I should just give up and admit defeat, I am the raging pop tart of the office. When I was a kid (and last month), I loved the New Kids on the Block. Similarly, I found solice in the Backstreet Boys, who were nothing but a carbon copy of the New Kids.  The Jonas brothers are nothing but a carbon copy of Hanson, who you could say derived from the Patridge family or the Jackson 5. But boy bands will be boy bands, and they will never go away. So what does this foray into the world of pop music have to do with promotional products? Oh, everything.

Case in point, I received an email blast from the Backstreet Boys (we're just going to assume that me subscribing to a whiny pop band's email list is status quo and move on) and wouldn't you know it, they're haching their own promo items to their loyal devoted fans. Deemed the must have summer party pack, the set includes a promotional koozie, a promotional bottle opener, and a promotional shot glass. Well, they've realized that their once pre-pubescent fans have grown up and are all of legal drinking age. They failed to notice that the country has fallen on some hard times financially, because this must have summer set is retailing at 39.99. Umm, I don't think so. Maybe it's fact that I work at a promotional products company that offers extremely cheap promotional items that are excellent value for money. Maybe it's the fact that Nick Carter is not what he once was. Maybe it's the fact that if I'm going to spend $40 bucks on a supposed party pack, I'd expect a little more than 3 items. Regardless, the Backstreet Boys have got another thing coming if they think that part of my stimulus check is going to their over priced promotional items. And just for fun, let's break down this party pack and check out the real value.

Promotional Black Ceramic Shot Glass: $1.59

Promotional Black Koozie: $0.62

Promotional Bottle Opener: $1.71

The fact that the Backstreet Boys need to make money off of promotional items since they can't make it off music anymore: PRICELESS.

I couldn't resist that Mastercard analogy. Anyway, total cost= $3.92. We'll round that up to 4 and you are looking at a 900% mark up. Yeah, it's expensive to drive a Hummer nowadays isn't Nick Carter? Yeah. yeah, it is.