Real product ideas, real use cases, and smart branding trends from the biggest promo show of the year.
Why PPAI Expo Is Still the Best Place for New Promotional Product Ideas
This year marked my fifth year attending PPAI Expo in Las Vegas and it genuinely never gets old. I always love the chance to reconnect with peers in our industry, finally put faces to the emails and calls with vendor partners and get inspired by where promotional products are headed.
Before the show floor even opens, Monday is dedicated entirely to education, which is such an important part of PPAI. Sessions focused on sustainability in the industry, current trends, ESG initiatives, and panels from peers on how to improve within the promotional products space; including how social media and digital storytelling can meaningfully grow business.
Once education wraps up, it’s time to hit the show floor and start discovering new ideas we can bring back to clients.
When Promotional Products Become Part of Someone’s Daily Outfit
Custom sneakers were one of the most talked about products on the floor and for good reason. One of the vendors we work with can do fully customized sneakers with MOQs as low as one pair which is still wild to say out loud.
There were tons of different styles available. Some were inspired by Air Jordan type silhouettes, some had a Vans look and feel, and others leaned more casual like Hey Dudes. Many of these sneakers can be fully sublimated, which means we can match brand colors, add patterns, and carry designs edge to edge.
Another cool option is the ability to take an existing shoe from Nike, Adidas, or another popular brand and professionally decorate it with a logo or custom design.
You can see options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/tennis-shoes.htm
And for brand name shoe decoration specifically
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/p/RJKIS-SQCHS/branded-by-sock101
These work especially well for client incentives, trade show uniforms, employee recognition programs, or limited edition merch where you want people to actually wear the item.
Custom Branded Coolers and Ice Chests That Do More Than Hold Drinks
Customized cooler ice chests showed up everywhere this year, and I was reminded how underutilized they still are for many clients. Many of these coolers can be fully wrapped in full color, which gives you edge to edge branding and turns the cooler into a true visual statement.
We love these for trade shows, corporate tailgates, company parties and beverage brands, but honestly they make sense for almost any event driven brand. At a booth, they serve as storage, a drink station, a gathering point and a branding piece all in one.
We have been selling custom branded coolers for years, but seeing how creatively brands were using them at PPAI was a good reminder that we should be recommending these more often.
You can see cooler options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/ice-chests.htm
Asobu Drinkware That Keeps Things From Feeling Stale
Drinkware will always be one of the most popular categories in promotional products, but it can start to feel repetitive if you are not careful. That is where Asobu really stood out this year.
Asobu has a ton of unique drinkware pieces that feel fun and different while still being high quality. Their Happy Hats (30 oz Tumbler Option and 12 oz Ceramic Mug) line adds personality to mugs and tumblers, and their Bestie Bottle feel much more like boutique retail items than traditional promo.
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Here are a few favorites
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/p/PMILO-REXZI/12-oz.-insulated-mug-with-ceramic-coated-interior-asobu-happy-hats -
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/p/FLODU-SXZCU/asobu-30-oz-happy-hats-tumbler
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https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/p/ALKKN-QDCXR/16-oz.-asobu-bestie-bottle
If you want to go deeper into the brand and why it has become one of our go-to alternatives to the usual drinkware options, we break it all down here:
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/blog/the-drinkware-brand-you-didnt-know-you-needed-asobu
In that post, we cover what makes Asobu different, including their design-forward approach, ceramic-lined interiors, and why their drinkware resonates so well with both employees and clients. It is a great read if you are looking to switch things up from the same drinkware everyone else is using.
Criquet Shirts: Corporate Apparel That Doesn’t Feel Corporate
Criquet Shirts is one of my personal favorites, and being based in Austin, I already wear these polos, jackets and pearl snap shirts all the time. You see them everywhere here, which is part of what makes them such a strong corporate apparel option.
Criquet pieces feel retail first, with your logo added as a finishing touch rather than the main event. Clean embroidery on a solid product goes a long way.
If you want more background, we wrote a full blog on this
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/blog/why-criquet-is-the-new-go-to-brand-for-custom-corporate-apparel
And you can view all Criquet options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/CriquetApparel.htm
These shirts work great for employee apparel, corporate gifting, events, golf outings, and client facing roles where you want something better than a basic polo.
Gomi x Numo Power Banks With a Real Sustainability Story
One of the most impressive tech products at PPAI this year was the Gomi Translucent Power Bank. These power banks are beautiful but the story behind them is what really matters.
Designed by Gomi in Brighton, UK and distributed in the promo space by Numo, each unit is made from recycled BPA free RPETL plastic and powered by repurposed e bike batteries. They offer a 10,000 mAh capacity and are built to be repaired, not discarded.
Numo also serves as Gomi’s exclusive repair center in North America which makes this a truly circular tech product.
This is sustainable promotional tech done right. It is functional, premium, and values driven, which resonates strongly with brands that care about ESG initiatives and long term impact.
Custom Engraved Wine and Liquor Bottles That Leave an Impression
Custom engraved wine, liquor and champagne bottles never lose their wow factor. Seeing these on the show floor was a good reminder of how powerful permanent branded gifts can be.
Logos are etched directly into the glass and can be left frosted or color filled with up to three colors. Even after the bottle is empty, people tend to keep it displayed.
You can see options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/Etched-Wine-and-Liquor.htm
We did a run of these last year for a client who handed them out to top customers and the response was incredible. The client was genuinely over the moon with how they turned out and how well they were received.
These are perfect for top client gifting, employee incentive programs, executive recognition, and holiday gifts where you want to make a lasting impression.
Full Color Custom Tote Bags That Feel Like Brand Art
Tote bags are one of the most practical promo items out there, but they do not have to be boring. Our friends at Numo Manufacturing do an amazing job transforming basic totes into full color, edge to edge designed pieces.
Instead of a logo slapped onto a blank bag, the entire tote becomes part of the brand story.
View full color tote options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/Full_Color_Totes.htm
Their design team is excellent, which makes this especially appealing for brands that want something creative without having to build it from scratch themselves.
Custom Printed Dog Hats From PupLid That People Love
One of the most fun booths this year featured custom printed dog hats from PupLid. These might seem playful at first glance, but they are incredibly effective branding tools. We see a lot of orders for these from beverage companies, breweries, and other consumer brands, and it makes complete sense.
Options like custom printed Trucker Hats for Dogs and Custom Branded Baseball Caps for Dogs tap directly into how much people love gifting items for their pets. Branded pet merch consistently generates organic engagement, social sharing, and real brand affection.
This category works because it connects emotionally. When people dress up their dogs in branded gear, they are not just showing off a logo, they are creating brand moments they actually want to share.
Full Wrapped Bottles and Tumblers That Take Branding Further
Another big trend this year was fully wrapped drinkware. Many bottles and tumblers can now be wrapped in full color from top to bottom, turning drinkware into a true design piece.
Some options also allow laser engraving alongside the wrap, which adds depth and contrast. One of my favorite details is the semi raised texture on many wrapped drinkware pieces. It just feels good in your hand and immediately reads as higher end.
You can explore options here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/Full-Wrapped-Bottles.html
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/Full-Wrapped-Tumblers.html
If you are investing in drinkware, going bold with full wraps is one of the easiest ways to stand out.
Custom Printed Packaging That Sets the Tone From the Start
Custom printed packaging has exploded over the last few years, and PPAI 2026 made it clear that this trend is only getting bigger. Packaging is no longer an afterthought. It is often the first brand touchpoint someone experiences.
We are seeing huge demand for
Paper shopper bags with handles
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/PaperShopperBags.htm
Plastic retail bags
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/PlasticBags.htm
Custom branded bubble and poly mailers
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/BrandedMailers.htm
Custom branded shipping and mailer boxes
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/custommailerboxes.htm
Food safe paper bags and paper sheets
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/FoodSafeBags.htm
Custom packaging is very affordable, incredibly impactful, and instantly makes brands look more professional. It works just as well for retail and pop ups as it does for gifting programs and direct mail.
We also did a deeper dive on this here
https://www.sportsmarketingplus.com/blog/the-power-of-custom-branded-packaging-for-retail-gifting--direct-mail
Final Thoughts
PPAI Expo 2026 reinforced one big idea for me. The most effective promotional products today are the ones designed with intention. Whether it is footwear, drinkware, apparel, tech, packaging, or even pet merch, the brands that stand out are the ones thinking beyond logos and focusing on experience.
If any of these ideas sparked something for your next event, gifting program, or campaign, that is exactly what PPAI is all about.
