511 brands. One community. One historic moment.

What happened at PSI 2026 in Düsseldorf was far more than a world record. It was a visible, tangible statement made by an entire industry.

For three days, the trade show became the stage for a unique collective initiative. Exhibitors, visitors, suppliers, brand owners, agencies, and partners from around the world responded to a shared call to action: bring products with visible brand names and become part of an official Guinness World Records™ attempt. From the very beginning, communication around the record attempt was intentionally open, accessible, and inclusive. Every brand mattered. Every product told a story.

Well ahead of the show, the industry mobilized across multiple channels: PSI platforms, direct outreach, social media, personal networks, and on site through PSI TV, public announcements, and the ever growing brand display itself. Throughout the entire show, the world record attempt was clearly communicated, transparently explained, and continuously experienced. At the central drop off station, products were submitted, brands registered, and immediately integrated into the installation. Hour by hour, the record area evolved into a living mosaic of brands.

The official Guinness World Records™ requirement was to unite at least 250 different brands in a promotional merchandise installation. By Thursday evening, it was already clear that the industry had not only reached this target but significantly exceeded it with 317 brands. What followed was a collective decision that perfectly reflects the spirit of the promotional products industry: we keep going.

Through personal connections, spontaneous coordination, and additional products sourced from archives, sample cases, and warehouses, a new goal was set: 500 brands. Not driven by individual ambition, but by a shared desire to demonstrate what this industry can achieve when it stands together.

The final moment was deliberately staged as a public event. An official trade show announcement drew attention to the upcoming count. The Guinness adjudicator arrived, while two independent witnesses verified each brand against the previously compiled registration lists. The entire process was fully documented on video, ensuring transparency, traceability, and full compliance with Guinness World Records™ guidelines.

When all participants gathered for the joint come together in the afternoon, the tension was palpable. Photos, videos, interviews and then certainty: the record had not only been achieved, but the original requirement had almost been doubled. 511 different brands stood as a powerful symbol of diversity, creativity, and unity.

The official Guinness World Records™ certificate was subsequently presented to the joint organizers Petra Lassahn, Managing Director of PSI, and Steven Baumgaertner, CEO of cyber-Wear. The announcement was broadcast live on LinkedIn and shared in real time with the industry and beyond.

This world record is emblematic of what defines the promotional products industry: collaboration over competition, diversity over uniformity, and emotion over interchangeability. It was never intended as the project of a few companies, but as an open invitation to all and that is precisely where its strength lies.

At the same time, the moment marked an emotional farewell. After nearly 60 years, PSI took place in Düsseldorf for the last time. The world record thus became a collective tribute to a location that has shaped generations of industry professionals and a symbolic transition into a new chapter beginning in 2027 in Cologne.

What remains is more than a certificate.

It is the image of an industry coming together.

And the proof that promotional products are more than just products. They are carriers of brands, relationships, and shared moments.