Good News … and Christmas is Coming

There’s plenty of hype in the national media about the fact that England won the Ashes. Apparently, this is supposed to fill us with a ‘feel good factor’. Not being a cricket fan, I’m not enthused, but I’m happy for you if it floats your boat. Besides, I don’t think there’s much opportunity for the promotions industry to produce promotional merchandise saying ‘We won the Ashes … last week’!

(And while we are on the subject of cricket, why do my programmes have to disappear from Radio 4 to be replaced by endless cricket commentary? I’m told I can find my regular programmes by retuning-but why should I have to? And how do you do it?) Someone please note, not everyone wants to listen to cricket commentary, especially when the covers come on and the commentators have to drone on about what they see in the crowd. B-o-r-i-n-g.)

But enough of cricket. What does enthuse me is that various companies in the industry have some very positive news: for instance BrandInc reports 15% increase in annual sales, Simply Crackers has invested in new machinery and VCG and Key Fobs Galore have recruited new staff. Now that’s all good news for the industry.

The other thing that’s evident in this month’s news is that Christmas is coming, which is usually good news in terms of business in the promotions industry. Sweet Temptations is moving with the times and has launched a holiday countdown calendar (alongside its traditional range of Advent calendars) and Newell Corporate Gifts and Promotional Products has launched its corporate gift range of fabulous pens for Christmas 2009.

We’ll have more about promotional Christmas gifts in our October feature, but next month’s feature is executive toys, so send me your news and views if you are a supplier, or send me your wish list for promotional Christmas gifts if you are a buyer looking for something different.

Well, the bank holiday beckons, so I’m off to relax, read a book … and hopefully listen to the radio!

Carole Bull

Editor

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