The Top 8 Promotional Products of 2016

What better way to promote your company’s brand than by giving out promotional products for the world to see? 

Nowadays, if you can dream up a product we can create it for you. New products are always emerging, but there are also a few constants. Can you guess what the top 8 promotional products of 2016 were?

In a recent study conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), it was determined that t-shirts remained the #1 promotional product owned by consumers.

Top 8 Promotional Products
(Determined by % of consumers surveyed who reported owning at least 1 promotional item in that category)

• T-shirts - 58%

• Drinkware - 53%
• Writing instruments - 50%
• Bags - 50%
• Outerwear - 50%
• USB Drives - 45%
• Caps & Headwear - 41%
• Desk Accessories - 41%

The 2016 study included data from more than 100,000 consumer surveys from across the United States. Along with a general overview of what percentage of consumers reported owning which promotional products, ASI also broke their study down to examine the demographics for each product and consumer trends.

Fun Facts: Consumer Demographics & Trends

• Half of U.S. consumers who own logoed drinkware report using it 2-3 times per week or more.
• Consumers in rural America are most likely to own a promotional calendar. 35% of rural consumers reporting owning a promotional calendar, vs. 31% suburban and just 25% urban.
• Millennials are the most likely age group to own a promotional desk accessory.
• While USB drives came in the #6 spot for the top promotional products of 2016, they are ranked the most influential promo product in California and New Hampshire.
• For U.S. consumers who own a promotional health and safety product, 82% could immediately recall the advertiser’s name.
• Outerwear is the most influential product in 12 states, including Connecticut!
• The promotional product that is kept for the longest duration is umbrellas. Consumers reported keeping them for 14 months on average.

Usefulness is Key

Perhaps the most important take-away from the study was that an overwhelming 77% of U.S. consumers stated their main reason for keeping a promotional product was its usefulness, followed by how attractive it is and then how enjoyable it is to have. So while you may want to jump at the latest and greatest new products, it’s still important to consider their usefulness and potential staying power!