The Petrie Dish

Every week there are articles published that are of interest to promotional products industry professionals across the land. To save you time, I have culled the internet for the ones you should read and the ones you should skip.

Yes, You’re Tired of Hearing About Pokemon Go. But here are 5 Things to Learn from its Success – “Must Read” Article of the Week

As a parent of 13-year-old twin boys, I would argue that there is no one more exhausted by Pokemon Go than me. Even so, the success of the augmented reality app is not only impressive, but it also provides foreshadowing for the future of marketing. This article deftly talks about the emotional connection to the end-user as well as the social element that is 100% consumer focused. The article ends with five elements of true engagement and how to incorporate them into storytelling advertising. I can’t recommend this story highly enough.

Why Slashing Prices Also Cuts Up Your Brand

Few things irritate me more than when salespeople cut their prices at the first sign of an objection. This article succinctly crystalizes that perspective into words and shares three key steps to keep your margins manageable while ensuring clients pay you what your worth. My favorite line: “people don’t see discounts as discounts – they see sale prices as the true market value.”

Charlie Not Deterred by Post-Brexit Sales Slump

This is a fascinating article about how the Brexit vote has trigged an enormous slump in sales for a British promotional products distributor. And by enormous I mean that weekly sales fell from £40,000 to under £1,000 in less than a month. Even so, the owner of Parkers Promotional Products, Charlie Parker, remains optimistic. Well worth the 6 minute read, it is a case study in how to stay strong in the face of adversity.

RNC Day 1: Commerce Over Politics at the T-Shirt Table

Written by a British author, this is a fantastic narrative about the role branded merchandise plays in politics. While it wouldn’t surprise anyone in the promotional products industry, the author seems a little taken aback that the t-shirt vendors are equal opportunity sellers of product: Trump, Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, Clinton, etc. Now we only need to wait until one of the candidates gets elected so they can do a complete reversal on the value of promotional products.

Justin Bieber’s Tour Merch Now Includes $195 Marilyn Manson T-Shirts – “Don’t Waste Your Time Reading” Article of the Week

Candidly, I don’t even know where to begin here: the fact that the back of the shirt says “Bigger Than Satan. Bieber,” the obscene price, or that I’ve stooped to adding an article about the Cocky Canadian Crooner. There really isn’t any reason to read this as the title gives you all you need to know, other than the fact that Bieber is also selling $325 sweatpants, an $840 kilt, and a $1,675 bomber jacket. If you own any of these items, we can no longer be friends.