In January, we dived into the PPAI Expo Experience in Las Vegas. We attended proudly as an award-winning agency.

Last year, we won the Pyramid Award for our Country Racing Victoria Campaign. However, our achievements at the PPAI Expo Experience this year were even more remarkable. Thanks to the love and effort put forward by our team and the trust of our clients, this year our Agency was awarded a Silver Pyramid Award for our Ugly Sweater Campaign and a Gold Award for our blog the Tomato Scoop.

The PPAI Expo Experience in Vegas was not just about awards. We discovered the latest industry trends and connected with renowned leaders and experts.

Our journey at the PPAI Expo Experience inspires us to stay our course. Especially when industry leaders are promoting methods similar to ours at Red Tomato. We prioritise our clients, addressing quote requests as an ad agency would.

Promotional Product Trends

One trend set to rise this year is the return to retro items. Both CES and PPAI Expo showed a growing tendency towards items with modern day technology that have a timeless look. These “new retro” products include items like Bluetooth speakers that look like old record players and gramophones.

Moreover, family games like Jenga and Monopoly are gaining traction. This positions your brand right in family game nights.

Further innovations can be seen in the use of recycled and recyclable by big brands such as Adidas and HTT Apparel. Meanwhile, one of the most prevalent trends is the upgrade of work clothing and apparel into more relaxed options such as the ones shown by Hanesbrands Inc., and Blue Generation.

Going Forward from our PPAI Expo Experience

We complemented our PPAI Expo Experience with trips to Zappos.com, CES, and SKUcon. We learned about employee relationships and met like-minded suppliers and distributors.

Going forward, the team at Red Tomato will continue to lead the Australian promotional product industry with creative, strategic, and solid service to provide our clients with a maximized ROI both in results, brand awareness, brand loyalty, and brand presence.

Our Aspirations

We aim to be pioneers, consistently evolving in our strategies, methods, and offerings. With the insights we’ve gleaned, we are already brainstorming the next campaign that we believe will not only benefit our clients but also set a new industry standard.

For a deeper dive into the PPAI Expo Experience, download the press release here.