Increasing Brand Awareness: The Power of Swag

Merchandise and swag can do a lot for your business

Think about your favorite T-shirt, the flashlight keychain you’ve used for years, or the water bottle you carry with you wherever you go. Chances are, many of these items are branded marketing products you received as a promotional gift or while attending an event. You toss them in a purse, backpack or glove compartment and eventually they come in handy. Some of them even become part of your everyday life.

But do these items really help build a brand’s awareness? According to the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the answer is a resounding “YES!” Their 2021 survey of 5,674 consumers showed that promotional products play an integral part in people’s lives.

For example: 

• 85% of people like receiving promotional products
• 58% of people keep their promotional products for 1-4 years
• 73% of people use a promotional product once a week
• 8 out of 10 people remember the brand advertised
• 21% of people make a purchase after receiving a promotional product

Your brand is only as good as the choices you make

As you can see, branded products are a huge hit. In addition, they are an effective way to build brand awareness. However, selecting the correct product to promote your brand is not always an easy task. Here are a few factors you should consider when determining how to swag your brand:

1. Remember your core audience. Ideally, you want your branded product to remind people of what you do and be appropriate for your potential buyer. An attractive keychain is a smart choice for a car dealership. A shot glass, perhaps not so much. 
2. Think useful and functional. The best swag is something a consumer might use in their life on a daily or at least occasional basis. Also, consider where you will be distributing your swag. Can consumers easily carry it with them? Will they want to keep the item and use it?
3. Stay on brand. If your business is formal and your brand is serious, steer clear of frivolous products. If your brand is more fun loving, use that to your advantage when making merchandising choices.

Finally, cost is always a huge deciding factor. Fortunately, today there are a wide variety of branded products available across all cost levels. Once you take the time to make your decision, a Core Print & Packaging representative can help you make the perfect decision. Use Core’s merchandising ability to get your brand into every household through- T-shirts, ballcaps, mugs, pens and more. Let’s build a brand that everyone will recognize.