The streak is over.

For the first time since January 2020, personal protective equipment (PPE) failed to make the top 10 list of most-searched items in ESP, ASI’s database of products from around the promo industry. After dropping from fourth place to eighth in April, “face masks” fell out of the top 10 in May 2021.

A sign that the industry has finally returned to something like normalcy, “pens” were the most-searched term in ESP for the sixth month in a row. “Backpack,” which saw a 108% increase in searches from last year, moved into the top 10. Industry staples like “water bottle,” “mugs” and “tote bags” saw year-over-year increases of 112%, 135% and 119%, respectively. Meanwhile, searches for “face masks” decreased 91% from May 2020.

“Traditional promo is coming back in a big way,” says Nate Kucsma, ASI’s executive director of research and corporate marketing. “April and May 2020 really were the low points for traditional promo sales and fortunately, 12 months later, things are getting back to normal.”

The data also indicates that distributors and their clients have prepared for a much more active summer in 2021. “Beach chair” experienced the biggest increase in searches from last month at 87%. “Picnic basket” and “picnic blanket” saw increases of 51% and 46%, respectively. Perhaps toasting to mass vaccinations, relaxed restrictions and a renewed sense of optimism throughout the United States, “stemless wine glass” was up 59%.