Entitled the “Largest Display of Branded Promotional Merchandise”, the record attempt aims to showcase the colourful diversity of haptic advertising.
D – The Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre will open its doors to the promotional products industry for the last time from January 7-9, 2026, offering at the same time a stage that plays special homage to the past six decades. An extraordinary joint project is taking place during the show in commemoration of 60 years of the PSI at the Düsseldorf location – an official Guinness World Records attempt for the world’s largest exhibition of branded promotional items.
The record attempt aims to bring the entire industry together: Manufacturers, distributors, brands and visitors. Everyone is invited to bring at least one branded item to the show that represents a company or brand. During the PSI these products will then evolve into a unique exhibition in the especially designated “World Record Zone”, which will showcase the wide spectrum of the promotional products world – from sustainable classics through to modern innovations. Under the title the “Largest Display of Branded Promotional Merchandise”, the industry will thus make a powerful statement about brands, emotions and haptic experiences.
1,000 products, 1,000 stories, one record
“For us, this campaign is much more than a record attempt,” commented, Petra Lassahn, PSI Director. “It is a thank you to Düsseldorf, an emotional conclusion and at the same time a new beginning. Because what we are showcasing here is what our industry is all about at its core – creativity, sustainability and solidarity.” The goal of the campaign is to present at least 1,000 branded items in one exhibition, whereby the official Guinness rule applies: No single product may represent more than 10% of the overall quantity, i.e. at the most 100 of each item type.
Product presentations and networking opportunities await the visitors of the PSI Show.
“This world record attempt is symbolic for our industry,” explained Steven Baumgaertner, CEO of cyber-Wear and campaign initiator. “It demonstrates that promotional products are far more than just objects – they are emotional ambassadors, cultural bridges and the most visible form of lived brand communication. In an era when so much has become digital, together we are proving the power of the tangible.”
60 years more than a trade show
With this record attempt, the PSI Show is bidding farewell to its Düsseldorf location after six decades. “The PSI has always been more than merely a trade show,” emphasised Lassahn. “It is a place of encounter, innovation and inspiration. The world record attempt is the perfect finale and simultaneously an emotional thank you to all those who has been part of this story.”
The Guinness World record attempt will be accompanied by PSI TV, which will report live throughout the show. From the first products submitted and interviews with participants through to the official Guinness confirmation on the last day of the show, PSI TV will make the entire process visible in real-time – both in the exhibition halls and in the online stream. It is possible to submit items on all days of the trade fair, the exhibition zone will grow continually until it meets the Guinness requirements.
Final countdown in Düsseldorf
For the PSI Director, Lassahn (r), the PSI is a place of encounter, innovation and inspiration.
Beyond the record attempt, visitors to the PSI Show can once again expect a colourful mix of novelties and networking opportunities in Halls 9-11 of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Hall at the beginning of 2026. This year the show doesn’t start on Tuesday as is customary because “Tuesday, January 6, 2026, is a public holiday in many countries. To ensure that the traditionally strong first day isn’t affected by the absence of key visitors, we have postponed the start of the PSI Show 2026 by one day,” explained Lassahn. This guarantees three days full of intensive encounters and product presentations, starting on Wednesday, January 7.
What’s more, the trade fair will once again feature several special areas: In the Textile Village in Hall 9 everything will revolve around textiles and their implementation as promotional products and in Hall 11, exhibitors will demonstrate the manifold design possibilities of haptic advertising in the special customising area. The PSI Academy Expo is a new format this year, which will showcase all the nominated products and campaigns that have been submitted for the inaugural conferral of the PSI Academy Awards. In the workshop programme of the PSI Academy, the speakers will address current industry topics such as artificial intelligence.
In addition to the PSI Community Café, the International Lounge hosted by numerous industry associations and the PSI Night with dinner and a DJ on the first evening of the trade fair, a reception with the GWW Young Professionals at “The Hap” stand will offer plenty of opportunity to network in a pleasant atmosphere. As such, in its role as the industry’s leading trade show, the PSI Show will bid farewell to its Düsseldorf location with the customary combination between haptic highlights and professional presentation.
Photos: © WA Media GmbH
