The branded merchandise industry enters mid-year 2026 with strong consumer relevance, positive but measured growth and a rapidly changing operating environment.Demand isn’t the core problem. Consumers continue to value useful, well-designed merc...

As the world continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and consumers’ attention spans are at an all-time low, suppliers and distributors are constantly searching for the “next best way” to increase growth within the branded merchandise industry.Tradi...

Professional development doesn’t have to mean going back to school or carving out travel time for conferences. Often, little things like reading an article or listening to a podcast can make the biggest impact. And with resources like PPAI Advance, ...

After the Knicks’ historic win, their first championship in 53 years, New York City held a massive parade on June 18.  Along the parade route, orange and blue Knicks-themed trash bins were stationed to keep the city clean. One such bin was empt...

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...