PPB September 2018

feed back Send feedback on articles in PPB or opinions on industry issues to JamesK@ppai.org . The Straw That Broke The Commerce Camel’s Back In August, Starbucks joined the movement to stop providing plastic straws which, when discarded, can have devastating effects on the environment. Some industry companies are following suit, providing eco-friendly alternatives for their clients. I recently worked with a local restaurant to create a campaign aimed at reducing plastic-straw use, which I named “Sip, Sip, Hooray!” We created table tents with a clever message and fun graphics, and the restaurant reported a 30-35 percent reduction in the use of straws after just one month of implementing this campaign. Given more time, they hope to see a larger reduction, at which time we’ll incorporate 100 percent compostable paper straws into the campaign. CAROL WEATHERSBEE Creative Companion TC BEE, Inc. PPAI 666528 8 | SEPTEMBER 2018 | Taking Company Culture Public PPB Newslink in July reported on a consumer research study from TrendWatching that revealed how companies’ internal cultures and external, public-facing brands are becoming one and the same. As an example, coworking firmWeWork announced in July it was no longer expensing meals that contain meat, or serving onsite meals with meat, on environmental and ethics grounds. The study further noted that consumers are seeking to engage with companies and brands that build better internal cultures. Thanks for bringing this to the attention of distributors. Several years ago we had the opportunity to create an internal culture change program and provide training; yes, an odd request for a “swag” guy. But we built a program that included leadership training and supported it with an initiative named ROW IT: Navigating the Ceaseless River of Change. From there, we were contacted by another corporate client and subsequently created a program to address cultural issues related to lack of accountability and collaboration in the workforce. Not only did we build a communication campaign with custom content, we integrated a ton of promotional products used as symbols for key concepts in each of the programs. We continue to work with internal groups developing these programs and using key symbols, in the form of branded merchandise, and connect it to the content. As a result, we have developed the foundation for several themed internal communication programs that can be adjusted to most key cultural core values, or lack thereof. This is an excellent opportunity for the right kind of promotional product company to engage its current customers and new customers as a differentiation point. Purpose-driven internal/external brand cultures are always a core foundation of brand development. They also can be a strong intrinsic motivator for employee performance. The challenge is to understand the internal brand as well as you understand the external brand. Happy, engaged and motivated employees equal happy, engaged and motivated customers. DON MICHALIK Owner Ad Ventures In Texas, Inc./ dba On Brand Promotions PPAI 101263 In Praise Of Going Above And Beyond PPAI Business Development Director Ellen Tucker visitedmember supplier Vault Promotions inHenderson, Tennessee, in July to learn about the company’s operations and visit with owner Josh Robbins. Vault’s distributor clients took note and shared their praises of the company. Vault Promotions is wonderful to work with and their service is exceptional. It’s a great place to get a badge program because it’s so easy, and really the only way to make a profit on name badges. Josh is great to work with and we always love seeing what his email signature is going to say. PATTI MALONEY Sales Support And Customer Service Team Lead Professional Systems USA, Inc. PPAI 284888 Because we are on the West Coast, it can be difficult working with East Coast suppliers due to the time zones and shipping cost. We have been working with Josh since he was with his previous company. He always responds to requests late in the evening (does he ever stop working?), and he jumps through hoops to deliver for us—even for those wild rushes. And, he is willing to come up with solutions for those “strange and weird” projects we give him. STEPHANIE RHOADS-BICKHAM Senior Account Manager Proforma Marketing Agency PPAI 279908