The first round of ASI Promo Insanity is in the books. The chaos that some of us predicted for the opening round (pet products and food gifts, you will be missed) didn’t come to bear as top seeds and popular product categories held to form.

Now, with Round 2 voting underway, our ASI Media team takes another crack at some predictions. Does 2020’s Product of the Year (masks) stand a chance against promo’s lightweight champion, T-shirts? Can jackets & sweatshirts take down writing instruments? Do hats have enough juice to defeat bags? And who emerges in the battle of the drinkware – mugs or water bottles? Read on for our predictions.

Masks & PPE vs. T-Shirts

Joe Haley, Product Editor: T-Shirts. They’re the perennial favorite every year, so not getting the #1 seed was a shocker. Committee members, are they suddenly from the “wrong” conference? Anyway, T-shirts are like UCLA in its heyday: a powerhouse with strength at every position and great coaching. Even though masks & PPE made a huge showing in 2020, they ended up on everyone’s radar and opponents are ready for them (well, except for those poor pet products). T-shirts will have this round easily, as masks & PPE won’t have enough in the proverbial tank to compete at the end and will exit the tournament in round 2, hiding their disappointment in their face masks.

Sara Lavenduski, Executive Editor of Digital Content: Masks & PPE. As much as I’d love to give it to T-shirts because I’m tired of face coverings, there’s nothing like finding a perfect mask that fits well, with a soft hand and cute print. It’s basically the new T-shirt.

John Corrigan, Senior Writer: T-Shirts. I’m shocked and appalled that masks & PPE are still in the tournament. While they somehow got past adorable pet products, there’s no way T-shirts – the champion of the promotional products industry – take the L.

Christopher Ruvo, Digital News Director: T-Shirts. While masks & PPE have been an invaluable lifeline to the industry, T-shirts are still promo’s flagship product. They will prevail.

Theresa Hegel, Executive Editor of Digital Content: T-Shirts. Even though I’ve heard people in the industry call masks the “new T-shirt,” there’s no way this upstart can unseat a champ like the ubiquitous tee.

Vin Driscoll, Digital Content Director: T-Shirts. PPE may be the #1 seed, but reality is about to set in. T-shirts in a laugher.

C.J. Mittica, Editor-in-Chief: T-Shirts. The level of support for masks in Round 1 truly surprised me. (Pet people! Where were you? Too busy playing with your dogs ….). This time, everyone loves T-shirts, and not everyone loves masks. Easy victory for the Ts.

Bags vs. Hats

Haley: Bags. Any apparel item, including hats, is worthy of a top seed. But when it comes to brand exposure, bags are a veritable full-court press. And while both employ a walking-billboard style of play, expect this match-up to start off quick on both sides, with bags slinging one over the shoulder for the victory at the end. Buzzer beater? Hold on to your hats and find out.

Lavenduski: Bags. I have a million different bags, each with a specific job to do. They’re so versatile. I never wear hats.

Corrigan: Hats. Although both products have been used less frequently during the pandemic, sports fans will carry their precious hats into the final four.

Ruvo: Bags. Personally I voted headwear, but the utility of a good tote, combined with the canvas for branding it provides, will win the day.

Hegel: Hats. Putting a bag over your head when you have a bad hair day just looks weird.

Driscoll: Hats. The toughest second-round matchup will see hats narrowly toppling bags.

Mittica: Bags. Yes, people do love their hats. But bags are unrivaled in their variety. They are literally with us in every walk of life.

Writing Instruments vs. Jackets & Sweatshirts

Haley: Writing Instruments. The number-two seed for a reason, writing instruments are versatile on offense and have a strong bench. Pens running out of ink? Forget about it – there’s always a pencil or highlighter ready to get in the action. And while the hoodie is a seasoned player, it’ll come up short. I see writing instruments draining more 3s than Steph Curry during his Davidson College glory days.

Lavenduski: Jackets & Sweatshirts. Sweatshirts have become like warm, comforting friends during a year of work-from-home. I used to be partial to pullovers, but now full-zips are a must for easy layering.

Corrigan: Jackets & Sweatshirts. My dark horse pick has stiff competition this time. Hopefully, voters will heed Punxsutawney Phil’s warning and clutch their jackets & sweatshirts tight.

Ruvo: Writing Instruments. Jackets & sweatshirts might be the cooler kid in this match-up, but writing instruments are sold with such ubiquity, and carry such importance to the bottom line of our industry, you really should be advancing them here.

Hegel: Jackets & Sweatshirts. I think style will win out over the stylus.

Driscoll: Jackets & Sweatshirts. The mighty pen runs out of ink in a tough matchup.

Mittica: Writing Instruments. Food gifts gave those pens a run for their money, but alas came up short (and busted my bracket in the process). A well-worn hoodie is truly cherished, but writing instruments are the lifeblood of this industry – don’t write them off.

Mugs vs. Water Bottles & Tumblers

Haley: Water Bottles & Tumblers. This rematch of the Drinkware Conference finals will be filled (to the rim) with excitement. Mugs have a solid, fundamental game plan (reminiscent of the discipline of the Hickory Huskers in the movie Hoosiers) but they’ll be outmatched by the flashier water bottles. Dominated by big forwards like 60 oz. water bottles and utility players like tumblers that keep hot drinks hot for six hours and cold drinks cold for 12 hours, mugs won’t have a chance as their inside game won’t be able to adjust.

Lavenduski: Mugs. This industry runs on coffee, and thermal mugs keep it nice and hot for hours. That’s nice when Zoom calls take up your morning and you don’t get to it until 11:00.

Corrigan: Water Bottles & Tumblers. I underestimated the popularity of water bottles & tumblers in the first round. That won’t happen again.

Ruvo: Water Bottles & Tumblers. But it will be a narrow win. The retail-esque designs, utility and sustainable messaging (because they allow end-users to eschew single-use plastic bottles) are all powerful qualities for water bottles right now.

Hegel: Water Bottles & Tumblers. Now that the weather is warming up, mugs are going back in the cabinet, and it’s going to be all about drinks that refresh.

Driscoll: Water Bottles & Tumblers. The supporters of these trendy products prove to be thirstier than the trusty mug.

Mittica: Water Bottles & Tumblers. Ahh mugs, as reassuring as a warm cup of … well, you know. But we can all admit mugs can be a bit boring, and water bottles are the biggest industry sensation of the last few years. I’ll drink to that.