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January 12, 2016
PPAI
EXPO DAILY
™
REGISTER NOW FOR EXPO EAST IN ATLANTIC CITY
By Tina Berres Filipski
There’s nothing like being able
to feel, hold and touch a product—
especially if it’s apparel. A distributor
just can’t get the same experience
by looking at a product online or in a
catalog.
In March, distributors have another
opportunity to see what’s new and
personally shop for products for their
clients’ upcoming promotions at Expo
East. Distinguished as the largest
promotional products show on the East
Coast, Expo East is again teaming up
with the Imprinted Sportswear Show
(ISS) March 16-19 to bring nearly
1,000 exhibitor booths, hundreds of
ideas and an inside look at the apparel
decorating process to the Atlantic City
Convention Center in Atlantic City,
New Jersey. PPAI will host a full day of
education on March 16; the show floor
is open March 17-19.
After the show’s successful move
from mid-May dates in 2014 to mid-
March last year, along with weekday-
weekend show format, it was decided
to keep that same timing and general
show pattern for this year’s show but
to adjust the show days to Wednesday
through Saturday.
One of last year’s attendees who
voiced a lot of satisfaction with the
2015 show changes was Robert Heide
with A Touch of Fashion in Sea Isle
City, New Jersey. He said the timing
worked for him because his seasonal
storefront is closed until spring.
Of the exhibitors at the show, he
said, “It’s nice to touch and feel the
products as opposed to looking at
them in a book, so that’s a plus. We
get to talk to the salespeople and get
some ideas. I also get to look at heat
press equipment, too, so both sides
work for me.”
Another local distributor, Denise
Burr with Ocean Embroidery, in Tom’s
River, New Jersey, was also pleased
with the 2015 show’s timing and show
pattern, as well as its co-location with
ISS. “[The co-located show with ISS]
is much better” she said. “There are
a lot more vendors, more variety and
new products. [Having the show] in
March and over a weekend is good for
me because it’s the beginning of a new
season—it works.”
Distributors at Expo East 2016 can
also enjoy their choice of nearly 50
education sessions in eight tracks—
Strategies & Solutions, Corporate
Responsibility, Industry Essentials,
Marketing & Advertising, Decorate,
Sales & Service, Technology and
Incentives & Recognition—as well as a
general session and keynote luncheon.
Register for the show and
book hotel accommodations at
expoeast.ppai.org.n