While in-person events and trade shows are far and few between right now, branded swag can still play an important role in your marketing efforts. Promo items can keep your business on people’s minds. And according to a study by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), they really work. Promotional products are ranked the most effective form of advertising across all generations.
Equally notable: 72% of consumers believe that the quality of a promotional product is directly related to the reputation of the company (source: PPAI).
So, mailing or delivering useful branded promo products to broaden your reach and surprise and delight your digitally fatigued customers could be a great way to put your brand front and center.
2021’s most popular promotional products.
Our printing experts at Firespring have been helping brands for decades create high-quality swag, and according to them, these are the 15 most popular promotional products for 2021:
1. Face masks. These are going to be useful for the next several months, even as vaccinations roll out.
2. Tumblers. One of these with your company’s name and logo would look great on your customers’ home office desks.
3. Mouse pads. Ditto for the above.
4. Hand sanitizer. Staying safe on the go is on everyone’s minds—a small, travel-size bottle of sanitizer is one of the more practical swag ideas.
5. Quarter-zip pullovers. According to a 2019 study by PPAI, wearables are the most popular promo product. If you don’t want to spend that much for all your customers, this can also be a great idea for your employees.
6. Pens. This might seem cliche, but people use pens every day—why not make sure your name is on one of them?
7. Ice scrapers. Obviously be mindful of where your audience is (people in L.A. won’t have much use), but this is a fun idea, especially if it’s relevant to your brand (you’re in auto sales, for example).
8. Hats. You can’t beat a basic branded ball cap—wearables are the most popular, plus they broaden your reach.
9. Custom printed mailer boxes. Don’t just put your name on a promo product; put it on the box your branded products come in. (Take a cue from Amazon.)
10. Phone grips and stands (like PopSockets). Sticky little pockets that can hold a credit card are also popular.
11. Lip balm. A year-round favorite, it’s something that is always useful and relevant for a lot of businesses (dentist offices, beauty retailers, spas and estheticians, etc.).
12. Planners/calendars. Goes great with a branded pen—and yes, some people would still rather have a paper planner than a digital one.
13. Coffee mugs. A staple in the branded promo products world, you can never go wrong with a coffee cup (which can also double as a pencil holder).
14. Fleece zip-ups. Especially thoughtful and generous if you live in a colder climate.
15. Stress relievers/stress balls. After 2020, we all have a little (um, a lot) of stress bottled up. This is a unique and memorable option if you’re looking for something out of the norm.
Get started on your next printing project.
Start 2021 by getting your brand in your audience’s hands. What promotional product or printing project can we help you with?
