MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016
THE PPAI EXPO RANKS
NO. 55 AMONG THE
TOP-100 U.S. TRADE
SHOWS
By Tina Berres Filipski
Size and strength often determine
the leader of the pack—and based on
those attributes, plus quality, innovation
and consistent growth, The PPAI Expo
has long been the leading trade show in
the promotional products industry.
Last fall, the show was ranked No.
55 on
Trade Show Executive
magazine’s
2015 Gold 100 List as one of the top
shows in the U.S. based on a three-
part, same-show comparison of show
size, growth and attendance as well
as innovation, social media practices,
green initiatives, global participation and
economic impact. The PPAI Expo has
held a place on the prestigious list since
the ranking’s inception in 2007.
The listing was based on The PPAI
Expo 2014, which drew a total of 20,227
participants and featured 3,254 booths
in nearly one million square feet.
“We are excited that The PPAI Expo
continues to be honored with a
Trade
Show Executive
Gold 100 award,”
says Bob McLean, PPAI executive vice
president. “This annual recognition
is a strong indicator of the ongoing
quality, value and relevance of The PPAI
Expo and reflects the vibrancy of the
promotional products industry. I am
very proud to be associated with the
PPAI team that produces this highly
successful event.”
PPAI Director of Expositions and
Meetings Darel Cook adds, “The
ranking represents the strength of the
PPAI membership and the continued
significance of promotional products.
The Expo has long been a top-tier U.S.
trade show, and it owes that to the
quality work done by volunteers and
staff to produce an outstanding annual
event.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
P R O M O T I O N A L P R O D U C T S A S S O C I A T I O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Read more online at
expodaily.ppai.org$66 MILLION CENTER EXPANSION TRANSFORMS EXPO SHOW FLOOR
By Tina Berres Filipski
When The PPAI Expo 2016 show
floor opens on Tuesday, attendees
will view and experience the grandest
improvements in the show since its
debut at the Mandalay Bay Convention
Center in 2003. The most startling
improvement is the expansion of the
convention center itself, which recently
completed a $66 million renovation and
expansion that boosts it to the fifth-
largest center in the U.S.
As a result of the expansion, Expo
will now take place all on one level in
870,000 square feet. At this size, the
show floor is large enough to hold 85
Gracelands or 15 White Houses with
room to spare. The former second floor
exhibit hall has been converted into
carpeted ballrooms to accommodate
corporate meetings and events.
The expansion, which took place
along the Bayside area of the show
floor where a parking lot once stood,
also adds a separate entryway, creates
additional exhibit space on Level 1,
adds an underground parking garage
and allows for better traffic flow for the
entire show.
For PPAI, the improvements in the
facility were the catalyst to re-envision
many aspects of the show’s format
and components. “The Mandalay Bay
expansion has created an opportunity
to present a new Expo,” says Darel
Cook, PPAI director of exhibitions. “It
will be the first time in over 40 years
that all exhibits will be on one floor. This
will create an entirely new experience
and rejuvenated excitement. Expo has
long been the bellwether event in the
industry and now it gets ramped up to
another level. We fully expect this to the
best Expo in years.”
Along with the expanded show
floor, PPAI has employed a number
of new elements within the show to
maximize attendees’ experiences. For
example, in the past, all sections of
the show floor opened at once but not
this year. Starting on Tuesday at 8 am,
distributors will get early access to
the show floor with a Product Pavilion
Sneak Peek located in Hall F, near the
new center entrance. Here distributors
can browse four distinct categories
of featured products: New Products,
Green Products, Made In The USA and
Express Ship. At 9 am, the new exhibit
halls E and F (aisles 400-2,300) will
open to give show attendees access
to the
brand.
pavilion and the newest
section,
brand.
experience.
brand.
is the go-to source for corporate gift
ideas and premium products including
Bose, Bulova, Citizen, Movado, Sony,
Swarovski, Waterford and hundreds of
other brand-name products.
New for 2016 is
brand.
experience,
an interactive space where exhibitors
will demonstrate their products to give
distributors and buyers in attendance
time to interact with products to drive
more ideas and inspiration. Visitors to
the hall can also enjoy a frosty brew
with customers and colleagues in the
adjacent beer garden.
PPAI promises big rewards for those
who go to the new halls on Tuesday
morning. Between 9 and 10 am there
will be live music, coffee carts, multiple
prize giveaways and a chance to win a
grand prize worth thousands of dollars.
At 10 am, the entire show floor opens
to present more than 3,200 booths and
thousands of promotional products. The
show runs through Thursday at 3 pm.
n
PAGE 3
Choose your
own topic
at today’s
general
session.
N
S
W
E
O
w
d
v
e
n
t
u
r
C
h
o
Y
o
u
r
PAGE 4
Explore
these five
sales ideas
to start the
year strong.
PAGE 5
What’s
trending in
hard goods
in 2016?
Check it out.
PAGE 7
Hear Seth
Godin at
the Tuesday
morning
General
Session.
Photo By Brian Bloom