No Clearer Path than Illuminating Your Brand
As the days get shorter and we all begin to gather our candy for the end of the month we also get ready to turn the calendar to November. Soon many of us will be heading home in the dark and combined with the approach of the corporate gift giving season we find flashlights once again will take center stage. Luckily each year the offerings more closely match what you would see in your local hardware store and this year the focus is on versatility and safety.
Several years ago Garrity became part of the Duracell brand. They had been in the corporate markets for several years and quickly recognized a unique value opportunity while preserving their brand name. Along came Leeds which acquired the rights and now the Garrity Zoomed LED Flashlight is available to those looking to put a logo on an aluminum light. To clearly understand the zoom feature you have to look at the light itself. The entire lens portion twists from right to left which focuses the beam more intensely. Garrity has included a printed indicator which makes it easier to keep the light at a reasonable level. At this point a couple of years ago when the economy was booming plastic flashlights cost just as much as this light does and it includes the logo, batteries and aircraft grade aluminum that has made another brand so popular. Usually the batteries are not inserted prior to shipping and this continues to raise some concerns with clients as they don't understand the potential for damage in shipping. Founded in 1967, Garrity Flashlights have been around now for over forty years. The brand is well recognized and still available at hardware stores nationwide.
American Apparel has dodged going out of business and in addition to raising much needed capital they have also brought in new management. It seems 60 minutes may have missed the mark a few years ago in glorifying the actions of the company founder. The company enjoyed strong sales growth yet was still in a very difficult situation largely thanks to the actions of the CEO. They are a dominant player in the industry and it is great to see that they are going to continue as an operating business. They will continue to face strong competition from Sanmar as we discussed in Keys to Jacket Success but they largely target different markets and can co-exist in the same space.