Promotional products are powerful tools in marketing. Despite the many ways companies can promote their business today, these items stand out as both popular and effective. In a market flooded with numerous promotional messages and new brands, it’s crucial to choose a strategy that keeps your brand in front of customers and makes a lasting impression. Notably, 90% of people who receive a promotional product remember the brand name and 73% are more likely to do business with a brand that offers them.
Furthermore, 99% of people are willing to go out of their way to obtain a promotional product, underscoring their significant impact. To help you properly understand the state of this marketing strategy, we have compiled some key statistics from this sector in this post.
Promotional product industry market size in the United States
Annual sales revenue of the distributor promotional products industry in the United States stands at $26.1 billion. The industry has grown at an average growth rate of 2.8% in the past decade and is estimated to reach $26.98 billion by the end of 2024.
Although the promotional product market took a hit in the covid-19 period, it has quickly recovered and only going upwards.
Here is a table showing the market size of promotional product industry from 2017 to 2024:
| Year | Promotional product industry market size |
| 2011 | 17.7 billion |
| 2012 | 18.5 billion |
| 2013 | 19.8 billion |
| 2014 | 20 billion |
| 2015 | 20.8 billion |
| 2016 | 21.3 billion |
| 2017 | 23.3 billion |
| 2018 | 24.7 billion |
| 2019 | 24.2 billion |
| 2020 | 19.6 billion |
| 2021 | 22.1 billion |
| 2022 | 25.5 billion |
| 2023 | 26.1 billion |
| 2024 | 26.98 billion |
90% of people who receive a promotional product remember the brand name
9 out of 10 people will recall a brand if they receive a promotional product from it. Some 89% will be able to recall the brand post the couple of year mark too.
Further, 80% of people recall the messaging of a brand if they receive a promotional product from them.
- Brand recalls are highest for apparel items, with 85% of people remembering the brand after receiving a free promotional product.
- Promotional mugs are more effective than radio advertising with 57% of people recalling the advertiser on the mug, and only 28% able to recall the advertiser on T.V.
Source: PPAI.
96% of consumers want to know whether a company is offering promotional products
96% of consumers want to know beforehand if a company is offering promotional products. Companies can attract more attention and boost customer engagement by clearly sharing details about promotions. This move will not only meet consumer expectations but also strengthens brand loyalty. Statistics show that 83% of people are loyal to a brand they currently shop with that gives them a promotional product.
Source: PPAI
87% of the people keep promotional products for more than a year
Nearly 9 out of 10 people will keep a promotional product with them for more than a year while 4 out 10 will keep promotional items for more than 10 years.
When you invest in a well-made promotional product, you’re getting more bang for your buck. These durable items stay with users for years, meaning people will keep seeing your brand over and over. This ensures that not only does your brand stay top-of-mind, but you also get lasting value from your promotion.
Source: Everything branded
73% of people are likely to do business with a brand that gives promotional products
73% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from a business that gives away a promotional product to them. Promotional products further help retain customers in times of grievances as 81% of people reveal that they’d have a better opinion of a business if they got a promotional product along with solving their customer service problem.
Source: Promotional Products Work.
46% of Consumers Prefer Eco-Friendly Promo Products
46% of people have a favorable opinion of brands that give out eco-friendly promotional items. Using sustainable products in your promotions shows that a brand cares about corporate responsibility and that makes a strong impression on the consumer’s mind.
Gen Z consumers are the most likely to care about the eco friendly aspect in your promotional product as 37% of Gen Z in the United States claim that addressing climate change is their top personal concern
Source: Allegra Marketing, Pew Research.
99% of people say that they’re willing to go out of their way to get a promotional product
99% of people say that they’re willing to go out of their way to get a promotional product. This high level of interest highlights the powerful draw of promotional items in attracting potential customers and engaging them in meaningful interactions.
By offering well-chosen promotional products, businesses can significantly increase foot traffic, create memorable experiences, and enhance their brand’s visibility and appeal at events.
Source: Sock Club.
Promotional products generate 500% more customer referrals than other forms of advertising
Promotional product marketing is a reliable way of getting credible referrals. Statistics show that promotional products have been found to draw up to 500% more referrals than simply a review. This significant increase in referrals shows the effectiveness of promotional items in generating word-of-mouth marketing and building trust with potential customers.
Source: GoPromotional.
Majority of the people pick promotional products from on site promotional displays
52.30% of people get promotional products by directly picking them up from promotional displays at a store or other sites. Another 37.4% users said they received promotional products at a social event.
Here is a table showing the most common ways people receive promotional products:
| Method of Acquisition | Share of users |
| Picked up from promotional display on site | 52.30% |
| Received at social events or gatherings | 37.40% |
| Given by my employer or organization | 32.10% |
| Received with purchase | 28.30% |
| In the mail | 27.70% |
| Free as a supporter of a cause | 25.70% |
| Recognition | 24.60% |
| Regifted, inherited, borrowed, found, etc. | 22.90% |
| Trade shows, conferences or business events | 21.60% |
| Participation in Events | 20.70% |
| Other | 7.60% |
Outwear create the highest impressions among promotional products
Outerwear promotional products generate 7,856 impressions over their lifetime, the most impressions among all promotional products. T-shirts manage to create 5,053 impressions over their lifetime.
Polo shirts are one of the least impression generating promotional products with just 106 impressions over its lifetime. The main reason can be the nature of polo shirts, they often give the impression of a uniform, making wearers seem like they are employees of the brand, rather than casual users of a promotional product.
This table shows the impressions created by different promotional products over their lifetime:
| Promotional Product | Impressions |
| Outwear | 7,856 |
| T-Shirts | 5,053 |
| Headwear | 3,380 |
| Drinkware | 3,162 |
| Writing Instruments | 2,436 |
| Performance Wear | 2,336 |
| Desk Accessories | 2,314 |
| Bags | 1,940 |
| Umbrellas | 1,760 |
| Power Bank | 870 |
| USB Drive | 851 |
| Calendar | 673 |
| Health Product | 640 |
| Polo Shirts | 106 |
B2B promotional product buyers statistics
39% of end buyers prefer apparel promotional products while 38% prefer office-related items. On the other hand, health and beauty are among the least preferred promotional products in the market.
Rightly so as most of the impression generating promotional products belong to the apparel sector (outerwear, caps, t-shirts) while health products make the least impressions.
