Advertising Specialty Institute
Encyclopedia
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) is the largest for profit organization serving the advertising specialty industry (which mainly creates and distributes promotional products). Members of ASI include both manufacturers and suppliers of promotional merchandise as well as promotional product distributors. ASI's main business is organizing and classifying suppliers' products in catalogs, allowing for easy reference by promotional product distributors and sales people. Both parties join ASI for a fee. ASI is part of the Norman Cohn group of companies, Norman Cohn is a Philadelphia PA. resident.
In addition to it's cataloging service, ASI publishes magazines and informational literature for the promotional products industry and also holds conventions each year. The "ASI Show" is held in a few major U.S. cities throughout the year, and features a keynote address by a well-known marketer, celebrity, or other well-known figure.
created his own directory called the Advertising Specialty Register and started the company Advertising Specialty Institute. In 1964, the company was sold to Maurice Cohn, whose family still owns the company today.
In addition to it's cataloging service, ASI publishes magazines and informational literature for the promotional products industry and also holds conventions each year. The "ASI Show" is held in a few major U.S. cities throughout the year, and features a keynote address by a well-known marketer, celebrity, or other well-known figure.
History
Before ASI, there was no paper based resource for finding promotional products or their suppliers. Small sales people relied on separate paper catalogs from individuals from each individual supplier. In 1950, promotional product salesman Joseph SegelJoseph Segel
Joseph Segel is the founder of over 20 American companies, most notably QVC, an American television network, and the Franklin Mint, a producer of mail-order collectibles. He has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Electronic Retailing Association and an honorary doctorate from...
created his own directory called the Advertising Specialty Register and started the company Advertising Specialty Institute. In 1964, the company was sold to Maurice Cohn, whose family still owns the company today.