{"id":1981,"date":"2019-08-15T09:25:04","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T13:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asi2.wpenginepowered.com\/uncategorized\/counselors-2019-state-of-the-industry-soaring-sales-confront-global-headwinds\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T16:18:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T20:18:47","slug":"counselor-s-2019-state-of-the-industry-soaring-sales-confront-global-headwinds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asicentral.com\/press-releases\/counselor-s-2019-state-of-the-industry-soaring-sales-confront-global-headwinds\/","title":{"rendered":"Counselor’s 2019 State of the Industry: Soaring Sales Confront Global Headwinds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Counselor reports promo industry continues to set record sales despite tariff struggles<\/em><\/p>\n

TREVOSE, PA \u2013 August 14, 2019 \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Counselor\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0magazine\u2019s comprehensive\u00a0State of the Industry\u00a0report found 2018 sales of promotional products continued record growth, with distributors targeting markets like construction, hospitality and technology while continuing to diversify services. Overall, the total number and value of orders increased.<\/p>\n

Distributor sales hit a record-setting $24.7 billion, with nearly 50% of distributors reporting improved sales compared to 2017. Among distributors that generated more than $1 million in 2018 sales, 70% of them reported growth \u2013 the highest percentage of any revenue class.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 2019 State of the Industry demonstrates that despite challenges like tariffs on Chinese imports \u2013 the biggest story of the year \u2013 the promo industry remains strong,\u201d said Michele Bell\u00a0(@ASI_MBell), who manages ASI\u2019s editorial department. \u201cAs suppliers and distributors confront uncertain global headwinds ahead, Counselor\u2019s State of the Industry report provides exclusive data detailing trends, new products, emerging markets and prime opportunities throughout the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Counselor magazine, published by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2019. Its signature issue, the State of the Industry (SOI) report, was first published in 1977 and is now available in print and online each summer. ASI\u2019s comprehensive, in-depth research is considered the most important and influential in the promo industry.<\/p>\n

Using data from the annual SOI survey, Counselor provides coverage and analysis of what matters most to the market, from tech threats to consolidation and compliance. New sections include a five-page pullout spotlighting the most impactful charts in promo, exclusive data on search trends and a unique look at company perks and policies, along with forecasts for the next two decades.<\/p>\n

Highlights from Counselor\u2019s 2019 survey include:<\/p>\n