Know-How Exchange : Branding

The way it is used and presented. Is it an employee gift? A thank you? A promotional premium? A prize? Where and when is it used? Will it be forgotten because the item is used in a rush - like a jar grip opener? What is the message for others - like with a t-shirt? These are the drivers of the success of the branding results using promotional items. The other part that this company should explore is to distribute these products through the large promotional item dealers - this would be the most profitable channel distribution. Promotional products are available through so many companies that act as brokers that this company should use their broad and diverse distribution to multiply their sales light years ahead of what they can do by selling direct to the end user/company.

Dear Dr. Michael,

"What are the drivers that make customers remember a promotional item, if any?"

Well, it's usually not the name printed on it. Name schmame!
Memorability is generally linked to how useful the thing is.

Yes, that's right: function.

If it's raining, you're not going to need a paperweight to dash to the car or the parking garage, are you?

If you're looking for a pen, an inflatable elephant or a bag isn't going to help you, is it?

If you have papers and books to tote, how useful will a t-shirt with an whacky emblem on it be?

All, of which means the thing's function must fit the desired need.

Things that are useful tend to be used. Things that are merely decorative (or that have no use at all) generally have shorter life spans before they become trash fodder or chew toys for the dog
(at least, that's the general rule of thumb in my office).

Phil's bang on with his advice, and I think my humble two cents' worth offers sound reasoning.

True, the thoughts here might not reflect the thinking of your client, but advice-wise, they're based on practical experience and understanding of the things that generally tend to drive people to retain the promotional items they receive.

Bottom line: to be remembered, make the thing you're sending useful, and make it appropriate in terms of its use to the person you're sending it to. True, this can mean you sending different things to different people in the same campaign, thereby increasing costs. But your retention rates will climb as a result.

So long term, it's potentially a worthier investment.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Considering that the end-user is not the customer, the real question is not what would make the end-user/consumer remember the brand, but what would motivate the CUSTOMER remember the supplier/vendor.

If your client comes up with the silver bullet that gets consumers to remember a brand printed on a promotional item, he still has to get his message across to the people who will pay him for his products. That's the bigger challenge, in my view.

This is not a situation where the world will beat a path to his door when he comes up with the answer. He'll still have to market it to generate awareness and motivate interest/purchase intent.

And if you DO figure out what the drivers are for brand recognition, please share them with us.