Fun Fact - History

The first known promotional products in the United States were commemorative buttons tracing back to 1789, when George Washington was elected president. Dating back to the early and mid 1800s were advertising calendars, wooden specialties and the Farmers' Almanac. But it was not until the latter part of the 19th century that an abundance of promotional products were developed and marketed, leading to the birth of the industry as it's known today.

Jasper Freemont Meek was one of the earliest significant contributors to this budding industry. He owned a small newspaper in Coshocton, Ohio, and like many other small newspaper owners of the time, he supplemented his revenue by taking a job in printing, which utilized his printing press between editions. Meek realized he could couple functionality with the advertising he was already selling to local businesses. By creating burlap schoolbags with the names of advertisers imprinted on them, the city's youngsters would become walking billboards for Coshocton's businesses.

This promotion idea was so successful that the publisher of the other newspaper in town, Henry Beach, sold his interest in the paper and started his own advertising specialty company. Printing on anything he could run through a press, Beach turned out rulers, fly swatters and paint mixers. A spirited rivalry developed between Meek and Beach, which led to the development of more and more advertising specialties.

Today, the promotional products industry is one of the fastest-growing promotions and communications media in the nation with total industry sales exceeding $16 billion last year. Promotional Products are used every day, several times a day. They are looked at, written with, worn and involved in a whole list of other day to day activities. 

If you are interested in promoting your business, call Pennsylvania Promotions, Inc  (800) 360-2800 or email sales@papromo.com.