Promotional merchandise big hitters

The value of branded promotional goods has skyrocketed in recent years. 

Networking, event promotion, and customer loyalty rewards have existed for many years, but what’s changed is the desire to make memorable connections in a world where brands are constantly fighting for our attention. 

Promotional merchandise, or branded giveaways, are effective marketing tools for businesses looking to increase brand visibility, strengthen customer relationships, and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.

Whether it’s branded clothing, branded tech, branded drinkware, branded stationery or branded products, there are a number of ways you can maximise brand awareness with sustainable, eco-friendly and unique promotional merchandise. 

In this blog, we’ll share why it’s a good idea to use promotional merchandise and give you our top promotional merch recommendations… 

Why businesses should use promotional merchandise

There are a number of excellent reasons why businesses should use promotional merchandise as part of their marketing strategies. 

Whether you’re launching a new product, generating brand PR or trying to expand brand reach, promo products can really help you make an impact. Here’s how… 

Promotional merchandise helps to enhance brand awareness

Branded items like pens, tote bags, T-shirts, or water bottles keep a company’s logo and message visible in customers’ daily lives. This repeated exposure can make a brand more memorable. 

Digital advertising may have a limited lifespan depending on what your digital budget and advertising spend is, but a well-designed product can act as a mini billboard, generating impressions for months or even years.

Create a desirable and useful product and people will use it every day, helping to amplify your brand to more people every time they use it. 

Promotional merchandise can be a cost-effective form of marketing 

Promotional products often have a lower cost per impression than digital advertising. For a relatively low cost, they offer long-lasting exposure, giving you a better return on investment. 

Also, items that offer more long-term value, such as a bag, USB, or drinkware will be used repeatedly, making them a longer-lasting investment. 

Promotional merchandise can help you to build brand loyalty and improve customer retention

Using luxury gifting or hospitality gift experiences can greatly improve positive associations with your brand. 

When a customer feels valued, you can increase loyalty. What’s more, a happy customer will ensure positive word of mouth, leading to more enquiries, leads and sales. 

Promotional merchandise can capture the attention of potential customers and generate leads 

Promotional items are effective for attracting visitors to booths at trade shows or events, making them an excellent way to break the ice and invite conversation, which could encourage lead generation. 

You can also use giveaways as an incentive for completing a purchase or signing up for a programme and nudge potential customers toward action.

Promotional merchandise can set you apart from your competitors 

Customising merchandise allows brands to reflect their identity. For instance, an eco-conscious company might choose sustainable bags or bamboo pens, aligning the gift with the brand’s environmental values.

Giving away products that are consistent with a brand’s aesthetic and message reinforces its identity and strengthens brand recognition. 

So, tapping into what makes you unique and showcasing how you differ in a crowded marketplace can help you stand out, and attract the right attention from customers who will align with your brand.

Our top-recommended promotional merchandise 

Rubik’s cubes

People love nostalgia-driving marketing, especially when products have an emotional connection to something that represents happier times.

Branded Rubik’s cubes are an incredibly popular choice for those looking to generate long-lasting engagement in a fun and playful way. 

An eye-catching, multi-faceted product, the Rubik’s Cube can be fully branded for your business and hold up to 6 messages, making it suitable for all industry types. 

It’s made from 100% post-consumer recycled ABS plastic and is available in smaller sizes and other shapes, so it can be customisable to your brand.

Concertina phone stand

This is the ultimate gift for those who see their phones as much more than a communications device. 

Whether we’re following a recipe in the kitchen, watching an episode of our favourite show on the commute or chatting away to pals on Facetime, if there’s one thing we always need, it’s a super portable and incredibly handy phone stand! 

This cool bit of kit works like the famous Slinky toys, with a flexible structure that allows you to stretch the Concertina wide enough to comfortably fit a large tablet. 

The rigid design will hold the weight of your device, and when you are done, simply remove your phone or tablet and watch as the Concertina reduces back down to a small, portable size. 

Plus, this product is made entirely from cardboard, making it a sustainable option for your brand! 

It can be fully branded to your business too. 

Reversible bucket hats

So you might have missed out on Oasis tickets to the reunion tour, but with an authentic reversible bucket hat, you’ll be able to walk around with so much swagger that you’ll feel like an honorary Gallagher brother. 

Okay, so that’s a stretch, but bucket hats are an incredibly popular promotional merchandise option, especially if you’re looking for a fashion accessory people will love. 

They’re great for festivals, gigs, sporting events and any summer gathering. 

One size fits all, they can be fully branded for your business and they’re made from recycled materials. 

Imagine the camera sweeping across a crowd, and the audience is filled with people wearing your branded bucket hat… Pretty cool, wouldn’t you say? 

Oceano recycled bottle notebook

We may be living in a digital age, but notebooks are still a popular choice whether you’re looking for a giveaway item, a corporate gift or a branded promotional product. 

The Oceano Recycled Bottle Notebook is an excellent choice as it comes in a wide range of colours, and paper styles with lots of added extras, like bespoke page formatting, numbering, indexing, and ribbon details. 

They’re an excellent sustainable choice too, as the notebooks are made from recycled bottles and repurposed into high-quality textile fabric covers and combined with 100% recycled paper pages. 

Full-colour digital printing with foil or blind embossing options are available to make your logo stand out.

You can even include a belly band with a QR code to drive people towards your website. 

Eco charge round mini

There’s nothing quite like the mild panic you feel when you realise your battery is about to run out, and you don’t have access to a plug-in charging point. 

The Eco Charge Round Mini is an excellent promotional item that will quickly become a handy tool people use every day. 

It’s also made from Biodegradable materials, such as wheat straw, so it’s a great sustainable solution for those looking for the perfect corporate gift. 

Como recycled wellness journal

Wellness journals are a thoughtful gift, especially if you want to show the caring values of your business. 

As we all strive for a better work-life balance, mindfulness plays a key role in helping us to improve the equilibrium. 

This wellness book has some incredible eco-credentials too, as it’s made from reclaimed plastic water bottles and 100% recycled paper. 

It’s part of our Tree Aid Scheme, so for every book sold, a donation is made to Tree Aid, which plants trees in improvised areas of Africa, helping to create a sustainable future for local communities. 

Find the right promo product for your business

Promotional merchandise is a powerful marketing tool that combines affordability with high impact. 

These products can effectively support your company’s overall marketing strategy and contribute to lasting brand success by enhancing its brand visibility, fostering customer loyalty, and promoting differentiation.

Find out how we can help you make an impact with promotional merchandise, get in touch today.