Promotional Product Business Academy a 'must-see' at FESPA 2013

The organisers of FESPA 2013 say that printers considering the opportunities presented by promotional products should add FESPA’s Promotional Product Business Academy to their 'must see' list.

Visitors to the Promotional Products Business Academy (PPBA) at the London-based event will be guided personally through different zones, with the support of a promotional products trail. They will also benefit from access to valuable CTCO market research data, and free access to EuropeanSourcing.com’s extensive database of promotional products for one month.

PPBA is delivered by FESPA in partnership with French event organiser 656 Editions, whose CTCO event in Lyon is well established as a showcase for promotional products. The feature is designed to complement FESPA Fabric - with its exclusive spotlight on promotional and fashion garments - to illustrate how a broader portfolio of promotional products could support business growth.

Printers who may already be producing a limited range of promotional print can use PPBA to explore the full array of promotional merchandise, including writing and office products, electronics, promotional clothing, fashion, sport and outdoor wear, eco-friendly garments, accessories and headwear.

PPBA at FESPA 2013 will be divided into two distinct areas, Garment and Gift, enabling PSPs to focus on the products where they see a fit with their existing service offering. Each zone will offer access to products, educational information and live demonstrations of personalisation. Leading brands already confirmed to exhibit within the PPBA include sporting goods company Spalding, garment designer and manufacturer Continental Clothing, and James&Nicholson for fashion promotional garments.

FESPA’s Head of New Media and Events, Duncan MacOwan comments, “FESPA is all about pointing printers towards real growth opportunities. Often those come to light when you get a slightly wider perspective on services you already offer, or see ways of targeting existing customers with something fresh and interesting.

“The appetite among marketing decision makers for high quality personalised merchandise is strong, with 83 per cent of UK senior marketers planning to maintain or increase spend on promotional merchandise from this year to next”, explains MacOwan. “There is a clear opportunity for printers producing promotional print of all types to add another profitable string to their bow, and PPBA is the place to explore this within FESPA.”