Digital advertising has reached its limit. There’s only so many banner ads you can scroll past. People see so many adverts online they barely notice them. In fact, over 70% of people will just scroll past an ad without even thinking about it, and with the average attention span of humans sitting at about 8 seconds, even that small window of opportunity is quickly diminishing.
This is why the only form of advertising that’s consistently worked is merchandise.
Today’s younger generation doesn’t have the same brand loyalty as the previous generation. They don’t have as many memories built up around certain brands and products.But, the power of merchandise is that items go out into the world, into people’s lives, and become part of those memories. They’re used every day and make great conversation starters. They end up living within people’s homes and form a key part of how people view and interact with your brand.
By using merchandise effectively, you can raise brand awareness and brand association. Your brand can live in people's homes, and help form those memories.
A great example is Pepsi. They have used branded merchandise to great effect. At music festivals, they set up promotional drink bottles filled with branded merchandise. The bottles are highly visible because festival-goers are out and about drinking all day, and clever branding on the bottles raises brand awareness. Even if someone is scrolling on their phone with one hand, they have the Pepsi bottle in the other!
This is a brilliant example of how you can use branded merchandise to boost brand awareness. But, what can you do with branded merchandise to maximise your return on investment?
Well, you need to start with merchandise that’s worthwhile. Merchandise that’s durable and practical.
The simple answer is, opt for branded merchandise people will want to hang on to.
Think about something like branded pens. Pens are one of the most used stationery items. They last and they’re often found lying around the office or at home. Everyone has used one, and everyone has a need for one.
Merchandise isn't just for offices and corporate businesses, it works everywhere!
People are much more likely to buy merchandise if they can get their hands on it. So think about distribution. Think about how merchandise would appeal within a certain space or environment.
For example, merchandise works well within restaurants. Consumers are encouraged to go and spend after they’ve eaten their meal. And, meals usually take longer than drinks, giving you more time to introduce your merchandise and showcase how it can be used.
A company that does this well is Bella Italia. They’ve developed a loyalty scheme called ‘Bellamy Club’. Members collect points each time they eat at Bella Italia. Then they can exchange the points for merchandise. They’ve also used merchandise to promote seasonal offers and it's a great way to encourage customers to visit during quieter periods.
Of course, you can also use merchandise within shops. For example, Boots ran a campaign last year with promotional mugs. They targeted office workers with gifts of branded mugs, and the results speak for themselves.
This campaign led to a 25% increase in sales of coffee.
So you can see how using merchandise to boost brand awareness can help you increase your sales.
Whilst attending BST Hyde Park a couple of weeks ago, we noticed their Merch stands had Christmas cups! Hard to believe that they were selling them in the height of summer (a particularly hot one at that) but, think about it. These cups will be used at a time when people will be scrambling for Christmas gift ideas for their loved ones (last minute if we're your example!). They're sipping on their warm coffee/tea/hot chocolate from their BST mug, and immediately have the idea of tickets for next years event. Whilst you may think it's crazy buying a Christmas mug in July, the thinking behind it is exceptional. Not only do they get the pleasure of the immediate profit from the sale of the mugs, there's a real chance they'll result in ticket sales later in the year.
Whatever your industry, we can work with you to provide the best merchandise to run along side your campaign.
Your digital campaign may have your audience's attention for a few seconds, a physical item will be with them for a lot longer and may even have a far wider reach for a lower cost.
Get in touch to find out more about making your next campaign memorable!
hello@go-coast.co.uk | 01797 322307 | go-coast.co.uk