahan, the company's COO, says she believes the Andrew Philips brand fits nicely with Infinity's other lines, which include Adidas/TaylorMade. "Infinity's roster of strong brands not only opens doors with distributors, but also gets end-buyers excited," she says. "This was another factor that made them attractive to us."

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SHOW NEWS

The Advantages Roadshow is Coming to Canada!
Top suppliers are on their way. Don't miss the industry's #1 travelling show, the Advantages Roadshow, when it visits Western Canada, May 9-13. Featuring exhibits from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and free education from 8:45 a.m.-10 a.m. and 2 p.m.-3 p.m., all distributors are invited to attend for free.

  • Spend quality time with the industry's top suppliers.
  • Find hundreds of new, money-making products.
  • Network with other ad specialty professionals.
  • Earn points toward your ASI Certification by attending free education.
  • Enjoy the convenience of staying close to home.

For more information, visit www.advantagesroadshow.com. Pre-registration is not required. You may register onsite at the show.

Plus, don't miss the brand-new ASI Holiday Preview Tour visiting greater Toronto September 27! Featuring a full-day program, you'll enjoy free access to exhibits, education, a fun networking reception and a Keynote by Canadian Marketing Guru Ron Buist. Visit www.holidaypreviewtour.com for details.

Future ASI Shows:
ASI San Diego • May 18-20, 2011 • San Diego Convention Center
ASI Chicago • July 19-21, 2011 • McCormick Place
Visit www.asishow.com for details.


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