Promotional Products Revealed: Intriguing Stats for Your Marketing Expedition 

Written by Heidi O'Neil

Ignite Your Marketing Mojo: Mind-Blowing Stats About Promotional Products!

In the dynamic world of marketing, making savvy decisions about where to invest your advertising budget is crucial for achieving maximum visibility. Regardless of your industry, we all share the common goal of finding the perfect advertising medium that not only attracts new and returning customers but also leaves a positive, lasting impression, all while being cost-effective. Thanks to extensive research by top marketing experts, we have gathered a treasure trove of statistics on promotional products, branded merchandise, and their incredible impact on brand awareness, brand loyalty, and brand recognisability, both for customers and businesses.

 

Creating Lasting Impressions with Branded Merchandise 

Why waste your money on advertising that fades away quickly? Promotional items outshine other forms of advertising, providing tangible, real-world experiences that customers associate with your brand. The statistics on promotional products prove that this marketing strategy is poised to make a significant impact on brand awareness:

 

  • A remarkable 72% of customers believe that the quality of a branded merchandise reflects the  reputation of the company (Source: PPAI). 

 



    

  • An astounding 85% of customers remember the advertiser who gifted them a shirt or a hat (Source: 2019 ASI Central). 
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  • Approximately 53% of customers with promotional products use them about once a week (Source: Sage Blog). 
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  • A whopping 76.2% of survey respondents could recall the specific promotional product, the advertiser, and the message, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy where brand recognisability is concerned. (Source: PPAI).
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  • In the average household, 91% of customers have at least one promotional item in their kitchen, 74% in their workspace, and 55% in their bedroom closet or storage space (Source: PPAI). 
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Unleashing ROI Superpowers: The Promotional Products that Rule! 




Promotional products aren’t just impactful; they’re also incredibly cost-effective in the long run. Instead of paying for ads every time a customer sees them, invest once in items like mugs or pens that stay in their homes for years. These products not only endure but also create positive impressions that inspire customers to refer others to your business, simply because they love your promotional goodies:  




    

  • More than half of consumers are likely to pass on used promotional items to someone else, extending their influence (Source: 2019 ASI Central). 
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  • Promotional outerwear generates a remarkable 6,100 impressions, followed by bags at 3,300, writing utensils at 3,000, and drinkware at 1,400 (Source: 2019 ASI Central). 
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  • Surprisingly, 40% of consumers who own promotional products have kept them for more than a decade (Source: 2020 ASI Central). 
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  • Branded merchandise can result in up to 500% more referrals from satisfied customers compared to appeal letters alone (Source: Sage Blog). 
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Fueling Your Fans: Where Promotional Items Ignite Your Fans’ Passion! 




One of the secrets to the effectiveness of promotional products is that customers actually want them. Unlike intrusive video ads, promotional products are welcomed by your audience and can even attract customers who might have otherwise overlooked your brand. Whether you aim to expand your audience or enhance your relationship with your existing target, promotional products are the ultimate crowd-pleaser and create great brand awareness:




    

  • An impressive 8 in 10 customers express their appreciation for receiving promotional products (Source: PPAI). 
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  • 7 in 10 customers wish they’d receive promotional products more often (Source: PPAI).  
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  • Customers under 55 prefer branded merchandise over all other forms of advertising (Source: 2019 ASI Central). 
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  • Nearly all customers (over 90%) are willing to go out of their way to get a promotional product (Source: PPAI). 
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  • According to surveys, 69% of customers would pick up a promotional product if they found it useful, and 23% would grab one regardless of its nature (Source: PPAI). 
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Picking the Perfect Promotional Gems! 




Promotional products offer a wide range of options for giveaways. Based on current trends, the most effective choices include outerwear, bags, hats, T-shirts, pens, drinkware, and calendars. While branded drinkware may yield fewer impressions per item, studies reveal that mugs outperform radio and video ads in aiding customer recall: 


    

  • Promotional coffee mugs and other ceramic and glassware products have a remarkable 57% chance of being remembered by customers (Source: BPMA). 
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  • An impressive 90% of consumers report owning branded drinkware (Source: 2019 ASI Central). 
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  • Over 61% of home calendars and 76% of office calendars come from the promotional products industry, offering numerous opportunities for brand impressions (Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice). 
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Promotional Products: The Fun Spots to Showcase Them! 




Promotional items and giveaways aren’t limited to customers; statistics show that employees also appreciate them, and they create brand loyalty. Additionally, you can leverage promotional items to enhance the effectiveness of your other marketing efforts, whether online, in-store, at tradeshows, or on social media. Wherever you distribute them, high-quality promo giveaways will undoubtedly enhance your brand’s image and brand loyalty by the customer: 




    

  • A remarkable 59% of employees who receive branded merchandise from their employer develop a more favourable impression of their workplace (Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice). 
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  • An impressive 82% of people have a more favourable impression of a brand when they receive a promotional item and are more likely to have brand loyalty (Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice). 
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  • Incorporating promotional products into your media mix can boost the effectiveness of other media by up to 44% (Source: Sage Blog). 
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  • An overwhelming 96% of people want advance notice when companies offer promotional products (Source: PPAI). 
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The Evidence is Crystal Clear…


Brands shine even brighter when supported by promotional items and branded merchandise. These statistics not only underline the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of this advertising strategy but also emphasise its enduring impact on recipients and its power to enhance brand recognisability. Whether your giveaways feature pens, mugs, bags, T-shirts, calendars, or other engaging products, you’ll unlock a plethora of advantages for your brand through the enchanting world of promotional products.


For the latest trends in promotional products for 2023, don’t forget to check out our blog titled Best Promotional Products 2023 – a quick guide to what’s currently hot and what’s not. And if you’re in need of some inspiration, explore our “Spotlight on” blog series, where we delve into various companies on their unique marketing journeys. “Spotlight on the IMA Festival” is a particularly engaging 3-minute read!