Branded merchandise companies that embrace digital transformation consistently lead the industry.

By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, these innovators streamline operations, enhance communication and safeguard both customer and company data. In addition to prioritizing efficiency, their commitment to modernization is built upon delivering a higher standard of service that resonates all the way to the end buyer.

As part of the PPAI 100 research program, the Association gathered benchmarking data provided by companies that appeared in the 2026 ranking of branded merch’s leading distributors and suppliers, as well as those who didn’t make this year’s list or were too small to be eligible. This report focuses on the very questions that allowed PPAI Media to score the PPAI 100 Innovation category.

Here, we look at some key performance indicators of these businesses in terms of technology, sharing the state of innovation among the very largest companies in the industry, all the way down to merch’s more typical small businesses – those earning less than $3 million per year.

The following sections offer a breakdown of each benchmarking statistic, with insights and reactions from decision-makers among companies who participated in the surveys.