The Promotional Products Industry generates approximately $18 billion is sales across a broad variety of industries and markets.
Top 10 Uses of Promotional Products
1. Brand Awareness
2. Tradeshows
3. New Customer / Account Creation
4. Public Relations
5. Employee Relations
6. Not-for-Profit Programs
7. New Product / Service Introduction
8. Employee Service Awards
9. Customer Referrals
10. Internal Promotions
Most Popular Categories of Promotional Products
1. Wearables
2. Writing Instruments
3. Bags
4. Calendars
5. Drinkware
6. Desk / Office / Business Accessories
7. Recognition Awards / Trophies / Jewelry
8. Games
9. Housewares
10. Sporting Goods
11. Computer Products and Accessories
12. Textiles
13. Buttons / Badges / Ribbons
14. Stickers and Decals
15. Magnets
16. Food
Top Buyers of Promotional Products
1. Education (schools, seminars)
2. Financial (banks, credit unions, stock brokers)
3. Not-for-Profit (charities, churches)
4. Health Care
5. Construction
6. Trade and Professional Associations
7. Real Estate (agents, title companies)
8. Government (public offices, agencies, candidates)
9. Professionals (doctors, lawyers, CPAs, etc.)
10. Restaurants and Bars
Research Shows…
Adding a promotional product to the media mix generated favorable attitudes toward a print ad in all cases (up to 44%). The use of a promotional product as the advertising medium alone achieved maximum impact, up to 69% increasing brand interest and 84% in creating a good impression of the brand.
Reach: 71% of an audience consisting primarily of business people reported having received a promotional product in the last 12 months. Of this group, 34% had the item on their person.
Recall: 76% of respondents could recall the advertiser’s name on the product they had received in the past 12 months. In comparison, only 53% of the same group could recall the name of a single advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the past week.
Impress: 52% of respondents did business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional products. And 52% of participants reported their impression was more favorable after receiving the item.
Source: PPAI (from 2009 sales figures and industry studies)