January is the time for projects and commitments. The players of the promotional market, who have traditionally met at PTE-PromotionTrade Exhibition, know this very well. Importers, distributors, dealers and customisers can share new ideas and lay the foundations for the year ahead on this occasion. There will also be Assoprom, the Italian Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Advertising and Promotional Items, which renewed its Board of Directors on August 1st, when they elected Mario Bertino, Country Manager Italy of Bic Graphic Europe SA Italy, as their President. We met with him to find out what is his recipe to support the industry.

What are you planning to do to support the promotional industry and its companies?

One of the priorities is certainly to continue to keep the pressure on the institutions to obtain a real recognition of the promotional industry, including the assignment of an Ateco code, so that companies can be supported in case of need. Another important point is to foster exchanges, both with other European promotional associations and with other national industries, to better grasp market trends and opportunities, and therefore be able to share them with our members. Last but not least, regulations should be harmonized with those in force at European level.

An example?

Italy is the only country in Europe where lighters cannot be marketed due to a decree (Art. 3 of Law Decree no. 163 of 20/4/71) that dates back to over 50 years ago. Nevertheless, that product is continuously marketed in Italy by foreign companies who, perhaps, are not informed about the law, especially online, and this creates confusion and undermines the competitiveness of our distributors.

What will Assoprom do to increase its representation?

To have a greater say on the matter, the primary goal will be to increase the number of regular members and, to do this, investing in the attractiveness of the association is imperative. One of the key issues will also be to increase the presence of young people in a sector where generational change is particularly slow. In fact, if we want to help our sector dialogue with the rest of the supply chain, we consider it essential to actively involve those who know best how to master current communication tools and who can contribute with new ideas and points of view.

What do you expect for the summer 2023?

The trend will depend on the extent to which each factor affects the others. Looking at the events of the recent past, it is clear how uncertainty and unpredictability have become the ingredients of our everyday life. We’ve had many crises in Europe in recent years and promotional companies have always shown an ability to react with determination, flexibility, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. In the midst of the pandemic, many were capable of reconverting their business by promptly intercepting new market requirements (face masks, dispensers, protective devices, gels, antibacterial products, etc.) and achieved unhoped-for results. In 2022, most companies seem to have been able to return to, if not exceed, pre-pandemic turnover levels. In the year to come, there will be no shortage of challenges, but certainly no shortage of opportunities to confirm the growth trend either.

Which sectors do you think are the most interesting for operators to cover?

It would be superficial to simply point to those that are growing, but the reality is that all industries look interesting. Promotion is an indispensable lever for those who are expanding and for those who need to regain competitiveness, for those who need to make themselves known, as well as for those who want to consolidate their positions. It is precisely this transversality that is the most valuable resource for our players, and being capable to seize and translate this need to their customers in the right way and at the right time is the real secret of success.