How Many Pulls?

Spring has arrived in all its glory here in Ohio. Though we had a rougher-than-usual winter, we're being rewarded with a nicer-than-usual spring. With longer, warmer days come longer, warmer days of yardwork.

As I pulled the Honda mower from its winter slumber on Saturday, I wondered how many puills it might take to get the engine to start. This machine is six years old and never gives me a worry. Would it start in one pull? Too much to expect. Three? That would be terrific.

In fact, it took only five pulls until the engine was purring and the grass was flying. It prompted me to wonder about other things getting restarted this spring. Last year, many industries - custom displays and store fixtures, too - skipped the growing season altogether. The advertising industry as a whole saw a double-digit decline but is clearly headed in the right direction today. As AdAge.com put it this morning (perhaps channeling Mel Brooks), it's "Springtime for Marketing."

We see clear signs of pent up demand being loosed in the form of new projects and orders from clients new and old. We see some clients ordering a multiple of the quantities they purchased in 2009. No one wants to miss the return of the shopper, a precursor to the return of the buyer. Some new clients have turned to us in frustration because their sources of displays and fixtures did not survive the Great Recession while others remain on life-support. No brand or retailer wants to place their trust in a supplier that might fail them during this key time of renewal and growth. Some clients do not have the luxury of shopping the world because they need to upgrade their in-store THIS quarter, not next. Tusco's here to serve them nimbly and reliably.

We yanked on the starter cord a number of times last year but the engine only sputtered. We replaced some parts, changed the oil, put on new tires and sharpened our blades. Now, with gas in the tank, we're humming along singing a song. This year will prove to be one of the great rebound years in modern marketing. And, as more Americans regain their footing, 2011 will be even better.