What’s On The Agenda? Tariffs and trade top the list of issues PPAI members will be addressing in their meetings on Capitol Hill. LEAD conversations will focus on asking for clear, deliberative and predictable trade policy, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that’s up for review this year. Members will be encouraged to share how tariffs and the uncertainty caused by rapid changes have affected their businesses, from pricing challenges and reduced revenue from absorbing increased costs to import delays and deferred hiring. Educating members of Congress and their staffers on the industry’s scope and economic impact is also a key message. Branded merch supports more than a million jobs in our industry alone – not to mention the revenue it drives for client businesses – and LEAD attendees will help lawmakers understand that although most promotional products are imported, the value is largely created in the U.S. with design, decoration, customization and more. “To me, LEAD is PPAI’s single most important event, as it allows us to advocate for small businesses through the lens of branded merchandise,” says Bill Petrie, founder and creative director of business service member brandivate. “It’s vitally important that we meet with our elected officials in person to not only share the efficacy of our industry, but to ensure they understand the impact the decisions they make have on every single one of us.” Petrie, a longtime LEAD attendee, is also a member of the Association’s Government Relations Action Council. That group helps shape and inform PPAI’s policy positions, and many of its members will be participating in LEAD. “As the branded merchandise industry faces a growing range of policy and regulatory challenges, GRAC serves as an important sounding board helping shape PPAI’s industry policy priorities,” says Alok Bhat, market economist and PPAI’s research and public affairs lead. “With leaders representing a broad range of industry demographics, GRAC ensures our advocacy reflects the full voice of the industry. We’re excited to see so many members bringing that leadership to LEAD this year.” Building On Our Wins The Association’s efforts produced several notable wins in 2025, and we are eager to build on that momentum. The annual LEAD event comes on the heels of our first-ever LEAD ECHO, or Executive Capitol Hill Outreach, which connected a small cohort of PPAI 100 executives with federal agency leadership and key members of Congress in February. ECHO attendees discussed the impacts of economic uncertainty caused by rapid changes in trade policy throughout 2025 with federal agency leaders and asked that the administration take a more predictable approach with longer implementation timelines to help provide stability in pricing and operations. Attendees discussed the possibility of tariff carveouts for specific categories, as well, such as manufacturing equipment, drinkware and apparel. They also explained that the bulk of the value of branded products lies in the decoration and customization, much of which is performed by workers in the U.S. “I am so proud of PPAI’s commitment to aggressively approaching the best ways to effect change at the policy level in D.C.,” says PPAI Board “It’s vitally important that we meet with our elected officials in person to not only share the efficacy of our industry, but to ensure they understand the impact the decisions they make have one very single one of us.” — Bill Petrie, brandivate 56 • APRIL 2026 • PPAI Must Read | LEAD Preview
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