Events

AI is rapidly reshaping the promotional products industry - changing how buyers search, how ideas are formed, and how distributors need to operate to stay competitive. This practical, no-fluff session breaks down what’s happening right now, what’s already changing in your clients’ behaviour, and what’s coming over the next 12–24 months. You’ll get a clear view of how AI is moving from a simple tool to an active participant in the buying process - and what distributors need to do to remain visible, valuable, and competitive in an AI-driven market.

Date: Tuesday, 26 May 2026

Time: 11 AM AEST | 1PM NZST

Duration: 45-minute presentation + 15-minute Q&A

You’ll learn:

• How buyer behaviour is changing: From search and browsing to AI-driven discovery, shortlisting and decision support
• What AI is already doing today: Practical use cases across research, proposals, mock-ups, and campaign ideation
• How distributors get discovered in an AI world: What your website and data need to include to be found and recommended by AI
• Where your value is shifting: Moving beyond product sourcing into strategy, curation, and execution
• The best AI tools to start using now: A practical stack for improving speed, output quality, and client experience
• How to build better briefs using AI: Turning vague client requests into structured, high-value recommendations
• Distributor path to adoption: A clear progression from basic prompting through to workflow integration and agentic AI
• What the winning distributor looks like in 2–5 years: The critical role of AI interfaces, structured data, and automated workflow engines

Meet Mark Hudson

(Distributor Member, Australia | APPA Board Member)

Mark Hudson brings over 20 years of experience in the promotional products industry, spanning both distributor and technology solution roles. As Owner and Managing Director of Brandconnect, he has a strong background in sales, marketing, and e-commerce, with a focus on improving efficiency and customer experience.

Mark has been instrumental in developing Promodata and Brandengine - platforms designed to standardise product data and streamline integration between suppliers and distributors. He is passionate about embracing innovation, including AI, API integrations, and sustainability, to help future-proof the industry.

He believes technology should work seamlessly in the background, enabling businesses to focus on what matters most - building strong relationships and delivering value to customers.

This session is ideal for those wanting to build their AI-awareness and ensure they are able to pivot as an AI-ready promo business. Register now to understand what’s changing, what to prioritise, and how to move forward with confidence.