Last year's Pride Month was something of a low financially, and it was largely a reflection of the political moment. There was a significant scale-back by brands on Pride-related spending compared to recent years, and the majority of those brands po...

The branded merchandise industry is entering a new operating cycle.Demand remains resilient and consumers continue to value useful, well-designed branded merchandise. But the way suppliers and distributors create, deliver and retain value is cha...

Most people don’t like delivering bad news. If you spot a potential issue, whether it’s a supplier snafu or a difficult client request, it can be tempting to wait and see how things play out. The problem is that small issues rarely stay small. When ...

Following up is an easy thing to overlook. You might put a lot of energy into preparing for meetings or running discovery calls but then send follow-up emails that feel generic or unclear. If the next step isn’t obvious, you risk losing momentum. A ...

Nearly 200 women in the branded merchandise industry gathered at the Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee this week for PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference.  The three-day event featured keynote speakers, roundtable discussions, networking...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is on track to launch Phase 2 of its tariff refund program starting June 29, according to recent court statements.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled February 20 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (...

Charles River Apparel (PPAI 111644, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 42 supplier, has announced leadership changes designed to further align the company's product, customer experience, technology and financial strategies.As part of the changes, Amy Le...

When someone buys branded merch, they’re ordering more than just products. They’re trusting you to get the details right and deliver on your promises. If they don’t have confidence in you, they’ll keep shopping around. Considering that 87% of buyers...

One of the pillars of PPAI’s new Strategic Plan is to strengthen community by uniting the marketplace through shared purpose, leadership development and deeper connections.One of the initiatives outlined in the plan is to exp...