FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Kim R. Todora, PPAI
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888-426-7724
KimT@ppai.org
The PPAI Expo 2016
The PPAI Expo 2016: A Look At The #BestExpoEver
Promotional Products Industry’s Biggest Show Presents
New State-of-the-Art Design, Layout and Experiences
IRVING, Tex., (February 18, 2016) – The PPAI Expo, the world’s largest and most attended promotional products trade show
held January 10-14, brought more than 11,762 promotional professionals from 4,365 companies together to learn, network and
engage for the five-day event in Las Vegas, Nevada. The PPAI Expo featured more than 100 education and networking events,
and 1,324 exhibiting supplier companies in 3,186 booths presenting hundreds of thousands of products occupying one million
square feet of the newly expanded and redesigned Mandalay Bay Convention Center. With more than 19,429* participants from
the U.S. and 38 countries, the overall non-gaming economic impact of The PPAI Expo 2016 is estimated at $19,481,000 by the
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Next year’s show will return January 8-12, 2017, to the Mandalay Bay Convention
Center in Las Vegas.
“The PPAI Expo was a resounding success and achieved key milestones positioning the Association and the industry for a
successful year,” said Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI president and CEO. “We believe presenting the show on a single floor
combined with the world-class education and the extraordinary Seth Godin created a one-of-a-kind show experience and truly
the Best. Expo. Ever.”
The single most important gathering of the year in the promotional products industry, The PPAI Expo provides industry
stakeholders a clear vision and direction for 2016 and what’s to come in product design, decoration, technology and thought
leadership.
Many of the promotional products, awards, incentives and branded merchandise unveiled at The PPAI Expo will be used in
promotions and campaigns targeting brand enthusiasts, consumers, award winners, employees, trade-show attendees and
sports fans around the world this year by companies and organizations of all sizes and industries—from the Fortune 500 and the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to the neighborhood dentist, bank and Little League team.
The show featured five days of world-class professional development, speakers, awards, networking, buying, selling and trendspotting. The 100-plus educational sessions and special events were held throughout the Mandalay Bay, including promotional
product and decorating trends, product safety and compliance training, sales and marketing presentations and workshops.
“The members of the promotional products industry both create trends and follow trends, so the most influential products and
features always assume innovative, new and fresh forms,” added Bellantone. “There is something for everyone at The PPAI
Expo.”
From high-tech to high-touch to completely customizable products, Expo featured a range of trending products that will help
marketers and advertisers build brands, raise awareness, recognize exemplary performance and influence consumer actions
and opinions.
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FIRST & FOREMOST
The PPAI Expo Experience
This year’s show was filled with many firsts. The PPAI Expo 2016 opening marked the first time in decades that the show took
place on a contiguous single level and exhibited against a newly redesigned $70 million expansion of the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center. The PPAI Expo opened with a first-of-its-kind design and architectural layout. Designed in collaboration
with the Dallas-based team of the award-winning events and exhibit services firm Freeman, Expo 2016 was completely unique
compared to any other trade show.
The modern-tech design created an efficient high-traffic flow in an environment brimming with energy and excitement. Dramatic
features spanning the million square feet included a modern aesthetic consistent with the PPAI brand; a state-of-the-art 125-foot
registration area with 25 custom workstations backed by a musically-choreographed vari-light wall featuring 27,000 LED lights;
on-demand registration kiosks and custom promotional and directional multimedia signage, staging and production. The
architecture, technology, show services and overall experience reflect the ever-evolving show that Expo is today.
A streamlined end-to-end, 360-degree show merchandising scheme highlighted exhibitor merchandise and encouraged
attendees to discover the entire show. To further enhance the show, PPAI integrated state-of-the-art mobile technology allowing
attendees to create a more personalized show experience. Through SAGE Mobile, attendees were able to view complete event
schedules, create walk lists, navigate the show floor using an interactive floor plan, and take notes, pictures, videos and voice
memos all from a handheld mobile device.
The new design, along with all-in-one single-level access, a rolling opening, first-look pavilions, and Expo Live stage showcased
the exhibitors and catered to the wants and needs of the distributors through visual appeal and thoughtful convenience.
New Speaker Insights & Formats
Master marketer, blogger, innovator and author Seth Godin drew a standing-room-only crowd for his keynote presentation
“Invisible Or Remarkable: Notes From The Revolution.” With his trademark one-liners and no-holds-barred approach, he
challenged the audience to change the way they see themselves, not to go for the mass market and be anything other than
average throughout his hour-long inspirational presentation.
“There is really good news, which is, this industry that you specialize in, the relationships that
you have, the skills that you have are perfect for this moment.”
“The power of what you are capable of weaving together as physical artifacts in the digital world
is your ability to create connection…”
–Seth Godin, January 12, 2016
Debuting at Expo were PPAI Power Keynotes, featuring speakers Melinda Doolittle, Casey Gerald and Josh Tickell. The
three speakers shared snippets of the topics they would cover in three individual power keynote sessions, enticing audience
members with powerful personal stories, sassy show tunes and humorous insights into Millennial culture. Patrick Henry and
Monica Mehta shared humorous and positive luncheon keynote messages encouraging attendees to build stronger customer
relationships through face-to-face interaction, and to have confidence in the U.S. economy.
A Big Tent
The PPAI Expo has come to be known as a ‘big tent’ event for the industry, a gathering of like-minded peers and affiliates, some
for the first time. This year the big tent welcomed back the RPI Annual Conference, the SAGE Conference, commonsku’s
skucon and PromoKitchen workshops, and grew to include iPROMOTEu’s A Woman’s View and representation from the
American Marketing Association.
Industry Honors
PPAI Hall of Fame Inductee:
PPAI Humanitarian Award:
Distinguished Service Award:
50-Year Members:
PPAI Promotional Products
Pioneers:
Steve Slagle, CAE
Mark Gilman, CAS
Teresa Moisant, MAS and Bruce Felber, MAS
Dean Watkins Company East, ADG Promotional Products, Advertising Accents Inc., Ball
Chain Manufacturing Company, A.T. Cross, Gemaco Inc., Lipic’s Inc., Paulich Specialty
Company Inc., SAMCO Line, Sanatex Corporation, SELCO and Tee Pee Advertising Co.
Norman Cohn, ASI; the late Forest P. Gill, Gill Studios, Inc.; Frank Krasovec, formerly with
Norwood Promotional Products; Norm Stern, Norscot Group and the late Frank B. Thomas,
ASNA/PPAI
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Safety First
For the first time as part of the Association’s Product Safety Aware program, The PPAI Expo opened with every company
exhibiting on the trade-show floor having completed a minimum level of product safety education. The PSA program is designed
to foster an industry-wide commitment and a culture where industry companies are not only aware of product safety but are also
engaged in leading the effort to instill confidence across every level in the channel.
EXPO Live
An Expo first, the interactive stage featured a 12-foot by 21-foot screen, live product demonstrations and interviews with notable
Expo speakers and industry leaders alike.
Charitable Partnerships – PPEF, SuccessFit & Kids In Need Foundation
SuccessFit Run raised more than $3,000 for the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF). The PPAI Expo
exhibitors donated more than $36,000 worth of samples and promotional products to the Kids In Need Foundation. Since 2008,
exhibitors have donated a total of more than $290,000 to this organization, which supplies educators with necessary classroom
supplies and student incentives for schools in lower-income areas.
If you were unable to attend or missed something at this year’s show, check out The PPAI Expo highlight reel.
The PPAI Expo
The world’s largest promotional products trade show is a great place to see the hottest trends in advertising, incentives,
recognition and awards, as well as new, green, and made in the USA promotional products, and all under one roof. In 2016, The
PPAI Expo brought 11,762 promotional professionals from 4,365 companies together under one roof for the five-day event. The
PPAI Expo featured more than 1,324 promotional products exhibitors presenting more than 100,000 products occupying a million
square feet of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. With a total of more than 19,429 participants from the U.S. and 38
countries, the overall non-gaming economic impact of The PPAI Expo 2016 was estimated at $19,481,000 by the Las Vegas
Convention and Visitors Authority.
About PPAI
Founded in 1903, the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) is the world’s largest and oldest not-for-profit
association serving more than 11,000 corporate members of the $20 billion promotional products industry which is comprised of
more than 33,700 businesses and a workforce of more than 500,000 professionals. PPAI represents the industry in Washington,
D.C., and advocates on its behalf. PPAI operates The PPAI Expo, the industry’s largest trade show; provides the leading
promotional products safety and compliance program, a prestigious professional development and certification program; and
publishes industry trade journals and periodicals. The multi-billion-dollar industry includes wearables, writing instruments,
calendars, drinkware and many other items, usually imprinted with a company’s name, logo or message. For more information,
visit PPAI.org and find us on Twitter @PPAI_HQ, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.
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Editor’s Note:
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Photos available upon request.
* Preliminary unaudited results.