Most businesses have bought promotional products. Fewer have thought carefully about how well they actually work. This week, Hierank Marketing Solutions’ own Matt Hall brought his industry’s research to the table to answer that question — with data.
The presentation drew from the ASI Global Advertising Impressions Study — a large-scale survey of consumers across the U.S., Canada, and much of Europe — focused on what makes promotional products effective, what consumers actually want, and how branded items influence buying decisions.
The headline finding, and Matt’s consistent through-line: for effective promo campaigns, usefulness is everything.
A promotional product that serves a genuine purpose for the person who receives it gets kept, gets used, and generates impressions over time. One that doesn’t gets discarded. The research backs this up clearly — consumers keep items primarily because they’re useful to have, and enjoyability, attractiveness, and brand affinity only score as secondary factors.
A few other findings worth considering, especially for a well-implemented campaign:
- The cost-per-impression is remarkably low. The average promotional item generates around 3,300 impressions over its lifetime at a fraction of a cent per impression — competitive with most advertising channels, in a most-tangible medium.
- Branded products influence perception. Large majorities of consumers report a more favorable view of an advertiser after receiving a promotional item, and higher likelihood of doing business with them too.
- Sustainability and domestic sourcing matter. Consumers respond more favorably to sustainable and Made-in-the-USA items — factors worth considering when selecting products.
- Category matters for impressions. Fleece and jackets generate the highest impressions per item of any category. Bags, caps, and health and safety items are also strong performers.
- Food gifts lead in purchase enthusiasm — over half of consumers say they’d be excited to receive them — followed closely by fleece/jackets and drinkware.
The practical takeaway: before ordering promo products, ask what your audience will actually use. A branded item sitting in a drawer only ever appeals to dust bunnies.
Matt ended mentioning some situations where Hierank can be most helpful. Ideal use cases include new employee onboarding bundles, client appreciation gifts, seasonal giveaways, event presence, and ongoing brand supply programs. Strong referral sources for this kind of work include HR managers, event and marketing directors, office managers, club or organization leaders, and small business owners thinking about client touchpoints.
If you have a promo need coming up — or know someone who does — Matt Hall at Hierank Marketing Solutions is the right person to connect with. Browse Hierank’s full promotional collection at hierankpromos.com or contact matt@hierank.com for great item recommendations or program help.
And if Wednesday mornings at 7am with Border 2 Border Business Connections aren’t already on your calendar, this is exactly the kind of practical, useful content the group brings every week. Come join us — we’d love to have you!
