Are you looking for more brand awareness and unyielding loyalty? High-quality and, above all, practical promotional products have long been used to pique interest in businesses. Figuring out which products to offer to your audience, however, can get tricky if you’re dealing with a particular generation.
Each generation has a set of interests that guide them through this world. Unsurprisingly, as a business owner eager to gain more brand exposure, you should look into using those interests to your advantage.
If you’re not sure where to start your research, don’t worry. Here are the top 5 promotional items for each generation and why they should appear in your next campaign!
Baby Boomers
Born between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers are the no-nonsense generation. People from this generation didn’t grow up with the Internet or mobile phones. Thus, the choice of the best promotional products for them may seem dull but is actually ideal for fulfilling all their needs.
If you’re eager to please baby boomers, try offering them:
Laptop Bags and Business Bags
This generation is big on looking professional at work, so custom business bags and even promotional laptop bags are right up their alley. Personalised backpacks and similar are a bit too juvenile for them. After all, this generation is chock full of various executives, businesspeople, and managers!
Hats
Baby boomers are mostly frugal, so you will rarely find them spending a lot on accessories like branded hats. As they still might need them, though, they would be more than happy to accept embroidered ones from businesses they love or are keen on knowing more about.
Grocery Shopping Bags
Paying for a bag at a supermarket is seen as a total waste by baby boomers, so many of them are already used to carrying logo printed shopping bags with them. The ones you decide to offer should be heavy-duty and large enough to hold all their shopping. Uphold that standard, and the baby boomers you want to impress are sure to expose your logo to many curious eyes during each shopping trip!
Pens
Of course, baby boomers love custom pens as they still prefer writing their thoughts down instead of typing them. This is a timeless, universally respected choice that ought to inspire sincere gratitude in this generation, no matter how trivial younger people may see it.
Lunch Bags
With age, staying fit and healthy gets harder, so baby boomers often carry their lunches to work. With a branded lunch bag (and maybe even a printed stainless steel tumbler), you could help them make healthier choices even more effortlessly than before!
Generation X
Generation X falls somewhere between 1965 and 1980, so you could say that its interests vary greatly. Some have accepted the Internet and other tech innovations wholeheartedly. Others, however, have shied away from it and followed a more baby-boomer-like path.
Either way, there are a few key promotional products that fit their needs perfectly:
Calendars
Though it would work for any generation, a promotional calendar is somehow ideal for this particular one. Generation X usually has a knack for keeping a good schedule, which makes it superior to younger or older folk when it comes to staying organised at all times.
Golf Balls
Generation X is often seen at various country clubs, and many members of this group are keen on golf too. There’s something about this game that relaxes them but still helps them feel active and somewhat youthful.
Branded golf balls would let them hone their skills further. Knowing your business made that happen, they’re bound to remember the freebie and see it as a token of genuine care!
Cooler Bags
This generation is also big on being outdoors, so a quality custom cooler bag is never a bad idea. However, make sure they are efficient, big, easy to carry, and even a bit fancy to ensure you truly impress them!
Tumblers
While younger generations mostly survive on coffee, Generation X loves tea. Going for a promotional tumbler ought to help you win them over, especially if you pick the right kind.
Branded fruit infuser tumblers are trendy nowadays, but you can also go a step further and invest in printed thermos vacuum flasks. These retain heat, so the tea should stay warm and fresh for longer!
Traditional Games
Finally, remember that printed traditional games like card, dice, and other tabletop games are another hobby that this generation is particularly fond of. Custom traditional games would make a fantastic gift for anyone who loves spending their weekends with friends.
Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t a gift everyone would appreciate. Go for branded traditional games only if you’re sure your audience would absolutely love them!
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Millennials
Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials are the so-called Wellness Generation. One of the main interests of this generation is staying healthy and active wherever they are. It’s no wonder then that the best branded products for them would help them hone a perfect body and promote well-being:
Sunglasses
Since Millennials love going to the beach, providing them with branded sunglasses is a sure way of inspiring loyalty. That said, this is more of an intimate option. Reserve it for already loyal customers who would appreciate these gifts and can eventually reciprocate.
Travel Bags
Millennials love travelling and working on their physique, so they would hardly object to getting some free stylish printed travel bags. Providing them with such a useful item ought to help them see your brand in a more positive light. Better yet, they may fall in love with their new, incredibly stylish bags so much that they want to flaunt them wherever they go (airports, gyms, etc.)!
Fitness Trackers
Easy to pack and take anywhere with them, some Millennials rely on printed fitness trackers to stay in shape. With so many exercises they could perform with these, they would wholeheartedly accept branded ones, especially if they don’t have to pay a cent for them.
As long as you brand them well, your business could greatly benefit from these items as well. With each stretch and pull, your logo and company name should ignite interest in anyone who glances at them, thus generating powerful (and numerous!) impressions!
Footballs
A full-size promotional football may not have been on your radar so far, but it should definitely make an appearance in one of your upcoming campaigns. The ball itself should inspire sports enthusiasts to hone their football skills more — or remind themselves of their favourite childhood game. At the same time, the branded balls will get passed around frequently, so a surge in brand exposure is all but guaranteed!
Sports Water Bottles
Though you’d think they would only target a rather niche market, logo sports water bottles aren’t for athletes only. The Millennials in your audience can also use them to store juice, which should let them keep up with their well-being and ensure they get enough nutrients on a daily basis!
Generation Z
Finally, there’s Generation Z, which includes everyone born between 1997 and 2012. As they grew up with computers, laptops, and smartphones, this generation doesn’t shy away from tech gadgets or the digital world. Unfortunately, they aren’t as easy to please as the older generations. If you’re looking to truly impress them, consider offering some of the following items:
Bottled Water
It may sound too simple, but Generation Z loves the care that goes into distributing custom bottled water at concerts, festivals and other similar events. You can easily spot the advantage these items have here — they almost instantly draw attention to your branding!
Phone Cases
With practically every Gen Z-er having a smartphone, branded phone cases are a no-brainer option here. However, you have to get the design just right.
The cases must be relevant to the latest trends and to your business, as well as interesting enough for this generation. They have grown up on memes, after all, so try to anchor your design to your logo, some of your coolest products, or funny pop culture references that play up your business’s mission.
Earbuds
As this generation listens to music almost everywhere they go, they would eagerly accept an extra pair of promotional earbuds. With the expected daily use, these ought to help your brand exposure skyrocket and make you this generation’s hero.
Still, remember to choose them wisely and perhaps even include a custom earbud case too. Bulky or ugly earbuds are no-go here; if you can, go for sleek, wireless ones to get the best ROI.
T-Shirts
Gen Z-ers are famous for their fashion taste, and luckily, their sense of style often includes graphic branded T-shirts that attract attention left and right.
If you come up with a good enough design, you may reap the benefits of the famous Gen Z style. You can, of course, use only your logo for these purposes, but that may be too boring for Gen Z-ers. Instead, reinvent your branding to turn it into fashionable artwork that the younger generation would be proud to flaunt around!
Wireless Chargers
Finally, pay close attention to the gadgets that this generation has popularised, such as logo wireless chargers. Naturally, younger generations are more interested in using it, so they’d likely enjoy getting them as a giveaways.
Keep in mind, though, that these items must marry both your logo and current Gen Z trends into a striking artwork that instantly grabs attention. Ensure the design is clever and stylish so that your printed wireless chargers become major visual reminders of your business!
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If you have any more questions about custom printed merchandise, you can contact GoPromotional. You may call us at 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today. We have been in the business for years and know the ins and outs of the industry better than anyone. Give us a call, and let’s talk about all things promotion!
