ASI Media Selects Packaging As Its 2022 “Product of the Year”

“Custom packaging/presentation is now a critical piece to add to bundles of promo items, with creativity knowing no bounds,” said ASI’s C.J. Mittica

TREVOSE, PA – December 21, 2022

ASI Media, the reporting arm of the Advertising Specialty Institute^® (ASI), today named packaging its 2022 Product of the Year. ASI is the leading technology, marketing and information provider in the $23.2 billion promotional products industry.

“Even with the explosion in live events and more workers returning to the office, it’s clear boxing and creative packaging are trends with definite staying power, first driven by the kitting and fulfillment that proved so essential throughout the pandemic,” said C.J. Mittica, Editor-in-Chief of ASI Media. “Custom packaging/presentation is now a critical piece to add to bundles of promo items, with creativity knowing no bounds.”

As ASI Media reports, nearly 30% of people continue to work from home, according to an analysis of November U.S. Census data, while e-commerce continues to grow at a remarkable pace, making packaging a natural fit for the post-pandemic world.

“It’s worth noting that promo companies are also working towards making packaging more eco-friendly, while still being wildly creative and leaning into advancements in imprinting and die-cut designs, all of which appeals to all-important younger consumers/buyers,” said Michele Bell, vice president of ASI editorial, education and special events.

Packaging trends include call-to-action QR codes, increasingly sophisticated decoration techniques, and even luxury high-end touches like video screens. And, with more online influencers sharing “unboxing” videos on their social media, they’re creating even more buzz for brands.

“Packaging is the quintessential promotional product – it conveys branding, is elegant, tells a story, and raises the perceived value of the products inside,” Andy Griffin, managing partner of Keepsake Products USA (asi/64180), told ASI.

To date, ASI Media has been honored with nearly 300 awards for excellence in journalism, design, analysis and research.

For more information on the Product of the Year, contact C.J. Mittica at cmittica@asicentral.com.

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI^®; asicentral.com) serves a network of 25,000 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $23.2 billion promotional products industry. ASI’s flagship product, the technology platform ESP^®, manages the industry’s entire supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 53 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI’s media and research operation provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 200+ live and online education courses for industry professionals. The company, family-owned and -operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA.