Promotional products are used all over the world to promote companies, products and brands. They are also given away freely at events like product launches and exhibitions. Almost any item can be branded with the company’s brand or logo and used as promotional items. The most common products include T-Shirts, Key chains, Caps, Bumper Stickers, Posters, Mugs and Pens. The largest categories for promotional items are apparels which make up almost 30% of all items given.



Traditionally promotional products are inexpensive and small but nowadays there are some which are a little bit more expensive like leather goods, perfumes and electronic gadgets. The expensive items are only given out to selected clientele or for celebrities at fashion and award shows. The companies that gift such items to the celebrities would often require the celebrity to acknowledge the gift by posing with it during a photo call, thus getting good publicity for the product and the company brand name.

Brand awareness is often the main reason why companies give out promotional products. Other reasons why companies do this include public relations, lead generation, distributor and dealer programs, product launches, exhibition traffic building, internal incentive programs and not-for-profit programs. Promotional products are also use in politics as part of the campaign trail. It is quite common to see non-commercial organizations use promotional items as part of their fund-raising campaigns. One of the most popular ones is the Livestrong wristband, conceived to raise funds in support of Lance’s Armstrong’s cancer research charity and promote cancer awareness.