This month, Melissa Massey, PPAI’s major account manager – West, visited the headquarters of SnugZ USA (PPAI 112982) in West Jordan, Utah, to speak with the supplier’s leadership and learn more about its needs and how the Association can better serve the company.

At SnugZ USA, Massey met with Brandon Brown, vice president of marketing, and their conversation turned to some of the trends he’s spotted in the promotional products industry and how the company is responding to them.

“I am seeing a lot of higher perceived cost items enter the promo space, whether they are recognizable name brands or unique brands suppliers are creating,” Brown says. “When we created our Traverse line, we had this customer demand in mind. When we create new items questions we tend to ask are ‘How will someone feel when they receive this product?’ Will they keep it or will they throw it away? Did they feel appreciated? Was it memorable? The best part is that although there will always be a place for the low-cost, economy products in our space like lanyards and lip balm, name brands and unique items are elevating the perception of the industry and are very attractive to the younger, Millennial audience that is asking for them.”

Speaking on opportunities in the industry, Brown spoke on how bundling products together in a promotion can create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. He says, “With larger budgets there is an amazing opportunity to bundle or kit themed items together. With our Gift Collection, we took some of our most popular items and packaged them together in sets to create a unique experience. We typically will have a variety of gifting ideas, but sometimes you may have products from different suppliers that can be bundled. Every customer’s needs are different so the more products and themes you have put together to pitch, the better.”