Being a Responsible Consultant

I have spent the last few hours reading an industry magazine supplement on responsibility. Subtitled "The Comprehensive Guide to Maintaining the Highest Safety, Environmental & Social Standards for the Promotional Products Industry". Believe me, it's given me a lot to think about.

When I started working in this industry, I was a bit ahead of the curve. I have always be "Eco Conscious". So when their was a big push about 3 or 4 years ago to start making the industry a bit more "Green", I was already well on that path. In fact, since my very first consultation, I have been trying to make my clients more aware of their choices and how it would impact the environment in relation to their marketing goals.

Some of the things I would have them consider when ordering an item were; What was it made of? How long would it stay in use? Was it recyclable? Was it biodegradable?, etc.

That in itself was a lot to think about. But now, there are so many other areas to be aware of. Certainly, as of late, whether a product is made in the USA or not has been more of a concern. Naturally promoting your own company with USA made goods in better for the overall economy. However there are other reasons to consider where something is made. Product safety concerns is a big reason. Fair wage and working conditions. Lot-to-lot quality is something that recently was brought to my attention. Did you know that some suppliers will pay extra to make sure that there is consistency in the quality of material used in the manufacturing of their goods? I didn't until a couple of weeks ago.

Besides the actually manufacturing of a product, it's important to look at the printing, packaging and shipping methods used. What kind of inks are being used? How does the supplier handle waste issues? Does the supplier use recycled packaging? Where is the supplier located in relation to where the product is being shipped?

Lastly, what does the supplier do to "give back"? Some suppliers give a percent of sales of pink products to breast cancer foundations. Others have organized community outreach events. And some will donate products to charity events and fundraisers.

Does your promotional products consultant council you in these areas? Maybe until the industry as a whole comes around, some of the responsibility should be on the client. So next time you place an order for water bottles or t-shirts you ask your consultant a couple of questions other than, "How much will this cost?"

Back to school promo

Office Depot Packs it In for School Kids

For 2,250 kids in the Indianapolis area who love NASCAR, July 24 is likely not to be a day they will forget any time soon. They will store it in their memory banks as the day Carl Edwards gave them a free Office Depot backpack.

As part of the office supply giant’s “2008 National Backpack Program,” the driver of the No. 99 Office Depot Ford in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series traveled to various cities to hand out free backpacks. Inside the logoed school bag, students received a pencil pouch containing a ruler, four crayons, glue stick, pencil sharpener and eraser. Students were able to choose from five colors including pink.

“By placing backpacks containing essential school supplies into the hands of children, we are giving them important tools they need to start school with confidence and to succeed throughout the year,” says Mindy Kramer, director of public relations at Office Depot.

The Office Depot Foundation is donating 300,000 backpacks this year to an array of non-profit organizations and schools. The chain kicked off the program in 2001. Since its inception, it has given out 1.8 million free backpacks.

In Indianapolis, kids from the Urban League, Educational Choice Charitable Trust, The United Way, Drug Free Marion County and a number of other organizations were treated to a bag and a lifelong memory of who gave it to them.

Edwards is an old hat at handing out school supplies, as the NASCAR star was formerly a substitute schoolteacher in his hometown of Columbia, MO.