clients and set their intentions going forward. Elphick enjoys walking the trade show floor, meeting with vendors and checking out what adjacent suppliers are showcasing to see which trends his firm can capitalize on. “The PPAI Expo serves as not only a conference, but a centralized meeting point for the industry for ideas, innovation and social interaction,” Elphick says. “I love that it’s the start of the year, as we all have energy after the holiday break to hit the ground running.” Two years ago, The PPAI Expo became a similar turning point for Disrupt Sports’ sister company M.i.A. Merchandise, a print-on-demand firm that integrates into the back end of e-commerce stores for customers in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. After noticing a greater emphasis on sustainability from suppliers and distributors alike, Elphick decided that M.i.A. would enter the promo market. After all, the company’s business model removes the carbon footprint from international shipments because it manufactures in the countries of its end users. “We really believe this model is the best for all parties,” Elphick says. “Distributors of all sizes can offer company stores without asking clients to commit to 500,000 products in inventory and without the distributors needing to do their own [third-party logistics] fulfillment.” Corrigan is deputy editor at PPAI. The PPAI Expo has long been a fountain of inspiration for Cooley Group. In fact, Jeana Nicotera, one of the New York-based firm’s top brand consultants, earned a 2022 Pyramid Gold Award for a Monopoly campaign that raised funds for the city of Saratoga Springs, New York. The city’s landmarks and localisms served as the foundation of the game, which transformed a traditional Monopoly board into one that was customized for the area, serving as a symbol of community pride. “It was an honor to develop this custom edition for Saratoga Springs,” says Nicotera, who learned of Southern California-based supplier USAOPOLY’s product line while attending The PPAI Expo. “My client was thrilled with the program, which raised over $200,000, all going directly to Adirondack Trust Community Fund to support local initiatives.” The program has since been replicated in other markets, including Syracuse and Buffalo, where it helped raise over $400,000 for the Roswell Park Oishei Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Program. Expo Success | Must Read PPAI • DECEMBER 2024 • 65
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