From January 13–15, 2026, I headed to Las Vegas for what many consider the Super Bowl of the promotional products industry: the PPAI Expo at Mandalay Bay. Imagine a sea of branded totes, miles of booths, rapid-fire conversations, and more freebies than any human should reasonably consume. With over 10,000 industry professionals and nearly 1,000 exhibitors, this is where ideas collide, trends emerge, and the future of promo starts to take shape.
I learned one stat that framed the entire experience: there are more than 31,000 active promotional products websites in the U.S. Competition is massive. It’s clear that standing out isn’t optional anymore. Beyond that, the Expo reinforced something I believe deeply: promotional products aren’t throwaways anymore. They’re brand touchpoints, emotional connectors, and memory-makers.
As PPAI CEO Drew Holmgreen put it during his opening speech, "There is no other marketing medium that connects and creates a stronger connection between brand and consumer.” In an international industry, standing out requires intention, creativity, and a willingness to do things differently.
That message came through loud and clear in the keynote sessions.
Abigail Posner: Creativity Is a Skill You Can Build
PPAI Expo keynote speaker Abigail Posner, Harvard-trained anthropologist and former Director of Creative Works at Google, kicked things off by reframing creativity in a way that felt both empowering and practical. Her message was clear: creativity isn’t a personality trait, it’s a muscle.
Key takeaways that stuck with me:
-
Creativity grows when you stay curious about human behavior, not just trends.
-
The strongest ideas come from unexpected connections, not perfection.
-
Purpose-driven creativity resonates longer and travels further.
-
Curiosity, observation, and experimentation matter more than “natural talent.”
In a sea of sameness, creativity is what makes brands feel alive... and in promo, that’s everything. Promo can (and should!) be useful, coveted, and beautiful, built on relationships and problem-solving rather than checking boxes.
Here are some ways I plan to implement Abigail’s advice:
-
Forming new chance connections by attending in-person networking events, especially if they aren’t directly related to my industry.
-
Keeping up with my local Chamber of Commerce (should be easy, seeing as I’m on the board!)
-
Following up with the people who slipped through the cracks: old LinkedIn invites, leads that fizzled out, and friend-of-a-friends who asked to get coffee six months ago.
Joelly Goodson: Stop Selling Products, Start Creating Value
Joelly Goodson, the self-proclaimed “Branding Badass” from BAMKO, hosted a session titled “Branding Beyond The Product.” She delivered a no-nonsense reminder that hit home: when promo becomes transactional, price becomes the focus, and that’s a race no one wins. Her session centered on shifting from commodity selling to relationship building.
Her key insights:
-
People don’t remember products; they remember experiences.
-
Storytelling elevates promo from “item” to emotional connector.
-
Value comes from alignment with the brand, not just the logo.
-
Thoughtful merch builds trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships.
Walking the show floor after her talk, it was easy to spot which booths understood this. The groups that caught my eye most included interactive displays, elevated packaging, and products that felt retail-ready rather than giveaway-worthy.
Leo Chan: Innovation Happens When You Play
Leo Chan’s session may have been the most memorable and the most hands-on. Instead of slides and talking points, he handed out LEGO bricks (yes, LEGOs, right at our tables!) to demonstrate how innovation actually happens: by doing, sharing, and reflecting together. Within minutes, the room shifted. People leaned in, laughed, collaborated, and started experimenting together.
Chan’s core message was that innovation comes by staying curious, embracing diverse perspectives, and making time for the white space where ideas evolve.
What that experience reinforced:
-
Innovation thrives when people feel safe to experiment.
-
Hands-on play breaks down barriers faster than conversation alone.
-
Trying, failing, and adjusting leads to better ideas than overthinking.
-
Creativity is collaborative, not solitary.
The LEGO exercise wasn’t just fun; it physically demonstrated how experimentation fuels innovation. Sometimes the best ideas start when you stop trying to get it “right” and just start building.
The Big Picture
My biggest takeaway from this experience was that despite its size, the industry is indeed shifting away from an outdated “throwaway culture” and toward producing coveted merch imbued with value and meaning. Promo products are out, elevated branded merch is in. The good news is that, according to PPAI, 90% of people agree that receiving a branded product creates a more positive impression of the brand it came from. Even as we shift toward prioritizing storytelling and intentionality, the industry has proven time and time again that tangibility matters when it comes to brand visibility.
If you’re thinking about how to jumpstart your brand, create meaningful connections, or make your marketing work harder for you, I’d love to help.
Reach out to Hannah and let’s build something memorable together in 2026. www.allstatesbusinesssolutions.com