Top 10 promotional products of 2023 (+The best way to distribute them)

Promotional products are crucial for amplifying brand recognition and engaging with your audience. They offer a tangible way for businesses to communicate their brand values, helping to create memorable interactions with customers.

Here’s a look at the most popular promotional products of 2023.


Key Takeaways:

  • Customisation, eco-friendliness, and tech-integration are key trends in 2023’s promotional products.
  • Top products include apparel, headwear, and bags. They’re used in various events to boost brand visibility.
  • A shift towards practical and eco-friendly items indicates consumer preference for value and sustainability.

Market Analysis:

The arena of promotional products is an ever-evolving one, mirroring the societal and technological shifts. Here’s a deeper dive into what’s shaping the promotional product trends in 2023:

Emerging Trends:

  • Customisation is a big draw, allowing brands to provide a personal touch.
  • The eco-conscious wave is pushing the popularity of environmentally friendly products.
  • Tech-integration in promotional products is blurring the lines between branding and utility.

Driving Factors:

  • Enhancing brand visibility remains a core objective.
  • Customer loyalty is fostered when the promotional merchandise adds value to their daily lives.
  • The practical utility of a promotional product significantly ups its desirability quotient.

Chart 1: Total revenue by product type

Chart 2: Rating the importance of factors considered by businesses when choosing products

Top 10 Promotional Products of 2023 (+ Detailed Use Cases):

1. Apparel:

  • Corporate Events: Enhance brand visibility by distributing apparel with your logo at corporate events.
  • Team Building: Foster a sense of unity with branded apparel as team uniforms.
  • Community Outreach: Offer branded apparel as giveaways during community outreach or charity events.

2. Headwear:

  • Outdoor Events: Promote your brand under the sun by distributing headwear at outdoor events.
  • Sports Sponsorships: Offer branded headwear during sports events you sponsor.
  • Gift with Purchase: Provide a branded hat as a gift with purchase during special promotions.

3. Bags:

  • Trade Shows: Hand out branded bags at trade shows which attendees can use to collect information and giveaways.
  • Retail Promotions: Offer reusable branded bags to customers as an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bags.
  • Educational Events: Distribute branded backpacks or tote bags to attendees at educational seminars or workshops.

4. Drinkware:

  • Health Campaigns: Encourage hydration by distributing branded water bottles during health campaigns.
  • Coffee Shop Promotions: Offer a discount to customers who use a branded reusable cup.
  • Client Gifts: Gift branded mugs or tumblers to clients as a token of appreciation.

5. Stress Balls:

  • Mental Health Awareness: Distribute branded stress balls during mental health awareness campaigns to promote stress relief.
  • Corporate Workshops: Offer branded stress balls as a tactile focus tool during training sessions.
  • Healthcare Promotions: Provide branded stress balls to patients and visitors at healthcare facilities to alleviate stress.

6. Stainless Steel Water Bottles:

  • Gym Memberships: Offer branded stainless steel water bottles to new gym members.
  • Outdoor Adventures: Distribute branded water bottles during outdoor brand promotional events.
  • Employee Wellness Programs: Encourage hydration among employees by providing branded stainless steel water bottles.

7. Eco-Friendly Products:

  • Environmentally Conscious Campaigns: Distribute eco-friendly products like branded reusable straws during green campaigns.
  • Restaurant Promotions: Offer discounts to customers using branded reusable containers.
  • Educational Seminars: Educate attendees on sustainability by distributing branded eco-friendly products.

8. Promotional Calendars:

  • New Year Promotions: Distribute branded calendars to customers or clients as a new year gesture.
  • Appointment Reminders: Provide branded calendars to clients to mark their future appointments.
  • Fundraising Events: Offer promotional calendars as a fundraiser item for non-profit organizations.

9. Desk Accessories:

  • Office Promotions: Hand out branded desk accessories like pens, notepads, or desk organizers during office promotions.
  • Trade Shows: Attract attendees to your booth by offering useful desk accessories with your brand logo.
  • Client Appreciation: Show appreciation to loyal clients by gifting branded high-quality desk accessories.

10. Note Pads:

  • Trade Shows: Distribute branded notepads at trade shows where attendees can jot down important information.
  • Corporate Meetings: Provide branded notepads during corporate meetings for attendees to take notes, enhancing brand visibility.
  • Educational Seminars: Offer branded notepads to attendees for note-taking, making your brand a part of their learning experience.

The most popular promotional products of 2023 showcase a change in consumer choices, leaning towards eco-friendly, practical, and tech-savvy items. By aligning with these evolving preferences and selecting relevant promotional products, businesses can effectively engage with their audience and keep their branding efforts impactful.

At Payless Promotions, we are here to help you navigate this vibrant landscape, ensuring your brand makes a memorable impression through the right promotional merchandise.