Last week, PPAI announced that it would be officially launching its industry branding initiative, the #GetInTouch campaign, on September 26 in conjunction with the 2016 Advertising Week in New York City. Since the July 7 announcement, industry members have shared publicly and with PPAI their thoughts on, and enthusiasm for, the program.

The Association originally introduced the #GetInTouch campaign at The PPAI Expo 2016 as the Industry Branding Initiative (IBI). It targets advertising buyers with a five-year, multi-million-dollar branding initiative designed to increase awareness and improve the overall perception of the promotional products industry while communicating the importance of the promotional consultant, resulting in a larger share of advertising dollars for the promotional products industry.

“Can't wait to get involved!”

Patrick Black, Owner, Perfect Imprints

“Right on time; ready to rock this exciting initiative!”

Robert Fiveash, Co-Owner, Brand Fuel

“The regional associations can have a vital role in the success of this initiative … They can be an immense army of voices to carry the campaign forward on a very local level.”

Ted C. Fuehr, MAS, President, Incentives International

“Very cool! As this progresses please let me know how I can get more involved.”

Charity Gibson, Owner, Green Banana Promotions

“Congrats on the exciting branding initiative rolling out in the fall. It's exciting to see this coming at a time when industry sales have spiked in the last little while. Onwards and upwards!”

Mark Graham, Chief Platform Officer, commonsku

“It will definitely be challenging to see how our channel/industry changes the moniker to ‘promotional consultants’ from the current ‘distributor’ description. PPAI leadership can only start that process but it will require additional fundamental changes in simple vocabulary to start the industry on the right direction … There are a number of other terms and messages that are common to our business model that also probably need to be addressed going forward if corporate America is going to consider us as truly ‘promotional consultants.’”

Bill Mahre, President, ADG Promotional Products

“Love this and excited to assist and support in any way I can.”

Bill Petrie, CEO, brandivate

“#GetInTouch with pretty much the only advertising medium you can actually touch. Love it.”

Danny Rosin, Co-Owner, Brand Fuel

“It will be our pleasure for Spector & Co. to commit, sponsor and participate in this much needed campaign.”

Rob Spector, President, Spector & Co.

“I am new to the industry, less than one year, though my family and their company, Freestyle Marketing, have been in the business for over 50 years. I spent 15-plus years in corporate product marketing/management with brands like Converse and American Express. I am loving the promotional product industry and was very excited when I heard about the upcoming industry campaign at the PPAI show in Vegas in January.”

Andrea Stoll, Sales and Business Development, Freestyle Marketing

Industry members can get involved in the #GetInTouch campaign by providing case studies, a key component of the initiative. For more information or to provide a case study, contact PPAI Public Relations Manager Kim Todora at kimt@ppai.org.