In 2020, COVID-19 compelled the promotional products industry to swiftly adapt. ASI’s editorial team was there to document those changes every step of the way, from the virus’s emergence in China at the beginning of the year to the industry’s remarkable pivot to PPE.

Those extraordinary changes are reflected in ASICentral’s top-performing articles in 2020. Coronavirus-related coverage dominated the year’s most consumed content. From articles documenting supply chain disruption and business slowdowns, to podcasts and videos discussing how to navigate the COVID-affected marketplace, the wide-ranging coverage sought to help guide promo through these dark times.

Here, we list the Top 10 most viewed articles of the year, as well as the five podcasts and three videos from our Promo Insiders series that garnered the greatest listens. Plus, ASI’s editors and writers each chose a single story they wrote which they felt had the greatest impact. Looking back, it’s clear that 2020 was a remarkable year in every way possible.

Top 10 Most Viewed Articles of 2020

1. Last Week Tonight’s Branded Stamps to Aid USPS
The cash-strapped United States Postal Service was put through the wringer this year with the rush of e-commerce shipments and voting by mail efforts. So, talk show host John Oliver took up the cause for the USPS by donating $11 from the sale of every branded $14 stamp sheet created for the popular late-night talk show. Clearly, Oliver’s celebrity status had a role in propelling this story to the number-one spot on our list. Author: Christopher Ruvo. 

2. Creative Thank-You Gifts for Front-Line Workers
Written in early April, this piece delved into how suppliers were developing innovative, useful and delicious kits and care packages. It resonated with promo people who were looking to put their talents to good use, and tapped into the rich vein of support for the front-line workers who were putting themselves in harm’s way every day. Author: John Corrigan. 

3. Coronavirus’ Impact on the Promo Products Industry
Before COVID-19 arrived on our shores, it piqued the interest of the promo industry because of the havoc it was wreaking in China. This article, published in January, looked at the supply chain issues and overseas challenges that would be just the tip of the iceberg this year. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

4. PPP Revisions, Extension Under Consideration
Paycheck Protection Program loans were essential to help save many promo businesses in 2020. ASI’s editorial team stayed on top of developments with PPP as they occurred to help the industry understand the loans and navigate the process around them. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

5. Dr. Fauci Merch Abounds on E-Commerce Sites
In 2020, the nation’s foremost expert on infectious diseases was viewed by millions of Americans as a voice of honesty and reason, which explained the popularity of merch celebrating him – and the stories highlighting that merch. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

6. New China Rules Delay PPE Exports
PPE was a lifesaver for many promo businesses in the second quarter, rescuing their sales as traditional promo items fell off precipitously. So naturally news of export restrictions and limits on PPE and other products had some in promo very interested … and very nervous. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

7. Impact From Coronavirus to Deepen, Promo Pros Say
In retrospect, that headline was just a *tad* of an understatement. Published in mid-February, this detailed report noted the significant ways that the coronavirus situation was developing and how it was affecting the promo industry. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

8. Creative Graduation Gifts During Coronavirus
Promo pros were keen for strategies and products that would sell in the COVID-affected marketplace. This was one of the editorial team’s many pieces that provided such insights. Author: John Corrigan 

9. How to Navigate Event Cancellations
Live events have been the lifeblood of promo. With the near universal cancellation of in-person events, the industry had to adapt. This article spotlighted how clever promo pros were doing that. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

10. Promo Firms Shift to Making Medical Masks
“Pivot” was the word of 2020, and this piece showed how promo was part of that in a big way, with companies shifting to sell and manufacture PPE. Author: Christopher Ruvo 

Top 5 Most Listened-To Podcasts

1. Larry Whitney Talks Coronavirus’ Impact
At the end of January, the coronavirus was beginning to a have serious impact on the promo industry and its international manufacturing model. With people desperate for information, Whitney, a promo supply chain expert, provided the insights many were looking for at the time. Host: Christopher Ruvo 

2. Behind the HALO-Axis Deal
Not everything was about COVID in 2020. One of biggest stories of the year occurred early in 2020, when Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) bought then fellow Top 40 firm Axis Promotions. This podcast featured company leaders Marc Simon and Larry Cohen revealing how the deal came together and the firms’ now-fused future. Host: CJ Mittica 

3. COVID-19 & the Promo Industry in 2020
Executives at BAMKO (asi/131431) were alert to the challenges of the pandemic before many in the industry. In this podcast from early March, they offered prognostications about how the virus would impact promo and society. Host: Christopher Ruvo 

4. Distributor Salesperson of the Year: Nick Mirabile
Everyone was in the mood for a feel-good story. Stran Promotional Solutions’ (asi/337725) Nick Mirabile delivered with his inspiring tales of success, which won him the 2020 Distributor Salesperson of the Year. Host: Sara Lavenduski 

5. Mark Seymour on Leaving Next Level Apparel
The well-known industry executive discussed his moving on from the Top 40 supplier and more. Host: John Corrigan 

Top 3 Most Viewed Live Videos

1. What You Need to Know About Face Masks
From efficacy to regulations, so many questions swirled around face masks in 2020. This live discussion, featuring an expert on such matters, aimed to answer them. Host: Theresa Hegel 

2. Corporate Lawyer Answers CARES Act Questions
The CARES Act was a massive tome that raised all kinds of questions for promo pros. This conversation simplified some of what mattered most. Host: Theresa Hegel 

3. Building Your Brand During a Pandemic
How do you go about doing such a thing? A branding ace offered sharp insights. Host: Theresa Hegel 

ASI Editors’ Picks for Most Impactful Stories

What was your most important/impactful story of the year? ASI editorial team writers respond.

Sara Lavenduski
The Long Road to Supplier Diversity
“A diverse supply chain is now a must if promo companies want to compete for the big RFPs and work with elite clients,” says Lavenduski. True diversity, in workforce and supply chains, figures to be a significant factor now and in the years ahead, as Lavenduski explained in this in-depth report.

Theresa Hegel
Suppliers, Distributors Band Together During the Pandemic 
The traditional promo supply chain of supplier-distributor is uniquely collaborative and symbiotic. As Hegel showed in this moving story, that was especially apparent when both teamed up and leaned on each other to make it through the dire times of 2020.

John Corrigan
Protect Your Mental Health While on Social Media 
“Based on the feedback, this piece really resonated with the industry,” says Corrigan. “Social media was a cesspool this year, and we’ve all had to swim through it while working virtually. Industry professionals shared their tips for protecting their mental health while managing this necessary evil of the digital age.”

C.J. Mittica
More Than Ever, Promos Remain Part of Our Lives 
“In the early days of all this, I took a hike with my family and struck up a conversation with someone wearing a branded mask,” recalls Mittica. It was a striking example of how promo continually evolves, and it spurred this commentary that looks at how promo binds us together in good times and bad.

Christopher Ruvo
A Pivotal Moment 
With COVID-19 decimating traditional promo sales, suppliers and distributors turned to a new revenue stream – PPE – to save their businesses and aid the country in its hour of need. It’s a story of ingenuity, grit, adaptability and business acumen about which promo should be proud.