PPAI's Professional Development Department has established four industry designations, the introductory Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS), designed for those early in their careers, Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS), Master Advertising Specialist (MAS), and the Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification for experienced industry veterans.

The multi-billion dollar Promotional Products industry is comprised of suppliers, distributors, multi-line representatives, and business service providers who provide a wide range of products that can be imprinted for distribution.  Almost anything can be branded with a company's name or logo and used for promotional purposes. Common items include t-shirts, caps, key chains, bumper stickers, pens, mugs, and mouse pads.