PPAI Partners With APPA On Get In Touch! Campaign
PPAI and the Australasian Promotional Products Association (APPA) announced an agreement in November to use core elements of PPAI’s Promotional Products Work! and Get In Touch! campaigns across Australia and New Zealand. APPA plans to launch the campaigns in those countries in early 2017.
The Get In Touch! campaign is designed to increase awareness and enhance the perception of the promotional products industry, as well as communicate the benefits of working with promotional consultants. The overall goal of the campaign is to direct a larger share of advertising dollars to the industry. It will feature member kits available for download and customization, including elements that members will be able to immediately incorporate into their own marketing efforts. The expectation is that APPA members become an integral part of the Get In Touch! campaign.
“APPA’s goal is simple: promotional products marketing should be recognized by marketers and business people as an essential part of the brand and marketing communications toolkit,” says Steve Granland, APPA chief executive officer. “Our members are recognized as leaders in their creative field, and promotional products marketing rivals other specialized marketing fields for share of wallet, curriculum coverage, career, commentary and perceived value.”
PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, adds, “Get In Touch! is important to the promotional products industry because, for too long, it has been an afterthought for many in the marketing chain. The industry knows, understands and communicates the power of promotional products, but it’s time the rest of the world recognized the power of promotional products and their place in successful marketing campaigns.”
In August, APPA launched PromotionalProductsWork.com.au and PromotionalProductsWork.co.nz. Targeted at promotional products buyers, these websites provide information and data about the power of promotional products and the importance of working with promotional consultants. The websites will continue to evolve and be an important element of the Get In Touch! campaign.
“The APPA Board is saying it wants this to be a primary focus and a key element of APPA’s strategic plan,” says Granland. “The board recognizes that now is the time to be proactive. However, APPA will not be successful if it pursues this initiative alone. It’s going to require APPA members’ assistance to succeed.
“With the assistance of PPAI, APPA has a plan to reach marketing buyers through the campaign at the national level and will create the tools our members need to get involved and engaged with their customers and prospects,” Granland adds. “Get InTouch! is a significant and positive step forward in raising the positive profile of the promotional products industry in Australia and New Zealand; however, we must engage our members for this initiative to be successful.”
APPA will form a profile-raising advisory group to be chaired by an APPA board member and made up of a small number of industry professionals. This advisory group will be charged with providing advice and support to the APPA national office in both adapting the materials made available by PPAI for the Australian and New Zealand markets and how best to engage with the APPA member base to ensure success.
More details will be provided to APPA members as the advisory group is formed and meets to map out key time frames and deliverables for this project.
