On Tuesday, the Association hosted the PPAI Media LIVE: 2025’s Mid-Year Trends & Predictions webinar. Available for all PPAI members to tune in to live, the session was moderated by recently hired PPAI Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Ralston and featured expert insights from:


“We’ve asked some tough questions and some forward-looking questions,” Ralston said of the work prepared going into the session. “We’re not just reflecting on the past, but we’re really preparing for what’s ahead.”

We’re not just reflecting on the past, but we’re really preparing for what’s ahead.”

Melissa Ralston

Chief Marketing Officer, PPAI

More than halfway through 2025, it has seemed like a year in which most industries have been waiting for the moment when they can find proper footing and settle into some sense of certainty. Amid external and promo-specific factors, the PPAI Media LIVE session identified six industry trends that are pertinent going forward for the rest of the year. Those trends are:

  • Growth is slowing and firms must adjust.
  • Tariff pressure is reshaping global sourcing.


“This is one of the most significant moments that we have seen this year,” says Bhat, in regard to the tariff pressure. “More than 64% of PPA 100 suppliers say that they are actively expanding their sourcing beyond China. The new sourcing map includes Vietnam, India, Mexico and the United States as a local source.”

  • Buyers are demanding more than products (including personalization, ESG and speed).
  • Fulfillment is becoming a strategic priority.
  • Resilience will define the winners.


“Post-tariff volatility really has required prioritizing client needs,” Schillinger said. “It has given a lot of firms the opportunity to flex their agility and resilience. That’s not anything new, necessarily, but things like pricing and speed now dominate conversations.”

  • Advocacy is turning strategic.

Jeffrey Wurtzel
Some of these points are accelerating and have been building for years.”

Jeffrey Wurtzel

SVP of Marketing, HALO

“Some of these points are accelerating and have been building for years,” said Wurtzel, after the six trends had been listed. “The biggest thing we’ve invested in is what we call value-add services. That’s a pretty wide range of things. Fulfillment, which was mentioned, is one of them, but there’s likely 20 important value-add services that preserve profit and margin.”