Awards season is almost over. All that’s left is Hollywood’s biggest night and promo’s even bigger afternoon.

The Academy of Promotional Products Arts and Sciences, an anonymous group of devilishly good-looking scholars, has spent the past few months scouring social media for the most informative, entertaining and inspirational content.

       SEE MORE: The 2023 #Online18


Last week, The Academy doled out the team awards, those going to the leading organizations on social media in 2024. Think of those as the equivalent to the Oscars’ lighting, sound and technical honors – handed out in the basement of some Marriott before the real show begins.

Social media is all about the individual. Although several of today’s winners come from companies who made last week’s list, we know they really crave the solo stage.

And they deserve it. They’ve worked their whole lives for this, dreaming of standing at their desk, basking in the adoration of their peers and reading the acceptance speech sitting in their drafts. These talented professionals have truly honed their craft, sacrificing nights and weekends to further the mission of driving attention to branded merchandise.

Who can blame them for the tireless campaigning in recent weeks? The “Happy New Year!” posts on long-since dormant accounts, the flurry of likes and reposts, the bribes sent to the PPAI Media newsroom. Everybody wants the recognition that comes with such a prestigious honor.

Honestly, who cares about the Oscars? At least the #Online18 doesn’t take four hours to read.

The nominees and winners don’t receive luxurious gift bags, but they will be invited to Promo & Pints at The PPAI Expo 2025 to receive their grand prize of two (2) domestic beers or well drinks courtesy of the PPAI Media team. In this economy, a cold beverage and a team selfie is just as valuable as a $36,000 swag bag.

Drumroll, please. And the Dale goes to… eh, we’re still workshopping that one.

18. Nenette Gray
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn
Largest Account: Facebook – 3.5K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Let’s geaux! Nenette’s social media presence is a jambalaya of sass, warmth and inspiration. Facebook even recognized her as a top rising creator for seven consecutive weeks in the fall. The proud Louisiana native’s penchant for authenticity indicates why clients trust her company – Lemonade Creative Marketing – with their projects.

17. Sergio Munoz
Follow On: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: Facebook – 2.5K Followers
2023: No. 15

Returning to the list after his debut last year, Sergio has expanded his social media presence to include TikTok, where promo pros have followed his transition from Debco to Add Impact. An effervescent presence on the screen, the Canadian promo veteran brings you to trade shows and events, highlights the latest products that have caught his eye and shares his family adventures. His posts are inviting, making him a great ambassador for the industry.

@sergiomunoz8649 Team Add Impact: Uniting in enthusiasm and collaboration, we’re thrilled to bring you live updates from today’s  vendor event - join our journey on Instagram! 🎉 #BehindTheScenes #AddImpactEvent ♬ original sound - Sergio Muñoz

16. Halle Moore
Follow On: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: Instagram – 976 Followers
2023: Not Ranked

When she’s on the clock, Halle is PromoCorner’s social media specialist, hosting monthly video series “Niche To Meet You.” A natural on camera, it’s no surprise that she was awarded SAAGNY’s Rookie of the Year and named to its 40 Under 40 list last year. And… ready for it? Outside of work, she’s a diehard Swiftie whose TikTok has transformed into an “unintentional stan account.”

15. Josh Pospisil
Follow On: Facebook, LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 1.2K Followers
2023: No. 2

A burst of positivity, Josh has been rocking pink way before Barbie packed theaters. But the 10-year promo veteran isn’t salty. In fact, his “Pink Wednesday” posts are a weekly reminder to spread love and kindness. Josh’s enthusiasm and promotion “reflect his unwavering dedication to his craft and his unique approach to industry engagement,” according to AIA, which recently named him vice president of business development.

14. Lauren Esser
Follow On: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 1.9K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

It’s Lauren’s first time on our list, and it’s probably long overdue for the 13-year industry veteran. After all, the “Swag Stylist” consistently boosts supplier partners on LinkedIn, encouraging fellow distributors to work with them. Meanwhile, her Instagram is a rainbow of inspiration, as she shares product recommendations, marketing ideas and even family skiing trips.

13. Meg Erber
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 3.7K Followers
2023: No. 5

Meg is once again on the list, partially because of her social media acumen, but mostly because she’s a Brazilian jiu jitsu brown belt and we don’t want to get on her bad side. Of course, anyone that follows her various accounts knows that the Navy veteran and newest member of the Proforma team has a heart of gold. Her posts are conversational with content that’s incredibly relevant, such as promoting an activity for the industry group PromoCares (she’s on the board of directors) or highlighting a recent episode of podcast Branding Banter (she’s one of the hosts).

Hopefully, she approves of this endorsement because as her X bio confirms, she doesn’t just make you tap… she takes your soul.

@megerber Time lapse of the first set of #AquaTowers being built by #promocares volunteers for #Water4Good! #promocarescommunity #powerofpromo #promo4good #volunteers #4goodevents #planetwaterfoundation #dosomegood @David Shultz ♬ Beast Mode - ROKKA

12. Bill Petrie
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 2.4K Followers
2023: No. 11

A devoted educator within the industry, Bill has written a weekly Brandivate blog for more than a decade and has recorded nearly 200 Promo UPFront podcast episodes with Kirby Hasseman, frequently sharing both forms of content on his numerous social media accounts. What we truly admire about Bill is his honesty, specifically, his penchant for saying what the rest of us are thinking. Maybe that’s fueled by the Old Fashioneds he’s always posting on Instagram, but nonetheless, we’ll drink to that.

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A post shared by Bill Petrie (@bill_petrie)

11. Kirby Hasseman
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 4.6K Followers
2023: No. 17

Despite Kirby railing against the #Online18 process last year, we’re turning the other cheek and allowing him back on the list. After all, he’s one of the industry’s most prominent raconteurs and a thought-leader with endless insightful posts, especially those linking to one of his latest podcasts: Delivering Marketing Joy and The Monday Minute. We’ve come to rely upon his content, even when it’s (ahem) constructive criticism.

10. Stephanie Hinkle
Follow On: Instagram, LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 1K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Red Promotions’ marketing maven cracks the list this year with colorful messages about merch, marketing and motherhood. Stephanie provides motivation and inspiration on Instagram and LinkedIn with thought-provoking quotes. When you’re having one of those days, scrolling through her posts is a guaranteed pick-me-up.

9. Quincy Edwards
Follow On: Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 2.5K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Equipped with a million-dollar smile and a spring in her step, Quincy is a ray of sunshine on your feed. In her toe-tapping videos, the creative branding and marketing specialist models the latest products in vibrant fashion. We eagerly await more cameos from MSP Design Group’s new mascot, Trooper.

@pocketfullofpromo Meet our new #MSPMascot, Trooper! He received the SWEETEST little package from @poppromos! Thank you, Jordan! He is obsessed with his new squeeky toy! Featuring the most hectic video, an upside down card, full color decoration, and a custom box! What more could you ask for?! #PetPromo continues to be a trend in corporate branded merch, and a great way to help the elimination of brand fill! #meaningfulmerch #brandfill #brandedmerch #promotionalproducts #corporategifts ♬ Funny Song - Funny Song Studio & Sounds Reel

8. Abby Burke
Follow On: Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 1.8K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Abby simply had to make the list this year. After all, she’s a certified TikTok creator with more than 350,000 followers on her non-promo account @its_abby_abigail, where she reviews items from TikTok Shop. She seamlessly transitioned into the promo world two years ago, and has delighted her peers with hilarious, informative and unique videos ever since.

@itsabbyburke Promotions East is coming up! All things promotional products plus some fun like the pool party, 5k, golf and networking. Hope to see you there - registration is open :) #promotionseast #promotionalproducts #branding #marketing #promo ♬ original sound - Abby Burke

7. Sarah Goshgarian Unruh
Follow On: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 2.3K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Sarah has taken an innovative approach to educating on LinkedIn with her “Lessons in Business from a Toddler” posts, featuring a snapshot of her daughter and the pearls of wisdom she’s learned at school, the hair salon and even on Santa’s lap. It’s an adorable way for Sarah to inspire and connect with others, something she’s looking to further improve upon this year through video.

6. Taylor Borst
Follow On: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 4.5K Followers
2023: No. 3

Another returning favorite to our list, Taylor was promoted to senior director of marketing and vendor relations at American Solutions for Business last year, and it’s easy to see why. She produces compelling content on various platforms, offering a boots-on-the-ground view of industry events, as well as a glimpse into her home life. Perhaps her most notable social media contributions are her ASB unboxing videos, in which she takes a deep dive into each product, explaining its design, origin and functionality in vivid detail. 

5. Jeremy Picker
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 6.6K Followers
2023: No. 1

Last year’s #Online18 champion has returned to the list, and he hasn’t slowed down his content creation. (In fact, he’s one of the few industry influencers who hasn’t abandoned the X ship.) Recently, Jeremy has been pumping out links and entertaining snippets of his new Dudes of Thread podcast, which he co-hosts with AMB3R colleague Joe Kramar. His enthusiasm and fandom for branded merchandise, especially appliqué and vintage apparel, explodes through the screen in every format.

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A post shared by Jeremy Picker (@jwpicker)

4. Danny Rosin
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 7.2K Followers
2023: No. 4

Danny lives life to the fullest and, fortunately, he takes us along for the ride. One of the co-founders of BrandFuel (No. 2 on our best organizations list), he uses social media to not only share knowledge and ideas, but also promote the causes that he and his company support. His posts are genuine, vulnerable and sometimes wacky; it’s the unpredictability that keeps us – and his more than 19,000 combined followers – coming back.

3. Joelly Goodson
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 6K Followers
2023: Not Ranked

Returning to the #Online18 after a year away, Joelly had a breakthrough year, transforming her various platforms into a unified voice, becoming the “Branding Badass” of social media. The Canadian promo veteran pulls from her more than 20 years of experience to offer tips on how to build your brand on social media. She also shares excerpts from her popular Branding Matters podcasts, which has gained critical acclaim since launching three years ago.

2. Mitch Silver
Follow On: LinkedIn
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 3.6K Followers
2023: No. 16

Unlike his fellow honorees, Mitch has picked one social media lane (LinkedIn) and remained in it. And it’s clearly working, as his followers and engagement continue to organically grow. He posts a variety of content: product recommendations, team updates, articles he’s been quoted in, etc. But where Mitch’s presence truly shines is when he shares an anecdote and ties it into business strategies. He’s wise, opinionated and always up for a dad joke.

1. Nick Lateur
Follow On: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok
Largest Account: LinkedIn – 4.2K Followers
2023: No. 8

A perennial member of the #Online18, Nick has ascended to No. 1 this year because he has mastered engagement through video. You see, he’s the anti-Garfield – Nick loves Mondays. So much so that he posts a zany TikTok to kick off every week. (Our favorite being a self-sketch that bears merely the faintest resemblance while Hot Chocolate’s “Every 1’s a Winner” plays.) His consistency is to be commended – we look forward to his comedic snippets with our first cup of coffee. Essentially, his posts encapsulate the excitement, imagination and good vibes of the promo industry.

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A post shared by Nick Lateur (@nicklateur)

 

Missed Part 1? View promo’s most follow-worthy organizations of 2024.

See more from the #Online18 on social media. Follow PPAI on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.