25 Top Statistics on Promotional Products for Better Marketing

In the competitive world of marketing, advertisers need to make smart decisions about where they put their money to get the best visibility. While each industry is different, all can agree that the ideal advertising medium will attract new and return customers, create a positive impression of the company, and do it all at the best price possible. Well, thanks to studies done by some of the best marketing researchers, we’ve got the statistics on promotional products and their amazing impact on customers and on businesses.  

Lasting Impressions  

Don’t waste your money on advertising that doesn’t leave an impression. Promotional products stick around longer than any video or radio ad, and give a real-world experience that customers can attribute to your company. Promotional product statistics show that this form of advertising is sure to leave its mark on your customers through repeated, positive exposure.  

1. 72% of customers believe that the quality of the promo equals the reputation of the company [Source PPAI].  

2. 85% of customers remember the advertiser that gave them a shirt or a hat [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

3. 53% of customers with promo products use them about once a week [Source: Sage Blog].  

4. Survey respondents were asked to think of a promotional product they’d received in the past two years and to recall the specific product, the advertiser and the message: A whopping 76.2% recalled all three key pieces of information [Source: PPAI].  

5. 91% of customers surveyed had at least one promotional product in their kitchen, 74% had at least one promotional product in their work area, and 55% had at least one promotional product in their bedroom closet/ storage space [Source: PPAI].  

Get the Best ROI  

Promotional products aren’t just the most impactful advertising method, they’re also the cheapest in the long run. Why pay for an ad every time a customer sees it when you can pay once for a mug or a pen that will stick around the customer’s home for years! Not only do they stick around, but the positive impression personal products give will encourage customers to refer others to your business, even if it’s just to say “hey, these guys give great promos!”  

6. The cost per impression for mugs and related products has been estimated to be close to $0.004 [Source: BPMA].  

7. Rather than throw it away, more than half of consumers are likely to give used promotional items to someone else, extending its influence [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

8. Promotional outerwear gives 6,100 impressions, bags give 3,300, writing utensils 3,000, and drinkware 1,400 [Source [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

9. 40% of consumers who own promo products say they have had them for more than 10 years [Source: 2020 ASI Central].  

10. Promotional products draw as many as 500% more referrals from satisfied customers than an appeal letter alone [Source: Sage Blog]. 

What the Customer Wants  

One of the reasons that promotional products are so effective is that, unlike intrusive video ads, customers want them! Not only do they want them, but the promise of a promo giveaway can actually attract customers that otherwise would have passed you by. Whether you want to expand your audience or just reap more from your current target, promo products are the best way to draw a crowd.  

11. 8 in 10 customers say they like getting promotional products [Source: PPAI].  

12. 7 in 10 customers say they wish they’d get promotional products more often [Source: PPAI].  

13. Customers under 55 prefer promo products over all other forms of advertising [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

14. Nearly 10 out of 10 customers will go out of their way to get a promotional product [Source: PPAI].  

15. 69% of customers said they would pick up a promotional product if they thought it was useful, and 23% of customers said they would pick one up no matter what it was [Source: PPAI]. 

What to Give  

Promotional products span a wide range of giveaway options, so what exactly should you be giving away? Based on these promotional product trends, the most effective giveaways are outerwear, bags, hats, t-shirts, pens, and drinkware. While branded drinkware comes at the end of the list for number of impressions per item, studies show mugs rank better than radio and video ads for helping customers remember you, and customers love their drinkware! Calendars are also widely used at home and at the office, giving lots of impression opportunities.  

16. About 53% of consumers have a more favorable impression of U.S. made promo products than those made anywhere else [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

17. Outerwear, bags, headwear, T-shirts and writing instruments generate the most impressions compared to other promotional products [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

18. Another study showed promotional coffee mugs and other ceramic and glassware were the best products for ensuring that customers remembered the advertiser, clocked at 57% chance of recall [Source: BPMA].  

19. 90% of consumers report owning branded drinkware [Source: 2019 ASI Central].  

20. Over 61% of the calendars that people use at home, along with 76% of the same item at a business, come from the promotional products industry [Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice]. 

Where to Use It  

Promotional products and giveaways aren’t just for customers, the stats show that employees love them too! You can also use promotional products to make your other marketing efforts more successful, whether that’s on social media, video ads, in-store, or at tradeshows. Wherever you give them out, a quality promo giveaway is sure to make your company look good.   

21. 59% of employees who receive a promotional product from their employer have a more favorable impression of their workplace afterwards [Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice].  

22. 82% of people say that their impression of a brand becomes more favorable when they receive a promotional product as an advertising effort [Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice].  

23. Adding a promotional product to the media mix increases the effectiveness of other media by up to 44% [Source: Sage Blog].  

24. 96% of people want to know ahead of time when companies offer promotional products [Source PPAI].  

25. Social media marketing featuring promotional items is also becoming an effective trend. Over 43 million posts on Instagram use the #Adidas search, while #Nike has 69 million posts. Almost every item features apparel from the brand in the image [Source: Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice]. 

The facts don’t lie, any brand is better represented when backed by promotional giveaways. These promotional product statistics show that this form of advertising is the most well-received, the most cost effective, and gives the most lasting impressions on your recipients. Whether your giveaways are pens, mugs, bags, t-shirts, calendars, or other fun and engaging products, you’ll find there are a lot of benefits for your brand in promotional products.  

Sources:  

2019 Consumer Study, PPAI Research  

https://www.ppai.org/media/5482/ppai2019consumerstudysummary.pdf

https://www.promotionalproductswork.org/media/1091/effectivemediumpowertool.pdf

2019 Ad Impressions Study, ASI Global Survey  

https://www.asicentral.com/news/web-exclusive/january-2019/2019-ad-impressions-study/

2020 Ad Impressions Study, ASI Global Survey  

https://media.asicentral.com/resources/2020-Global-Ad-Impressions-Study.pdf

Study by the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) and Sourcing Planet  

https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/business/why-are-mugs-and-cups-effective-marketing-tools

SageWorld.com Blog  

https://www.sageworld.com/blog/index.php/2015/04/30/25-insane-but-true-facts-about-promotional-products/

Brandon Gaille Small Business and Marketing Advice  

https://brandongaille.com/36-promotional-products-industry-statistics-trends-analysis/