Is your water bottle more powerful than your ad campaign?

I sit down on the plane and tuck my backpack under the seat, pulling out my water bottle in the process. My seatmate takes notice. It’s a cool, new style from a brand not many people know. Later she asks me where I got it and about the logo on it. The simple interaction shows me why a once trinket-driven awareness play by brands looking to broadcast logos, is now an almost a $4.5 billion dollar business, and a meaningful way for brands to get noticed and connect with customers. 

When done right, and aligned with a brand’s values and personality, branded merchandise can be a powerful way to attract customers. Products like t-shirts, jackets, water bottles, and notebooks are carried everywhere and create strong impressions with similar demographic audiences. “The number of impressions can easily outweigh a brand campaign,” says Joey Bowker Director of Brand Merchandise at DCG ONE. “A single t-shirt can garner over 5,000 views during its lifetime.” And those aren’t just logo impressions. Unlike broad-channel advertising messages, when people see you wearing or carrying branded merchandise, it comes off as a personal testimonial. Like it or not we show up endorsing the brands we carry around in ways we may not even realize. And those positive impressions create more than curiosity or awareness, they often invite conversations or questions that allow for personal storytelling moments. Now you’ve become a brand advocate, spreading your thoughts about your connection or experience with the brand. 

This is no surprise to seasoned marketers—it’s a tactic they are relying on more and more to break through to high-value clients. Whether the goal is to reinforce positive feelings about a brand the customer is already connected with, or building a strong emotional first touch, branded products work in ways traditional marketing does not. And organizations are leaning into branded merchandise to drive stronger sentiment with internal audiences as well. Be it rewards programs, celebrating milestones, or corporate initiatives, smart employer-focused companies are more likely to gift branded merchandise to their employees than in the past. It instills a pride that employees share with the world as they use the merch in public. 

Branded merchandise is no longer about slapping logos on throw away products. We’re all beyond that. Now customers demand brands to walk their talk. For many of our projects, we source premium, and often sustainable options that reflect the values of the brand and drive awareness in the right way. Breanna Capener, Client Success Manager, advises taking a brand-first approach and making sure the products, graphics and story you are telling match the positioning and values of your business or organization. Whether it’s a big ticket, premium gift for a VIP customer, or a small give-away, when you see the opportunity arising, look to create customized merchandise to share or shape your story and cultivate more connection and love for your brand.