You heard it all year long – “[insert your favorite event or social activity here] is BACK!” And while The PPAI Expo returned in 2022 after a COVID-forced hiatus in 2021, that wasn’t the case for everybody.
While vaccines, facility upgrades and other improvements made many show exhibitors and attendees hopeful to return last year, the Omicron variant prompted international travel advisories and restrictions that kept many would-be attendees away, including those from Canada. No such advisory has been issued in recent weeks, and promo pros from Canada and countries around the world have eagerly returned to the show.
“Everyone is excited to be getting back to the Expo, to reconnect with American colleagues and to see the latest products that suppliers will be launching during the show,” says Jonathan Strauss, president and CEO of Promotional Product Professionals of Canada. “Our members enjoy finding new products at Expo, meeting face-to-face with new and existing suppliers, and of course the social functions that Expo has to offer.”
This will be the first time Canadian members are able to attend Promopalooza, Strauss adds, so many are looking forward to that new experience in addition to the chance to renew relationships with industry colleagues. They already enjoyed connecting during a special reception on Monday afternoon just for international attendees.
“The last six months of 2022 have been all about reconnecting with industry colleagues, and this is a great opportunity to reconnect,” he says. “We are geographically so close to the United States, but COVID kept so many separated for over two years. The PPAI Expo is an amazing chance for the Canadian and American industry to be together again.”
Denise Taschereau, CEO and co-founder of Vancouver-based distributor Fairware Promotional Products (and a PPAI Board member), says she especially enjoys seeing new products first-hand and connecting with suppliers on plans for the coming year.
“We haven’t been to Expo in two years, so seeing everyone in person will be awesome,” she adds.
Call It A Comeback
Italy-based hat supplier Atlantis Headwear, booth 5745, attended and exhibited for the first time at The PPAI Expo in 2020, and Silvia Pallaro, the company’s country manager for North America, says they had a great experience and made tons of valuable connections.
“We enjoyed the appreciation we received from small and big promo distributors that never heard from us before,” she says. “People congratulated us for the booth, the products, the international presence. The PPAI Expo in Vegas has been our entrance door to the U.S. promo market.”
The Atlantis team was eager to return – but the show was canceled in 2021 due to COVID, and travel bans with Europe prevented them from attending in 2022 – so this year’s event is especially important to regain their momentum and continue to build brand awareness, says Pallaro.
“After missing 2021 and 2022, we are excited to finally see our clients, suppliers and new prospects in person again,” she adds. “We believe that The PPAI Expo is the biggest and most representative show for the promotional industry.”
International First-Timers Excited
Attending The PPAI Expo is vital for suppliers to show off their latest and greatest wares, and likewise for distributors to see new products available. It’s also an essential opportunity to build connections – in person – between suppliers and distributors.
Here, several first-time international attendees share why they are eager to make the most of the event:
Florence Mosnier is general manager of IPPAG Cooperative, a Switzerland-based international distributors’ group.
“Traditionally we meet in Europe to start our year,” she says, “However, the PPAI Expo is becoming more and more attractive internationally, and our members from over 35 different countries see it not only as a showcase of the industry in the U.S., but as a global hub. It’s the place to be for important conversations and product trends.”
Mosnier adds that she’s excited to learn more about how the understanding of sustainability as a key concern and market driver has evolved in the past few years.
“Sustainability equals survivability for our industry,” she says. “It raises many challenges, but also immense opportunities, and the whole industry needs to transform and address this together.”
From the other side of the globe, Nick Barclay, CEO of Australian distributor OCC Apparel, also wants to learn more about ethical and eco-friendly products and practices – in particular, “the availability of ethically accredited fashion apparel stock items and their decoration with environmentally friendly, highest quality, sustainable decoration techniques.”
“Knowledge and strong partnerships win,” he adds. “The USA pumps up the volume like no other market on the planet. With scale you need speed, you need experience, and you need partners you can trust.”
Caroline Bourke, COO of Irish distributor ASA Brands, says she has heard great things about The PPAI Expo for years and wanted to come check it out for herself.
“Excited to see what the U.S. is offering versus Europe and the Far East,” she adds, “and to get new ideas for 2023!”
Overcoming Isolation And Expanding Reach
Some overseas promo professionals feel isolated from the global market and view The PPAI Expo as a great opportunity to feel more connected to the industry. Another first-timer, Nick Letts, operations manager of Australian distributor PromoPal, says he’s eager to learn more about trends from around the world.
“Australia can be quite isolated from an industry perspective,” he says, adding that he’s especially looking forward to “seeing new product trends and learning as much as I can … so we maintain our market-leading position.”
Others are looking to grow globally. Jorge Aguado, CTO for Grupo Garrampa, a distributor based in Spain, says his company is making its first appearance at The PPAI Expo this year to learn more about international business opportunities.
“Garrampa has been on the market for 10 years, and we think that it is time to expand beyond Europe,” he says. “We come to The PPAI Expo to know more about the U.S. market, meet suppliers and learn from competitors.”
Another first-time international attendee looking to build up business in the U.S. is distributor Soeren Langhoff, Denmark country lead for Zinc Group and global account director for Prominate. Langhoff has attended international industry shows in Europe and Asia for three decades, but this year, he says, his global partners are making an effort to put more focus on America.
“We work constantly to be developing our global footprint,” he says, adding that he is especially looking forward to “experiencing the industry trends from the USA, which will give us an even better service offering toward our global clients,” as well as meeting his business partners from the Americas.
Like everyone at The PPAI Expo, these international attendees are eager to find new products, network and gain industry insights so they can grow their businesses.
As Gaurav Bhagat, founder and managing director of India-based global supplier Consortium Gifts, puts it, “It’s important to learn, share and grow. Show up to go up.”
