Étude sur la popularité des cadeaux promotionnels

1. GLOBAL
ADVERTISING
SPECIALTIES
SPECIALTIES
IMPRESSIONS
IMPRESSIONS
STUDY
STUDY
V.3
V.4
A cost analysis of promotional products
versus other advertising media
Released at the 2013 ASI Power Summit
A PDF of this report (plus end buyer-friendly, downloadable charts) can be found at asicentral.com/study
©Copyright 2013 Advertising Specialty Institute. All Rights Reserved
This report may be reproduced and used in presentations by active supplier, distributor and decorator members of the
Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) to educate the public about advertising specialties. Such use must not alter the
information and must set forth the following legend: “Research provided by the Advertising Specialty Institute, ©2013,
All Rights Reserved.” No other use is permitted without the express written consent of ASI.

2. GLOBAL
ADVERTISING
SPECIALTIES
IMPRESSIONS
STUDY
V.4
Table of Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Section One
Product Popularity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Product Spotlight: Writing Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Product Spotlight: Shirts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Product Spotlight: Bags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Product Spotlight: Calendars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Product Spotlight: Desk Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Product Spotlight: Caps/Headwear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Product Spotlight: Drinkware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Product Spotlight: USB Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Product Spotlight: Health Safety Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Product Spotlight: Outerwear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Staying Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Promo Products are Passed Along — Usefulness is Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
How Many Items Do People Own?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Section Two
Recipients’ Views on Advertisers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Swaying Opinions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Ad Specialties Generate New Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Location of Promotional Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Section Three
Promotional Products Make an Impression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Cost-Effectiveness of Ad Specialties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Demographics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
2

3. T
he ASI Ad Impressions Study was first launched in 2006 by ASI’s research
team to give its members powerful data that proves ad specialties are one of
the most high-impact, cost-effective ad mediums available.
Through thousands of live and online interviews with businesspeople and college students in key cities in the United
States, Canada, Europe and Australia, the study gauges consumer perceptions of promotional products and how they
influence buying decisions; highlights the popularity of key promo product categories by demographic group (such as
age, race, sex and gender); reveals the cost-per-impression of top advertising specialty product categories; and shows the
cost-per-impression of promotional products compared to other forms of advertising media, like radio, TV and Internet
advertising. The study is conducted by ASI annually.

Methodology
This report contains results from the 2012 study and additional research which
took place in 2013. For the 2013 phase of the study, conducted during May
through July of 2013, ASI’s research team and business partners interviewed
businesspeople in nine metro areas: Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, San
Francisco, Madrid, Rome, Berlin/Düsseldorf and Sydney. In Germany, ASI
partnered with PSI (Promotional Product Service Institute) to administer the
surveys, while Pantheon Systems conducted the research in Sydney, Australia.
Respondents in all regions were asked questions about the promotional products
they had received, including how many they had, how they used them, why they
kept them, and their impressions of the advertisers that gave them the items.
ASI’s research
team polled 7,000+
consumers in 21
metro areas to
prove the power
of promotional
products.
Further, an online panel survey was conducted among recipients of advertising specialties in those same geographic areas
to augment the sample from the man-on-the-street interviews. All respondents were at least 18 years old.
Results from the 2012 ASI Ad Impressions Study have been incorporated here so that additional metro areas can be
included in the analysis as well as providing a more robust view of the U.S. Last year there were 12 metro areas: New York,
Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, London, Paris, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. This brings
the total number of metro areas covered by the report over the two-year period to 21, eight of which took place outside
of the U.S. There are responses from eight different countries in the report.
The total combined number of interviews, both in person and online, for both waves of this study is 7,145.

How This Report is Organized
This report contains three sections:
• “Product Popularity” (Pages 4 to 18) highlights the most popular promotional products by category, and includes
detailed demographic breakdowns by geography, gender, race, age, income and political affiliation. For example, on the
“Product Spotlight: Writing Instruments” section on page 5, you’ll note that women are significantly more likely than
men to own a logoed pen or pencil, and over one-half of Caucasians own branded writing instruments. This section will
be a helpful tool for distributors to use in guiding their clients toward products that will be the most impactful in their
marketing efforts.
• Recipients’ Views on Advertisers” (Pages 19 to 22) reveals important information showcasing how long
“
businesspeople hold onto logoed items; what they do with items they don’t wish to keep; and how many total
promotional items they own, broken out by a variety of demographic groups. This section provides hard data to combat
objections from buyers who may think that promotional items are “throwaways” or “afterthoughts” in a marketing
campaign, and may not understand their true value.
• “Promo Products Make an Impression” (Pages 23 to 25) highlights the industry products that deliver the best
cost-per-impression and compares the cost-per-impression of ad specialties to other forms of media, like Internet and
radio advertising. This is a great tool distributors can use to convince end-buyers to allocate more of their marketing
dollars to promotional products.
While this report includes the study’s highlights, ASI members can go online at www.asicentral.com/study for a research
tool that will allow them to gain access to the full study data.
Note: All demographic breakdowns (age, race, gender, etc.) reflect U.S. consumers only. Respondents from other countries
are represented in aggregate.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
3

4. Section One
Product Popularity
 Key
Takeaways
For this section, respondents were asked to provide up to three promotional items they had received in the last 12
months. Promotional items were defined as items that include pens, T-shirts, mugs, calendars or any items that have
a logo or message from an advertiser on them; they are usually given away for free to consumers in hopes of positively
influencing their purchasing preferences or their attitudes toward the advertiser.
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
SHIRTS
BAGS
24%
CALENDARS
21%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES 12%
CAPS/HEADWEAR 10%
DRINKWARE 9%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
19%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 8%
OUTERWEAR 11%
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
SHIRTS
BAGS
CALENDARS
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES 13%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
19%
DRINKWARE 15%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 15%
OUTERWEAR
17%
40%
44%
31%
31%
34%
56%
SYDNEY
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
SHIRTS
34%
BAGS
23%
CALENDARS
25%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
17%
CAPS/HEADWEAR 10%
DRINKWARE
20%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
16%
5.8
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 6%
OUTERWEAR 6%
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
35%
SHIRTS
BAGS
31%
CALENDARS
31%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
34%
32%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
DRINKWARE
15%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
25%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 13%
OUTERWEAR 9%
52%
★
★
★★ ★
★ ★
46%
43%
★
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
39%
37%
SHIRTS
BAGS
29%
CALENDARS
31%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
28%
CAPS/HEADWEAR 14%
DRINKWARE
17%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
18%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 12%
OUTERWEAR
17%
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
ROME
MADRID
50%
44%
BERLIN
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
SHIRTS
BAGS
31%
CALENDARS
22%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
22%
19%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
DRINKWARE
21%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES 11%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 9%
OUTERWEAR 10%
LONDON
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
48%
36%
SHIRTS
BAGS
25%
CALENDARS
25%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
16%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
21%
DRINKWARE
13%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES 12%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 11%
OUTERWEAR
16%
PARIS
USA
CANADA
As the chart below reveals, writing instruments were most commonly cited, as one-half (50%) of promotional
product recipients in the 12 cities in the U.S. reported getting at least one in the prior 12 months, similar to the 52%
that reported getting them in Sydney. There are also significant differences in cities in other countries, such as
53% of study respondents in Rome who received a shirt, higher than any other metro area, or 66% that had writing
instruments in Philadelphia.
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
45%
53%
SHIRTS
BAGS
37%
CALENDARS
41%
DESK/OFFICE ACCESSORIES
24%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
28%
DRINKWARE 15%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
24%
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS 15%
OUTERWEAR 11%
4

5. Product Spotlight: Writing Instruments
50%
/10 66%
1
th
of a cent
2013
Philadelphians
Logoed pens and pencils
tie bags for the lowest
cost-per-impression in
the United States.
56%
of Caucasian
consumers own
branded writing
instruments – the
highest percentage
of any racial
demographic.
continue to
writing instruments
the most. 66% say they
own a branded pen or
pencil, vs. 50% in the
U.S. overall.
5,788
Rome generates the most product
impressions of any European city.
DOWN UNDER
More Women than
Men Own Promo
Pens Pencils
53%
Writing instruments
are more popular
than in the U.S.
52% of
Aussies own
a branded
writing
instrument.
52%
47%
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
5

6. 62%
Product Spotlight: Shirts
44%
TEE IT UP!
Although they’re
popular among all
age groups, younger
consumers are
most likely to own a
branded shirt.
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A PROMOTIONAL SHIRT
48%
21-34
45%
35-44
33%
45-54
35%
55+
46%
Viva
say they own
a promotional
shirt, vs. 44%
in the U.S.
★
Italia!
Atlanta
Romans love their gelato. . .
and their promo tees.
53% of consumers in
Rome own branded shirts —
the highest percentage of
any of the 21 metro areas
in the survey.
GEORGIA
53%
40%
46%
Independent
41%
The Vote Is In
46% of independent voters report owning
a promotional shirt. 40% of Democrats and
41% of Republicans make the same claim.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
Of the 12 U.S. metro cities where
people were polled, consumers in
Atlanta lead the way.
Men Own More
Promo Shirts
Than Women
45%
40%
52%
of Latino
consumers own
a promotional
T-shirt, the most
of any racial
demographic.
6

7. Product Spotlight: Bags
=
1/10 of a cent
th
31%
Logoed bags tie with
writing instruments
as having the lowest costper-impression of any
promotional item in the
United States.
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A PROMOTIONAL BAG
33%
27% 27%
Bags generate
more impressions
in the United States
than any other
promotional item.
Independent
5,983
37%
Politically Speaking
33% of Democrats own
logoed bags, compared to
27% of Republicans and
27% of Independents.
Women are more
likely than men to
own branded bags
By the Bay
In the United States,
San Franciscans are
most likely to own a
promotional bag.
38%
The percentage of
African Americans
who own promo
bags – the highest
percentage of any
racial demographic.
36%
★
of consumers there
have received one in
the last 12 months.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
Income Gap
People who make
less than $50,000
are most likely to
carry promo bags.
35%
$50,000
24%
33%
30%
$50,000 - $99,00
$100,000+
7

8. Product Spotlight: Calendars
27%
★
of consumers in Houston
own promotional calendars.
That’s five percentage points
above the U.S. average.
26%
Independent
The Votes are In
Independent voters were
most likely to report having
calendars.
Staying Power
Not surprisingly, calendars are
held onto longer than all other
promotional products — nine
months on average, compared
to seven months for the
average ad specialty.
22%
9 mo.
7 mo.
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A PROMOTIONAL CALENDAR
On
Display
29% 27%
76% of consumers who own calendars
say they display them prominently in
their homes or offices.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
21%
Northern Exposure
Of all the metro areas, consumers
in Montreal have the most branded
calendars.
24%
15%
Promotional calendars are
great branding tools.
76%
22%
55+
45-54
35-44
21-34
Better With Age
Branded calendars are
especially popular
among older consumers.
37%
HAVE ONE
IN THEIR
POSSESSION NOW
8

9. Product Spotlight: Desk Accessories
25%
Go Blue!
Democrats are the most
likely among the major
political parties to own
desk accessories.
The percentage of U.S. Asian consumers
who own desk accessories, the most of any
racial demographic group.
25%
19%
Trending Young
Younger consumers
are more likely to
have desk accessories
than older ones.
25%
20% 19%
16%
Independent
18%
44%
22%
21-34 35-44 45-54
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A LOGOED DESK ACCESSORY
Women Vs. Men
Women are more likely than men
to own desk accessories.
Women
55+
Men
24% 18%
34%
OF SYDNEY RESIDENTS
ADORN THEIR DESKS WITH
PEN SETS, LOGOED PHONE
CHARGERS, BUSINESS CARD
HOLDERS AND THE LIKE.
ABC
Australians are the most likely to
have a branded desk accessory.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
9

10. Product Spotlight: Caps/Headwear
32%
28%
20%
Sydney
59%
Rome
Canada
19%
19%
U.S.
Madrid
14%
12%
11%
The Aussies Win!
Consumers in Sydney,
Rome and Canada all
Berlin
own more caps than
those in the U.S.
Paris
London has the fewest
London cap-wearers.
20%
25%
27%
$50,000
$50,000 - $99,000
Why do people keep
branded hats? A
majority do so because
they’re useful, but
looks matter, too. 42%
say they also keep
caps because they are
attractive.
19%
OF
U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A PROMOTIONAL CAP
$100,000 +
23%
Dollar Signs
Looking to target high earners? A cap
might do the trick. Those who earn
$100,000+ are more likely to wear a
branded hat.
Seeing Red
22% of Republicans own
Men at Work
Male consumers are far
more likely than females to
own a branded cap.
21%
18%
16%
promotional hats, versus 20% of
Independents and 18% of Dems.
21-34
years
35-44
years
45-54
years
55+
years
Hats off to Gen Xers
Caps are most popular among the
35- to 44-year-old segment.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
24%
14%
10

11. Branded drinkware
is just as likely to be
kept in the office as
in the home
Product Spotlight: Drinkware
Drinks in
the Desert
39%
Mugging
Of all of the metro areas surveyed, Phoenix residents
love their logoed mugs and glasses the most.
It Up
36%
Branded drinkware is just as likely to
be kept in the office as in the home.
35-44
21-34
25%
Consumers under 35 own
more drinkware than their
older counterparts.
24%
17%
Vs.
45-54
55+
20% 20%
More women
own branded
drinkware
than men
Campaign Cups
of consumers there own
promotional drinkware.
19%
21%
OF U.S.
CONSUMERS
OWN BRANDED
DRINKWARE
Democrats report owning more drinkware than members of other
political parties.
23%
21%
19%
Independent
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
11

12. Product Spotlight: usB Drives
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN A LOGOED
USB DRIVE
Deep Pockets
Six-figure earners are
more likely to own a
logoed USB drive than
those in other
economic groups.
$50,000
10%
$50,000 - $99,000
12%
$100,000 +
11%
8%
14%
of Asian consumers
in the U.S. own branded
USB Drives, leading the
way among all racial
demographic groups.
Independent
11%
13%
Democrat = Techie?
13% of democratic voters own
branded USB drives; 8% of
Republicans own them and
11% of Independents have
them on hand.
Men are More Likely
to Own a Branded
USB Drive Than
Women
★
Paris
27%
14%
Merci!
Parisians are far more likely to
own promotional USB drives
than consumers in other cities:
27% own them vs. 11% of
U.S. consumers.
Trending Young
18%
Younger consumers
are more likely to own
a promo USB drive
than their older
counterparts.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
8%
13% 11% 8% 7%
21-34 years
35-44 years
45-54 years
55+ years
12

13. Product Spotlight: Health Safety Items
17%
82%
IT’S A TIE!
17% of Berlin residents
own promotional health
and safety products, the
most in Europe.
of U.S. consumers
can immediately
remember the
advertiser’s name
on the safety product
they own.
17% of San Franciscans
own promotional health
and safety items, the most
in the United States.
9%
★
GERMANY
★
UNITED
STATES
OF U.S. CONSUMERS
OWN PROMOTIONAL
HEALTH SAFETY PRODUCTS
11%
14%
of African American
consumers own branded
health and safety items,
the most of any racial
demographic group.
9%
YOUTHFUL
CHOICES
21-34 years
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
7%
7%
Consumers between
21 and 34 were the
most likely to own a
logoed health and
safety product.
35-44 years
45-54 years
55+ years
13

14. Product Spotlight: Outerwear
OF
9%
In the
Money
U.S. CONSUMERS
HAVE PROMOTIONAL OUTERWEAR
Bundle Up!
Outerwear recipients
think very favorably
about the advertiser —
especially in Sydney,
where 86% of
consumers think more
positively about an
advertiser after
receiving a
promotional jacket.
Total Recall
Jackets have the best
advertiser recall of any
promotional product. A
whopping 95% of those
who own logoed
outerwear can recall
the advertiser’s name.
48%
8%
$50,000
95%
U.S.A.
Those with household
incomes above
$100,000 are slightly
more likely to have
branded outerwear
than those with
lower incomes.
10%
$50,000 –
$99,000
12%
$100,000+
=
To the Left
10%
Democrats are more
likely to have logoed
jackets than members
of other political parties.
7% 6%
Business-Builder
In the U.S., nearly half (48%) of all outerwear recipients say
they were more likely to do business with an advertiser
after they were given a logoed jacket.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
14

15. Staying Power
In addition to identifying the logoed items they had kept, respondents were asked how long they kept the most
recently-obtained item of each product type. On average, ad specialty items are kept for nearly seven months in the
U.S. Overall, calendars are typically held the longest - about nine months on average. Writing instruments are held the
shortest amount of time at just over five months.
 Fun
fact
The longest time an item was kept was in Madrid, where calendars were kept nearly 13 months. The shortest was in
Rome, where writing instruments were kept only 4.1 months.
Number of Months Promotional Items are Kept
CALENDARS
9.0
OUTERWEAR
7.3
7.1
DRINKWARE
USB DRIVES
6.9
6.8
6.6
BAGS
AVERAGE
CAPS
DESK/OFFICE ACC.
SHIRTS
HEALTH/SAFETY
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
0.0
 Key
2.0
6.0
6.0
5.8
5.5
5.3
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
Takeaways
• One of the advantages promotional products have is that just one item can deliver a message for a far longer time
period than other forms of advertising. Advertisers can reinforce their brand or a call to action for an average of
seven months, and even longer on some products such as calendars and outerwear.
• Perhaps not surprisingly, calendars are kept for a long period. This offers advertisers obvious advantages, but
because of their longevity, steps should be taken to keep the product noticed. For example, a changing image each
month is key; so is positioning an advertiser’s logo in a prominent spot on each page.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
15

16. Promo Products are Passed Along
Since the study was first conducted in 2008, U.S. recipients of ad specialties are increasingly passing them along,
extending the advertisers’ reach. In fact, 63% of respondents in the U.S. said that when they receive a logoed item
they no longer wish to keep, they give it to someone else. Canadian and Australian respondents were more likely to
give an item to someone else (64%) than any other group examined.
 Fun
fact
Germans are the most likely to discard promotional products they no longer wish to keep; 28% disposed of them as
compared to 17% in the U.S. Consumers in London are the least likely to throw away promotional products.
Areas
Interviewed
United
States
Canada
London
Paris
Berlin
Rome
Madrid
Sydney
Throw it away
17%
18%
15%
21%
28%
23%
22%
18%
File the item away
20%
18%
18%
21%
16%
29%
24%
18%
Give the item to
someone else
63%
64%
67%
59%
56%
48%
54%
64%
In the United States, consumers in Dallas are the most
likely to pass along the item to someone else: 75% pass
along promotional items they don’t wish to keep.
Most Likely to Give an Item to Someone Else
★
Dallas ★
75%
 Key
Chicago
71%
70%
Miami
★ Seattle
★
68%
Takeaways
• Promotional products are not simply thrown away. Items are kept because they’re useful, or given to someone who
can use them. Advertisers’ messages often go beyond the initial target.
• As awareness of recycling in the U.S. has become more prevalent, so has the desire to pass along unwanted
promotional products.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
16

17. Usefulness is Key
Consumers will be much more likely to keep a promotional product that is useful, according to the survey.
About eight in 10 (77%) of product recipients indicated that an item’s usefulness is the primary reason to keep it.
In addition, 29% of recipients said they kept an item because it’s attractive, and 29% say they keep a promotional
product simply because it’s “enjoyable to have.” Interestingly, it’s nearly as important for outerwear to be attractive
(60%) and enjoyable to have (51%) as it is to be useful (70%). In addition to being useful, the need for caps to be both
attractive (42%) and enjoyable to have (41%) is also high.
Reasons for Keeping Products: U.S.
Useful
Attractive
Enjoyable
to have
Point of
reference
Bags
83%
28%
23%
4%
Calendars
86%
33%
22%
12%
Caps
59%
42%
41%
5%
Desk/Office
83%
22%
25%
8%
Drinkware
80%
31%
29%
2%
Health/Safety
79%
17%
22%
7%
Outerwear
70%
60%
51%
7%
Shirts
64%
37%
36%
3%
USB Drives
90%
10%
18%
4%
Writing
Instruments
91%
19%
21%
8%
77%
29%
29%
5%
Average
 Fun
fact
In Rome, ad specialties were kept because they were attractive 35% of the time, the highest of any metro area.
Areas
Interviewed
United
States
Canada
London
Paris
Berlin
Rome
Madrid
Sydney
Useful
77%
82%
79%
70%
75%
70%
81%
80%
Attractive
29%
25%
33%
27%
31%
35%
32%
26%
Enjoyable
to have
29%
20%
23%
25%
21%
27%
20%
22%
Point of reference
5%
6%
4%
4%
3%
11%
7%
5%
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
17

18. 7.7
8.3
Canada
9.6
Typically, people have about 10 ad specialties.
Hispanic have moreItaly specialties than any other group.
Caucasian
Asian
Asians African American
ad
9.1 ad specialties?
Who owns the most
Typically, people have about 10 ad specialties.
France
average number of items owned
8.1
Asians have more ad specialties than any other group.
9.8
9.9
U.K
7.9
7.8
Australia
Australia
Germany
Germany
7.4
How Many Items Do People Own?
United States
Spain
7.2
Females in Spain have the most ad specialties,
while females in Germany have the
In the study, respondents were asked how many logoed items they currently had in their homes least. offices. As
and/or
7.7
9.8
9.7U.S. own an average of 9.8 promotional products. The number varies
indicated in the accompanying charts, people in the
Residents of Dallas own
accordingpromo products. 7.4
the
9.3 most to U.S. city, country, gender, race, income, age and political affiliation.
9.6
Italy
United States
Australia
Canada
Canada
Germany
Italy
67% 68% 70%
7.8 London
Germany
67%
U.K
Males aged 55+ own the greatest number of ad specialties .
8.1
7.7
Australia
7.4
71% 75%7.2
68% 70%
Own 8.5
Promotional
Products
71% 75%
Females in Spain have the most ad specialties,
while females in Germany have the least.
$50,000
- $99,999
Who owns the most ad specialties?
$100,000+
People who make:
average number of items owned
United States
9.8 10.0
Own
Promotional
9.8
Products
9.8
Italy
Promotional
Products
Own 10.0
Own 10.8
Promotional + ownPromotional number of ad
Males aged 55
the greatest
Products
Products
In the U.S., as income increases, so does the number of ad specialties owned.
Spain
Who owns Own 10.8 specialties?
the most ad
$100,000+
9.9
United States
9.7
9.9
9.3
9.6
9.8
9.7
$50,000
$50,000
$100,000+
9.1
9.1
me increases, so does the number of ad specialties$99,999
- owned.
9.3
9.6
Own 8.5
Own 10.0
Own 10.8
8.5
8.1
Hispanic
African American
Caucasian
Asian
9.1 Promotional
9.1
Promotional
Promotional
7.7
8.3
Products
Products
Products
Typically, people have about 10 ad specialties.
8.5
8.1
Asians have more ad specialties than any other group.
7.9
7.4
7.7
8.3
7.8In the U.S., as income increases, so does the number of ad specialties owned.
7.2
7.9
7.4
average number of items owned
United States
Canada
Spain
Canada
Italy
France
U.K
Italy
Spain
U.K
France
France
Australia
Australia
Spain
10.0
10.7
U.K
Germany
9.3
10.1
21-34
45-54
55+
$50,000
$50,000
5+ own the greatest number of ad Own 10.0
specialties.
Own 8.5
$50,000
Promotional
21-34
35-44
Products 45-54
Own 8.5
Promotional
U.S.
Products Males
- $99,999
Promotional
55+
Products
Own 10.0
Promotional
Products
10.7
21-34
55+
9.2
21-34
35-44
45-54
55+
9.3
Males aged 55+ own the greatest number of ad specialties. 10.3
10.1
$100,000+
U.S. Females
- $99,999
45-54
London
Own 10.8
$100,000+
Promotional
35-44
45-54
Products
Own 10.8
Promotional
U.S. Females
Products
67%
55+
In the U.S., as income increases, so does the number of ad specialties owned.
Males aged 55+ own the greatest number of ad specialties.
In the U.S., as income increases, so does the number of ad specialties owned.
Takeaway
10.0
Democrat
Dallas
$50,000
11.2
9.5
35-44
Residents of Dallas own Males aged 55+ own the greatest number of a
the most promo Males
products.
U.S.
U.S. Females
Republican
9.3
10.3
10.0
Males aged 55+ own the greatest number of a
7.2
Chicago
10.1
Independent
10.7
Democrat
Miami
9.5
10.7 10.2
People who make:
21-34
35-44
55+ 8.7
 Key
10.7
9.5
Australia
Females in Spain have the most ad specialties,Germany
while females in Germany have the least.
People who make:
Males
10.7 10.2
11.2
Germany
Australia
Germany
8.7
Females in Spain have the most ad specialties,
while females in Germany have the least.
45-54
9.1
Seattle
7.8
Canada
France
10.2
Italy
Canada
11.2
8.2
United States
U.K
Republicans have more ad specialties
than Democrats or Independents.
68% 70%
71% 75%
9.2
Republican
l
$50,000
- $99,999
$50,000
Germany
Independent
7.9
Australia
Chicago
Chicago
make:
London
MiamiMiami
8.3
Seattle
Seattle
Spain
People who make:
9.1
France
Dallas
Dallas
U.K
Residents of Dallas own 7.2
9.1
the most promo products.
France
n Spain have the most ad specialties,
emales in Germany have the least.
8.5
Democrats reported having the most
promotional items in 2012 (10.5), a change
from the prior year. Deeper support among more ad specia
Republicans have
Democrats for President Obama than the
than Democrats or Independent
Republican challenger Mitt Romney could be
part of the reason why.
Who owns the most ad specialties?
United States
average number of items owned
Spain
9.8
Knowing the target audience can help any marketing initiative be more successful. While promotional products are 9.9
11.2
Italy
widely valued, some groups have more than others, either by interest or opportunity.
9.8
10.7
10.7 10.2 11.2
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute . All Rights Reserved.
9.310.1
9.5
9.3 10.7
8.7 10.7
®
Canada
U.K
United States
9.7
10.3
10.09.6
9.2
Canada
Italy
18

19. Section Two: Recipients’ Views on Advertisers
Recipients’ Views on Advertisers
For this section, we asked respondents whether they could identify the advertisers on the promotional items they
currently owned. The result: Nearly nine in 10 (86%) U.S. recipients of promotional merchandise can identify the
advertiser on the item, the highest of any country in the study. As the graphic below reveals, of all major product
categories, outerwear has the highest recognition of all promotional items: 95% of respondents who have logoed
outerwear can name the advertiser on the items. Overall, wearables as a whole maintain a very high advertiser
awareness rate, taking the top three spots.
On Average
86%
Remember
the Advertiser
Owners of ad specialties
recall the advertiser 86%
of the time.
 Fun
fact
 Key
Takeaways
Advertiser awareness is high in other countries as well. In Canada, 85% of respondents can identify the advertiser.
In all other countries in the study, recipients were able to recall the advertiser on a promotional item about 80%
of the time.
• Distributors who have clients looking to get their company or brand’s name in the marketplace have a
compelling reason to suggest advertising specialties as a marketing solution: Promotional product recipients
clearly remember the advertisers on the items they receive.
• The more interaction recipients of promotional items have with the item, the higher the recognition of
the advertiser. This explains in part why wearables lead the way with advertiser recall. Further, a higher
perceived value of the product, such as that obtained with outerwear, increases advertiser recognition even
more. Distributors looking to present clients with an item of high perceived value that has high advertiser
recognition might consider higher-end wearables as an option.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
19

20. Swaying Opinions
In this section, we also asked consumers their opinions of advertisers who gave them a logoed item. Over one-half
(53%) of the time, ad specialties leave a more favorable impression of the advertiser. This trend was seen across
all countries.
Outerwear leaves the most positive attitude about the advertiser, as three-quarters (75%) of branded outerwear
recipients had a more favorable impression of the advertiser.
Positive attitudes about the advertiser are correlated with advertiser recall. Once again, the top three products
generating positive feelings are also the most likely to have advertiser recall.
An exception to that rule is health and safety products, which have a lower advertiser recollection but generate
favorable impressions about the advertiser.
 Fun
fact
Italians were even more likely to feel favorable towards the advertiser, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of those in
Rome citing a more positive view, by far the most of any group.
How Recipients Feel About the Advertiser: U.S.
OUTERWEAR
75%
SHIRTS
61%
59%
CAPS/HEADWEAR
HEALTH/SAFETY PRODUCTS
54%
53%
53%
52%
BAGS
AVERAGE
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
DESK/OFFICE ACC.
CALENDARS
DRINKWARE
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
0%
10%
20%
30%
50%
49%
48%
43%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
53% of recipients feel more favorable about the advertiser after receiving an item.
 Key
Takeaway
All categories of promotional products generate favorable impressions of the advertisers as a whole. Steps should
be taken when presenting recipients with items that are seen as more of a commodity (like writing instruments)
to reinforce the advertiser connection with the item.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
20

21. Ad Specialties Generate New Business
When consumers were asked how likely they were to do business with an advertiser they hadn’t previously done
business with after receiving an item, over one-third (36%) said they were more likely to do business with them in
the future.
 Fun
fact
Perhaps in part because of the good will generated by ad specialties in Rome, Italians were also the most likely to cite a
positive likelihood for doing new business, as nearly one-half (48%) thought they would be more likely to do business
with the advertiser. Further, 17% thought it very likely, twice that of any other area.
Likelihood for New Business
OUTERWEAR
48%
BAGS
43%
USB DRIVES/FLASH DRIVES
39%
38%
SHIRTS
AVERAGE
36%
DRINKWARE
31%
31%
CALENDARS
WRITING INSTRUMENTS
CAPS/HEADWEAR
DESK/OFFICE ACC.
HEALTH/SAFETY
0%
5%
10%
15%
31%
29%
28%
23%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Some items generate even more goodwill from consumers: For example, about 48% of recipients of logoed outerwear
said they’d be more likely to do business with an advertiser; recipients of bags were 43% more likely to do business
with an advertiser; and USB recipients were 39% more likely.
 Key
Takeaway
A goal of advertising is to get the prospect more likely to buy from the advertiser. This is often done in incremental
amounts. Even the lowest-scoring ad specialty (health and safety) still manages to get nearly one-quarter of recipients
to feel more likely to do business with the advertiser in the future.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
21

22. Location of Promotional Products
Consumers were asked about the location of the logoed items they’d received. Overall, the office was cited most often
(41%), but only marginally more than at home (36%).
Wearables, bags and health and safety products were most likely to be at home, while desk accessories, calendars,
writing instruments and USB drives were most likely in the office.
Location of Items in the U.S.
.
Home
Office
On Person
Shirts
47%
28%
25%
Caps/headwear
40%
35%
25%
Bags
40%
32%
28%
Health and
safety products
40%
30%
31%
Drinkware
39%
39%
23%
Outerwear
35%
34%
31%
Calendars
35%
51%
14%
USB drives/
flash drives
30%
50%
19%
Writing instruments
27%
50%
23%
Desk/office
accessories
25%
59%
16%
Overall
36%
41%
23%
Some geographic areas have a higher propensity to have items at home. For example, nearly one-half (48%)
of recipients in Madrid reported the items were kept in the home.
People Keep Items at Home
48%
Madrid
 Key
41%
Berlin
39%
39%
Sydney
Rome
Takeaway
When choosing promotional products, the end-buyer needs to consider where the item will ultimately be used. The
office isn’t necessarily a given, especially for items like shirts, caps and bags.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
22

23. Section Three
Promotional
Products
Make an
Impression
For this section, the average
number of impressions each
promotional product receives
was calculated. The number of
impressions a product makes
was derived from multiplying
how long a recipient has the
product to how many people he
comes into contact with each
month while using it.
In the U.S., we again saw
that bags generated the most
impressions (5,983) of any item
in the study. That’s because
bags are frequently used, often
in public places where they can
be seen by many people. Other
items that deliver extremely
high numbers of impressions
in the U.S. include writing
instruments, caps, outerwear,
calendars and shirts.
The accompanying charts
illustrate the top five products,
by country, that deliver the
most impressions:
The Most Impressions in the U.S.
5,983 3,134
Impressions
2,999
Impressions
Impressions
2,288
2,167
2,805
2,253
Impressions
Impressions
In the U.S., bags generate the most impressions by far.
The Most Impressions in Canada
4,724
Impressions
3,634
Impressions
2,943
Impressions
Impressions
Impressions
In Canada, bags also generate the most impressions.
The Most Impressions in London
5,125
Impressions
4,066 3,449
Impressions
Impressions
November
2,323
Impressions
1,852
Impressions
Though the incidence of owning promotional outerwear items is low, they generate the most impressions.
The Most Impressions in Paris
November
3,473
Impressions
2,665
Impressions
2,372
Impressions
1,700
Impressions
1,204
Impressions
Similar to London, the incidence of owning promotional outerwear is low, but a high number of impressions are generated.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
23

24. 8
s
5
s
 Key
Takeaway
While the exact ranking
of impressions changes
somewhat from location to
location, the overall list of
products generating the most
impressions is consistent.
Impressions
Wearables consistently deliver
a high number of impressions,
and in the U.S., bags deliver the
most impressions every year.
2,167
Items that create the fewest
impressions tend to be those
intended mostly for one
person, such as health and
safety items and USB drives.
The value of these items is
more in the connection they
make with the user than
the total number of
Impressions
impressions generated.
2,253
Distributors should work
with clients to determine the
goals of their campaigns and
the connection they want to
establish with the intended
recipient before selecting the
right vehicle to deliver their
message. Taking into account
the number and quality of
ber
the impressions generated,
in addition to some of the
ssions
Impressions
demographic considerations
shown earlier in the report,
gives the distributor the
opportunity to serve as a
consultant rather than an
e the most impressions.
order taker.
323
1,700
Impressions
1,852
The Most Impressions in Berlin
5,615
Impressions
2,380
Impressions
2,774
Impressions
1,843
Impressions
1,763
Impressions
In Berlin, writing instruments generate the most impressions by far.
The Most Impressions in Sydney
5,881
Impressions
3,233
Impressions
3,179
Impressions
2,034
Impressions
1,755
Impressions
In Sydney, bags generate the most impressions.
The Most Impressions in Madrid
November
4,280
Impressions
3,729
Impressions
2,505
Impressions
2,260
1,344
1,966
1,421
Impressions
Impressions
In the Madrid, writing instruments generate the most impressions.
The Most Impressions in Rome
November
1,204
Impressions
umber of impressions are generated.
6,260
Impressions
2,125
Impressions
1,447
Impressions
Impressions
Impressions
In Rome, writing instruments also generate the most impressions by far.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
24

25. The Cost-Effectiveness of Ad Specialties
Advertising specialties are less expensive per impression than most other forms of media. The investment in ad
specialties is modest, more targeted and more achievable for smaller businesses than other forms of advertising.
As the chart on this page illustrates, promotional products have a lower cost-per-impression in the United States
than prime-time television advertising, national magazine advertising and newspaper ads, and a similar CPI to spot
radio and Internet advertising.
However, a report published in October,
2012 by Forrester Research, “U.S. Online
Ad specialties are highly cost-effective
Display Ad Spend $12.7B in 2012,” sheds
some light on Internet advertising. It
points out that CPMs are actually on the
rise. The average CPM — cost per thousand
impressions — for 2012 was $3.17, but by
2017 that will rise to $6.64, largely because
of the shift to real-time bidding and away
Prime-Time TV
from portal buys where placement is not
guaranteed. The rise, the analysts note, is
also a supply and demand issue: marketers
are competing for similar audience
segments and bid density is continuing
to increase.
National Magazines
The cost of advertising specialties are
NEWS
not expected to increase markedly in the
next four years, making them an even
better comparison to other forms of media
advertising such as the Internet.
1.8¢
1.8¢
0.7¢
Newspapers
 Key
Takeaway
Promotional products deliver the same
or better ROI than most other forms of
media, without the interruption inherent
with other forms of advertising. And when
one considers the prohibitive cost of
producing radio or television commercials
or the cash outlay to buy sufficient
Internet advertising, promotional
products offer the best value. Promotional
products can also be used to more closely
target the intended message recipient than
mass media.
Further, even smaller companies
can achieve as high an ROI as major
corporations by using advertising
specialties because even a modest
investment delivers superior results.
For More Information
To gain access to the full study data, plus
downloadable PDFs of the charts in this
study, visit www.asicentral.com/study.
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
0.6¢
Ad Specialties
0.5¢
Spot Radio
0.3¢
Internet
The cost per impression of an ad specialty is better
than that of TV, magazines and newspapers.
25

26. Demographics
The following is a breakdown of the demographics of all survey respondents who indicated they currently
owned promotional products.
Gender
%
Count
Male
47%
1,416
Female
53%
1,616
Total
3,032
Age
21 to 34 years
46%
1,482
35 to 44 years
23%
744
45 to 54 years
18%
576
55 to 64 years
10%
320
65 years and over
2%
79
Total
3,201
Ethnicity (U.S.)
Asian
11%
297
Black or African American
9%
245
Hispanic or Latino
8%
207
White
68%
1,779
Other
4%
101
Total
2,629
Political Affiliation (U.S.)
Democrat
42%
741
Republican
25%
438
Independent
19%
331
Other
3%
57
Not Registered
12%
217
1,784
Total
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
26

27. Demographics continued
Country
%
Count
United States
58%
1,874
Germany
5%
153
Australia
4%
144
Spain
5%
157
Italy
4%
131
Canada
14%
453
Great Britain
5%
152
France
4%
126
Other
1%
24
Total
3,214
Atlanta
9%
165
Boston
9%
155
Chicago
7%
116
Dallas
8%
142
Houston
9%
153
Los Angeles
8%
141
Miami
9%
155
New York
9%
153
Philadelphia
7%
131
Phoenix
8%
151
San Francisco
8%
151
Seattle
10%
171
Total
1,784
Montreal
33%
151
Toronto
32%
147
Vancouver
35%
160
458
DÜsseldorf/Berlin
21%
153
London
21%
150
Madrid
22%
157
Paris
19%
135
Rome
18%
131
Total
726
100%
144
U.S. Cities
Canadian Cities
Total
European Cities
Sydney
©2013 Advertising Specialty Institute®. All Rights Reserved.
27