{"id":5464,"date":"2026-01-08T12:23:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T17:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asicentral.com\/?p=5464"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:43:45","slug":"asi-orlando-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asicentral.com\/press-releases\/asi-orlando-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"ASI Orlando 2026 Delivers Strong Start to the Year With New Products and High-Value Connections"},"content":{"rendered":"

ORLANDO, FL \u2013 January 8, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cOrlando is where the industry comes together to reset, reconnect and refocus\u201d<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 ASI CEO Tim Andrews<\/h4>\n
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The\u00a0Advertising Specialty Institute\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0<\/a>(ASI), the premier show and events provider in the $26.6 billion promotional products industry, kicked off 2026 with high-energy momentum at\u00a0ASI Orlando<\/a>, the first major promo trade show of the year and the largest on the East Coast, held January 5-7 at the Orange County Convention Center.<\/p>\n

Drawing thousands of promotional products professionals, ASI Orlando delivered three days of product discovery, education and networking designed to help distributors and suppliers build relationships, uncover new ideas and set the pace for the year ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrlando is where the industry comes together to reset, reconnect and refocus,\u201d said\u00a0Timothy M. Andrews<\/a>, ASI president and chief executive officer. \u201cDistributors find fresh ideas and products to sell and suppliers benefit from meaningful conversations. What happens next is the foundation for real business growth throughout the year. That\u2019s the value of an ASI Show \u2013 it\u2019s not just about being in the room. It\u2019s about what you take back to your business.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Show Built for Discovery and Connection<\/strong><\/p>\n

The show floor featured 572 booths, including 39 first-time exhibitors and three-quarters of Counselor\u2019s Top 40 list of the industry\u2019s most successful suppliers, giving distributors access to both established brands and emerging innovators. Attendees came from nearly all 50 states and 15 countries. A total of 556 women- and\/or minority-owned companies participated in the show, reflecting the continued growth and diversity of the promo industry.<\/p>\n

Nine distributor companies chose Orlando for hosting sales meetings, including HALO Branded Solutions (asi\/356000), AIM Smarter\/ACS (asi\/522700), iPROMOTEu (asi\/232119) and Proforma (asi\/300094), creating strong opportunities for suppliers to meet decision-makers and generate qualified leads.<\/p>\n

For newer distributors, the show provided hands-on exposure to products and suppliers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved meeting all the vendors and seeing the new products coming out this spring,\u201d said Nicole McPherson of Clarity Retail Services (asi\/162366) of West Chester, OH, attending her first ASI Show. \u201cEveryone was super helpful and knowledgeable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Exhibitors reported strong traffic and high-quality conversations throughout the show. For emerging brands, ASI Orlando offered a first introduction to the promo marketplace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m brand new to the promo space and this was my very first trade show,\u201d said Tanner Gerschick, owner of The Calculated Chemist (asi\/43302) of Buford, GA, who showcased his science-inspired drinkware line. \u201cIt was exciting to meet so many enthusiastic distributors, get real feedback and have great conversations that will help shape where we go next.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-time exhibitor Jerome Toombs of Guardian Floor Protections (asi\/71192) called the event a worthwhile experience. \u201cThe first-day traffic was excellent and we met quality distributors who were impressed with our products,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Returning ASI Orlando exhibitor Paul Poole of Pramara North America (asi\/79221) said he was already looking forward to ASI Fort Worth in March. \u201cIt was a very good turnout \u2013 very active. We\u2019ll definitely get business from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Education That Resonated<\/strong><\/p>\n

ASI Orlando opened with a full\u00a0Education Day<\/a>\u00a0on Monday, featuring 20 live classes covering topics such as AI, sustainability, print on demand, marketing, decoration and entrepreneurial essentials. The popular Lunch & Learn sessions and Tactics & Takeaways wrap-up helped distributors immediately apply what they learned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was eye-opening,\u201d said Audrey Lester of A&E Sign Shoppe (asi\/100361) of Bartlett, TN, who earned her Master of Advertising Specialty Information certification during a special on-stage ceremony. \u201cThe course I took changed my mind about AI. I can now see how it\u2019s a useful tool. It doesn\u2019t take the place of people, but it helps build presentations. ASI has clearly expanded its education tools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Innovation on the Show Floor<\/strong><\/p>\n

New features debuted at ASI Orlando included the ASI New Product Showcase with QR scanning, allowing attendees to scan featured products and use them in presentations, websites and branded stores \u2013 streamlining product research and follow-up.<\/p>\n

ASI tech experts also offered distributors all-day demos of ASI products and hands-on advice during Innovator Workshops in the main ASI booth, helping them learn new skills and leave with fresh ideas that help them stand out, connect deeper and grow faster.<\/p>\n

Networking opportunities extended beyond the booths with Caffeinate & Collaborate, Mix & Mingle Meetups and the ASI Gala at Ole Red, which brought distributors and suppliers together in an exciting setting built for mingling and meeting. Wednesday\u2019s keynote by Atlanta Hawks CMO Melissa Proctor drew a packed audience for insights on brand building, leadership and focus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew we could be the team for the next generation of Atlantans, to entertain and unite the city through basketball,\u201d Proctor told distributors. \u201cWe lean into our key brand values: inclusiveness, innovation and authenticity.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the close of the show, distributors had enjoyed two full exhibit days to compare products and deepen supplier relationships and source solutions for their 2026 campaigns.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next<\/strong>
\nThe ASI Show series continues in 2026 with:<\/p>\n