Nationwide Graphics Buys Premier Graphics
Houston-based Nationwide Graphics, the parent company of several promotional printing businesses, has acquired the assets of Premier Graphics, outbidding four other firms. Nationwide bought Premier, formerly known as Master Graphics, from New York-based GE Capitol. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We expect to take the [Premier Graphics] companies to the next level,” said Bill Cline, corporate marketing manager for Nationwide, in an interview yesterday with Counselor. “We’re expanding our business and we think we’ll increase sales in 2010. The companies we’ve purchased are very happy to be aboard.”

According to Cline, the deal was completed late last week after a relatively short period of bidding. The purchase gives Nationwide 14 locations throughout the country, with divisions like Dodd Communications (asi/181499) and Argus Press (asi/523501).  “We’re making the transition to more of a communications resource company,” said Cline. “We want to be a service bureau and an extension to a marketing department. We do e-mail campaigns, one-to-one marketing, direct mail campaigns and personalized URLs. About 90% of what we do is business-to-business.”

Video Report: Industry News Of The Week
Every week, Counselor PromoGram offers a video news report that highlights the industry’s top stories. Called Industry Update, each episode details the most important trends and news items impacting the ad specialty market.

In this episode, we discuss the impact of the health care bill on the industry, talk about a distributor acquisition, and reveal a supplier management change. Plus, how will new rules governing gift cards affect this market? Click here to check out the trends and to watch Counselor PromoGram’s Industry Update.

Fed Issues New Gift Card Rules
On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve issued new rules that restrict the fees and expiration dates that may apply to gift cards. The new guidelines, which go into effect on August 22, ban gift card issuers from charging dormancy, inactivity and service fees on any gift card within a year of purchase. Separately, the Federal Reserve’s new gift card rules mandate that card companies can only tack on one fee per month after the first year of a card’s lifetime, and these charges have to be clearly disclosed to purchasers and users.

“Concerns have been raised regarding the amount of fees associated with gift cards, the expiration dates of gift cards, and the adequacy of disclosures,” the Federal Reserve said in a statement. “Consumers who do not use the value of the card within a short period of time may be surprised to find that the card has expired or that service fees have reduced the value of the card.”

Under the new rules governing sales of gift cards, three conditions must be met before issuers can charge inactivity or service fees. Fees can be applied only if the consumer hasn’t used the card within a one-year period, if there’s no more than one fee charged per month and if consumers are made aware of such fees beforehand. “These new rules will curb the abusive fees and early expiration dates that can drain gift cards of their value before they are even used,” said Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY).

Last Chance: Take The State Of The Industry Survey
Counselor is currently polling professionals in the industry – both distributors and suppliers – to see how the market did in 2009 and to get impressions on where the industry is headed in 2010. We need your input. Please take some time to click the appropriate link below and complete the annual State of the Industry survey. Your responses will remain anonymous and you’ll be helping to create Counselor’s annual State of the Industry report.

Distributors click here to take the distributor State of the Industry survey.

Podcast: Live From The Virtual Trade Show
On Tuesday’s ASI Internet Radio Show, the hosts broadcast live from ASI’s Virtual Trade Show. We talked with attendees, visited exhibitor booths, and fully dove into the new medium for trade shows. Listen to this podcast to get a feel for the event.

Click here to listen to the first segment of Tuesday’s show.

If you’d like to check out a recording of the whole online radio show, go to www.asicentral.com/radio. And, don’t forget to join us next Tuesday, March 30, for our next broadcast. Log on to www.asicentral.com/radio at 10:30 am eastern time and give us a call at 215-953-4979 or e-mail us at radio@asicentral.com to participate on the show. We want to hear from you.

Vote Now For Best Ads Of 2009
The finalists have been chosen for the Advertising ASI Spirit Awards. Now, all we need is your input. Please click here to vote in the Best Ads categories for Counselor, Email Express, ESP Online, catalogs and Advantages, and for Best Innovative New Product. You can select up to three per category; limit of one ballot per person, please.

ASICentral: Top 10 Eco-Friendly Giveaways
What are some of the most popular – and conversation inducing – eco-friendly items in the ad specialty industry today? Would you believe a journal made out of elephant poo made the list?!

Find out in ASI’s first-ever Top-10 Eco-Friendly Giveaways, just in time for Earth Day on April 22.

Got questions, comments or any type of feedback regarding anything ASICentral, don't hesitate to contact us at feedback@asicentral.com. Also, follow ASICentral at: .

In The News
Fields Manufacturing (asi/54100) has added a link on its Facebook fan page to its entire “Fields of Opportunity” sales guide.

Geiger (asi/20290) has upgraded its media center, allowing its sales team to send video e-mails with thematic templates, easily upload videos to LogoMall Web sites, and create videos via Webcam or other cameras.

LMB Logowear (formerly asi/246809) is no longer in operation and has been de-listed from ASI.

Newton Manufacturing Company (asi/283300) has announced that 15 employees recently volunteered to take phone pledges at the annual Friends of Iowa Public Television’s on-air Festival.

Prime Line (asi/79530) has introduced a new shipping program called Prime Express. The company will now ship orders to locations west of the Mississippi River using the FedEx Express Saver (three-day) service, while only charging distributors the ground (four-to-five day) shipping rate.

People On The Move
Liqui-Mark Corp. (asi/67675) has hired Debbie Ford to work in the company’s customer service department.

Points of Light (asi/78825) has named Reagan Holm president of the company.

Victorinox Swiss Army (asi/93755) has promoted Mike Smith to vice president of sales for corporate markets.