Almost 30% Say They Would Change Their Brand Choice for a Promotional Product

The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) recently conducted a new study on promotional products. In the past we detailed the last promotional gifts survey results. These new survey results give us new insights into how people feel about promotional products and how branded merchandise affects peoples’ buying habits.

Free gifts persuade us to change what we buy:

  • 3 in 10 of us have purposely changed our regular brand in order to receive a freebie
  • In the current economic difficulties nearly three-fifths of us are more likely to keep freebies than before the recession
  • Almost a sixth of consumers would use devious means in order to get a freebie
  • 1 in 10 of us would give a freebie as a gift to a friend or family member
  • Three-fifths of consumers keep a freebie because it is ‘useful’

What Types of Branded Gifts do Consumers Want?

Nearly half of consumers (48 per cent) would switch their brand for cooking accessories, while nearly 42 per cent would switch for a coffee mug.   Other items that can persuade consumers to change brand include fizzy drink branded glasses (39 per cent), a cuddly toy, such as the puppy associated with a well-known toilet roll brand (34 per cent), the Meerkat toy (34 per cent), a cosmetic bag or tote bag (30 per cent) and the Monkey toy associated with a familiar tea brand (28 per cent). Men are most likely to switch their brand for a coffee mug, while women would switch their brand for cooking accessories.

Businesses Where People Most Expect to Receive Promotional Product Gifts

The places where consumers have or expect to pick up promotional products was highlighted with 80 per cent stating they would at exhibitions, three-fifths (60 per cent) at road shows, 49 per cent in hotel rooms, 38 per cent in banks, 32 per cent in hotel receptions and 31 per cent at car dealers or garages.  Other places where consumers get products include at festivals, dentists, on websites, as part of magazine subscriptions or mail order catalogues and at tourist attractions, highlighting both the traditional and contemporary use of promotional products today, from direct mail and on-pack promotions, to online campaigns.

30% Would Give a Promotional Product as a Gift

The study also showed that we are not embarrassed to pass on freebies, with 1 in 10 saying that would give a freebie as a gift to a friend or family member.  Londoners were the most likely to offer freebies as gifts, with a quarter admitting they had in the past and another fifth stating they would consider it in the future.

What Promotional Products Do You Have and Use?

Of the promotional products that consumers have and use the respondents said:

Other items of merchandise kept and used including USB sticks, bags, caps, notepads, printed umbrellas and shopping trolley coins.

For more visuals, please see our Slide Share Presentation on the BPMA Promotional Products Survey Results.

If you require further information or have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to give a member of our experienced team a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today.