PPAI’s Pyramid Award program celebrates the talents and accomplishments of the industry’s companies and professionals. First introduced in 1958, for more than 60 years the award program has recognized promotional products businesses and helps shine the spotlight on the collaborative business model unique to the industry. PPB Newslink is highlighting some of the winners among the 2020 Pyramid Award’s extensive Client and Marketing Program categories.

Distributor Connect The Dots Promotions, in Phoenix, Arizona, received a Silver 2020 Pyramid Award in the Not For Profit category for a campaign assisting its client, United Methodist Outreach Ministries’ (UMOM) New Day Centers. The campaign raised funds for the homeless shelters to use to restore hope, rebuild lives and end homelessness among the population they serve.

UMOM felt that after nine years of hosting an annual fundraising walk, it needed to add a little “sizzle.” Working with the charity, Connect The Dots Promotions developed a plan to break the world record of the most people running in flip-flops in a 1K. In executing the strategy, the walk was rebranded the "Walk the Walk to End Homelessness" and the logo was updated from a tennis shoe to a pair of flip-flops. The distributor located a sponsor for the flip-flops and each attendee received a pair of flip-flops, t-shirt and free entrance to the Phoenix Zoo for the day. IHeart Radio stepped in as the audio-visual sponsor and Marty Manning, a local radio celebrity, was the emcee. The local movie theater chain, Harkins, also advertised the walk at no cost in the previews before films for two months. UMOM sent out flyers and included the event in communications starting in April of 2018, while a flyer was sent to previous attendees and donors eight weeks, out and social media efforts started 12 weeks out.

Overall, the program saw a 78-percent increase in sponsorship money raised, to $63,100, and a 21-percent increase in attendance, to 2,163 participants

Visit www.promotionalproductswork.org to see more case studies or www.ppai.org/Awards to learn more about the Pyramid Competition. All category entry periods are now open and there are no fees for submissions or return costs for the 2021 competition. The deadline to enter has been extended to June 12.