The Countdown To Canada’s Biggest Merch Honours Begins PPPC Awards recognize excellence across the Canadian branded merchandise community, celebrating the campaigns, products, companies and professionals shaping the industry. By Margaret Williamson Batuszkin FROM RISING STARS TO industry icons, the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada is getting ready to roll out its 2026 Awards Program. Launching in late spring, the 2026 PPPC Awards will recognize excellence across the Canadian promotional products community, celebrating the campaigns, products, companies and professionals shaping the industry. Now in its 45th year, the PPPC Awards program has long served as a benchmark for innovation and leadership in Canada’s promo marketplace. The program honours achievements across three core categories: product awards, specialty awards and the member-voted “of the year” awards. The PPPC Product Awards spotlight supplier, multiline and distributor members’ most creative and effective promotional campaigns and merchandise each year. These awards celebrate the ingenuity and strategic thinking behind programs that delivered measurable impact for clients in 2025. The Product Awards feature seven product categories for suppliers and seven for distributors. Among the categories drawing attention this year is the Made in Canada Award, which reflects growing interest in domestic manufacturing and locally sourced products. The move toward a more sustainable industry is also top of mind. Beyond product innovation, the Specialty Awards honour individuals whose contributions have helped shape the Canadian promo industry and communities beyond it. These include the prestigious Hall of Fame Award, recognizing a lifetime of leadership and influence. Last year the honour went to Rob Spector of Spector & Co. Also in the Specialty Awards category is the Humanitarian Award, presented to a professional who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to charitable initiatives and social responsibility. There are also the Momentum Awards, which are referred to as the Canadian industry’s Rising Stars awards, celebrating those emerging leaders who are the ones to watch and making an impact in the industry. Another highly anticipated category is the member-voted “of the year” awards, in which PPPC members nominate and vote for their peers. Awards in this category include Supplier of the Year, Distributor of the Year and Multi-Line Agency of the Year, and they recognize companies that have demonstrated exceptional service, innovation and business performance. This category also recognizes the Customer Service Representative and Sales Representative of the year. Winning a PPPC Award carries significant prestige within Canada’s promotional products community, offering industry-wide recognition while strengthening business relationships and brand credibility. PPPC encourages all members to participate – whether by submitting their best work, nominating deserving individuals or casting their votes for the industry’s top performers. Submissions and nominations will open in late spring, with details on deadlines and entry guidelines available through the PPPC Awards website, pppc.ca/awards. Finalists in the product and member-voted categories will be announced in late July, while Specialty Award recipients will be notified ahead of the live presentation on September 16 in Toronto. For the Canadian promotional products industry, the annual PPPC Awards remain more than a recognition program. They are a celebration of creativity, leadership and the collective achievements that continue to move the industry forward. Batuszkin is marketing and communications manager of PPPC. PPAI • APRIL 2026 • 61 PPPC Communiqué | Community
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