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ORLANDO, FL – January 8, 2026
The Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), the premier show and events provider in the $26.6 billion promotional products industry, kicked off 2026 with high-energy momentum at ASI Orlando, 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.
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.
“Orlando is where the industry comes together to reset, reconnect and refocus,” said Timothy M. Andrews, ASI president and chief executive officer. “Distributors 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’s the value of an ASI Show – it’s not just about being in the room. It’s about what you take back to your business.”
A Show Built for Discovery and Connection
The show floor featured 572 booths, including 39 first-time exhibitors and three-quarters of Counselor’s Top 40 list of the industry’s 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.
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.
For newer distributors, the show provided hands-on exposure to products and suppliers.
“I loved meeting all the vendors and seeing the new products coming out this spring,” said Nicole McPherson of Clarity Retail Services (asi/162366) of West Chester, OH, attending her first ASI Show. “Everyone was super helpful and knowledgeable.”
Exhibitors reported strong traffic and high-quality conversations throughout the show. For emerging brands, ASI Orlando offered a first introduction to the promo marketplace.
“I’m brand new to the promo space and this was my very first trade show,” said Tanner Gerschick, owner of The Calculated Chemist (asi/43302) of Buford, GA, who showcased his science-inspired drinkware line. “It was exciting to meet so many enthusiastic distributors, get real feedback and have great conversations that will help shape where we go next.”
First-time exhibitor Jerome Toombs of Guardian Floor Protections (asi/71192) called the event a worthwhile experience. “The first-day traffic was excellent and we met quality distributors who were impressed with our products,” he said.
Returning ASI Orlando exhibitor Paul Poole of Pramara North America (asi/79221) said he was already looking forward to ASI Fort Worth in March. “It was a very good turnout – very active. We’ll definitely get business from it.”
Education That Resonated
ASI Orlando opened with a full Education Day on 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.
“It was eye-opening,” 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. “The course I took changed my mind about AI. I can now see how it’s a useful tool. It doesn’t take the place of people, but it helps build presentations. ASI has clearly expanded its education tools.”
Innovation on the Show Floor
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 – streamlining product research and follow-up.
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.
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’s keynote by Atlanta Hawks CMO Melissa Proctor drew a packed audience for insights on brand building, leadership and focus.
“We knew we could be the team for the next generation of Atlantans, to entertain and unite the city through basketball,” Proctor told distributors. “We lean into our key brand values: inclusiveness, innovation and authenticity.”
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.
What’s Next
The ASI Show series continues in 2026 with:
To register or learn more, visit asishow.com.
For more information on ASI Show, contact Andy Cohen at [email protected]. For exhibiting details, contact John Owens, ASI vice president of supplier sales at [email protected].
About ASI Show
The ASI Show Family of Events features ASI Show, fASIlitate and Power House, which foster business-building relationships among ASI distributor and supplier members. ASI Shows, the flagship series, are large-scale in-person convention center trade shows held in Orlando, Fort Worth and Chicago. The hosted-buyer events bring together the industry’s elite – top suppliers and highly qualified distributors – for three days of scheduled one-on-one meetings in select hotels across the country. Visit asishow.com for more information on the full event portfolio.