John Wray Endorses our Editorial Comment (June)

John Wray CAS is a board member of important industry association, Promota. He is also a hands-on distributor of promotional products in his role as joint MD of distributor Sunbase.

John has been in the promotions industry for almost 25 years and is passionate about the value promotional products can add to a campaign, if they are thoughtfully conceived and professionally sourced.

He contacted us to endorse the comments made in our editorial piece in June, which, in the light of the Primark debacle, encouraged buyers and promoters to thoroughly check their supply chain to avoid embarrassing revelations. Indeed, John is also involved in the PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) in the US, where several major brands have also been involved in embarrassing, and potentially damaging, publicity and recalls following revelations of the unsuitability of products for reasons of the presence of inappropriate components (lead) and the use of inadequate adhesives.

John advises, “There is immense pressure from professional buyers to drive down the price of promotional products. Whilst these buyers may hold an MA and be fully qualified in the buying process, they may not be experts in the promotions industry where, if you are not carefully and wholly diligent in your sourcing, what you specify is not necessarily what you get. It’s not unknown for factories and suppliers from the Far East to supply ‘certified’ goods that have not been certified by any recognised body and could therefore not only be potentially dangerous, but also damage the promoting brand.

“Unless you have a long and satisfactory history with a supplier, always undertake independent testing of products to ensure compliance to relevant legislation in the country of use. For instance, supplying drinking vessels to the state of California brings you under the auspices of ‘Proposition 65’ opening up a minefield of rules and regulations.

“What we should be looking at is moving away from a price culture; the real issue is product safety, working to good environmental standards and guarding the brand identity and values.

The PPAI produces a “Guide to Management Responsibility” which offers excellent advice and is now available on the PROMOTA website www.promota.co.uk

John Wray
john.wray@promotional-product.com

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