Monday 11 October 2010

Brand Merchandise: The Best Advertising Ideas

Is your company still leveraging on newspaper, magazine, radio, Yellow Pages or TV advertisements? No doubt, such advertising media do reach the right target audience and the success of such advertising is well documented through the years. However, the reality today is that people are bombarded with advertisements through these traditional means all the time. Therefore, businesses are looking towards newer and more effective means of reaching out to their existing and potential customers. For instance, with the rising popularity of the online medium and the roaring success of social media platforms, more and more businesses are turning towards promoting their products and services through popular social networks online.

However, if you are looking for advertising ideas that are novel and will definitely create a long-lasting impact on your target audience, you should consider using promotional gifts in the form of brand merchandise. Promotional gifts and giveaways stay with your customers for a long time and work as reminders of your products and services.

Brand Merchandise: For Effective Long-Term Recall
Promotional brand merchandise gifts are the most effective way to arouse interest in customers about your products. The first thing such gifts do is create recognition of your company name, brand and logo in the minds of your potential customers. Moreover, since these gifts are handed over without any charges, the potential buyers are more than ready to accept them.

There are thousands of products that can be given away as advertising specialties. Additionally, there are numerous different branding processes to get your company name and logo printed or embossed on your marketing merchandise. The best part is that you have virtually endless choice for advertising your logo on promotional material.

Using marketing merchandise, companies can come up with innovative ideas and designs to gain an edge over their competitors. Some of the widely used promotional items are key rings, calculators, golf products, puzzles, stationary, watches, mugs, computer accessories – including USB memory sticks, mousemats and countless others, paper weights, caps, torches, pens, umbrellas and many more. Here is a list of product ideas for brand merchandise:

• Some companies hold contests, especially for women, at public places, such as malls. Winners are rewarded with promotional household products, including air fresheners, food items, knives, etc.

• Outdoor and leisure items with the company’s logo printed on them also make excellent marketing merchandise. Such products are used over and over again and keep reminding users about your brand. For instance, a Frisbee makes an interesting gift and is sure to promote you brand to a wider audience as the customer is likely to use it outdoors.

• One of the widely implemented ideas, which is very popular with customers, is promotional clothing. A T-shirt with your company’s slogan and a personalised message saying, such as “Always at your service”, successfully creates a feel good factor about the company. You can also promote a cause that you believe in through such a message. For instance, on World Health Day, you could gift your customers t-shirts printed with your company’s logo and a health-related message.

• Seasonal products, such as Christmas greetings, with a personalised message complimenting the occasion make interesting giveaways.

Trophies and crystals embossed with the company’s logo can be given away during award functions, conferences and seminars.

• Brand merchandise gifts that are environmentally friendly are sure to win you accolades from buyers and non-buyers alike.

It is important to keep your target audience in mind before deciding on the brand merchandise you want to gift. This is because the product that customers cannot relate to may not strike a chord with them.

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