From PPAI Drew Holmgreen President & CEO 09.25 To every member I’ve met so far, thank you for your time, candor and ideas. To those I haven’t met yet, I look forward to it. Get ready, because we’ll need each and every one of you for the journey ahead, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. Elevating Merch OVER THE PAST EIGHT months since joining PPAI, I’ve stood in warehouses, creative studios, boardrooms and break rooms. I’ve had the incredible privilege of walking the floors of suppliers, sitting in the brainstorming spaces of distributors, connecting with business service providers and collaborating with international, regional and peer association leaders across the globe. I’ve listened, observed and learned. As result, I’ve been awestruck and inspired by each experience and every conversation. Through the more than a dozen events I’ve attended and countless impactful conversations I’ve held, it’s become crystal clear: We are an industry powered by creative thinkers, problem solvers and brand storytellers. What we do through branded merchandise can’t be replicated. It creates joy through emotional, tangible, lasting connections in ways no other marketing medium can. That’s not just a bold claim. It’s fact. And it’s our advantage. Right now, our industry needs that advantage. We’ve long been a resilient community when faced with adversity. I have yet to hear anyone interested in backing down and pulling back. Instead, I hear confidence and leadership, will and determination. Gusto. These conversations and experiences have led to discussions with the PPAI executive team, now fully formed, alongside our Board of Directors. They’ve shaped and solidified the path forward to elevate merch, a strategic approach designed to raise the profile, power, perception and performance of our industry. Elevating merch is more than a simple statement. It’s a real plan with real action behind it, at a time when we need it most. We’re composing a comprehensive global marketing strategy to better define and promote the value of branded merchandise as a game-changing marketing channel, because that’s what our industry does for brands. We’re speaking not just to our industry, but to the broader world of marketing, business and government. We’re building a data arsenal to arm our community with proof points, insights and tools that definitively showcase the power of branded merch. And we’re convening what I like to call our “Superfriends” – a growing alliance of allied organizations and experts who will help amplify our collective voice and impact. It’s a big vision, yet thankfully we’ve got the right people to make it happen. The PPAI staff is second to none – talented, passionate and laser-focused on serving our members. Our volunteer leaders and Board members continue to provide wisdom, support and clarity as we move forward. And perhaps most importantly, this community is strong. In every corner of this industry, I’ve met people who believe in what we do and are ready to push it even further, despite the challenges we face. So what’s next? Execution. We’ve laid the foundation, and now it’s time to build. To every member I’ve met so far, thank you for your time, candor and ideas. To those I haven’t met yet, I look forward to it. Get ready, because we’ll need each and every one of you for the journey ahead, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. Let’s go. 4 • SEPTEMBER 2025 • PPAI
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