Less than one month before the eyes of America fall upon Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, the promotional products industry will descend on the “Entertainment Capital of the World” for The PPAI Expo 2024.

While football's championship game is coming to town for the first time, the longest-running and largest promo trade show comes to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the 21st year. Registration is now open.

Always an adrenaline rush, The PPAI Expo 2024 has some exciting new features, as well as several beloved attractions returning for another year.

“The power of The PPAI Expo comes from our attendees and exhibitors truly immersing themselves in the event experience,” says Ellen Tucker, CAE, MAS, vice president of revenue and expositions at PPAI.

“PPAI’s primary goal of the trade show is to provide each attendee the opportunity to have a memorable experience that will connect and inspire them,” she adds. “From hearing dynamic speakers to participating in invaluable networking opportunities and from engaging with peers and products on the show floor to enjoying a pop-up experience, we know The PPAI Expo will provide a lasting impression that fuels business relationships and growth.”

Knowledge Is Power

On Monday, January 15, The PPAI Expo 2024 kicks off with The PPAI Expo Conference, a one-day educational event with a curated slate of experts from both within and outside the industry to enlighten promo professionals and spark conversation throughout the rest of the four-day event.

Futurist Anat Baron will open the conference with a session on human and AI collaboration, explaining how it will help us succeed in a world where we need to connect, predict and adapt in real time to meet customers’ needs. As the former head of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Baron is familiar with the importance of promotional products in building and scaling a brand.

There will also be a full day of breakout sessions with something for everyone in attendance. Topics will include corporate social responsibility; sales and marketing; technology and AI; new to the industry; diversity, equity and inclusion; strategy; and the latest on the Association’s Promotional Products Work! initiative.

Of course, you can’t learn on an empty stomach. Take a break from the educational sessions by grabbing a bite at The PPAI Expo Networking Lunch, where you can not only connect with industry peers, but also recognize this year’s PPAI Icon Award recipients.

In this new approach to celebrating PPAI’s Icon Award winners (Distinguished Service, H. Ted Olson Humanitarian, Pioneers and PPAI Hall of Fame), they’ll be the guests of honor for a meal and panel, allowing them to share their wisdom with those in attendance. In addition to this lunch, the award recipients will be given their flowers with a private, invitation-only dining experience at a memorable location.

Innovation And Inspiration

The Pitch – a combination of Shark Tank and The Voice that saw exhibiting suppliers attempt to impress a lineup of discerning distributor judges – was a smash hit at The PPAI Expo 2023. Due to popular demand, the live event is back in 2024 with a fresh crop of suppliers displaying some of the coolest new products in the industry.

The Pitch will be Monday’s closing session and will lead directly into a debuting networking event: PPAI Expo’s Opening Reception, which will take place on Level 2 in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, will be the perfect way to kick off your Expo experience with networking, hors d’oeuvres, drinks and entertainment.

Tuesday, January 16, begins with a keynote presentation from Alex Weber, former host of and contestant on American Ninja Warrior. An in-demand international speaker, Weber believes that success is about more than just knowing what to do – it’s about knowing how to do. With his contagious energy and passion, he’ll share his secrets on how to take meaningful action, gain competitive ground and achieve record-breaking success.

Walk This Way

The PPAI Expo 2024 – roughly 1 million square feet in scope – will open with product pavilions, new exhibitors and thrilling surprises. The trade show will run Tuesday morning through Thursday afternoon and feature nearly 1,000 exhibiting companies from across the promotional products landscape in more than 2,700 booths. If you’re looking for the latest in sustainable, made-in-the-USA or first-time exhibitor products, you’ll find them all in one place at the Product Pavilions.

However, before the exhibit floor opens, you’ll want to swing by the Product Pavilion Sneak Peek. This highly anticipated event gives attendees an opportunity to create a game plan so you can map out the products you want to see and the suppliers you want to meet during the time you have available.

PPAI also produces content throughout Expo week, including live interviews with industry experts, compelling TED Talk-style presentations by leading professionals and more. The content airs in multiple locations on-site and is brought to you from the Expo Live studio located right in the middle of the action. Whether it’s puppies, chocolate-covered bacon or even an impromptu magic show, you never know what might pop up at The PPAI Expo. 

Of course, navigating the show floor has never been easier. SAGE Mobile – the official show planning app of The PPAI Expo – allows you to create walk lists to help guide you and your team through the most efficient show floor routes. You can also connect with fellow attendees in real-time in the newly added discussion area of the app.

Come For The Camaraderie

The PPAI Expo 2024 is all about making connections with peers, colleagues and potential customers. PPAI has planned a couple of opportunities for groups within the promo industry to network on the show floor.

On Tuesday, January 16, from 4-5 p.m., the annual Women’s Leadership Conference Social – an offshoot of the popular PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference – brings together women working in the promotional products industry. It will be held in the Beer Garden on the show floor, with a cash bar available. Interested guests can add the free-to-attend event while registering for The PPAI Expo 2024.

On Wednesday, January 17, from 4-5 p.m., the Technology Leaders Networking Event is an opportunity for like-minded promo industry IT professionals, decision-makers and executives who are leading their organizations’ technological health to mingle and discuss the issues relevant to the promo field. It will be held in the Beer Garden on the show floor, with a cash bar available. Interested guests can add the free-to-attend event while registering for The PPAI Expo 2024.

If you’re seeking some fresh air, you can participate in the Glen Holt & Fran Ford Memorial Golf Tournament on Monday, January 14, at Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas. Supporting the Promotional Products Education Foundation, 112 golfers from more than 30 promo firms raised over $50,000 for PPEF’s college scholarship program last year.

   RELATED: Promo Pros Struggle With Student Loan Debt

The late Glen Holt, MAS, was a PPAI board member and Hall of Fame inductee who passed away in 2010, and Fran Ford Jr., CAS, was president of supplier Castelli, a division of Magnet, and PPAI Hall of Fame inductee who passed away in 2018. As a dedicated supporter of PPEF, Ford launched the PPEF Glen Holt Scholarship Golf invitational in 2014. The tournament celebrates their lasting legacies with PPEF scholarships named in their honor.

Pre-registration is required no later than December 1.

The Night Life

Expo attendees can connect and mingle after hours at The PPAI Expo Party on Wednesday, January 17. Last year, more than 1,000 Expo attendees took part in the popular event, enjoying food, drinks and camaraderie.  

 

One block east of The Strip, the MSG Sphere – the largest spherical structure in the world at 336 feet tall and 516 feet wide – is finally open for business.

  • Boasting a 580,000-square-foot exterior LED display, the innovative entertainment venue will be hosting Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard from Earth” on a screen the size of four football fields.


Located just off The Strip, Area 15 is an entertainment complex featuring axe throwing, hang gliding, a virtual reality adventure and even a flight simulator.

  • The venue also has restaurants, bars and sweet treats.

Register Now

Don’t wait any longer – register and book your trip to The PPAI Expo 2024 right now.

PPAI member distributors who register before December 8 pay nothing and have full access to the exhibit hall and conference. The fee for PPAI members who register after December 8 is $49 per person.

Qualified non-member distributors may access the exhibits and conference for $99 per person if they register by December 7 and $149 per person after that date. Members of industry regional associations but not PPAI can receive a code from their executive director for a discounted rate.

Suppliers and business services providers who are members but not exhibiting will be charged $500 for access to the exhibit hall but may attend the PPAI Expo Conference for no additional cost. Non-member, non-exhibiting suppliers are not permitted to attend The PPAI Expo.