The Most Effective, Most Appreciated Ad Vehicles: Part 6 of 6
Today we complete our series on promotional items. A recent study by the Promotional Products International Association (PPIA) shows the importance of having them as a part of your marketing mix. It identifies the “5 R’s of Promotional Products.”
We’ve already covered Reach, Recall, Resonance, and Reaction. If you missed them, please catch up on the series with the links at the bottom of this post.
But I’ve saved the best for last: “Relativity.” How well do promotional items do the job compared to other forms of advertising? This is important, because some businesses think of promotional products as “add-ons” or somehow less important than traditional or new media. That, however, is a costly misconception. Because the survey results prove quite the contrary.
Promotional Products Deliver What Consumers Want in Advertising
Survey respondents were asked what qualities they felt were important to them in order for them to regard an advertising message positively. They said that they preferred ads that:
- Were visually appealing (67%)
- Clearly delivered the message (60%)
- Were personally relatable (47%)
Earlier in the series, we noted that consumers perceive promotional items as attractive and convenient additions to their lives. Therefore, it is no surprise that consumers rate those items highly for these important qualities.
The Most Effective Advertising Channel for Every Age Group
Another eye-opening survey result: respondents were asked to name the advertising vehicle that was most likely to cause them to take action. The available choices included broadcast, online, print, and mobile advertising along with promotional items. Here’s what happened.
Every age group—Millennials, GEN Xers, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation—chose promotional items as the most effective advertising channel at causing them to take action.
Consumers Don’t Turn Away from Promotional Items
Let’s be honest. People are bombarded with ads today. As a result, who can blame them for trying to insulate themselves a bit? In an interesting twist, the survey asked consumers what types of advertising they tried to avoid. Those selling traditional and new media might not be thrilled with the results.
As you can see from the chart below, roughly two-thirds of the respondents try to avoid TV commercials and online videos. More than half shun Web ads. But the positive reaction to promotional products that we’ve seen throughout this series continues here. Only one in five people discard promotional items. The best-received ad channel, and it’s not close.
Activate the Advertising Channel That Outperforms the Others
It’s a “relatively” easy decision. And our series the last few weeks has explained why very clearly. Let’s sum it all up. First, compared to other advertising channels, promotional items reach your targets and resonate with them better. In addition, they achieve greater recall and generate more reaction among consumers.
What should you do with this knowledge? First, make sure you have a plan in place to maximize the benefits promotional products can deliver to your bottom line. Reach out to Superior today or to one of our award-winning promotional item sales reps to ask for a free promotional item audit.
Catch up on the rest of the posts in this series:
Survey: Consumers Say Promotional Items Are the BEST Advertising: Part 1 of 6
What is the REACH of Promotional Items?: Part 2 of 6
What is Consumer Recall of Promotional Items?: Part 3 of 6
Will Promotional Items RESONATE With Your Consumers and Prospects?: Part 4 of 6
