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Survey: In Fact, People Love Promo Products

A poll of American consumers by Vistaprint, the online print and promo provider that’s part of Top 40 distributor Cimpress, yielded sharp insights for the industry.

Turns out people do indeed dig promo products.

A new survey from Vistaprint, which is part of Top 40 distributor Cimpress (asi/162149), polled about 2,000 American consumers and found that 53% “love receiving promotional products,” while 76% share that their perception of a brand has changed in a positive way because they received a logoed item from said brand.

logoed promo items

Notably, half (51%) use promotional products in their daily lives.

Especially encouraging? The outlook for promo is bright, given generational predilections, the survey shows. Nearly nine in 10 millennials (87%) and exactly eight in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to perceive a brand in a positive way after receiving a promo product.

When asked about their ideal promotional products, consumers said they care most about how “useful” (49%) and “unique” (42%) the product is. When comparing among different age groups, Gen Zers care more about how “fashionable” (43%) and how “funny” (42%) the item and design are. Here are the top qualities that make for an ideal swag item, ranked in order of importance:

1. Useful (49%)
2. Unique (42%)
3. Colorful (40%)
4. Fashionable (39%)
5. Recyclable (36%)
6. A keepsake (36%)
7. Edible (35%)
8. Funny (34%)

When asked about the design of promotional products, the survey found that the majority of people prefer products with an unusual or unique design (45%) or brand name (38%). Here are the top qualities that Americans prefer when it comes to the design of promotional items:

1. Unique or unusual design (45%)
2. Eye-catching design (42%)
3. Unique or unusual brand name (38%)
4. Interesting use of materials (37%)
5. A quote or catchphrase (37%)
6. Logo positioning (35%)
7. Color scheme (35%)
8. Font (35%)

More findings from the survey include:

49% of consumers prefer to receive promotional products from small businesses or unknown brands.

40% are more likely to write a positive review online after receiving a promotional item from a brand.

48% agree that promotional products are a more memorable way of marketing than simply advertising.

44% of people are more likely to visit a business location (e.g., shop or restaurant) after receiving a promotional item from a brand.

83% have worn or used a promotional item from the company they work for.

34% consider sustainability to be an important factor – and 32% consider it important for a product to be locally made.

According to the survey, the top 10 promo products U.S. consumers want to receive are:

1. T-shirts
2. Pens
3. Mugs
4. Water bottles
5. Headphones
6. Tote bags
7. Sunglasses
8. Hoodies
9. Calendars
10. Umbrellas

ASI, parent company of ASI Media, conducts extensive research on promo products’ impact, too. The Ad Impressions Study, published earlier this year, names the most effective products by state, region and age. ASI Media’s State of the Industry report features a wealth of actionable data for promo pros, including details on top products, top markets and more.