PPAI has entered into a new partnership with ITR Economics, one of the oldest, privately held economic research and consulting firms in the United States.

Established in 1948 and known for its 94.7% forecast accuracy, ITR Economics’s business-minded economists offer unbiased and apolitical insights, leveraging the organization’s powerful datasets to provide objective forecasts and analysis tools.

The new partnership represents a major investment in PPAI's commitment to Premium Research as a benefit to Professional-tier members, according to Josh Ellis, publisher and editor-in-chief of PPAI Media.

“We want to deliver value in all of the content we serve to members of every size, type and need,” Ellis says. “Through their tier choice, these members have signaled to us that they have a use for deeper economic data to help them make strategic decisions. We’re proud to offer it, and I hope every Silver, Gold and Platinum PPAI member takes full advantage.”

Added Value For Members

Typically, an ITR subscription costs more than $1,200 annually, but Professional-tier members can now enjoy free access to:

  • A quarterly newsletter with top industry forecasts
  • Alliance DataCast, a robust data analysis tool


Dale Denham, MAS+, president and CEO of PPAI, says this investment is a direct reflection of how the Association’s new membership structure benefits members. “Instead of members paying more than $1,200 per year for access to economic forecasts, we’re able to include this as a member benefit while providing industry specific insights as well,” Denham says.

  • The first quarterly report will be sent out Friday, May 3, to Professional-tier members’ primary PPAI contact and voting members.
  • Any employee of a Silver, Gold or Platinum tier firm may request the report by emailing PPAI market economist and research lead Alok Bhat (alokb@ppai.org).


“PPAI has been leveraging these insights internally for years,” Denham says, “and I’ve been impressed with the accuracy of the forecasts and insights since we started working with ITR more than 10 years ago. For those that want to improve their ability to forecast and track against broader trends, the ability to more accurately budget and project your own revenue trends is an added benefit that PPAI is including in 2024 to help during these atypical economic times.”

Alliance DataCast

During PPAI’s North American Leadership Conference (NALC) in Salt Lake City next week, the Association will formally introduce Alliance DataCast, a tool allowing members to leverage data for strategic decision-making and benchmarking against industry indicators.

  • Alliance DataCast is available exclusively for PPAI's Silver, Gold and Platinum-tier members, giving them an edge in their strategic planning and business analysis.
  • Key features include the ability to upload a company’s past sales data and instantly receive a month-by-month revenue forecast for the next two years.


“Partnering with ITR Economics empowers PPAI members with unparalleled economic insights, enabling them to anticipate market trends and make data-driven decisions with confidence,” Bhat says. “This collaboration is a game changer for the promo industry, as it provides our members with the tools they need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving marketplace.”

Navigating Alliance DataCast

PPAI’s Professional-tier members can access the Alliance DataCast platform and create an account using the firm’s unique 6-digit PPAI member ID.

Once logged in, each company’s two-year forecast can be unlocked in just four steps:

Step 1: Download The Data Template

After logging in, download the data template from the Alliance DataCast interface. This template provides a structured format for your company’s data, ensuring compatibility with the tool.

Step 2: Upload Your Data

Use the “Upload New Data” option to import your company's data into Alliance DataCast.

Step 3: Run The Analysis

Once the data is uploaded, select “Run Analysis” to process and analyze the data.

Step 4: View The Findings

Review the findings and explore the insights provided by the analysis.

  • More information about the partnership with ITR Economics and Alliance DataCast will be shared during NALC on May 5-7 in Salt Lake City.