The Petrie Dish

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Every week there are articles published that are of interest to promotional products industry professionals across the land. To save you time, I have culled the internet for the ones you should read and the ones you should skip.

McDonald’s Removes Fitness Tracker from Happy Meals – “Must Read” Article of the Week

In an ongoing effort to convince consumers that the food served at their restaurants could be considered part of a healthy lifestyle, Ronald, Grimace, the Hamburgler, and friends decided to include a fitness tracker promotional product in their Happy Meals. In yet another case of not spending enough money on quality promo, McDonald’s – and their customers – got burned…literally. It seems the glorified pedometers have been causing a “burning sensation” and skin irritation among the children who have been wearing them and have now been pulled from the restaurant chain. Let’s face it, unless you are using a pedometer to measure how many steps you walk away from a Big Mac, this promotional product likely won’t help you get healthy.

These Custom Avocados Would Make the Best Wedding Invitation

I really shouldn’t have to write more than these two words: imprinted avocados. Candidly, this is one of the coolest things in or out of our industry that I’ve seen in some time. While we are talking about a perishable object (meaning it has a very limited shelf life and number of impressions), the “wow” factor is just too high to ignore. I’m looking forward to ordering “Intel Guacamole” in the coming year!

PPAI Names 2017 Hall of Fame, Distinguished Service Award Honorees

This made the list this week for the simple fact that it’s important to both know and understand the people who have paved the way for all of us to succeed in this industry. Margie Price, MAS of Premiums Plus and Joel Schaffer, MAS of Soundline were selected to join the PPAI Hall of Fame while Jo Scott of Scott & Associates was named the 2017 PPAI Distinguished Service Award honoree. The induction ceremonies for both awards will take place during the Chairman’s Leadership Dinner during the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas.

You’re Not Crazy. The Brand Logos ARE More Noticeable at the Rio Olympics

Aside from Michael Phelps winning, Ryan Lochte lying, and the U.S. ladies team owning gymnastics, this is what I noticed most from the Olympics. A subtle change in rules allowed the size of logos to be increased from 20mm to 30mm. The larger logos also allow companies who are not official sponsors of the Olympics to be much more visible. For example, during the medal ceremony for the women’s gymnastics team competition, the logos from both Nike (an official sponsor) and Under Armour (not an official sponsor) were battling for attention. We may not be far off where Olympic athletes are competing for their brand as opposed to competing for their country.

The One Thing You Really Need to Know About Personal Branding – “Don’t Waste Your Time Reading” Article of the Week

This video from Entrepreneur magazine isn’t just a waste of time, it’s a colossal waste of time. Would you like me to spoil the surprise of the “one thing” you need to know about personal branding? Lean in, because it’s a big ass secret. Ready? Your personal brand should be a direct reflection of you, not someone else. I’m glad I was sitting down when I viewed this almost four-minute video because the revelation was so shocking I may have fainted (please note sarcasm). If you need to watch a video to know that your personal brand should be a reflection of you, it’s time to seek another profession.