The Petrie Dish

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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.

The Seedy Underbelly – “Must Read” Article of the Week

For those of you who don’t read Marshall Atkinson’s blog which is delivered every Saturday morning, you are missing out. (Full disclosure: Marshall is a PromoKitchen chef as am I). This edition from October 1st, is a prime example of his phenomenal where he discusses the temptation of stealing intellectual property. This article is both in depth and spot on and really is a must read for anyone in the promotional products industry who has had a client ask to skirt the lines when it comes to copyright infringement.

This Might Be the Most Inappropriate Shirt Ever Sold on Walmart’s Website

Walmart has a checkered history with apparel dating back to Kathie Lee Gifford and the child labor used to produce her appalling garments. In this latest episode, the Walmart website featured a gaggle of questionable shirts made by Hollywood Thread with one particular garment leading the charge: a t shirt that reads, “I’d Rather Be Snorting Cocaine Off Of A Hookers Ass.” While Walmart had the predictable response of “we will take it down immediately,” one would like to believe that they have better mechanisms in place to prevent this from happening in the first place.

American Airline’s New Uniforms Cause Hives and Headaches for Some Workers

Just about every distributor I know has lustily sought after a uniform program. The margin, the reorders, the length of the program, the hives. Wait, what?!?! That’s right, after 30 years, American Airlines rolled out new uniforms that flight attendants suggest are giving them hives, rashes, and headaches. As you can imagine, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) is “deeply distressed” about the situation and are even suggesting the uniforms are “potentially toxic.” Being a customer of American Airlines, I have seen the uniforms in action and while I can’t speak to the hive-inducing ability of the material, I will say they are some of the least stylish uniforms I’ve seen in a long time. The APFA has sent pieces of the new to be tested which I’m sure is causing the vendor a few heart palpitations.

How Your Business Can Start Using Instagram Stories

As most people know, Instagram is the fastest growing social network. Even so, many people (including this author) struggle with how to harness that power to help grow a business. This is a fantastic, to the point article giving 18 creative uses of Instagram Stories with many tips for the user as well. From NASA to Gary Vaynerchuk and from Huffington Post to GoPro, this article – and the examples contained within – will give the reader much to try with Instagram Stories.

Presidential Candidates Escalate Promo Spending – “Don’t Waste Your Time Reading” Article of the Week

Seriously, who cares?!?! For the first time in my memory we have candidates that no one really seems to like and we are burning calories wondering how much cash each one of these dimwits is spending on promo! Is it interesting? Only to those of us in the promotional products industry. For the record, and so you don’t have to read the article, through the end of August, Mr. Trump has spent $11.5M on merchandise while his opponent, Mrs. Clinton, has spent $2.4M. Now, let’s focus on how this election is making the United States the laughing stock of the entire world.