The most effective promotional products are new and exciting items that resonate with your end users. Understanding what is trending for the New Year is a great place to start! Proforma spoke with two of our MVPLPs, Gemline and SanMar, about some promotional product trends that are expected to make a splash in 2019.
Color
It’s all about color! Unique, vibrant colors can make any item pop. Consumers like an item that stands out and businesses should too, because the more people who notice an item will notice your logo too. With the release of Pantone’s color of the year, if you can incorporate coral into your color patterns this year, do it!
What our Supplier Partner has to say: “Color is where it’s at! It makes you feel something in a photographed world,” says Rob Newell, Strategic Accounts Manager for SanMar. “The Port Authority® Silk Touch™ Polo is one of our most popular items because of the color selection, companion offering, sizing options and deep inventory.”
Mobile Accessories/Mobile Office
As more and more professionals take advantage of at-home offices or other non-traditional workspaces, the opportunity for functional promotional products rises! Helping people easily travel for work, work remotely and keep their devices charged is a big trend in promotional products this year and beyond. With all of the items in this category, you can find the right product for the right event at the right price point.
What our Supplier Partner has to say: “Our consumers are shifting their office environments to adaptable, collaborative spaces, which gives us the opportunity to deliver products that facilitate agility,” says Jamie Giorgi, Associate Account Manager for Gemline. “Each item in [our Mobile Office] product assortment has been thoughtfully designed to easily take today’s worker from space to space effortlessly and efficiently while keeping them organized, functional and productive wherever they go.”
Name Brands
High-end or name-brand items will continue to be popular and on trend in the New Year. And the reason may be obvious. They tend to have a perceived higher value. People like to show off items, so if a promotional product is from a well-known brand, it resonates with end users.
What our Supplier Partners have to say: “Name brands continue to be very strong,” Newell says. “SanMar is very excited to introduce Carhartt.”
“One of our most popular items year over year is our Moleskine® Hard Cover Ruled Large Notebook in Black, this category and item continues to grow leaps and bounds,” Giorgi says. “Moleskine is a destination and lifestyle brand. It’s a journal that people want to receive and use.”
Health and Wellness Promotional Products
According to Statista, more than 170 million people globally have memberships to a gym or health club, with 55 million of those being in the United States, indicating that people are concerned about their health and wellbeing. Take advantage of this momentum by offering giveaway items in the health and wellness category. Water bottles, gym/duffel bags, lunch boxes and coolers, and fitness wear are just a few of the items that will help your company benefit from this trend. With a large offering of products across many different price points, the health and wellness category may be just what the doctor ordered for marketing programs this year.
What our Supplier Partner has to say: “It has certainly played a part in how we have gone to market,” Giorgi says. “We have designed and promoted whole collections of products surrounding health and wellness, and we will continue to feed and grow those production collections in 2019. This trend has sparked a collection of new Gemline products (ReVibe) that are designed to nourish your spirit, help you to reflect on your thoughts and feelings, as well as encourage you to recharge and unwind.”
Source: Statista.com, Health & Fitness Clubs Statistics & Facts
