The recently released Distributor Quarterly Sales Survey from ASI Research captures the details of what was a still-successful but complicated first quarter of 2023 for the North American promotional products industry.

In this Promo Insiders, ASI Senior Executive Director of Research Nate Kucsma deep-dives into distributor Q1 performance with ASI Media News Director Christopher Ruvo. They share stories behind the numbers and offer perspective on what may lie ahead this year for the branded merchandise market.

One spoiler? There’s uncertainty and nerves for sure, but Kucsma believes “it’s not doom and gloom,” he says. “We’re in a cycle now. It’s a cycle that’s confounding a lot of people, but I do think you will continue to see positive growth in the industry.”