What's The Deal With Those Products?!

What's-the-Deal-With

Let’s do an exercise! Close your eyes and push everything you know about promotional products out of your brain. Now, what do you think of when you hear the word promotional products?

Your mind probably goes to the most popular, the tried and true. Mugs, pens, and apparel.

But why?

Promotional products have a long history, starting in the 1700s when the first campaign buttons were produced for President George Washington. They were a hit! Easy and inexpensive to produce, pins were a good way to get the message out that Washington was running for election. The same can be said for today’s products.

Let’s pull back the curtain and see what products have been popular so far this year (October 2024 as of publishing).

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One thing you probably notice is that although the products themselves have evolved, their popularity amongst the masses hasn’t. Bags, pens, cups/mugs, and apparel have consistently been the top products time and time again.

These products are classics! They’re what you think of when you first hear “promotional product.” In fact, when I’m explaining that I work in the promotional products industry, I often use a mug as an example of what a promotional product is.

The classics are classics for a reason, too.

Let’s break that down.

  1. High Usability: These top products are practical items. People use them daily! You always have a pen at hand while you’re at work, or you have that one t-shirt from an event you got 10 years ago that you refuse to get rid of because it’s super comfortable to sleep in! Products with high usability ensure that they remain in peoples’ minds, providing consistent brand visibility.
  2. Wide Audience Appeal: Who doesn’t love a free T-shirt? Items like shirts, water bottles, pens, and notebooks appeal to multiple demographics, which means they’re good for reaching a broader audience.
  3. Customization Options: Most of the products on this list can be decorated in multiple ways, making them ultra-customizable. Because they have multiple customization options, they can be affordable for every business.
  4. Cost-Effective Branding: Speaking of affordability! Certain items on this list, like pens, can coolers, or stress relievers, are budget-friendly and easy to distribute in large quantities. This means they can maximize their reach without spending a lot of money.
  5. All-Weather: These products are evergreen! They’re perfect for every occasion, making them a good option for businesses to keep on hand in case they have a surprise client meeting or they’re passing things out at tradeshows.

That’s kind of a winning combination if you ask me! They’re functional, cost-effective, and they’ve got universal appeal. Do you have a theory of why these are the most popular? Or maybe one of your favorites made the list? Let us know in the comments below!

To check out our monthly top products, click here.

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(Marketing Content Writer)

Betty is the Marketing Content Writer at SAGE. She is a self-proclaimed, bonafide nerd, and when she's not writing, you can find her playing video games, watching documentaries, hunting for heavy metal records, and going down rabbit-holes on Wikipedia.

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