Entries from the latest PPAI Pyramid Awards came from what can only be described as the most unique year in the long history of the promo industry. Chosen from campaigns that were created between April 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021, virtually all of these honorees were required to be nimble, innovative and forward thinking.
The PPAI Pyramid Awards, sponsored by Pacesetter Awards Co., have long identified the leading achievement in promotional product marketing. At a time when everyone in the industry has needed to dig deep to be their best and deliver a little more, it’s possible to say the 19 winners of this year’s competition are among the most impressive in the 60-plus years of the awards.
PPAI salutes all the winning companies and their creative campaigns. From liquor bottles timed to pop at the stroke of midnight during New Year’s Eve parties, to boxes of energizing snacks meant to help virtual conference attendees stay awake, this was truly the year that promo never slept.
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Distributor: Over the Top Promotions
Type of Client: IT
Target Audience: 250 Lenovo Data Centre customers and channel partners in Australia and New Zealand
Primary Objective: Intended as a surprise Christmas gift, this campaign was also meant to increase brand recall for Lenovo and create excitement around its new series of servers created in partnership with Nutanix.
Total Cost: $35,000 AUD
Strategy And Execution: To amplify a sense of Christmas delight for its client’s customers and partners, Over the Top Promotions designed an advent calendar with 24 Lenovo branded merchandise gifts to open over the 24 days before Christmas. Spreading the joy and interest over 24 days served to maximize brand recall through the repetitive introduction to Lenovo branded merchandise. The calendar included products such as stickers of the new Lenovo x Nutanix server, meant to build excitement about its new systems and items such as reusable shopping bags aligning with their CSR efforts. A QR code and hashtag, #LenovoDCGNiceList, were created to build brand awareness. Over the Top Promotions worked closely with Lenovo’s design team to create unique and creative boxes within the calendar and for the design of the box itself, resembling both a present and a server. For perfect timing, the goods were dispatched mid-November for delivery by December 1.
Results: The campaign netted two new clients and two potential clients for Lenovo. Customers shared pictures on social media. Lenovo also went on to ask Over the Top Promotions to work with them on a similar program again in 2021.
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Distributor: The Dunstan Group LLC 
Type of Client: Business development and networking group
Target Audience: Members of an exclusive Charlotte, North Carolina networking group that meet monthly but had been limited to Zoom meetings because of COVID-19
Primary Objective: The client group’s members, executives and leaders from 50 top companies in and around Charlotte, exchanged gift boxes meant to “show love” to one another through custom-branded gifts and special opportunities to elevate their brands and boost their respective businesses.
Total Cost: $360,000
Strategy And Execution: When Hood Hargett Breakfast Club engaged The Dunstan Group to generate ideas for branded items for its February 2021 meeting, the distributor conceived of a “Local Love” box in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. Each member of the networking club chose which branded items they wanted to add to the boxes. The contributions started small, but grew as members pushed each other’s creativity. Colors and graphics evoked the warmth the gift was created to deliver. The Local Love Box was then hand-delivered to members’ homes and offices just hours before the monthly Zoom luncheon. Each member was instructed to open it during the virtual meeting for a grand surprise.
Results: Members invested in products that stood out and were helpful to their fellow members, which pushed others to think creatively. That created a waterfall effect, prompting brands to think about how they can use branded merchandise to elevate their names. Members were so pleased, the campaign resulted in nine new clients for The Dunstan Group.
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Distributor: American Solutions for Business
Type of Client: Banking/Financial
Target Audience: 48 young female social media influencers and their followers in key client markets
Primary Objective: First National Bank of Omaha intended the campaign to increase brand awareness and grow its Instagram following while supporting worthy causes, the #GirlsSupportGirls movement and International Day of the Girl.
Total Cost: $17,000
Strategy And Execution: After the client launched its “Girls Support Girls” Visa Debit Card to help bring awareness to the importance of empowering young women, American Solutions for Business sent bright, bold and fun curated boxes to 48 key influencers, one for them to keep and the other to give away. The boxes included on-brand items such as socks, trucker hats, notebooks, T-shirts, sunglasses and reusable water bottles. Using the influencer model, the distributor tapped into the demographic of young, socially active people who wanted to be a part of a community of motivators that truly believed in the message they were spreading.
Results: The average post related to the campaign received an engagement rate nearly three times as large as the average influencer post. First National Bank of Omaha grew its following by 163 throughout the campaign period, and the posts garnered nearly 22,000 impressions. Not only did the campaign help spread awareness for a vital cause, but it also upheld the values that First National Bank of Omaha prides itself on, establishing the bank as a trusted community leader.
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Distributor: Arid Zone
Type of Client: Premium spirits and liqueurs
Target Audience: Consumers aged 18 to 49, as well as media outlets and social media lifestyle influencers
Primary Objective: Arid Zone and its client teamed together to build greater awareness of the Pampelle grapefruit liqueur brand and position it as “the most loved aperitif” for summer in an effort to increase sell-through of the product in retail outlets.
Total Cost: $75,000
Strategy And Execution: With pandemic restrictions hampering its usual in-person meetings and customer engagements, the client wanted to enhance its brand by delivering a tangible at-home experience. The packaging required on-brand design, as well as strength and durability for mail delivery. The promotional pack included the signature Pampelle bottle and custom-branded glass, a bottle opener for the tonic, custom straws, and was cleverly finished with a fresh grapefruit garnish. Arid Zone reduced freight costs by sending goods via sea and air, and reinvested the savings into producing a better pack.
Results: The campaign resulted in a 40-percent sales uplift, exceeding goals. It also engaged media outlets with 42 unique brand features and 26 influencers blogging on social media, reaching 18.5 million consumers.
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Distributor: Concepts & Associates, Inc.
Type of Client: Banking/Financial
Target Audience: 500 current top clients
Primary Objective: The client, Synovus, aimed to reach out to key existing clients during the pandemic to thank them for their business and encourage their continued trust, making them feel appreciated and building on the ongoing relationships.
Total Cost: $16,621
Strategy And Execution: Four work-from-home items were chosen to be kitted together, relaying the message that the bank is thinking of top customers through a challenging time. Many items were researched, presented and discussed between vendors and the client, who eventually settled on logoed wireless charging mousepads, ceramic tumblers, spiral notebooks and pen sets, as well as tote bags. The kit also included a card provided by the bank, saying, “Now, more than ever, we want you to know that we’re thinking of you.” A vendor for three of the products combined theirs with a product from a second vendor, and the cards were shipped separately to be included in the kit.
Results: Synovus is proud to report it stayed in touch with all 500 top clients through the pandemic, a time when normal connections such as coffee or lunch meetings could not be achieved. Upon receipt, the kit provided a lasting, impactful memory of the bank and also gave a positive message to its clients.
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Distributor: Southwest Solutions
Type of Client: Rock climbing gym
Target Audience: All gym members and prospective members looking to make climbing a more consistent part of their routines.
Primary Objective: In a community-building effort, Rock Solid Climbing in Tucson, Arizona, hosted an event promoting one of the pillars of its brand: their circuit style of route setting. The event had to focus on this aspect of their facility, motivate participants to partake in the event, reward all levels of ability and experience in the climbing community and provide participants something to take away from the event that would stoke future participation, membership and attendance.
Total Cost: $1,500
Strategy And Execution: Searching for an award to give participants no matter their rock climbing skill, the gym settled on color-coded pins because of their affordability, collectability, simplicity and how aesthetically shareable they are for social media. Rock Solid Climbing artfully executed a word of mouth and then social media campaign to generate interest in the pin-earning events, which became community-led as climbers posted about their excitement around the pins.
Results: Interest and participation in the pin-earning event was exactly what the client was looking to generate, and they intend to repeat this program annually.
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Distributor: Jack Nadel International
Supplier: Steel Threads
Type of Client: Beverage
Target Audience: Brand influencers and celebrities
Primary Objective: Create social media buzz for Don Julio 1942 tequila, which underwent a lapse in availability because of the pandemic.
Total Cost: $57,000
Strategy And Execution: The client PR company came to Jack Nadel International in advance of New Year’s Eve 2021. Don Julio 1942 tequila had been unavailable since August 2020 and the client wanted to create bottle toppers that were automated to pop at midnight of the new year, spreading a campaign message that “good things come to those who wait.” With less than two months to execute the entire project, Jack Nadel International devised a bottle topper concept, sourced timed padlocks from China and collaborated with Steel Threads (PPAI 174676 S1) to produce 125 standard-sized cuffs and 25 magnum-sized cuffs. The order was fulfilled for recipients in every time zone plus two overseas addresses. The finished product was a thing of beauty, with the quality of a luxe piece of jewelry. Jack Nadel International admits that any other year it might have passed on the project, but its execution proves that when distributors and suppliers work well together, anything is possible.
Results: The client PR company and Don Julio 1942 were thrilled with the interest the custom bottle toppers received on social media. Jack Nadel International reports 16 follow-up projects related to the gold cuffs specifically.
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Distributor: Three K Consultants
Supplier: Morris Magnets
Type of Client: Salad dressing
Target Audience: Influencers and ecommerce customers purchasing the client’s products online
Primary Objective: The client wanted to stand out from other ecommerce salad dressing vendors by including a unique, memorable promotional product with each order.
Total Cost: $3,000
Strategy And Execution: Noting that most competitors merely ship coupons with their ecommerce orders, Del Sol Food Co. wanted to include promotional acrylic magnets in its packages to get customers’ attention. They decided to pick the top three sellers in the BRIANNAS salad dressing line, as well as one that needed more recognition and a brand new one. The five bottles chosen for the promotion displayed a variety of colors while highlighted BRIANNAS’ distinct branding, and the use of the bottle-shaped magnets serves as a reminder to customers to order more dressing.
Results: Del Sol reports receiving many customer reviews since the beginning of the campaign saying how much they enjoy the entirety of the product offering, including the magnet. Morris Magnets says, “It makes their consumer feel like they are getting a gift basket instead of just a pack of salad dressing.”
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Distributor: DBP & Associates, Inc.
Type of Client: School
Target Audience: The parents of roughly 100 families with children attending The Unquowa School in Fairfield, Connecticut
Primary Objective: A spring auction was to be held as a fundraiser for the school. Promotional products were used to spur interest in the event, which included leading some parents to a website where they could view auction items.
Total Cost: $3,607
Strategy And Execution: With summer around the corner, DBP & Associates went to Sage to discover a number of fun-in-the-sun-themed products, leveraging its preferred distributor pricing to help out the client school in raising awareness for the upcoming “It’s a New Day” auction. Artwork was done by the school design team and submitted to the distributor, which received samples of items for the school’s fundraising committee to review and select. The school selected a number of items, including promotional banners that went up on campus. Each family received a tote bag with a beach mat. In the tote bag was a postcard that had a QR code leading parents to the auction website where they viewed items up for auction. A virtual picnic was held via Zoom on the final night of the program, with parents who bought tickets receiving retro-modeled coolers packed with wine and food.
Results: Although the school spent less for its online auction and promotions than it would for a typical in-person fundraising event—DBP & Associates came in safely under budget—the school came away pleased with the return on its investment.
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Distributor: Hillary’s
Type of Client: Construction
Target Audience: Approximately 100 employees, 400 clients, 50 prospects and 50 industry partners
Primary Objective: Client Greiner Construction tasked Hillary’s with helping to develop a structure and framework of current stakeholder recognition activities.
Total Cost: $105,000
Strategy And Execution: With a goal of recognizing its top employees, clients, prospects and partners, Greiner Construction also hoped to leverage Hillary’s for identifying time efficiencies for the marketing and HR teams, continuity in recognition practices aligning with the company brand and optimized financial investments. Hillary’s spent a few weeks gathering data on current marketing efforts and creating recommendations before presenting its plans for action, a timeline and web portal. Hillary’s research identified and outlined tiers in target audience groups, milestones and activities to be recognized as well as tiers in recognition products for each milestone and activity recognized. The distribitor went on to create a curated product assortment for standard recognition needs such as project launch and completion, birth of a child, sympathy and holidays. It also mined for the interests of stakeholders, settling on popular themes such as barbecue, golf and spa, all with a focus on personalization.
Results: Greiner’s 2020 recognition efforts received buzz in the construction community and still came in on budget based on the tiering process developed by Hillary’s. Ninety percent of all recognition needs went through the web portal that was set up by the distributor.
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Distributor: Shumsky
Type of Client: Health care
Target Audience: Client employees ranging across 40 states
Primary Objective: This fully customized gift replaced the annual CareSource holiday gatherings and provided company leadership an opportunity to connect with employees through a message of encouragement.
Total Cost: $202,000
Strategy And Execution: Client company CareSource approached the distributor for assistance with its custom holiday gifts for 2020. Planning began in October of that year, with the theme of Warmest Wishes and Sweetest Greetings for the gift boxes. Once opened, a message from Caresource’s CEO was revealed, along with gifts including a plush, oversized blanket with the company logo embroidered on the corner (Warmest Wishes) and candy from a local chocolatier who custom-packaged it specifically for the project (Sweetest Greetings). A 2021 custom-designed calendar was also included. Kitting began in late November and boxes were shipped out for delivery between December 15-20. Each box was inserted in a polybag with a sticker of the CareSource logo affixed to the top, providing additional branding and quick recognition.
Results: Shumsky completed the project at 10 percent under budget, and CareSource received proof of the achieved goal of caring engagement with its CEO via numerous emails as well as posts on social media.
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Distributor: Team Iowa, an iPROMOTEu Affiliate
Type of Client: Producer of baking ingredients
Target Audience: Office staff and production members working in the client’s Wisconsin, Iowa and Alabama facilities
Primary Objective: To replicate the traditional experience that employees would normally have in the company’s test kitchens during the holiday season (altered by COVID-19), client company Lesaffre shipped the experience to employees and their family members to support their at-home baking.
Total Cost: $40,981
Strategy And Execution: Team Iowa developed a custom box that had the look of the ovens in the test kitchens. Inside, the box was organized with many of the key utensils that would be needed to bake pies and holiday desserts, and it was compiled into a paperback cookbook. The final crucial piece to the custom baking box, provided at Team Iowa’s suggestion, was a $40 Visa gift card given in consideration of families going through tough times due to the pandemic or different family hardships. Team Iowa kitted everything, included a note of thanks and support from the CEO and shrink-wrapped the boxes for a professional appearance and to protect them during shipping. Each box was shipped to the employees’ residences and arrived the week before Thanksgiving.
Results: Although the addition of the gift cards stretched Lesaffre’s budget for the program, it was ultimately approved, with the company’s CEO remarking, “You always think of everything.”
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Distributor: Impact Promotional Products
Type of Client: Petrochemical
Target Audience: Phillips 66 employees and external contractor personnel from 10 states, all gathering to complete a major turnaround project.
Primary Objective: The campaign was intended to develop internal communications strategies to instill camaraderie, teamwork and a safety focus.
Total Cost: $53,617
Strategy And Execution: In the spring of 2021, Phillips 66 was scheduled for its largest facility. This major, $185 million project, which is to be completed in phases over a 28-year period, required the entire refinery to halt regular operations in order to complete maintenance and upgrades. With teams working 12-hour shifts and completing intricate and sometimes dangerous tasks, the client wanted to communicate that each individual was responsible for safety. On the first day, each worker received cards with QR codes enabling management to provide real-time communication. During daily meetings, branded materials were distributed to crews observed exemplifying excellent safety protocol. Upon completion of the project, each individual was invited to select a recognition gift carrying the campaign graphic: a sketch developed from drone photos of the 1919-built Wilmington P66 refinery and surrounding port.
Results: The campaign united 4,000 workers who captured 1,716 safety observations. If just one of these observations prevented an accident and delay, the $50,000 program cost was well returned.
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Distributor: Cooley Group, Inc.
Type of Client: Civic nonprofit
Target Audience: Community of Saratoga Springs, New York
Primary Objective: Fostering the spirit of civic pride was the main goal of this fundraiser in support of the various programs The Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund backs. Local flair was showcased by unique elements of the city taking the form of Monopoly game board properties, tokens and materials.
Total Cost: $40,000
Strategy And Execution: This fundraiser was unlike any typical promotional products sale. Cooley Group purchased the rights to develop a customized Monopoly game for a key community organization after receiving support from the City of Saratoga Springs Chamber of Commerce. A Cooley Group brand consultant worked with local companies and organizations to arrange sponsorships of game tokens and board properties, selling naming rights of individual properties and transforming Boardwalk into the iconic Saratoga Race Course. These sponsorships, as well as the inclusion of other Saratoga Springs landmarks and localisms completely transformed a traditional game board into one that was customized for the area, serving as a symbol of community pride for both residents and visitors. Working with its supplier, Cooley Group managed all details of production and delivery of the 5,000 game boards, adhering to the strict requirements of game-maker Hasbro.
Results: The client was thrilled with the results and enjoyed a net return-on-investment of $210,000, all of which went directly to the community fund to support local organizations and initiatives. The games sold out.
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Distributor: Concepts & Associates, Inc.
Type of Client: School
Target Audience: Approximately 1,000 past donors and Birmingham, Alabama community members
Primary Objective: Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, which provides an affordable alternative to public schools with every student receiving tuition assistance, hosts an annual event—Schoolhouse Rock—to raise funds and awareness for its mission while creating value for its donors. With the event rendered unfeasible because of the pandemic, the client wanted to deliver a positive at-home experience for would-be attendees.
Total Cost: $27,000
Strategy And Execution: Cornerstone adjusted its program for meal pickup and deliveries, with guests receiving party packages that included branded cups, face masks, hand sanitizer, caps and sunglasses packed inside a branded cooler tote that also featured a list of major sponsors. Concepts & Associates fully customized every aspect and included unique visibility for the highest-level sponsors. Once delivered, products were packed in the coolers the week of the event. Meals and beverages were added the day of the meal pickups and deliveries.
Results: Determined to create value, visibility and drive event sales for a different kind of event, Cornerstone raised $205,000—an increase from its typical draw of $150,000-200,000.
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Distributor: Boundless 
Type of Client: Technology
Target Audience: 2020’s top-performing sales personnel of the client, Pure Storage, as well as their families.
Primary Objective: Each year, Pure Storage rewards over 250 of its top salespeople with an extravagant trip to an exotic location; past winners have gone to Hawaii, France and the Mediterranean. Because of restrictions on travel, the objective was to continue the tradition in a COVID-safe fashion, letting recipients choose their own travel destination reward when they are ready to travel.
Total Cost: $64,000
Strategy And Execution: To capitalize on travel nostalgic trends, Boundless sourced a leather duffel similar to those once carried by Pan Am flight attendants in the 1960s and ’70s, which came in Pure Storage’s trademark orange color and featured an equally custom interior liner. The duffel included a travel voucher, which top sellers could use to travel anywhere they wanted with their families, with a generous 18-month expiration date. The duffel also included coordinated passport wallets, luggage tags and other travel-friendly goods for people of all ages. Boundless and its Chinese manufacturing partner astutely anticipated a deluge of ocean freight issues and backed up stateside docks, working ahead to ensure that the duffels arrived before deadline.
Results: When the coveted reward was in doubt, the duffle surprise created a memorable experiential moment for key sales leaders. With ample time to execute, Boundless looked overseas to design the duffel and almost all of the accessory items, saving the client $16,000 from its initial budget.
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Distributor: HALO 
Type of Client: Software Service
Target Audience: 290 employees of LogMeIn, a provider of software-as-a-service and cloud-based remote work tools
Primary Objective: The client’s program, WE@LogMeIn, was created to empower and honor women while improving company culture and employee engagement.
Total Cost: $2,500 (plus worldwide freight)
Strategy And Execution: LogMeIn came to HALO looking for ideas to celebrate Women’s History Month for their women-empowering WE@LogMeIn employee resource group, with a special interest in products that supported a give-back initiative. HALO brainstormed ideas and ultimately found an opportunity to work with Peace by Piece International and their partner, Creamos, a nonprofit organization providing opportunities for women living in the communities of Guatemala City Garbage Dump (GCGD). Employees participating in WE@LogMeIn were able to sign up to receive a handmade scrunchie made by the women Creamos served and to send a scrunchie to an amazing woman in their lives. Each scrunchie was created using traditional Guatemalan fabric. A romance card was attached to each item, explaining who made the scrunchie and how it impacted another woman’s life in Guatemala, complete with her signature. The goal was to empower one woman and honor another.
Results: LogMeIn has several internal programs at the company to celebrate employees with the goal to further develop employee engagement and a culture of inclusion. This project had the highest adoption rate for the WE@LogMeIn program for the employee resource group to date, with a total of 145 participants.
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Distributor: HALO 
Type of Client: Health care system
Target Audience: 200 attendees of a Health Management Systems (HMS) invite-only virtual conference
Primary Objective: With an event theme revolving around energy and innovation and moving health care forward, HMS partnered with HALO to create kits supporting excitement and interactivity for its full-day seminar.
Total Cost: $19,685
Strategy And Execution: For its Momentum 20/20 virtual event, HMS wanted the items chosen for this kit to each have a specific purpose. The all-day event began with a morning of high energy, fueled by a travel coffee press, coffee tumbler and gourmet coffee grounds, paired with a Special K bar. A healthy snack tube filled with an array of nuts and raisins was included for healthy snacking later in the day. The kit came with a tripod light, a functional item for the conference and beyond, encouraging attendees to show themselves in the “best light” while on virtual calls. As the event came to an end, HMS held a virtual happy hour complete with the Moscow mule kits and copper mugs. Many of the items came in custom full-color packaging that included the HMS Momentum slogan. Opening each item on its own gave attendees an exciting unboxing experience as they “revealed” each item.
Results: Other departments within HMS inquired about mimicking the kit for their upcoming needs and events. The Momentum kit helped HMS to influence $6.5 million worth of open opportunities.
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Distributor: Advertising Premium Sales
Type of Client: Event planner
Target Audience: Genomic scientists from around the world
Primary Objective: The client, AGBT, is a world-renowned provider of three prestigious conference and networking events for the life sciences and global biotech community. AGBT expected the swag boxes to increase the amount of early registrants to its first virtual Annual International Conference.
Total Cost: $52,324
Strategy And Execution: AGBT wanted to offer each sponsor the opportunity to provide an item for its swag box, so Advertising Premium Sales compiled a “shopping list” of fitting items for the attendees that the sponsors could choose from. Each sponsor then selected an item and the distributor team worked to ensure their individual artwork was perfect and the item exceeded expectations. Advertising Premium Sales partnered with The Chest (PPAI 111653, S6) to deliver more than 700 packages worldwide on deadline, bundling print collateral from many of the sponsors.
Results: Close to 700 participants registered early, one of the largest early turnouts AGBT has ever had for its annual conference.
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Ellis is the publisher and editor-in-chief at PPAI.
