84 • OCTOBER 2025 • PPAI Must Read | Promocations When you get the unexpected invitation to a Promocations trip, you’re elated. Unbelievable! That’s awesome! And then as the getaway approaches, you’re not so sure it’s for you after all. You arrive in Cabo, and before you can even unpack your sunscreen, someone presses a glass of champagne into your hand. It’s the all-inclusive resort’s way of saying welcome to paradise. For a split second, you think about refusing, but that feels like making a scene. So you smile and hold the glass a while. And finally, the bubbles still bubbling, you pass it to your wife and confess to a colleague that you’re not drinking these days. You feel doubted, anyway, as though people assume there must be some explanation for what has led to this newfound sobriety. And it’s weird to say sobriety, because you’re not trying to make it that big of a deal. You’re just not drinking. But, actually, you’re met with congratulations and encouragement. “Unbelievable! That’s awesome!” This is how your first Promocation begins. It’s a trip you once assumed was just an industry frat party, now experienced three months into at least a year without alcohol. You didn’t quit for any single dramatic reason. You quit for all the reasons people quit – health, money, sleep, setting a better example for your kids, regaining control. Mostly, you were just drinking too much. It’s not forever, probably, maybe – but it’s for now, and for sure. This is a big test of whether you can make it through an industry gathering without the usual liquid armor. Promocations: A Sober Review Take a clear-eyed look at the industry’s most unique networking adventure. By Josh Ellis “Promo. Vacation. Bond. Repeat.”
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