In the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast hosted by Ruud Janssen, Drew Holmgreen, CEO of PPAI, shared his journey from Chief Experience Officer at MPI to leading the 120-year-old association representing the branded merchandise industry. Drew reflected on his transition, emphasizing the importance of impactful conversations in driving change and fostering creativity within the industry.
Drew recounted his first days at PPAI, including the PPAI Expo at Mandalay Bay, a flagship event with 16,000 attendees and net promoter scores of 60 for suppliers and 63 for distributors. The Expo serves as a vital connection point for the association's 15,000 member companies, showcasing innovative branded merchandise and fostering collaboration among suppliers, distributors, and business service providers.
Drawing on his MPI experience, Drew shared lessons from hosting the WEC event during COVID-19, which successfully blended in-person and virtual elements. He highlighted the importance of balancing financial sustainability with delivering exceptional experiences, a principle he applies at PPAI.
The discussion explored branded merchandise's role as a marketing channel, with Drew advocating for its inclusion in campaigns to create lasting emotional connections. He cited examples like Stella Artois' innovative merchandise and Promenade's sustainability efforts, emphasizing the industry's creativity. Branded merch, he noted, offers high ROI and longevity, with items like T-shirts having an average lifespan of seven years.
Drew addressed challenges facing the industry, including tariffs, inflation, and supply chain disruptions, which impact costs and sourcing. He highlighted PPAI's advocacy efforts and the launch of a new learning management system to support members. The association is also exploring AI's potential to enhance efficiency and innovation.
Looking ahead, Drew outlined his vision for PPAI, focusing on fostering a positive staff culture, enhancing member engagement, and repositioning branded merchandise as a vital marketing tool. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with organizations like MPI, AMA, and international associations to unify messaging and drive industry growth.
The session concluded with Drew's optimism for the future, highlighting the importance of creativity, resilience, and strategic planning in navigating challenges and advancing the branded merchandise industry.
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In the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast hosted by Ruud Janssen, Drew Holmgreen, CEO of PPAI, shared his journey from Chief Experience Officer at MPI to leading the 120-year-old association representing the branded merchandise industry. Drew reflected on his transition, emphasizing the importance of impactful conversations in driving change and fostering creativity within the industry.
Drew recounted his first days at PPAI, including the PPAI Expo at Mandalay Bay, a flagship event with 16,000 attendees and net promoter scores of 60 for suppliers and 63 for distributors. The Expo serves as a vital connection point for the association's 15,000 member companies, showcasing innovative branded merchandise and fostering collaboration among suppliers, distributors, and business service providers.
Drawing on his MPI experience, Drew shared lessons from hosting the WEC event during COVID-19, which successfully blended in-person and virtual elements. He highlighted the importance of balancing financial sustainability with delivering exceptional experiences, a principle he applies at PPAI.
The discussion explored branded merchandise's role as a marketing channel, with Drew advocating for its inclusion in campaigns to create lasting emotional connections. He cited examples like Stella Artois' innovative merchandise and Promenade's sustainability efforts, emphasizing the industry's creativity. Branded merch, he noted, offers high ROI and longevity, with items like T-shirts having an average lifespan of seven years.
Drew addressed challenges facing the industry, including tariffs, inflation, and supply chain disruptions, which impact costs and sourcing. He highlighted PPAI's advocacy efforts and the launch of a new learning management system to support members. The association is also exploring AI's potential to enhance efficiency and innovation.
Looking ahead, Drew outlined his vision for PPAI, focusing on fostering a positive staff culture, enhancing member engagement, and repositioning branded merchandise as a vital marketing tool. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with organizations like MPI, AMA, and international associations to unify messaging and drive industry growth.
The session concluded with Drew's optimism for the future, highlighting the importance of creativity, resilience, and strategic planning in navigating challenges and advancing the branded merchandise industry.
Kevin Hinton, CAE, CED + Miguel Neves, CED with Ruud Janssen #DESIGNtoCHANGE #IMEX25
Event Design Collective PODcasts
38 minutes 40 seconds
6 months ago
Kevin Hinton, CAE, CED + Miguel Neves, CED with Ruud Janssen #DESIGNtoCHANGE #IMEX25
At IMEX Frankfurt 2025, the #DESIGNtoCHANGE #podcast, hosted by Ruud Janssen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruudwjanssen/ ) brought together industry veterans Kevin Hinton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhinton/) of US Travel Association and Miguel Neves ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelseven/ ) from SKIFT Meetings. Both former MPI International Board members, they shared insights on the evolving landscape of events and travel.
Kevin Hinton discussed his recent presentation on US travel trends, addressing the new administration's impact and highlighting Rotary International's successful Chicago meeting. He also touched on personal changes, anticipating his "empty nester" status as his daughter prepares to attend the University of Denver.
Miguel Neves, once IMEX's social media pioneer, emphasized the value of backstage conversations over press conferences at large events. He shared experiences from his recent IMAX Forest session and outlined plans for the upcoming September Skift Meetings Forum, including innovative ideas like AI prompts with a World Cup style bracket for selection.
The conversation explored the Event Canvas tool and its application in designing impactful events, such as the IEEE climate change conference in Glasgow. This led to a discussion of previous PODcast guest Kai Hattendorf's involvement in COP conferences, underlining the events industry's role in addressing global issues.
Event sponsorship and financing challenges were a key topic, with Miguel noting the difficulty in balancing creative designs with sponsor expectations. The speakers debated the importance of meal moments in fostering connections, touching on intergenerational communication and the trend of culinary-first properties in hotels. Kevin shared insights from Chicago's The Gage restaurant, while Miguel offered perspectives from his life in Denmark.
The evolution of event design was a central theme, with discussions on adapting formats to audience preferences and incorporating innovative approaches like selfie points. Technology's role was highlighted, mentioning Cvent as a booking platform. The concept of "festivalization" was introduced, exploring the trend of combining high-ticket conferences with party-like atmospheres.
Throughout the session, the speakers emphasized the importance of intentional conversations and face-to-face interactions in the events industry, while acknowledging the need to adapt to changing trends. This insightful discussion provided a comprehensive look at current industry practices, personal experiences of leaders, and future trends shaping the landscape of meetings and conferences.
Speakers
Miguel Neves - Editor-in-Chief - Skift Meetings
Kevin Hinton - Managing Director Group Travel - US Travel Association
Ruud Janssen - Managing Partner / Founder - Event Design Collective GmbH
Find the full overview of Key Takeaways, Idea Cloud and Summary into over 70 languages powered by SnapSight AI available here: https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/a94b3580-5a6a-4d56-973a-6d1fbf998660/ad387ee1-521d-43ca-932c-64921fa6b1a5/attendee?tab=takeaways
Event Design Collective PODcasts
In the #DESIGNtoCHANGE podcast hosted by Ruud Janssen, Drew Holmgreen, CEO of PPAI, shared his journey from Chief Experience Officer at MPI to leading the 120-year-old association representing the branded merchandise industry. Drew reflected on his transition, emphasizing the importance of impactful conversations in driving change and fostering creativity within the industry.
Drew recounted his first days at PPAI, including the PPAI Expo at Mandalay Bay, a flagship event with 16,000 attendees and net promoter scores of 60 for suppliers and 63 for distributors. The Expo serves as a vital connection point for the association's 15,000 member companies, showcasing innovative branded merchandise and fostering collaboration among suppliers, distributors, and business service providers.
Drawing on his MPI experience, Drew shared lessons from hosting the WEC event during COVID-19, which successfully blended in-person and virtual elements. He highlighted the importance of balancing financial sustainability with delivering exceptional experiences, a principle he applies at PPAI.
The discussion explored branded merchandise's role as a marketing channel, with Drew advocating for its inclusion in campaigns to create lasting emotional connections. He cited examples like Stella Artois' innovative merchandise and Promenade's sustainability efforts, emphasizing the industry's creativity. Branded merch, he noted, offers high ROI and longevity, with items like T-shirts having an average lifespan of seven years.
Drew addressed challenges facing the industry, including tariffs, inflation, and supply chain disruptions, which impact costs and sourcing. He highlighted PPAI's advocacy efforts and the launch of a new learning management system to support members. The association is also exploring AI's potential to enhance efficiency and innovation.
Looking ahead, Drew outlined his vision for PPAI, focusing on fostering a positive staff culture, enhancing member engagement, and repositioning branded merchandise as a vital marketing tool. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with organizations like MPI, AMA, and international associations to unify messaging and drive industry growth.
The session concluded with Drew's optimism for the future, highlighting the importance of creativity, resilience, and strategic planning in navigating challenges and advancing the branded merchandise industry.
