ASI’s 2017 Industry Internship Program Attracts 166 Interns From 125 Companies

2nd annual summer program kicks off with 40% more millennials

TREVOSE, PA – June 20, 2017 –The Advertising Specialty Institute^® (ASI) today announced its second annual industry-wide ASI Internship Program is off to a roaring start, attracting 166 millennials from 125 participating companies, including Zagwear, Brand+Aid and M&M Promotions.

The number of participating interns shows a nearly 40% increase over 2016. The participating companies include 11 suppliers and 114 distributors.

“We’re thrilled our annual internship program attracted such positive feedback, leading to impressive participation from throughout our industry this summer,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer of ASI. “We designed the program to teach a whole new generation how creative, fun and profitable promotional products can be, and I can’t wait to see how much these young people learn about the power of our products over the next few months.”

The ASI Internship Program provides participating interns with educational webinars available for participants to view any time at their own pace. Topics include an industry overview, training in ESP^®, the industry’s number-one product sourcing database, digital marketing and website creation.

“We make training a key component of our internship program to help alleviate any concern suppliers and distributors may have over not having enough time to devote to training newcomers to their company and the industry,” said Andrews.

In addition to the webinars, interns also receive the following from ASI:

• Free ESP access through September 1
• A $1,000 scholarship awarded to each of three interns who write the best essays about their experiences
• Invitation to attend ASI Show^® Chicago, Tuesday, July 11, through Thursday, July 13, featuring a special keynote Q&A with Shark Tank co-host Daymond John
• Internship certificate upon completion of the program
• An ASI summer gift pack of promotional items

ASI is also providing the interns with welcome videos and social media contests to keep them motivated and engaged. Search the hashtag #PromoInternASI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to follow intern posts throughout the summer.

ASI awarded its first $1,000 intern scholarship in 2016 to Julianna Krueger, who worked in the Varsity Line division of Neil Enterprises Inc. in Vernon Hills, IL. At Neil (asi/281900), Krueger worked in the division that sells licensed merchandise to college bookstores, which she said gave her a greater appreciation for the promotional items she sees in her own school’s bookstore.

According to Forbes magazine, there are 80 million millennials in America alone, and they represent about a fourth of the entire population and $200 billion in annual buying power. Studies show that as the age and demographics of buyers change, industries need to reflect those demographics in their own workplaces to better understand changing preferences and reach new audiences.

For more information on joining the 2018 ASI Internship Program, please contact ASI Marketing Manager Christine Shaw at [email protected].

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI^®) serves a network of 23,500 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $23 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP^®, serves the industry’s supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 61 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s Counselor^® magazine provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 500+ live and online education courses for over 40,000 professionals. The company, family owned and operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA. For more info: www.asicentral.com.