Branded Promotional Items Vs Generic

Whether you’re promoting your company with conference giveaways, company workwear, customer gifts, or branded office supplies, you’re going to have to choose between generic and brand name promo products. While it’s true generic promo products are (usually) cheaper than their brand name counterparts, you’ll get a better return on investment with branded products. Why? We’re glad you asked.

People Notice Brands

People notice brands, even for the smallest items. Consider that most ubiquitous of promo items, the humble pen. When you’re giving customers or clients gifts, which are they most likely to value—the cheap generic ballpoint pen or a sleek and stylish pen set? Generic products are more likely to wind up discarded, while brand name promo products will be retained and used for extended periods of time—all while reminding the user who gave them the high-quality gift.

Brand Name Promo Products Show You Value People

Your customers and staff aren’t stupid—they recognize generic promo products as cheap, throwaway items. The quality of your gift reflects how much your company values the gift recipient. Clothing is an excellent example. If you reward a hard-working staff member with a branded jacket, he knows you value him. Give the same employee a cheap, low-quality item, and he receives an entirely different and much more negative message—that he isn’t worth more than the cheapest items.

Quality Equals Longevity

The longer a promotional item is in use, the better. A single item that is used daily for years is more beneficial to your brand than a dozen generic promo products sitting in drawers or the local landfill.

Consider these two scenarios. In one, you provide plastic travel mugs to all your staff. The mugs are cheap, don’t fit vehicle beverage containers well, and don’t do a good job of maintaining drink temperature. With better mugs available, your gifts aren’t going to be used for long.

In our brand name promo products scenario, you make an investment in a double-wall stainless mug for each employee, all emblazoned with your company logo. These high-quality mugs are likely to be in constant use as employees commute and travel. Your logo travels with them—providing you with advertising opportunities in multiple locations.

Promo Items Reflect You

How do you want your company to be viewed? Every promo item carrying your name delivers a message about your company and its values. Do you want your name associated with cheap products, or the quality and durability of brand name promo products? We know which choice we’d make.