Branded merchandise is everywhere. Your cupboards at home and work are probably filled with pens, stress balls, mugs and USB sticks emblazoned with a company logo from someone you ran into at a conference – who knows how long ago.
Research shows that only about 20% of all branded merchandise is kept for any considerable length of time, with more than half being given away and eventually adding to the mountains of landfill which continue to grow year on year.
It stands to reason that customers – and recipients of branded merchandise – are striving for better. We can buy less, but often having branded goods makes good business sense, for employee perks, promotion, samples and to sell to customers. A survey conducted by BPMA shows over 75% of consumers receiving a branded item from a brand they trust will prompt future purchases and importantly 80% are more likely to make recommendations to others about your brand or service. Additionally, promotional products deliver a higher ROI than radio and outdoor advertising, and are equal to TV and print.
Buying higher quality goods that last longer is the rationale behind Branded Things, a company which has recently been supported by BioVale. Founder, Andrew ‘Vinny’ Vines, says Branded Things is a “modern, forward-thinking business, driven by making a real difference to our clients through challenging the norm around branded merch”. Their items lean towards being higher quality, longer lasting, and with as much information about their environmental credentials as possible, something which is often missing or misleading. Not all goods that claim to be environmentally friendly stand up to scrutiny, and some products and materials which are accused of having a negative impact on the environment can be reused and durable to the point that they make more sense if the consumer knows how to properly dispose and recycle them. This ethical and transparent way of doing business has led to Branded Things joining the Good Business Charter which measures behaviour over 10 components: real living wage, fairer hours and contracts, employee well-being, employee representation, diversity and inclusion, environmental responsibility, paying fair tax, commitment to customers, ethical sourcing, and prompt payment.
If you’re not sure which way to go with your branded merchandise, have a look at the blog which explains some of the benefits of offering quality products to your customers. By keeping in touch with new trends in the sorts of products which resonate with customers, you can make sure you’re helping your company culture and be safe in the knowledge that your items won’t languish in a cupboard to eventually be thrown away.
Branded Things can be contacted on tel: 0333 3054098 or email: hello@brandedthings.co.uk.
