In an article by Sarah Shepherd from ArticlesBase.com in Dec. 2008, the top 10 most effective promotional products were listed. I will now re-list the items here for those of you who may want to know just what the bread and butter of this industry looks like.
Looking at this list, I must say that although many of us are looking for innovative ways to brand ourselves, the tried and true are the best bets because they simply make the most impact. The way to be innovative lies with how we approach a product and marketing plan, and not necessarily in the item itself. For example, a t-shirt is a blank canvas that can produce startling results.
TOP 10 PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
1. Promotional Apparel
- Accounts for 1/3 of all promotional product sales (according to 2007 study by the Promotional Products Association International)
- Extremely high logo exposure
2. Writing Instruments
- Functional and practical
- Commonly, a promotional pen will go through at least 8 owners, increasing the exposure of the branded logo
- Very affordable
3. Bags
- According to the Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI), promotional bags make the most impressions per month (1,038 on average).
- Practical, affordable, imprintable
- Promotional bags have over 200 years of history within the industry.
4. Drinkware
- Environmentally friendly and practical
- Receives a lot of exposure either as desktop pieces or as travel pieces.
5. Desk Accessories
- Desk accessories are popular as internal staff giveaways.
- Popular items in this category: stress balls, business card cases, desktop caddies and dispensers.
6. Calendars
- Among the most affordable and practical promotional products.
- Lots of space for branding (for example, an image per month)
- Experienced clients will take advantange of early booking to gaurantee delivery and better pricing.
- A study done by PPAI indicated that 94% of business calendar recipients could recall the logo imprinted on their calendar and 85% of individuals who received calendars in their homes did business with the advertiser.
7. Magnets
- Magnets are popular because of their versatility, even as direct mailers
- Can be die cut into any shape and size
- Affordable and practical
8. Computer/Electronic Accessories
- USB drives are getting more and more affordable and many people neglect to consider the amount of information that can be stored within a promotional USB drive.
- They fit well into other promotional products, such as binders and padfolios, and can be used as guides, convention programs, conference packages, etc.
9. Sporting Goods
- Sporting goods appeal to the fun side of life and usually get noticed by many people, as sports involve an active audience
- examples include: cushions, frisbees, sports towels, duffel bags
10. Automotive Accessories
- Safety and convenience is a big part of why automotive items
- examples: First Aid Kits, Roadside Repair Kits, travel caddies, etc.
