A Quick Guide On The Top Trends And The Most Popular Custom Gifts In 2016

The year 2016 is in its last lap and it makes a perfect time to take stock of the custom items that have been trending all along. Interestingly trends clearly show that the promotional gift popularity patterns have not changed in the last 4 consecutive years. Take a look at the trends of custom gifts for the year 2014, 2015 and the trends so far in the current year of 2016 as per the ASI Ad Impressions Study.

Custom gifts
Ownership ratio
2014 2015 2016
Writing instruments 56% 50% 50%
Shirts 48% 58% 58%
Bags 34% 50% 50%
calendars 25% 29% 29%
Desk accessories 22% 41% 41%
Caps/ headwear 25% 41% 41%
Drinkware 25% 53% 53%
USB Drives 10% 45% 45%
Health and safety products 10% 30% 30%
Outerwear 9% 50% 50%

The interesting finding is that all three years saw a consistent rise in the popularity and ownership of promotional gifts and the forecasted trends for 2017 also shows a similar pattern in the popularity of logo items. So, let us take a look at the top 10 trending logo gifts and a few reasons that make these veritable items in the marketing mix of any promoter.

Writing instruments

writing

  • More females own custom Writing instruments than males (54% of women Vs 46% men )
  • Pens and pencils have the lowest cost per impressions ( 1/10th of a cent )
  • 66% of Philadelphians own a branded writing instrument as against the national average of 50%
  • ASI research figures show that Democrats in the South East are more likely to own a custom pen than Republicans. While only 65% of republicans own a promotional writing instrument 74% of democrats have logo pens.

Promotional T Shirts

t-shirt

  • 58% of customers own Promotional T shirts
  • At 60% customers in the age group of above 55 are more likely to own a custom T shirt than other age groups
  • More females (54%) own custom T shirts than males (46%)
  • 58% of Californians own custom T shirt

Custom bags

bags

  • Custom Bags tie with writing instruments in having the lowest cost per impressions
  • @5700+, bags generate more impressions than any other logo gifts
  • More women own a promotional bag ( 57%) than men (42%)
  • Customers who are in the age group of 18-24 are more likely to own a logo bag ( 57%)
  • Nearly 2/3rd of customers in Illinois own a custom bag, which makes the first in the list in custom bag ownership
  • With nearly six thousand impressions, bags generate more impressions than any other promotional product in the U.S.
  • Thirty-one percent of U.S. consumers own a promotional bag.
  • At one-tenth of a cent, bags tie with writing instruments for the lowest cost per impression of any promotional product in the U.S.

Promotional calendars

  • 29% of US consumers own promotional calendars
  • 38% of people who are aged above 55 own promotional calendars while only 26% of people in the age groups of 21-34 have these promotional items
  • Women are more likely to own calendars than men ( 31% Vs 27%)
  • 4 in 10 customers in Ohio and Michigan own promotional calendars, which is more than the national average
  • Calendars enjoy a longer staying power than most other promotional gifts and are retained for as long as 12 months
  • 76% of consumers who own calendars say they display them prominently in their homes and offices

Desk accessories

desk

  • 41% of customers own promotional desk accessories
  • Men are more likely to own desk accessories than women ( 44% Vs 38%)
  • Alaska and Hawaii leads in desk accessory ownership as 67% of people here have logoed office supplies.
  • Among political parties, Democrats are most likely to own desk accessories.
  • 61% of desk accessories find their place at the workplace.
  • Consumers who own a custom desk accessory are likely to retain it for over 14 months

Hats

hats

  • 41% of consumers in the US own a promotional hat
  • 59% of recipients use branded hats because of their practical value while 42% retain custom caps as they are attractive
  • 77% of customers in Florida own promotional caps. Three quarters of them wear it once a week or more

Drinkware

drinkware

  • 53% of US consumers own logo drinkware
  • Washington and Oregon have the most consumers ( 61%)who use logo drinkware

Pen Drive

pendrive

  • USB flash drive trend high among people in California and New Hampshire
  • 60% of people who are aged 18-24 own promotional USB drives while only 37% of people in the age groups of 55+ have these promotional items
  • 91% of customers retain USB drives because these are useful
  • Men (50%) are more likely to own logo USB drives than women(39%)

Health and safety products

health

  • Women (36%)are much more likely to own a branded Health and Safety Product than men (23%)
  • 30% customers in US own promotional health and safety products
  • Customers in Michigan are most likely to own a logoed Health and Safety product at 42%.
  • Health and Safety products are the most influential products in the two states of Nevada and West Virginia
  • 82% of customers in US can instantly remember the advertiser’s name on logo items that they own
  • Highly rated as one of the four trending promotional gifts for the year 2017, custom health and safety products are here to stay! Better awareness of health care practices among the general public has made these custom items hot favorites among marketers.

Outerwear

outerwear

  • 50% of customers in US own promotional outerwear
  • More men (57%) own promotional outerwear than women (43%)
  • Across all ages, custom outerwear makes one of the top 5 influential products.
  • Warm or cold, Outerwear is the most influential product in 12 states. (AZ, CT, DE, IA, KY, NJ, MA, ME, NC, PA, UT, WY)

Now that you have a fair idea of the likely trends in promotional gifts for 2017, you can start making orders in advance to avail the best deals and offers. Should you need more tips or assistance, call us at ProImprint and leave the rest to us.

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