About ASI
Who We Are
ASI is in the business of success. A time-tested industry leader in technology, information, education, advertising opportunities, trade shows and events, ASI helps its 25,000 members sell, market and promote their brands, while turning on the world to the power of promotional products.
Our Story
From its humble start in 1950 in the dining room of a small home in West Philadelphia, ASI has evolved to become a leading force for change, creativity, technical innovation and success throughout the promotional products industry, guided by the sure hands of the Norman Cohn Family and ASI’s President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Andrews. Here’s a bit of our history:
1950
QVC founder Joe Segel produces the Advertising Specialty Register in his West Philadelphia row home, and launches ASI
1954
First issue of Counselor magazine, the voice of the promotional products industry, published
1956
One of the promo industry’s first catalogs, entitled the Consolidated Catalog, debuts, providing distributors with source for all supplier products. The Consolidated Catalog was a three-volume set including Media File, Planner Workbook and Gift Bazaar. Gift Bazaar was renamed Giftbook which is still produced today.
1964
The Cohn family purchases ASI from Segel
1965
ASI hires Marvin Spike to be the president of ASI
1965
Counselor magazine names its first-ever Person of the Year – Stanley Linham
1967
Norman Cohn becomes the chairman of ASI
1974
Ann Morrissey named first female Counselor Person of the Year
1977
Joe Segel is inducted into PPAI Hall of Fame
1982
Counselor for the first time ranks the highest revenue-generating suppliers and distributors in the industry and prints the Top 20 which eventually becomes today’s Counselor Top 40 lists
1989
ESP, a CD-based product sourcing system, debuts
1990
Maurice Cohn (Norman’s father) inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame
1996
ASICentral.com, ASI’s home on the internet, debuts
1997
Salesperson-focused, broadsheet publication called Advantages publishes
1998
The ASI Show debuts with a trade show in Las Vegas
2000
ASI headquarters moves to Trevose, PA, to house all ASI employees under one roof
2003
Timothy M. Andrews named ASI president
2004
Launches ESP Online, the next version of ESP that moves away from physical discs
2005
Supplier Global Resource, first-ever industry magazines for suppliers only, publishes
2006
Advantages Road Show launches
2006
Matthew Cohn becomes vice chairman
2007
Tim Andrews promoted to president and chief executive officer
2007
Launches ASI Canada
2007
Hosts top suppliers and distributors at first ASI Power Summit
2007
Counselor wins first of dozens of Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards
2008
Launches ASI Mobile, becoming first in industry to provide mobile access to supplier info
2008
ASI launches its first Ad Impressions Study, cost analysis of promo products vs. other advertising media
2010
Moves to technology-based products and services, ESP Web
2010
ASI Education launches the Advertising Specialty Institute Certification Program
2012
Launches ESP Websites™
2012
PromoAlliance, international alliance with PSI and Sourcing City, is launched
2012
Hosted-buyer event fASIlitate debuts
2013
ASICreditConnect officially changes name to Connect helping suppliers make more informed business decisions while working with distributors
2016
Launches ASI Summer Internship Program for promo industry
2017
Honored as “Best Employer for Working Parents” in the region
2020
ASI Food Bank Fund Drive provides 1 million meals to help feed the hungry
2020
Debuts ASIhelp.com online resource for members navigating COVID-19 crisis
2021
ASI’s Diversity & Inclusion campaign wins international award
2022
Launches “Promo for the Planet” sustainability resource for promo industry
2022
ESP surpasses 1 million promo products
2022
Celebrates launch of ESP+, the biggest innovation in the promo world
