ABOUT ASI
ASI is in the business of success. A time-tested industry leader in technology, information, education, advertising opportunities, trade shows and events, ASI helps its 25,000 members sell, market and promote their brands, while turning on the world to the power of promotional products.
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ASI Chairman Norman Cohn shares business advice from his 70+ years in the promotional products industry.
THE COHNS
In 1949, Maurice and Bess Cohn of Iowa entered the industry as distributors, or sellers, of promo items. Four years later, they decided to become food gift suppliers instead, growing into the industry’s largest. In 1962, their 29-year-old son Norman encouraged them to buy ASI.
The Cohns soon sold their supplier business to focus on ASI and unifying the distributor and supplier network. Norman and his wife Suzanne relocated their family to Philadelphia to run the company and all five of their children, as they became old enough, worked at ASI, contributing to the success of the company and industry.
A fourth generation continues to learn about ASI and the promo industry, through internships, jobs and even occasional turns as Promo, the ASI Show mascot.
PROMO INDUSTRY
Promotional products, aka ad specialties, giveaways, freebies, and branded merch, are used by virtually every major brand in the world. Why? Logoed products like pens, t-shirts, grocery bags, thumb drives, water bottles, etc. are a high-impact, cost-effective advertising medium that beats out just about every other type of marketing, helping promote everything from a new store opening and hot new product to the Academy Awards and even the U.S. census. Look around. Bet you spot a ton of practical, useful FREE promos pretty much everywhere, all adding up to a successful, $25.8 billion dollar industry.
From its humble start in 1950 in the dining room of a small home in West Philadelphia, ASI has evolved to become a leading force for change, creativity, technical innovation and success throughout the promotional products industry, guided by the sure hands of the Norman Cohn Family and ASI’s President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Andrews.
The ASI mission is to be the trusted partner of the promotional products industry by fostering its success every step of the way. To encourage growth and innovation, ASI provides the industry’s technology, education, events, research, news content and business connections.
ASI strives to empower the global promotional products industry, which is dedicated to supporting the marketing goals of businesses, brands and causes. ASI provides everything the community needs to be informed, inspired, productive and successful.
Above all else, we’re with each other every step of the way.
Take the next step by booking a demo or speaking to one of our membership specialists.
