From Traditional to Digital

Posted on March 25, 2022 Posted in Apparel Drinkware Marketing Strategies

How Promo Products Spark Conversations Online!

Promotional products can be used in a myriad of ways to bring attention to your brand or event. One of the ways you can create a buzz using customized products is by using them as vehicles to drive the public to an online space - whether it's a website, social media platform, or a landing page. By encouraging the public to interact online, you will ensure they remain engaged with your brand for longer, thus increasing their chances of remembering you. Promotional products are ideal for supporting online campaigns. Below are some examples of brands that have successfully used personalized merch to gain traction online.

Frito-Lay’s Holiday Collection

Using phrases and terms from the internet has become a popular way of injecting relatable humour into our everyday lives. Terminology that is often reserved for online spaces has started to permeate in the real world and companies are starting to take advantage of this unlikely cross over. Frito-Lay, one of the largest manufacturers of snacks in the world, wants you to look like a snack too with their line of sweaters, pom-pom beanies, fleece scarves, and socks. The clever idea comes from the term “looking like a snack” which suggests that a person looks so good that you could eat them right up - just like your favourite junk foods. By adding their branding to these products they are hoping customers will upload images of their outfits to their social channels, allowing them to gain traction through the use of humour and clever wordplay.

Photograph: Courtesy of Frito-Lay

Starbucks' Colour-Changing Cups

As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Starbucks released a special edition cup that features its famous logo, along with heat-sensitive technology that changes the bottle’s appearance when a hot liquid is poured into it. Through this effort, the company is hoping to do its part in reducing waste and increasing reusability, shifting the conversation to one about the environment. With spring and summer coming, your company can use colour-changing cups to bring attention to a cause that is important to your brand. Alternatively, we have many out-of-the-box options that will make your brand difficult to ignore.

Steak-Umm’s Swag Store

If you are looking for an example of a company that has been successful at blurring the line between online and offline engagement, look no further than Steak-Umm’s Swag store. The company known for thin-sliced frozen steaks had an interesting approach to sparking the conversation online. As part of the tongue-in-cheek campaign the brand took its “meaty” hot takes to Twitter where they dropped lengthy rants, well-crafted one-liners, and other funny remarks featuring the concept of “internet beef”. By interacting in a not so orthodox manner online with other brands, competitors, and the general public they were able to stand out. They then capitalized on their online success by creating moment merch featuring the Steak-umm logo, and a blue check mark making reference to a verified Twitter account. Their collection includes t-shirts, towels, and mugs that echo the wacky tone of its Twitter feed.

Photograph: Courtesy of Steak-Umm

These are only some examples of how promotional products can be used to support digital marketing efforts. These campaigns are often successful as they encompass both digital and traditional methods of advertising. Moment merch continues to play an important role in promotional advertising as it can be used as a tool to straddle the line between online and offline engagement. For more trending options you can add your logo to, please visit our website.