Michele Bell on the Trends Reshaping the Promotional Products World | Kings of Swag

This week on Kings of Swag, Jeremy interviews Michele Bell, Senior VP of Content & Global Alliances at ASI — one of the most influential voices in the promotional products industry. For nearly three decades, Michele has shaped how the industry understands trends, leadership, small-distributor growth, global markets, sustainability, and the future of promo. In this conversation, she breaks down: • How ASI built its role at the center of the industry • Why 95% of distributors are small players — and why they drive most of the revenue • Post-COVID shifts in promo trends and buyer behavior • Leadership lessons from interviewing the industry’s top CEOs • The rise of European sustainability standards • Where the promo industry is heading in the next five years If you’re in promo, branded merch, distributor sales, supplier growth, or entrepreneurship, this is a must-watch. 00:00–03:24 — How Michele Bell Became the Center of the Promo Industry 03:25–10:40 — What ASI Really Is and the Post-COVID Shift 10:41–15:21 — Mentorship, Leadership, and Industry Growth 15:22–24:57 — Why Small Distributors Drive Most of Promo 24:58–37:30 — The Future of Promo: Tech, Global Markets, Sustainability