PromoKitchen

  Mark Graham recently stumbled across a great blog post written by the owner of a South African ad agency. His name was Mike Stopforth. He loved the post so much that he tracked him down in Johannesburg for an interview. Mike is the CEO of Cerebra, an ad agency based on South Africa and one of the most of original and creative minds in the business. Cerebra  specializes in social media and social business consulting, education, and implementation for corporate brands. In 2013 WPP acquired a majority stake in the company. In 2014, Mike published #BrandSchizo – a business book designed to help brands navigate the opportunities and challenges of the social era of business. When he’s not working, Mike is golfing, drumming, fishing, running, cycling, swimming or spending time with family and friends. Take 42 minutes and 2 seconds of your day to join chefs Mark Graham and Larry Cohen in a brilliant conversation about differentiation, shifting focus from acquisition to retention, and a whole lot more.

In this episode of the PromoKitchen Podcast, Chefs Mark Graham and Dale Denham bring you up to the present as we speak to Norman Cohn, Chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) about how both ASI and the industry look in 2015. In June 2012, the Wall Street Journal described Norman as the “Sultan of Swag.” It was a breakthrough piece written by one of the country’s most prominent media outlets and it shone a bright light on our industry. However, Norman is much more than just the sultan of swag, some might say he’s the architect of the modern promotional products industry. Norman was born Iowa in 1933 and had his first encounter with promotional products in high school. Then in 1962, Norman convinced his family to sell off their supplier interests and acquire ASI, at the time, a small trade association. Over the next 6 decades, ASI grew into a powerhouse with media, technology, trade shows and education as part of its product mix.  ASI now touches over 25,000 distributors and suppliers and wields enormous influence over how the industry operates today. How ASI grew to where it is today is an incredible story of perseverance and entrepreneurship and one that we are privileged to bring you. Click, listen, and comment. Without further ado - enjoy!

                    In this episode of the PromoKitchen Podcast, Chefs Mark Graham and Dale Denham speak with one of the most influential and dynamic people in our industry, Norman Cohn. Norman is the Chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute, most commonly known as ASI. In June 2012, the Wall Street Journal described Norman as the “Sultan of Swag.” It was a breakthrough piece written by one of the country’s most prominent media outlets and it shone a bright light on our industry. However, Norman is much more than just the sultan of swag, some might say he’s the architect of the modern promotional products industry. Norman was born Iowa in 1933 and had his first encounter with promotional products in high school. Then in 1962, Norman convinced his family to sell off their supplier interests and acquire ASI, at the time, a small trade association. Over the next 6 decades, ASI grew into a powerhouse with media, technology, trade shows and education as part of its product mix.  ASI now touches over 25,000 distributors and suppliers and wields enormous influence over how the industry operates today. How ASI grew to where it is today is an incredible story of perseverance and entrepreneurship and one that we are privileged to bring you. Click, listen, and comment. Without further ado - enjoy!

In today’s episode, PromoKitchen chefs Mark Graham and Dale Denham are going to take a deep dive into what it takes to deliver “ultimate customer experiences”.  In today’s competitive landscape, customer experience is often the key differentiator that separates one company from the next. We know this to be especially true in the promotional products industry where commoditization and price shopping run rampant. The winners in this industry have long recognized that it’s the intangibles beyond price and product that create enduring and successful companies. So what does it mean to create the “ultimate customer experience?” Our guest today is the man who coined this very term. Please welcome to the PK Podcast, Scott McKain. Scott is the founder of The Distinction Institute, a company that explores the role of ultimate customer experiences in creating enhanced client retention and revenue. He is the author of three Amazon.com #1 business bestsellers, all focused on teaching companies how to expand profits, increase sales, and engage customers. Scott’s latest book,  7 Tenets of Taxi Terry, provides the specific steps for every employee to create and deliver ultimate customer experiences. Without further adieu, PromoKitchen Podcast #79 . . . Run Time: 34 mins 57 secs

In this episode of the PromoKitchen Podcast, PK Chefs Mark Graham of CommonSku and Robert Fiveash of Brand Fuel Promotions chat with Jim Martin of Kolder Incorporated. Kolder is the parent company of industry icon Numo Manufacturing. Jim talks to us about what it takes to create a much loved supplier brand, how to compete with a Made in USA product line, and how he’s been able to move beyond Koozies and into a diverse collection of unique and innovative products.

                          The PromoKitchen Podcast was honored to once again welcome Seth Godin as our guest. During this podcast Seth spoke to us about his new book, "What to do When it's Your Turn", avoiding the race to the bottom, the importance of community building and a whole lot more.  The full transcript is listed below. The PK Podcast is a conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!   Transcript: Mark Graham: Hello everyone, welcome to the PromoKitchen Podcast. We are a community inspired conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing insides into the 20 billion dollar promotional products industry. This podcast has been generously supported by SanMar and PPAI. As PromoKitchen is a non-profit entity, friends like this help us keep PromoKitchen on the air and online. Thank you so very much for your friendship and support. My name is Mark Graham, co-founder of commonsku and I’m joined by my friend and fellow chef Kirby Hasseman, President of Hasseman Marketing. In today's special episode of the podcast, we welcome Seth Godin back to the program. For the uninitiated, Seth is the author of 17 bestsellers, each of which are extraordinary gifts for sales and marketing professionals. He’s an entrepreneur, speaker and masterful community builder. He writes about treating people with respect, the changing economy and ideas that spread. In 2012, Seth joined us for a fascinating conversation about what it means to be remarkable in business, and specifically in the promotional products industry. We spent time exploring the themes presented in his many books and daily blog. Fast forward 3 years, Seth joins us again to talk about some of the themes presented in his new book, "What to do When it's Your Turn". Beautifully written and artfully presented, Seth compels people to take action over their lives and careers. It's an inspiring kick in the pants for anyone who has ever dreamed of accomplishing a big goal, but has struggled to take the first step. Seth, it is such an honor to be speaking with you again today. Welcome.         Seth Godin: Well, I consider it a privilege, it’s really a treat and the fact there’s three of us this time makes it even more fun. Mark: Seth, why did you decide to write this book and why now? Seth: You know, most people aren’t in a position where they can write a book when they want to write a book. Well, everyone can write one, but to publish one, and I long ago stopped thinking to myself “Oh it’s time for me to write a book, what should I write?” It’s such a journey and effort to bring a book to the world and I’d only write one if I have to, if the idea won’t let me go, not because it's time. And, a few years ago I was pretty much done writing books, mostly because most people don't want to read books, they’d rather read a blog post. I don't need to chop down trees, I'm happy to make change anyway that I can. In this case though, I discovered this format printed in Vancouver that really felt like a book that people who don't like books would want to hold and browse and read and think about, and no one had ever turned it into a book. That’s not enough reason to write a book but it opened a door for me thinking about what artifact I could create that someone would want to share. Because, when people share it with those they work with, their clients,

In today’s episode, Chefs Mark Graham of CommonSku and Danny Rosin of Brand Fuel, are going to explore the new and exciting world of 3D Printing. 3D technology has been getting a lot of play in the media these days, but many of us in the promotional products industry are waiting for 3D tech to make an impact within our professional day to day lives. Presently, 3D printing represents an intriguing, yet very small niche. However, this is poised to change. Suppliers are increasingly using 3D printing to create inexpensive prototypes and marketplaces are being setup to sell 3D printed goods to end customers. Immersed in this vibrant world, we find today’s guest, Kevin Maloney. Kevin Maloney is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of ZVerse, a 3D printing platform devoted to “Making the World's Content 3D Printable”. Kevin is chiefly responsible for developing  relationships with many of Zverse’s key partners and customers. He’s a sales rock star as he has presided over the company’s rapid growth trajectory over the past 2 years. Prior to ZVerse, Kevin was a sales executive with Fortune 500 medical device manufacturer, Boston Scientific. And prior to this role, Kevin was the first sales representative hired at a startup called Fine Line Technologies.   Welcome to the PromoKitchen Podcast, Kevin Maloney.

Every February a team of marketing and design geeks descend upon Raleigh for the annual High Five Conference. At this year's event, no one was geekier than today’s guest. This someone dazzled the High Five audience with stories about how he became a one man graphic design branding machine and how local advertising campaigns were manhandled under the ruse of his newly formed, and gigantically reckless, Draplin Design Co. In today’s episode, PK Chefs Mark Graham of commonsku, Danny Rosin of Brand Fuel, and Tee Hamilton of CreativeAlchemy, speak with the one and only - Aaron James Draplin, who is also the founder of Field Notes. Listen in as they talk about art, graphic design and zigging while others are zagging. *Just a quick note to listeners of this particular episode: If you are sensitive to the use of strong language you should be advised that this podcast was left unbleeped and uncensored to maintain the authenticity and (as our resident Canadian Mark Graham would say...) flavour of the interview.   If you choose not to listen, we understand. Alternate (and completely unrelated to anything) entertainment can be found here.

During the PPAI Expo, PromoKitchen recorded a special podcast. This podcast features two of the most successful leaders in the industry, SanMar’s Marty Lott and Geiger’s Jo-an Lantz, MAS. PromoKitchen Chefs Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew sat down with Marty and Jo-an and entered into conversation about more than just profits and progress.  The discussion dove far beyond the top line or the bottom line, getting to the heart what really matters: life, values, and finding meaning in a fast-paced, always-on, high-risk world.  Listen and comment. Join the conversation!

In today’s episode we are going to look at the aging state of the promotional products industry as it pertains to our workforce. While age translates into experience and stability, we also need to position our industry as attractive to the younger generations. Other industries like media, advertising, and technology are great examples of sectors that have done a good job of attracting younger people into their ranks. There is no question that the success and health of our industry is directly related to our ability to recruit young talent. Join PromoKitchen Chefs Mark Graham of CommonSku and Jessica Hutwelker of Sunrise Identity in a conversation with 28 year old Seth Barnett, Government Relations Manager for PPAI. Part of his job description is to think about how to make our industry attractive to the next generation.

On Tuesday, the PromoKitchen Podcast was honored to welcome Seth Godin as our guest during a special, live recording. For those that might not know, Seth Godin doesn't just grant an interview with anyone, Seth was impressed with the community based, tr...

Denise Taschereau with Fairware visits with us to discuss their unique and idiosyncratic brand that focuses on environmental and socially responsible business practices, distinctive (as a singular focus) in the 17 billion dollar promotional products industry. Among many topics discussed in this episode, Denise provides us with information we need to be more socially and environmentally focused, highlighting the critically important "mud, morals, and management" aspect of promotional product solutions. The PK Podcast is a weekly conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!

Tim Andrews with the Advertising Specialty Institute sits down with us in Naples, FL at the ASI Power Summit to discuss the editorial business, content marketing, important inefficiencies in the industry and an outlook into where our industry is heading. Articles discussed in this podcast include the new 2012 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study and Content is the New Cold Call. The PK Podcast is a weekly conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!

Dave Regan with the Vernon Company joins us in this episode to discuss how a one-hundred and ten year old brand is navigating, surviving and thriving in a business climate filled with radical change. Dave's leadership and experience puts him in an excellent position to advise us on what it takes to make it in this industry, tune in for the top four qualifications every successful rep must have and more. The PK Podcast is a weekly conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!

Jamie Mair with SwervePoint joins us in this episode to discuss the very difficult work of developing a unique, successful distributorship in an age of commoditization. Leading by example, Jamie helps us understand our part in our clients' worlds and helps us appreciate the distinction promotional branding makes in our markets. Jamie's advice for new and experienced distributors is richly practical and strategic. The PK Podcast is a weekly conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!