Be Memorable with Promotional Merchandise

Many people may only equate promotional merchandise with the company giveaways they receive through the mail or the free pen they get for joining up for a new product or service, but the reality is that promotional merchandise encompasses much more than that.

This year sees promotional merchandise really come to the fore as consumer goods, as any of you will have noticed if you have wondered around the shops lately. I was struck by the huge range of items on sale celebrating the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee. The mugs, the t-shirts, the bunting – some people may call them souvenirs but they are still all promotional products. When you attend a concert and purchase a t-shirt or poster to remember the event then you have bought a promotional product. When you visit London and buy a model of big ben or an ‘I love London’ key ring you are taking away a promotional item. All of these items have the same purpose – to promote a brand/company/event and make them memorable. And it really works! There have been numerous case studies on the effectiveness of promotional merchandise. The bpma recently published research proving that promotional merchandise can deliver a higher ROI than radio or outdoor advertising and an ROI that is equal to TV and print advertising (read article).

Promotional articles have a clear advertising effect, the memory of the products and the advertiser linger, sometimes even for years. When you visit a different country it is common practice to bring a souvenir home with you as a memento of the place. When people attending the Olympics this year take a souvenir away with them, that product will serve to trigger their memories of the event for years to come.

The same can be true of a company giveaway. With the right product, branding and method of delivery promotional merchandise can build and maintain customer relationships. People have a choice about whether they wish to be exposed to mass advertising. We can make a cup of tea during TV adverts, flip past adverts printed in our newspapers or magazines and walk past billboards without a second glance. Promotional merchandise offers an unobtrusive, targeted and personalised approach. As long as the merchandise is useful then the promotional products tend to be kept and used, leading to voluntary repeated exposure, recognition and retention of the advertiser’s name and/or message.

Take a look around you at all the items being sold in commemoration of an exciting year for the UK and take inspiration from them. And remember, there is far more to promotional products than meets the eye.

Click here for free quotes on promotional products.

Lauren Cayless White,
Editor

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