As Sam Cooke once sang, “a change is gonna come.”

That was certainly a theme that ran through our top Promo Insiders podcast episodes this year – starting off with a candid conversation with promo industry veteran Jeff Lederer on his mission to revitalize Top 40 distributor Myron (asi/278980), followed by a discussion with Frank Carpenito, the new CEO of Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070), about challenges and opportunities within the industry. This year we also talked about M&A, casual fashion, industry sales and distributor pet peeves. And in November, Jo-an Lantz of Top 40 distributor Geiger (asi/202900), shared how a tragedy in Lewiston, ME, changed her hometown forever. Here are the ASI Media Top 10 most-listened-to podcasts of the year.

1

The Mission: Turn Myron Into a Powerhouse Again

Several months into 2023, industry leader Jeff Lederer made a surprising announcement – the past owner/CEO of former Top 40 supplier Prime Line said his investment firm would be acquiring New Jersey-based Top 40 distributor Myron (asi/278980). “We know what needs to happen to turn this business around and really restore it to the glory days that once were the case with this 75-year-old family company,” he told ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo. “It’s going to be tough work. The company needs some ‘TLC.’ But we’re going to make the requisite changes. We’re going to make it happen.”

2

The Future of HPG and Evans Following the Big Acquisition

Top 40 supplier HPG (asi/61966) kicked off 2023 by finalizing its acquisition of fellow Top 40 supplier Evans Manufacturing (asi/52840) in early January. HPG was ninth on Counselor’s Top 40 list at the time, while Evans was in the top 30. Adding Evans led to a 55.6% year-over-year revenue increase for HPG. Chris Anderson, HPG’s CEO, and Ben Pawsey, vice president of marketing, joined Promo Insiders to talk about the deal and what it would mean for both distributor customers, and also discussed the M&A phenomenon within the industry.

3

Lewiston Strong: Geiger’s Jo-an Lantz on Leading in the Wake of Maine’s Deadliest Mass Shooting

On Oct. 25, a gunman opened fire at two locations in Lewiston, ME, killing 18 people and wounding 13. It was the state’s deadliest mass shooting in its history – and one of the locations happened to be less than half a mile from the headquarters of Top 40 distributor Geiger (asi/202900). In this moving episode, CEO Jo-an Lantz talked about the impact the incident has had on her idyllic hometown.

4

Breaking Down Distributors’ Q1 Performance & the Outlook for 2023

The verdict from distributor numbers in Q1 2023: it was “successful but complicated,” according to Nate Kucsma, senior executive director of ASI Research, and ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo. While industry members remained cautious for the rest of the year – particularly as mass layoffs hit major industries like tech in the summer – they proved resilient. “I do think you will continue to see positive growth in the industry,” said Kucsma in May.

5

Frank’s Take: Gemline’s New CEO Gets Candid on the Challenges, Opportunities & Evolution of Promo

In the beginning of 2023, Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) announced that Frank Carpenito was being promoted to president/CEO of the company – he joined as president in 2018. Former CEO and board chair Jonathan Isaacson subsequently became the executive chair of the board. In this episode, Carpenito covered a number of topics, including consolidation, a possible recession, corporate social responsibility and technology innovation within promo. “I think we’ll see that trend accelerate and it’ll create more separation and differentiation in the marketplace,” he said.

6

10 Bold Predictions for 2023

To celebrate the new year, ASI Media’s C.J. Mittica and Christopher Ruvo teamed up on the podcast to talk about their top 10 expectations for 2023 – including Top 40 rankings, supplier service levels, the level of industry burnout, M&A activity and the impact of high inflation. Were they right? Tune in for a walk down memory lane.

7

The Story Behind BDA’s European Expansion – and What Lies Ahead

Jay Deutsch, CEO of Top 40 distributor BDA (asi/137616), joined the podcast in the summer of 2023 to talk about his company’s acquisition of Germany-based ipm | gruppe, a major distributor in Europe, and plans to continue expanding into the international market. At the time of the acquisition, the company already had offices in the U.K. and France, along with a distribution center in the Netherlands. Deutsch said there are long-term plans to move into the Middle East and Africa as well.

8

SnugZ USA Reborn: Integration & Service Challenges Behind, the Top 40 Supplier Is Ready for a Strong 2023

After the acquisition of former Top 40 firm Sweda in early 2022, Top 40 supplier SnugZ USA (asi/88060) was then faced with the gargantuan task of integrating Sweda with existing operations. It was challenging and there were a lot of hiccups, said SnugZ CEO Brandon Mackay on the podcast a little over a year later. “We got four years’ worth of work done in 10 months.” He added that the issues had been largely resolved, and they were “hyper-focused” on customer service in 2023.

9

Distributors’ Biggest Client Pet Peeves – And How To Solve Them

ASI Media asked distributors to write in with their biggest client pet peeves, and then invited Amy Clyne of Top 40 distributor Kaeser & Blair (asi/238600) to address the five top complaints, including lack of response and shopping on price. Clyne has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. “My clients are my partners, they’re my buddies,” she said. “They’re the lifeblood of my business. If there are issues that come up, I really try to look at it as a way to improve my business and our relationship.”

10

Talking Casual Fashion With SanMar’s Trend Analyst

Cultural shifts due to COVID are everywhere, including in fashion. After two years of working from home full-time, casual apparel has taken the lead and shows little sign of being knocked from its pedestal. That’s according to Vicki Ostrom, a futurist and trend analyst with Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863), who joined the podcast in early 2023 to talk about trends and how casual apparel is appropriate for many once-formal settings. “We’re really wanting what we put on in the morning to be what we wear all through the day,” she said.