Promotional products imprinted with a name, logo, catch phrase or slogan is a popular marketing tool that can be used for more than just commercial business advertising. Many special interest groups such as church organizations, not-for-profit groups, schools, animal welfare and other awareness groups are finding promotional products as a great way to promote themselves. Promotional products are a great way for these groups to promote fund raisers and to show appreciation to their members, sponsors and other supporters while raising awareness for a good cause. Using promotional products can be quite beneficial to special interest groups, by bringing attention to themselves and their cause through the distribution of bracelets, magnets, tote bags, lanyards, antennae toppers, and bumper stickers. Although there are literally thousands of promotional products readily available through distributors, the most popular and widely used promotion products are items that can be worn, such as: hats, jackets, T-shirts, sweat shirts, buttons, bracelets and necklaces.

Organizations and other special interest groups distributing promotional products can use these products to further consumer goodwill as well as boost the morale of employees and volunteers. Special interest groups can benefit greatly from using promotional products by creating an extended awareness of their group or cause that may even encourage new members to join their group or organization. These businesses and groups have discovered that consumers who receive promotional products are more apt to refer their friends and family members to the business or special interest groups, whereas the consumers who did not receive a promotional product were less inclined to provide any referrals. When consumers are given a simple gift as small token of appreciation, the gesture will be remembered.

The healthcare industry also carries a large interest in promotional products. Health clinics, doctors offices and dental practitioners use promotional products to find new patients and to reward the existing ones. These health care providers may also use promotional products to
sponsor or support monthly events, such as: Dental Hygiene Month; Great American Smoke-out; or Red Ribbon Week, sending out the message that it’s cool to be drug free. Promotional products are also used with a wide variety of other Awareness Campaigns endorsed by the professionals in the health care industry. From small clinics to hospitals, promotional products play an important role for patient relations and for the incentive and morale of those people who care for them. The subtle power of promotional products can be very surprising and beneficial to all.

Researchers at the Louisiana State University and Glenrich Business Studies conducted an annual estimate of promotional products in over 15,000 distributer sales in 2004, sponsored by Promotional Products Association International. The study showed that in 2004, sales of promotional products had increased by nearly 6% to over $17 billion. This is the second largest increase in the history of the promotional product industry, with the first being a record of nearly $17.8 billion in 2000. From 2001 to 2002, the promotional product industry saw their first decline, which rapidly rebounded in 2003 to over $16 billion.

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