Have you considered which promotional products have better staying power? Or are more likely to be kept at home, vs. the office, in a car or on one’s person?

A recent study by the Advertising Specialty Institute, the largest media and marketing organization serving the promotional products industry, reveals data you may find helpful when considering upcoming gifts for your audiences. For example, writing instruments and bags are the most likely items to remain with an individual throughout the day, regardless of the person’s location. Promotions targeting households can be well served by imprinted glassware/ceramics (48% of these items are kept at home vs. 43% at the office or 9% in the car). Not surprisingly, desk accessories (68%) are most likely to be used at the office.

Knowing your target audience’s gender and age will further enhance the power of our promotional programs. Here’s some additional data you may find helpful in selecting the most suitable:

• The older your audience the greater likelihood they will appreciate a calendar, particularly if the recipients are female. Only 18% of women ages 21 to 31 own a calendar vs. 40% over the age of 65. In general, females are more likely than males to prefer a calendar, bag, writing instrument or health/safety product. Males favor promotional shirts and caps.

IDEA: Coordinate the color/imprint of a bag and cap for audiences that target women and men. Give recipients a choice as to which item they receive or provide both gifts. Most recipients pass along an item they don’t regularly use. Sixty-eight percent of women and 56% of men give an item they don’t plan to keep to another person, which will spread your message to a larger audience.

• If you want items to remain on display at home or in the office, research suggests recognition-awards and calendars remain front and center in either location. Just over two-thirds of recipients (64%) showcase their recognition-awards and slightly more than three-quarters (76%) display calendars. 

IDEA: Seventy-one percent of recognition-award recipients do business with the advertiser after being given the gift. Increase the value of these promotional products by selecting useful versions. For example, a crystal old fashioned glass with the impression of a golf ball in the base becomes the perfect tournament award when etched with the course name and dates. This award will be displayed and used to toast the recipient’s achievement for years.

The next time you need to pinpoint a promotional solution to a target audience or destination, give us a call. We’ll deliver ideas that are backed by research for the best possible results.

Larry Bryerman
larry@worldclasspromo.com

*All research and statistics cited are from the 2010 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study and the 2008 Advertising Specialties Impressions Study by The Advertising Specialty Institute.