The Biz: Feature Articles

Buyers attending KIDShow, August 16th-18th at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, will luck out by getting a jump on the Spring 2011 season with new ideas, new colors, and must haves from the world of children’s fashion and accessories. Here’s a preview of just a few of the KIDShow attractions, many of which are brands that are exhibiting at the Vegas show for the first time, including Coral & Reef, Showroom a la Mode, Canadian Kidswear and Kaos Recycled. The Giggle Guide^® will also have a booth at KIDShow, with daily prize drawings for lucky retailers to win a giant gift assortment of awesome products. See you at KIDShow Las Vegas!

In today’s brave new world where social media appears to dominate, advertising through traditional means is still a viable strategy for creating brand awareness and selling product. Of course, the ad must be executed well to be effective. The average American is exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of marketing messages each and every day. Therefore, creating an ad that will “break through the clutter” can be a daunting task. Understanding the anatomy of an effective advertisement will increase the probability for achieving these objectives: getting noticed, being memorable and persuading action.

G’day mates! The Giggle Guide^® has set sail on a worldwide exploration of children’s products, including a look at innovations from the land down under. We’ve rounded up the lowdown on some outstanding Australian brands that embody creativity, practicality and an infectious sense of fun! So join us down in the land of koalas and wallabies, for a lively little walkabout tour of Huggalugs, NOO Designs and FLATOUTaustralia.

“Making something from nothing” used to be just an expression that described someone’s creativity and ingenuity. In today’s age of environmental concerns and attention on “going green,” some businesses now literally make something from nothing, turning what most would consider trash into treasures. By reusing and re-purposing as much as possible, Shains, TerraCycle and Ecoist are a few companies that are turning the message of “tread lightly, use less and leave less” into innovative eco-business enterprises!