Soft goods are dominating. Apparel and bags continue to outperform hard goods in retention and daily use. Heavyweight fleece, structured caps, and premium totes with minimalist branding are leading requests. PPAI research shows bags average 3,300+ impressions per item over their lifetime at less than 1/10th of a cent per impression. Logos are getting smaller and placement more intentional. Brands want merchandise that looks like something people would actually buy.
Tech accessories have shifted. The market has moved from charging cables and USB drives toward MagSafe accessories, wireless charging pads, and video call stands. ASI data shows tech promo products are kept an average of 18 months and used multiple times per week making cost per impression exceptionally low relative to unit cost.
On-demand and smaller runs are growing. Digital decoration improvements mean you no longer need 500 units for quality results. Programs as small as 25-50 pieces are now viable for high-value client gifting. With 83% of consumers able to recall the brand on a promo product they've received in the past two years, the ROI case for targeted programs has never been stronger.