PPAI Diversity Development and Engagement Manager Seth Barnett hit the road last week, joining the New England Promotional Products Association (NEPPA) and the Promotional Products Association of the Midwest (PPAM) to speak at their fall showcases, and connecting with college freshmen at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was a guest lecturer for an introductory marketing class.

Barnett’s presentation showed students how the promotional products industry works in the marketing mix and how buyers appreciate its cost-effective reach and recall.

Barnett says, “Students had a homework assignment prior to the class where they were to search out questions pertaining to the industry and how it fits in marketing. They came up with great questions about how the industry inspires word-of-mouth advertising, doing business with a promotional consultant, and how to become involved in the industry while they are in college. I was really impressed to see how well our industry is aligned with what is being taught in college marketing courses, though we are not heavily discussed. The more students learn about our industry early on, the more opportunity they have to connect it to other forms of marketing throughout their collegiate career.”