The Ohio Promotional Professionals Association (OPPA) is planning to host “Born in Ohio,” the official kickoff of Promotional Products Work! Week 2020. The day-long event, to be held May 1 in and around Coshocton, Ohio, will be attended by OPPA members, PPAI staff, local and state legislators, and suppliers and distributors from all over the state of Ohio and surrounding regions. The purpose of the event is to inform attendees on the importance of promotional products as an advertising medium and how Coshocton has directly impacted the history of the thriving industry.

Now in its eighth year, Promotional Products Work! Week (PPW!W) has become a rallying point for professionals, companies and organizations in the industry, as it spotlights the importance of working with promotional products professionals and building awareness of the field. The industry-wide celebration of promotional products and the value they create returns May 4-8, 2020, to encourage clients, customers and prospects to advance promotional products as an essential component of a comprehensive marketing plan.

The promotional products industry has an annual sales volume of $24.7 billion and employs more than 500,000 people nationwide. Ohio plays a major role in the industry producing $2.7 billion in revenue each year, hosting 1,335 promotional companies in the state, and providing more than 27,000 industry jobs.

Throughout OPPA’s Born In Ohio, there will be various events including meet and greets, a factory tour, a boat ride through Coshocton, museum tours to include the original printing press and imprinted bag, presentations on the significance of the promotional products industry and networking opportunities. Events begin at 8 am and will run throughout the day. The official kickoff will occur at a formal presentation held at the Johnson-Hunrickhouse Museum at 3 pm with museum tours to follow.

Presenters include Paul Bellantone, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI; Kyle McGovern, president of OPPA; Jeff Shaw, national sales director at HALO Branded Solutions and former president of OPPA; Kirby Hasseman, owner at Hasseman Marketing & Communications and current OPPA board trustee, and Kara Keister, immediate past president of OPPA, RAC delegate, and Ohio L.E.A.D. attendee.

Promotional Products Work! Week was created to increase awareness and drive traffic to regional and industry participant websites, educate buyers and drive business referrals to promotional products consultants. More information and planning tools are available at www.ppai.org/advocacy/promotional-products-work-week. Participating companies sharing photos and information via social media can hash tag their content #GetInTouch and #PPWWeek.