Believe it or not, 2026 is here. And while promotional products will always have their place, the most impactful work we’re seeing right now isn’t about standalone items, it’s about how those items fit into a larger story. 

The strongest campaigns don’t start with what to order. They start with why. 

1. Who are you trying to reach? 

2. What do you want them to feel? 

3. And how can every touchpoint, from messaging to outreach to physical pieces, come together as one cohesive experience? 

The biggest shift we’re seeing? Promotional items working as supporting characters—not the main event. 

Curated kits, themed mailers, and experience-driven giveaways are becoming more common because they feel intentional. A branded pen on its own may be forgettable—but as part of a thoughtfully designed campaign, tied to messaging, outreach, and a shared moment, it suddenly has meaning. 

Take the Axalta Coating Systems sketch battle kit for example.  

Premier played a key role in developing marketing collateral for Axalta’s Color of the Year campaign, creating a suite of visually striking and strategically aligned materials—from brochures and digital assets to event signage—that amplified the campaign’s impact across channels. As part of the initiative, we also produced a custom sketchbattle kit, designed to engage automotive designers and enthusiasts in a hands-on, creative experience that celebrated the featured color and Axalta’s innovation in coatings. The individual components wouldn’t have context without being a part of the bigger picture.