brandivate marketing

06/15/2026

What happens when the person you've built the relationship with suddenly leaves? In this week's brandivate , Bill Petrie examines why expertise, insight, and results often outlast even the strongest relationships.

Strong relationships open doors, but real value is that keeps them from closing.I’ve had it happen to me, and I’m sure you’ve had it happen to you: you’ve cultivated a strong relationship with your primary contact at a client, but one day, they quit leaving you, more often than not, scrambli...

06/12/2026

In the annals of Rock and Roll, there are some truly great songs that never hit #1 on the charts even though most think they did. So, on today's episode of the Final Note, we want to uncover those songs that are amazing but never topped the charts.

For this one, our pick is "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers. This might seem strange considering it's one of the most recognizable songs of the past 25 years. Hell, it's a staple at every wedding, bar, party, sporting event, or anytime people are gathered and the music is blaring. Despite that, it never reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. What's even more impressive is that the song has outlived countless chart-toppers of the same era. So, the moral of the story is that charts measure popularity in the moment, but great songs like "Mr. Brightside" endure.

So, let's hear it from you, Final Note Fan: what's the best song that never hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100?

06/12/2026

Oh, you know it’s time to drop Ep. 74 of the Between 2 Brands with your host, Bill Petrie. In today’s opening shot, Bill asks why no one seems to be buying World Cup merch and gives some possible answers. Afterwards, Bill is joined by the Executive Director of SAAGNY , John R. B. Cudahy. They discuss a wide range of topics including the challenges of managing a board, the move of Promotions East from Atlantic City to New York City, and whether private equity money is good or bad for the industry.

HUGE thanks to our pals over at Shepenco for sponsoring this fine broadcast. For 90 years – and four generations of family ownership – they have defined stability by caring about the success of their distributor partners. Head over to shepenco.com to start your next project today!

HUGE thanks to our pals over at SHEPENCO for sponsoring this fine broadcast. For 90 years – and four generations of family ownership – they have defined stability by caring about the success of their distributor partners. Head over to shepenco.com to start your next project today!Oh, you know it...

06/08/2026

What if the clients, employees, and people frustrating you aren't the real issue? In this week's brandivate , Bill Petrie shares a lesson learned from being treated like a vending machine and the mirror it forced him to look into.

The imporance of realizing people treat us exactly the way we’ve trained them toWhen I first started brandivate almost six years ago, any business was good business - at least in my brain. As such, if you had a pulse, could fog a mirror, and a credit card that wouldn’t be declined, you were a pr...

06/05/2026

When it comes to stadium anthems, there are some obvious and loved ones such as "Welcome to the Jungle" by GnR and the White Stripes "Seven Nation Army." Today's Final Note, however, sidesteps those ones in favor of the ones that are a little more untraditional. So, with the World Cup starting next week, we want to know what's your non-obvious stadium anthem.

Thinking of the World Cup, we keep coming back to "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2. The song starts slowly, building with anticipation like the moments before kickoff when the stadium is filled with highly-charged fans. Then, the music explodes in a way that feels communal and, perhaps, a bit hopeful. That's what the World Cup does better than just about any other sporting event on earth. For a few weeks, the entire world is connected by possibility and hope, and this song underscores that better than any other.

So, what say you, Final Noters - what's your non-obvious world cup stadium anthem.

06/05/2026

Better buckle up because it’s time for Ep. 73 of the Between 2 Brands with your host, Bill Petrie. In this week’s opening shot, Bill talks about “pre-vacation brain” and the very interesting bond between celebrations of life and branded merch. He is then joined by the Chief AI Officer at commonsku, Bobby Lehew. They discuss his journey from distributor to service provider, take a deep dive into AI and the use in the promotional products industry, and compare notes on speaking in front of people professionally. This is a great conversation and one you don’t want to miss.

BIG thanks to our pals over at Seven Sourcing for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re ready to be the partner your clients want – one that delivers unique, custom, and bespoke branded merch designed exclusively for them – reach out to Russ and his team at [email protected].

BIG thanks to our pals over at Seven Sourcing for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re ready to be the partner your clients want – one that delivers unique, custom, and bespoke branded merch designed exclusively for them – reach out to Russ and his team at [email protected]...

06/01/2026

Sometimes the toughest challenge isn’t the one in front of you, it’s the one happening between your ears. In this week’s brandivate , Bill Petrie shares thoughts on his first 10K, unmet expectations, and what he learned from the disappointment.

What running in and recovering from my first 10k taught me.As I took the final turn from S. 1st Street onto W. Riverside Drive, I could finally see the finish line of my first 10K. Running through the throngs of people cheering the other runners and me on to finish strong helped me dig deep and pull...

05/29/2026

Let's face it, beach vacation reentry isn't for the faint of heart, and we know it first hand because we just experienced it yesterday. This is why we needed a bit of music therapy to help us push on through.

One minute you're watching the ocean waves with a frozen awesome in your hand, and the next you're standing in your living room trying to remember how passwords and responsibilities work again. This is why "Running on Empty" by Jackson Browne fits perfectly. To be clear, it's not a sad song as much as it's a tired, reflective song. It's almost the musical equivalent of dragging your suitcase back into your house while your brain is still at the all-inclusive resort. Truly, this song feels a lot less like classic rock and more like an honest assessment of adulthood in general, especially after vacation.

So, what's the song to help you with beach vacation reentry?

05/29/2026

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for a brand-new episode of the Between 2 Brands with your host, Bill Petrie. To kick off Ep. 72, Bill shares some industry quick hits of the happenings in the world of branded merchandise After that, he is joined by the Vice President of Sales for HALO Branded Solutions, Rachel Levin. During a wide-ranging chat, they discuss what she’s learned at each stop during her career, the importance of mentorship, and take a VERY interesting dive into the psychology of branded merchandise from an end-user point of view. There are some outstanding takeaways here, so get your notepad ready!

HUGE Thanks to our friends over at Bel Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that!

HUGE Thanks to our friends over at BEL Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that!It’s Friday, which means it’s time for a brand-new episode of the Between 2 Brands ...

05/25/2026

We’ve built a culture where every experience becomes content and every moment must be productive. In this week’s brandivate , Bill Petrie writes about intentionally stepping away from all of that for a bit.

A short blog about unplugging, slowing down, and being fully present.In many ways, the title says it all: I don’t want to write this blog. It’s not because I have nothing to say - if you know me at all, that’s rarely an issue. I’m also not burned out, cheesed off at the world, or questioning...