Advocacy for the branded merchandise industry doesn’t begin and end in Washington, D.C. Increasingly, it also happens in state capitols, regional association events and local conversations where policymakers can hear directly from the businesses that make up the industry.

That was the message at LEAD Lansing, hosted by the Michigan Promotional Professionals Association at the Michigan State Capitol on May 6. The breakfast brought together local representatives, legislative staff, MiPPA members, distributors, suppliers, sponsors and PPAI staff to highlight the economic and community impact of branded merch in Michigan.

The event also offered a practical example of how PPAI and regional associations can work together to strengthen industry awareness, build relationships with policymakers and help members better understand the growing importance of state-level advocacy.

“The future of advocacy for our industry will depend on strong collaboration between PPAI and regional associations,” says Alok Bhat, market economist and PPAI’s research and public affairs lead. “PPAI can bring national perspective, research and public affairs support, while regionals bring local relationships, member stories and state-level insight. LEAD Lansing was a strong example of that partnership in action.”

Education Comes First

For many outside the industry, branded merch is often viewed as simply products with logos. LEAD Lansing helped tell a much broader story.

Branded merch supports local employers, small businesses, suppliers, distributors, decorators, sales professionals, fulfillment partners and community organizations across Michigan. These businesses help schools, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, manufacturers, employers, other small businesses and local causes communicate, celebrate, recognize and build relationships.

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MIPPA’s presentation helped put that impact into perspective:

  • The branded merch industry contributes more than $2.8 billion to Michigan’s economy, supports 27,722 direct industry jobs and includes 1,047 promotional products companies across the state.
  • The presentation also emphasized that nearly 98% of merch companies are small businesses and nearly 50% are women-owned businesses.


Those numbers gave representatives and staff a clearer picture of the industry’s local footprint. But the event went beyond economic data.

It helped explain why branded merch is different from many other marketing channels. A digital ad may disappear in seconds, and a television spot may be forgotten after it airs. But a useful branded product can remain in someone’s daily life, on their desk, in their kitchen, at school, at work or at a community event.

MiPPA’s presentation emphasized that merch builds relationships with staff, prospective employees, vendors, customers and consumers, and that those relationships continue throughout the useful life of the product.

LEAD Lansing gave us an opportunity to help policymakers understand the real story of branded merch in Michigan.”

Tony Shereda, MAS

Past President & Treasurer, MiPPA

MiPPA recognized several local industry sponsors, including Edwards Garment, PPAI 100’s No. 19 supplier; Fields Manufacturing, PPAI 100’s No. 83 supplier; Helm, PPAI 100’s No. 88 distributor; Prestige Promotions; QMI Group; Creative Studio Promotions and Unitex Direct.

“LEAD Lansing gave us an opportunity to help policymakers understand the real story of branded merch in Michigan,” says Tony Shereda, MAS, past president and treasurer at MiPPA and VP of sales at QMI Group. “This industry is not just about items with logos. It’s about local businesses, jobs, creativity and the emotional connections that branded merch helps create in our communities.”

National Perspective, Local Voice

PPAI’s participation connected LEAD Lansing to the broader national advocacy work underway for the industry.

Just weeks before the Michigan event, PPAI hosted its annual Legislative Education and Action Day in Washington, where industry leaders met with lawmakers and staff to discuss issues affecting the broader merch community.

Of course, many laws and regulations affecting businesses increasingly emerge at the state level. These can include packaging rules, product compliance requirements, environmental regulations, PFAS-related policies, EPR laws, tax issues, employment rules and other business obligations.

Alok Bhat headshot
The future of advocacy for our industry will depend on strong collaboration between PPAI and regional associations.”

Alok Bhat

Research & Public Affairs Lead, PPAI

For branded merch companies, this matters because distributors and suppliers often do business across state lines. While a Michigan distributor may understand Michigan’s laws, if that company sells into another state, it may face different rules and requirements. For small and mid-sized companies without large legal or compliance teams, that can create confusion and risk.

That’s where collaboration between PPAI and regional associations becomes especially valuable.

PPAI can bring national perspective, industry research, advocacy support and public affairs resources. Regional associations like MiPPA bring local relationships, member engagement and state-level insight. Together, they can help make emerging issues more visible, more understandable and more accessible for members.

A Model For Regional Collaboration

LEAD Lansing showed that effective advocacy doesn’t always need to begin with a complex policy discussion. Sometimes, the most important first step is education.

The breakfast format created space for lawmakers, legislative staff and branded merch professionals to connect directly. It allowed members to explain who they are, what they do and how their companies support Michigan’s economy and communities. It also showed how regional associations can create advocacy opportunities that are approachable and relationship driven.

MiPPA’s goal is to bring members closer to the conversations that affect their businesses.”

David Szidik

President, MIPPA

MiPPA’s broader mission came through during the event: The association is focused on providing educational exchanges and experiences for suppliers and distributors. The presentation also highlighted MiPPA’s support for local and regional charitable causes, including scholarships, food banks, shelters, children’s programs and other community organizations.

“MiPPA’s goal is to bring members closer to the conversations that affect their businesses,” says David Szidik, president of MiPPA. “Events like LEAD Lansing help suppliers, distributors and policymakers connect directly, build relationships and strengthen the voice of Michigan’s branded merch community.”

LEAD Lansing can serve as a model for other regional associations looking to strengthen advocacy in their own states.

A successful regional advocacy event can begin with a clear purpose, a short presentation, local economic data, member participation, sponsor support and direct engagement with lawmakers and staff.

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Most importantly, it should help policymakers understand three things:

  • The industry has real economic impact.
  • The industry is made up largely of small businesses and local employers.
  • The industry helps communities, organizations and businesses communicate in meaningful ways.


When those points are made clearly, advocacy becomes more accessible and more effective.

For PPAI and regional associations across the country, the opportunity now is to build on this model, strengthen state-level awareness and create a more connected advocacy framework for the branded merch industry.

Please contact Rachel Zoch, CAS, PPAI’s public affairs manager, at rachelz@ppai.org if you have any questions about regulatory issues or government affairs.