Promotional Products Work! Week (PPW!W), the industry’s annual celebration spotlighting the power of promotional products and the importance of working with promotional products professionals, returns next week, starting Monday, May 13, and wrapping up on Friday, May 17. Now in its seventh year, PPW!W brings together the $24.7 billion promotional products industry—with its more than 40,500 businesses and more than 533,000 professionals—to raise awareness industry-wide and educate marketers, advertisers and legislators about the value and effectiveness of the media.

“Promotional Products Work! Week unites the promotional products industry with one voice, bringing to the forefront the power of promotional products for marketers and advertisers, as well as the positive impact promotional products businesses have on the U.S. economy, job creation and our communities,” says Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI’s president and CEO.

Throughout the week, activities and events are planned across the industry to encourage clients, customers and prospects to advance promotional products as an essential component of a comprehensive marketing plan.

PPW!W is built on five pillars which exemplify ways PPAI member companies and others can speak up for the promotional products industry and take part in this year’s program. They are:

  • Day One: host an open house, meet-and-greet or company tour
  • Day Two: advocate for the industry by speaking to colleges, clubs or business groups about promotional products industry careers or the power of promotional products
  • Day Three: designate a day of service to support a local charity or cause
  • Day Four: share the industry’s impact on the economy with legislators, politicians and government officials—this day coincides with PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D.) on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
  • Day Five: partner with industry suppliers and regional associations and host a customer appreciation day

PPAI will be hosting local members for lunch and a program at its Irving, Texas, headquarters on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and the Promotional Products Association Southwest is sponsoring an end-user golf tournament on Thursday at Coyote Ridge Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. For information on the tournament, visit the PPAS website.

Industry companies looking to create awareness for the industry can download a toolkit with ideas, graphics, videos, social media banners and other PPW!W-branded elements here. Follow all the activities throughout the week on PPAI's Facebook page and post your events using #PPWWeek. Companies are also encouraged to send descriptions and photos from company activities and events to PPB@ppai.org for consideration in a future article.