The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), Trevose PA, recently unvelied the results of its new study of the ad-specialty market. ASI found that that advertising specialties beat out all forms of TV, radio, and print advertising as the most cost-effective advertising medium available. 

A team of interviewers surveyed travelers in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia to complete the survey (a Web-based survey was also used to augment segments of in-person interviews, resulting in a total sample of over 600 respondents). They asked respondents whether they had received any advertising specialties in the last 12 months. According to ASI, key findings include:
• 84% of people remember the advertiser on a product they receive.
• 42% have a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving an advertising specialty.
• 24% indicate that they are more likely to do business with an advertiser on items they receive. 
• 62% have done business with the advertiser on a product after receiving it.
• Writing instruments are the most commonly-owned advertising specialty, with 54% of respondents owning them, followed by shirts, caps, and bags.
• 81% of promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.
• More than three-quarters of respondents have had their items for about seven months.
•  Among wearables, bags were reported to be used most frequently, with respondents indicating that they use their bags on average nine times per month. 
•  Bags deliver the most impressions, with 1038 impressions/month on average.
•  The average cost-per-impression of an advertising specialty item is $0.004, making it less expensive per impression than nearly any other media.

“During a time when we’re facing turbulent economic conditions, this research advises marketers and business owners to invest in advertising specialties now more than ever,” says Timothy M. Andrews, president and CEO of the Advertising Specialty Institute.  “Advertising specialties provide measurable results for a very reasonable investment.” 

According to ASI, the statistics conclude that marketers get a more favorable return on investment from advertising specialties than almost any other popular media, with a very low cost-per-impression, high recall among those who receive ad-specialty items, and increased intent among recipients to make purchases from the advertiser.  

“Distributors and suppliers should use these results to educate their customers, prospects and end-buyers about the power of advertising specialties and how they increase sales and brand exposure,” Andrews explains. “Ad specialties are essentially gifts that break through the information clutter, reach consumers on a personal level, and provide real impact in a creative way.”

For more information, contact Larry Basinait, executive director of research for ASI, lbasinait@asicentral.com.