Question

Topic: Branding

Can Promos Devalue Our Brand?

Posted by Anonymous on 2/9/2010 at 10:45 AM ET 125 Points
We manufacture a line of unique outdoor writing products including a few that are in the $3-$5 retail range. Recently, we've been doing a lot of custom printing for companies that use our notebooks as promotional items. We like the added product exposure in these markets, but will selling our products as promos eventually hurt our brand?

We have a reputation for quality and dependability so I'm certain that people will be impressed with our products. That said, If potential customers are introduced to our products via a free promotional item that's co-branded with another company, does their perception of our product get tainted? Will they see our brand as something they can get for free and therefore less likely to pay for it down the road?

Ryan
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gail@PUBLISIDE on 2/9/2010 at 10:51 AM Accepted
    I think that companies that co-brand and provide free samples as it introduces a product do well. People like the idea that they can test a product before they buy. If they like it enough, they will buy in the future.

    Provided that the companies with which you work have good reputations and exposure, connection to them could help you further.
  • Posted on 2/9/2010 at 11:16 AM Author
    This might be a stupid question but if we're offering promotional printing, can we legally/ethically tell some of the companies "no" based on our opinion of them?

    Would you suggest more of a "apply to be considered as a co-brand partner" program?

    Ryan
  • Posted by thecynicalmarketer on 2/9/2010 at 4:43 PM Accepted
    I would say this is not exactly classic co-branding.

    It looks more to me like you are simply the supplier of an item a potential customer is giving away. Thousands of companies give away iPods, but Apple would likely never consider this an Apple cobranded promotion.

    If you are concerned about your potential partners, simple say that you reserve the right to limit participation in the program. You don’t have to give details, and then you can exclude whomever you choose.

    Best of Luck, JohnnyB.
    The TCM Blog, https://bit.ly/75KkSG
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  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 2/9/2010 at 7:08 PM Member
    If what people are using is valuable, then they'll seek you out. Sometimes the promotional connection is lost on me, but the promotional item itself becomes valuable. Just make sure that people can easily figure out how to reorder the item directly from you.
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