Promotions East, the trade show hosted by the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY), ran from Oct. 17 to 19 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City. The three-day event, which included a panel of industry leaders sharing tips on weathering a potential recession and moderated by ASI President and CEO Tim Andrews, was packed with education sessions and trending products for distributors to take advantage of.

“The show is absolutely amazing,” said Alex Symms, national accounts manager at PowerStick.com (asi/51566). “There’s a lot of turnout; the floor is packed.”

Here are some highlights from education sessions at the show, as well as trends spotted on the show floor.

The End-Buyers Speak

Dale Denham, CEO of PPAI, led a keynote session where he talked with end-buyers about their promotional products needs: Courtney Zubey, regional marketing manager for The IRONMAN Group; Ian Garrison Sr., director of product development and buying for the WWE; and Ilisha Borek, owner/director of Woodmont Day Camp.

The three buyers – representing very different markets – shared some of the best (and worst) experiences they’ve had with the industry and gave insight into what they appreciate most when working with a distributor.

At an IRONMAN race in San Antonio last year, 20,000 participant T-shirts were supposed to be provided by a local vendor, Zubey recalled. “They had promised us timelines and confirmed those timelines several times, and the T-shirts never ended up showing up,” she said. The vendor had no explanation or solution for the delay, and someone from Zubey’s team had to drive five hours overnight to get replacement tees so participants would have something on race day. “I can tell you we never worked with that specific vendor again,” Zubey added.

For Garrison, the worst experience was a Wrestlemania held in New Orleans several years ago. The WWE wanted to give out branded Mardi Gras beads to promote the event, but the beads they sourced from a distributor were of such low quality that the venue sent them back. “They were so cheap and horrible-looking that they didn’t even give them away for free,” Garrison said.

Borek didn’t have a horror story to relate, but shared her disappointment with a creative promo product that wasn’t as successful as she hoped it would be. Every year, her camp sends out a mailer 50 days before the summer season begins, with a countdown to build anticipation. Typically, the camp sent door hangers for campers to mark off each day until camp started. One year, Borek sent banks for the children to assemble and insert a coin for each day until the start of camp. It seemed like it would be a fun, interactive slam dunk, but “We got no response from parents,” Borek said. “They like simple stuff. [The door hanger] was easier and more visible.”

All three end-buyers agreed that open and clear communication was key in building and maintaining relationships with their distributors. And they were disdainful of salespeople who made pitches without doing their homework and finding something relevant to their brand and individual needs. Having a personal touch is also paramount.

“I do find value if a distributor, after a product is delivered, checks in and asks how did everything go with that,” Zubey said. “Not just sending a link to take a survey, but someone actually checking in and asking.”

The Metaverse & Promo

From left, Lynne Marlor, chair of the Boston Blockchain Association; Brian Gill, chief experience officer at Thumbprint; and Michael Scott Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Harper + Scott.

In a session on how the metaverse fits into promo, led by Meg Erber, outside sales manager for Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear (asi/84358), tech-savvy leaders shared their insights about the digital future.

Brian Gill, chief experience officer at Thumbprint (asi/293564), said he believes the metaverse will follow the same trajectory in the industry as company stores did, noting that it’s a good idea for promo companies to start experimenting in these virtual worlds now. Thumbprint has been creating metaverse experiences for customers to help them with onboarding and training workers.

“We’ve really tried to solve real business problems for customers,” Gill said, adding that the metaverse isn’t just about playing video games. 

For Michael Scott Cohen, launching the H + S META division of Harper + Scott (asi/220052) earlier this year was as much about company branding as it was about increasing revenue. “We are making money off it, but the whole point is to show we’re a little different than everyone else in our space,” he said. “I want us to be known as one of the most innovative companies in the industry.”

Harper + Scott owns a plot of digital land in the fashion district of the Decentraland metaverse, which it can lease out to clients to help them create digital landscapes and virtual experiences. For instance, the distributor created a meta shop for Rue 21 that includes a virtual café where influencers can make appearances to meet and greet fans. The fashion retailer with a Gen Z following wanted “to meet consumers where they are, and that’s in the metaverse,” Cohen said.

Embracing the metaverse doesn’t mean you give up on selling real merchandise, Gill said. But creating a “killer digital experience” to help deliver those physical goods is a surefire way to keep the promo industry from being reduced to commodities.

“The value is not in the mug,” Gill added. “We’ve always said this, but it’s true now more than ever.”

3 Trends From the Show Floor

Hundreds of suppliers showed off an array of promotional products, from cozy flannel pants to premium drinkware to branded hot chocolate bombs. With an impressive variety of items, there were a few general trends that stood out. Here are three of the most noteworthy.

1. Reusable, Sustainable & Upcycled Products

Reusable and upcycled products were trending at Promotions East, whether it was a canvas bag from LBU Inc. or coasters made of vintage vinyl from Record Remix.

Sustainability has been gaining a lot of steam in promo recently – a movement we’ve been documenting on our Promo for the Planet page – and there were plenty of reusable, eco-friendly and upcycled products on display.

“Canvas is king right now,” said Walter Lewis, vice president of sales for LBU Inc. (asi/65952). “What’s really trending in the industry right now is anything that can be made of earth-friendly products or can be reused.”

The custom bag maker had an array of reusable totes – some decorated with seam-to-seam prints on canvas and others made of a jute burlap with a natural look.

Amy Martin of Record Remix (asi/93934) showed off a variety of products created from upcycling vintage vinyl records. “It’s very nostalgic, very traceable, very eco-friendly,” she said. “We upcycle about a half a million vinyl records headed for the landfill each year.

2. Taking Advantage of the Great Outdoors

Curto Toy Mfg. Co. showed off custom dog toys shaped like soup and beverage cans.

Whether it was flashlights, pocketknives, high-end coolers or portable outdoor stoves, many of the products on the show floor continued a trend that began in the early days of COVID, when people rediscovered their love of nature and hanging out in the backyard to enjoy a beer and a game of cornhole.

City Bonfires was started in 2020 by two neighbors who lost their jobs during COVID. They were looking for a way to enjoy roasting marshmallows over a fire without having to commit to building a fire that needs to be tended to for hours at a time. So, they created a portable soy wax candle with four charcoal briquettes in it. The mini-bonfire is hot enough to make s’mores or cook hotdogs, but is easily extinguished by smothering the fire with the lid, according to Michael Opalski, one of the company founders.

Curto Toy Mfg. Co. (asi/47897) showed off plush, squeaky dog toys shaped like cans of hard seltzer or chicken soup. The company also had custom golf club covers featuring everything from a plush Dole pineapple to a school mascot on the top of a sock-like sleeve. “They protect the golf club but also help you market your brand,” explained owner Francesco Curto.

3. High-End Food Gifts & Accessories

Hot chocolate bombs, like these from Midnite Snax (asi/71685), were among the many food items available for holiday gifting.

Hot chocolate bombs, hot cocoa kits, custom truffles and other sweet treats abounded at Promotions East. Food gifts continue to be a popular choice – as are kitchen accessories, whether it’s a set of knives, a statement-piece charcuterie board or even reusable snack bags.

PowerStick.com showed off a cutting board that incorporates a digital scale, timer and knife sharpener. “It’s great for the holiday season,” Symms said.