ASI® Announces Finalists in “Distributors’ Extreme Makeover” Contest

TREVOSE, PA – July 14, 2005 – Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI ®), the largest media organization serving the $16.9 billion promotional products industry, announced today it has selected the three finalists for its “Distributors’ Extreme Makeover” contest: The Brand Company, of Schulenburg, Texas; MW Images, based in Edwardsburg, Michigan; and Weekend Warrior Promotions, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The three distributor firms will receive complete business makeovers, with the opportunity to compete head-to-head with each other for one year.  At the end of that period, the company which has grown its business the greatest, based upon revenue growth and profitability, wins five years worth of ASI marketing and research products and services. 

The finalists were selected from nearly 1,000 applicants and represent the traditional, home-based, promotional products entrepreneur.  The Brand Company (asi/145018) is owned by Becky Allan, a self-proprietor; MW Images (asi/234692) is managed by the brother and sister team of Jennifer Webb and Ron Marvel; and Weekend Warrior Promotions (asi/356446) is owned by Maura Sevier-Burgess and operated with assistance from her husband, Ed. 

“Congratulations to these three companies on being selected as contest finalists,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president of ASI.  “We’re glad we can provide this exciting opportunity for these businesses to expand their capabilities and grow revenues by rethinking business strategies, improving operations and implementing new marketing ideas.” 

Each business owner will be learning new ways to increase productivity, to stretch the boundaries of its current marketing efforts and to rethink how it does business in today’s competitive climate, by using a complete suite of ASI products and services for free, including:  ESP® Online, the industry’s leading marketing and research tool, with access to 700,000 promotional products from 3,000 suppliers; LogoMall®, a customizable Website featuring over 300,000 products for sale; ASItransact, the efficient electronic order management system; and a supply of redesigned ASI catalogs.

David Blaise, promotional products industry sales and marketing expert and co-owner of Blaise Drake & Company, will also be spending one-on-one time with each company throughout the year to help managers develop a strategic marketing plan.  Blaise is the author of the industry success system, Top Secrets of Multi-Million Dollar Producers and co-author of the book, The Power of Promotional Products.   

“Response to this promotion has been incredible,” said Blaise.  “I look forward to working with each of the finalists to integrate ASI’s best-in-class resources with  Top Secrets success training.  It’s an unbeatable combination for unleashing growth potential.” 

In addition, Edwards Garment Company (asi/51752), one of the industry’s leading providers of business apparel, will be providing each firm with a $1,000 credit toward a comprehensive and updated business wardrobe, to insure the distributors are looking their best on calls.

Larry MacDonald, vice president of sales for Edwards Garment Company, said:  “We are pleased to learn about the companies selected and to know that we can offer each of them options for a new wardrobe.  It will be rewarding to contribute to their success.” 

All North American ASI distributor member firms qualified to enter the contest and all entrants received a 30-day trial of ESP Online, a copy of the audio training program Inside the Mind of a Promotional Products Client , as well as an invitation to an online business-building seminar.

For more information about the contest, visit www.dev-asicentral.com/makeover.  To learn more about the expertise of David Blaise, click on www.topsecretswebsite.com.  For more about Edwards Garment Company, visit www.edwardsgarment.com.

About ASI
Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media organization serving the promotional products industry, with a membership of 21,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of promotional products.  Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to more than 18,000 ASI distributor firms.  Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain more than 700,000 promotional products, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers.  ASI provides catalogs, informational directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers interactive e-commerce, marketing and selling tools. Visit www.dev-asicentral.com.