It’s a great question.
For us, merch has never been just about slapping a logo on a product and calling it a day – we’ve always known the huge power promotional merchandise has in your marketing mix. But it’s true things are changing in this space, and we’re all having to adapt.
Which is why a solid merch strategy is more essential than it’s ever been – along with talking to an expert who’ll listen to your expectations, and ask just the right questions to find a product perfectly aligned to your business goals.
That’s often no mean feat, but it’s what we do every day at Spark Up HQ.
So what might this mean for your next campaign? Let’s unpack it.
First up, why use merch at all?
Well, being experts in branded swag, and putting it into the hands of your customers, we know there are incredible items out there that will serve a purpose and maximise your brand awareness and brand recall.
Giving away something for free – even if it costs you far less than you’d pay on traditional advertising – can have long-lasting recall for the person who receives it. In fact, 81 percent of consumers will keep a promo product for over a year, while office workers hold onto promo products for more than 4 years on average, according to APPA (Australasian Promotional Products Association).
That’s a helluva lot of brand recall, right?
And of course, although merch doesn’t replace other forms of advertising, its tangible nature means it can definitely cut through the noise and provide an experience traditional ads just can’t.
It’s can also be highly complementary to your ad strategy, creating brand association but in a different way.
Has the role of merch changed, though?
It has. Merch has still got a huge role to play in brand awareness, but companies are realising there’s far more at play now in gaining customers’ attention.
The marketing space is increasingly competitive and merch is evolving, fast.
Personalisation is now a huge trend in marketing – and done well, it can drive thoughtful, positive experiences with your target audience.
Personalised merch also makes great gifts (we know, we recently gave personalised water bottles to some of our clients). Seeing your name on a high-quality item you use every day? It’s special, it gives a lasting impression of your brand and it builds an emotional connection between your business and your recipients. It also positions your brand above its competition – and if the gift includes a tagline, slogan or logo as well as the person’s name, bingo: you’ve just made it far easier for that recipient to associate the item with your brand and remember you every time they use it.
Other great options for personalising swag that your recipients will keep and use include umbrellas, portable bamboo cutlery sets and those drink bottles we mentioned above.
What other trends are merch experts seeing?
A huge push towards sustainability, for starters. In fact, research shows nearly 50 percent of Aussies prioritise sustainability when purchasing.
And what we’ve seen is that the merch industry has worked hard to embrace the eco space. Promotional merchandise is one industry that’s built on innovation and entrepreneurship – and every day we’re sourcing inspiring, glamorous, high-end sustainable products and materials for clients.
The demand for sustainable, beautiful, functional merch is huge, and sure, you might have to budget a bit more for it, but the outcome will be swag that looks good, creates an impact, hopefully has cultural relevance and is something the person wants to keep.
And if your recipient is keeping your swag and using it every day, that’s a huge win.
Where to even start with your brief?
We get it. It’s a lot of pressure, coming up with the right product for a merch campaign – and that’s why it’s so important to talk to specialists in the industry who live and breathe swag, and know how to advise you on using it in your marketing and promotions.
So if you’re toying with including a branded item for an upcoming event, conference or promo campaign, forget taking the DIY route. Experts won’t just have inside knowledge; they’ll also be able to order large volumes, ensure the branding is absolutely right and be all over social compliance (hugely important in today’s merch landscape).
They’ll also be able to map out a merch strategy for your brand that’s unique, meaningful and memorable. It might include how to leverage different touchpoints for your customers – including your socials, website and email marketing. Or, you might create QR codes for the merch that go to specific landing pages, or create bespoke customer journeys to maximise engagement.
Ultimately, merch is still one of the most powerful ways to get your customers’ attention and leave a lasting impression, especially when you have the right product and branding. And it’s far cheaper and more effective option than traditional advertising – making your target audience talk, connect, and hopefully become a bit of an unpaid sales team for your brand.
Which is, after all, what any company wants.
CTA: Want to narrow your search and hear about merch items you might not have thought of in a million years? Get in touch with us for a chat.
