Creativity is hardwired into the brain, and tapping into human insight and innovation is key to growth and change, both on a personal and business level. That was the main message from Abigail Posner during her keynote speech at PPAI Expo, held from Jan. 12 to 15 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Abigail Posner discussed the power of creativity in a keynote address at PPAI Expo 2026 in Las Vegas.

“We’ve been doing this since the dawn of time, whether it’s discovering fire or coming up with ways to soothe our babies or developing an application on our phones so that we’re never lost,” Posner said. “Being creative is what separates us from other species, what defines us as human beings. We just don’t always realize we have the tools inside of us.”

A Harvard-trained anthropologist, Posner is the former director of creative works at Google. In that role, she led multidisciplinary teams on AI-driven advertising and branded content strategies for YouTube’s top advertisers, among other roles. She’s also the host of the Human Code podcast.

Posner shared three strategies to help promotional products pros access, hone and harness their inherent creativity.

1. “Seek the why”: The key to all great creative thinking, Posner said, is an understanding of why people do what they do, “what motivates them, what drives them, why they love what they love and hate what they hate.” In order to uncover those insights, she suggested leveraging all types of sources, whether it’s material culture, data, AI tools or past experiences. Another tip, which she dubbed “dancing with strangers,” involves being open to situations and conversing with new people. Finally, she advocated that the audience “go beyond the headline” to ask deep, iterative questions. Don’t settle for the first answer, but keep probing to get to the heart of things.

“Once you find the answer to the why, once you understand what motivates people, oh my gosh, you have the foundation for so many ideas,” Posner said.

2. “Find the links”: Ideas, Posner added, don’t fall from the sky. There’s no “eureka moment.” Instead, she explained, ideas “come about when we brilliantly see the connection between two or more seemingly disconnected, unrelated notions or concepts that, when brought together, reveal something novel.”

Examples she shared of “finding the links” in action include the Star Wars franchise, which she described as “sci-fi meets Greek tragedy,” and spray sunscreen, which combined creamy lotion with the delivery method of a spray bottle, resulting in a new product form.

To help spur this step in the process, Posner suggested collaboration with people who think differently than you do and offer diverse perspectives. Leverage AI and other digital tools to help spark new associations. Ideate quickly – and without self-censoring – but be ready to move on quickly if a connection isn’t working. It’s also important to seek some constraints, picking one insight or new element to focus around, rather than trying to connect everything at once.

3. “Discover your mission”: The final step in unlocking creativity, according to Posner, requires you to go deep and “believe in something greater than yourselves.” Selling more products, she said, is a goal; it’s not a mission. Posner pointed to the examples of brands like Dove, whose mission is “celebrating authentic, real beauty.” Or Google, which is all about making “information universally accessible and helpful.” Or Airbnb, which rather than an alternative to hotels, defines its mission as making “everyone feel like a native.”

To help discover a company mission, Posner advised attendees to return to their attic, exploring their origin stories. Think beyond the functional and consider what your company offers at a deeper level. Finally, go through the process of “elimination and domination.” In other words, what would happen to the world if you were no longer there? And what would happen if your brand values and aspirations ruled the world?

The Power of Storytelling in Promo Sales

In an education session a few hours after Posner’s keynote, Kate Nash, director of business development at Raining Rose (asi/80489) and a member of the ASI Promo for the Planet editorial advisory board, advocated that salespeople sharpen their storytelling skills.

Kate Nash of Raining Rose (asi/80489) explained how storytelling can supercharge sales during an education session at PPAI Expo.

“Facts are data, and data is boring,” Nash said. “When our brain listens to facts, only the language processing center of your brain lights up, kind of like one single light bulb being lit up in an otherwise really dark house. When you hear a story, more of your brain lights up. You’re activating the experience of it.”

Inject context, emotion, sensory details and traditional story frameworks, such as before and after transformations, into sales pitches to give them more impact and relevance. Don’t be afraid to repeat key points to help them stick.

And don’t be afraid to use AI as a tool to assist with brainstorming, filling in story details and considering objections. But, Nash stressed, the storyteller should always refine AI-generated output for authenticity and personal voice.