This past Thursday January 26th, Ken, Laura, Samantha and myself attended the SAAGNY winter showcase 2012.  The plethora of trade show items were amazing.  Any promotional product you could think of was there.  Any item you may want imprinted they had on display.  It really makes you think about how many of these items you come in contact with every single day.  We all had a great time walking the show and are looking forward to selling many of these item to our customers!

"Those guys didn't think I would do it," joked President Barack Obama after singing the opening lines of Al Green's 1971 hit, "Let's Stay Together."

It all went down late last night at a fundraising event in New York.  The president serenaded the crowd while thanking Green for his earlier performance at the same event.  However, Obama didn't want to take away from Green's campaign gift: "Don't worry, Rev., I cannot sing like you. But I just wanted to show my appreciation," he said.

Check out President Obama's surprise solo below:

What do you think -- does the president's vocal ability measure up?

Another year has come and gone. Like any new year, it's met with optimism for the coming year and a feeling of reminiscence as we look back on the year. When I look back, there are often history-making events that I overlook. Here's a small look at what defined 2011. 

The year of the protester.
Those living in New York and in any major city across the United States are all too familiar with the length and intensity of these protests. For a few months, it was common people from all walks of life that got the attention of the nation and across the globe. The push for economic reform is still alive and well, despite the steady dwindle in protests.
But the United States came late to the party. Protests started earlier in the year in the Middle East. Several countries, starting with Egypt, protested for an end to political unrest. To those unsure of why Time magazine named the protester Person of the Year, check out the maps below show just how many regions of the US and Middle East were affected by humankind.

Not the year of the tyrant political leader.
It seemed that every political tyrant that has gained notoriety during my generation has either passed away, been forced to step down or been killed in 2011. Who could remember the cell phone video just moments after Moammar Gadhafi was shot and killed or the secrecy behind the Osama Bin Laden mission. Kim Jong-Il passed away suddenly this month too.

Celebrity Google searches.
It's very hard to say which single celebrity was the Celebrity of the Year but the top 10 Google searches can give us a pretty good idea of the big names of the year. The list is as followed.
10. Madonna
9. Kim Kardashian
8. Shakira
7. Katy Perry
6. Britney Spears
5. Nicki Minaj
4. Cher
3. Rihanna
2. Justin Bieber
1. Lady Gaga
To give you an idea of how popular these people are, the 10 names combine for 3,335,000,000 searches nationwide.

There's literally hundreds of major events that have shaped the year and world history that I left out. If you want to keep together a running list of everything that happens for 2012, Motivators has a wide array of promotional calendars and promotional planners. 

Earlier this week, Super Mario 3D Land was released for Nintendo 3DS.  And while gaming enthusiasts are certainly happy with the new Super Mario Bros. game, PETA has got a bone to pick.  So what's PETA's problem with our favorite Italian game character?

Throughout Super Mario 3D Land, Mario wears a Tanooki suit in order to fly and utilize spin attacks.  According to Mashable, "PETA says that when Mario dons a Tanooki suit in the game, he’s giving the green light to would-be fur wearers." Apparently, in real life, tanuki, or raccoon dogs, are often skinned alive for their fur.  PETA asserts that Mario is telling gamers that wearing fur is OK.

Others argue that "Since tanukis hold a place in Japanese folklore associated with good fortune, it could be argued that Mario is simply harnessing the spirit of the animal."  Some have even imprinted the image of Mario in his getup on promotional t-shirts to celebrate the good luck charm.

What do you think -- is PETA right in its fight against Mario's Tanooki outfit? Or should Mario be allowed to wear fur?

If you've watched the news, read the paper, or even browsed the Internet over the past few weeks, you've no doubt seen coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement.  And if you're anything like me, you're a bit confused as to what it's all about.  Let's take a look at what exactly all the protestors are, well, protesting.

Alan Grayson, a former economist and Congressman from Florida, was interviewed by Crooks and Liars, a self-proclaimed 'politically left blog.'  Grayson explained, in a nutshell, that protestors are "complaining about the fact the Wall Street wrecked the economy three years ago and nobody’s held responsible for that."  Those on Wall Street, Grayson claimed, have "iron control over economic policies of this country."  But in what ways are the actions of those on Wall Street affecting me?

Grayson attributed most of our economic and societal problems to the greedy people on Wall Street.  "...We should not have twenty four million people in this country who can’t find a full time job...we should not have fifty million people who can’t see a doctor when they’re sick...we shouldn’t have forty seven million people of this country who need government help to feed themselves. And we shouldn’t have fifteen million families who owe more on their mortgage than the value of home," Grayson said.

Protestors believe that Wall Street's control over our nation's economy is resulting in America's high levels of unemployment, its citizens' dependency on national programs, and extreme mortgage rates.  Corporate greed, demonstrators assert, is slowly killing the "99 percent."

The movement is becoming so widespread that CBS News correspondent Bigad Shaban said, "...this isn't your average protest."  Indeed, some protestors have lived on the streets out of their custom backpacks for over three weeks at this point.  Shaban gave viewers a look at a "makeshift village" in New York's Zuccotti Park at which activists have lived over the past few weeks, complete with yoga lessons, a temporary library, a medical tent, and even a newspaper, The Occupy Wall Street Journal.

Are the people's protests as a result of their frustrations enough to make a difference?  Naomi Smith, a principal from Central Park East II who encouraged her students to participate in the protests on Columbus Day, a public holiday, told The New York Times that this is what democracy is all about.  "I thought it would be great for the children to see what's happening here," Smith said, according to the Huffington Post.  "This is what democracy looks like."

The American economy is in a bit of a tough spot right now. It's certainly not the first time, and it's certainly not the last time. That being said though every expert and politician in the country is in the midst of arguing how to fix it. A large portion of the experts believe that the fastest way to get out of financial hardships is to increase production of US made items. Here at Motivators, we agree. That is why we now, and have always before, featured an ever growing list of promotional products made in the USA. This is not a small selection either. It ranges from USA made apparel to USA made tools, even USA made bags and much more. In addition to that, we also have a selection of union made promotional items as well. This is certainly great for government agencies and politicians running for office, but it definitely is not limited to those people either. The next time you are working on an order that involves promotional products, support your country and check out the Made in the USA promotional products first!

Can Obama fix the nation's economy (or at least convince America that it's possible)?  That's been the question on everyone's mind since the President presented his $447 billion job plan to Congress last night.

What's included in Obama's proposal? According to the Los Angeles Times, it's "a mix of tax cuts to spur hiring and juice consumer spending; school and road construction projects to put people to work right away; and unemployment insurance benefits."  And that's all well and good, except it's nothing we haven't heard before.  What's different this time around?

Reuters reports that Obama has placed more of an emphasis on 'going green.'  The American Jobs Act reportedly focuses on many green initiatives, from modernizing schools and campuses to supporting advanced biofuels. So don't be surprised if you see a few environmentally friendly promotional items pop up in Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. 

Let's hope Obama's plan can help to stimulate the economy.  Regardless of your political beliefs, a healthier economy is something we'll all benefit from!

As the 2012 presidential election approaches, the spotlight is on President Obama and the state of America's economy.  According to a CNN poll, right now "only a third of all Americans approve of how President Barack Obama is handling the economy."  Additionally, Americans overall feel that the country is "in bad shape."  Some have even begun to express the generally negative consensus regarding Obama's economy with promotional t-shirts and other promotional products.

With America's attention sharply focused on the current national economy, it comes as no surprise that President Obama was scheduled to present a jobs speech next Wednesday, according to the New York Times.  However, in an act that perhaps best evidences a harsh bipartisan Washington, Speaker John A. Boehner (R-OH) "rejected a request from the president to address a joint session of Congress next Wednesday at 8 p.m." because it would interfere with an already-scheduled Republican presidential debate, reports the New York Times.

After some back-and-forth, Mr. Obama agreed to give his jobs speech on Thursday, September 8, instead.  Still, many are wondering whether or not the president's original date of proposal for addressing the nation was an attempt to "upstage the televised [republican] event," according to the New York Times.  Regardless, Americans are eager to hear the president's ideas for creating job growth in America in order to revive the economy.

Here at Motivators, we've seen all sorts of out-there promotional products, from funny-shaped stress relievers to unique corporate gifts.  Heck, we've even heard of promotional jets.  But a $1.1 million bus might top the list of strange customized products.

According to an Associated Press article featured on MSNBC.com, President Obama's Secret Service has invested a huge amount of money on "an impenetrable-looking conveyance the size of a cross-country Greyhound, painted all in black, with dark tinted windows and flashing red and blue lights."  If this bus' design doesn't scream "Mr. President," I don't know what does! 

The AP reports that Obama will be utilizing the bus for his travels throughout Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.  We're sure the super-expensive bus must be filled with extravagant customizations, although we can't know for sure-- a Secret Service spokesman refused to comment on the bus' design or features.

With an underperforming national economy, some are questioning whether or not the president should be investing money in a tour bus.  And this is just the start of Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.  We're sure to see millions more spent on promotional t-shirts, custom printed pens, etc.  What do you think about the president's big purchase?