Winston Churchill once remarked, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”

Let’s stand that on its head for a moment as applied to marketing and say “Promotional products are the best marketing investment you can make, especially when compared to the alternatives.”

Let’s review the positives of promotional merchandise marketing: targeted investment, gets directly into consumers’ hands, perceived to be free gifts (even though you may figure in to the cost of the product), lasting value as merchandise lingers on recipients’ desks, or the windbreaker that winds up on their backs.

Now let’s look at the competition:

*   TV advertising.

Like you, I once envied those merchants who had the wallet and the nerve to bust into TV. Then I was in charge of such a campaign.

There are producers, directors, actors (aka talent), light personnel, film crew, post-production editors, and writers to be paid. After the spot is finished, there are media buyers, whose job it is to place the ad on the air. They get a fee and a commission. They are supposed to know which channels and at what time your ad will best be suited to run vis a vis your audience.

The dirty little secret: often your ad runs where the station has space.

There is probably a premium for the six o’clock news when you’re up against the car dealers. The whole enchilada could run into seven figures for a welldesigned campaign.

Here’s my problem with it: unlike your coffee mug, the TV ad is ephemeral, boom it’s there and boom it’s gone. Unless you are fronting the GEICO lizard and can afford to be on virtually 24/7. There are too many other ads cluttering up the space. Some people hit the mute button while the ad is on, so your ad must be able to convey its message in pictures only.

Glamorous? Absolutely. You will feel like Steven Spielberg while your ad is being produced. Move the needle? Not so much. Many is the gambler who has walked away from the TV ad casino poorer but wiser.

*  How about radio?

Better, due to possibly captive audience in cars. Unfortunately, the audience has its finger on the station changing trigger.

And, due to the slicing and dicing of the radio audience, where are they? AM, FM, satellite radio? The Tune In Radio app gets you 30,000 stations on your iPad. From San Diego, you can listen to British Dubstep stations. This is great for the consumer, but for the advertiser, it creates confusion. You will still have production costs for studio, talent, writers, and buyers.

*   How about print advertising or inserted circulars?

In our neighbourhood, we are one of two households out of 50 that takes the morning paper.

*   How about junk (aka direct) mail?

Better, but only perused for the discount vouchers. This is competing on price, which cuts margins. Most of it winds up in the recycling bin.

*   Online advertising?

More cost effective, but the consumer has their trigger finger on the mouse. Many consumers are scared to click on these for fear of being taken to spam land or enduring some bewildering (and often notwell produced) video pitch.

Which brings us back to promotional merchandise. Retro? You bet, though you can do all kinds of tricks with that mug, such as stuffing it with offers and goodies that take the recipient somewhere else online, and at the end of the day, they still have the mug.

Bottom line? You might be better off “mugging” someone than getting mugged by less effective and more expensive marketing alternatives.