Giveaway Items

See our list of recommended vendors for lots of suggestions for useful, durable, and sustainable giveaway items!

Research can provide us with very helpful tips on what types of items make the best giveaways at events or for advertising:

  • People are most likely to keep items that are useful (even more than items that are attractive). Pens, USB drives, bags, and calendars are most often kept because of their usefulness.
  • Most young (age 18-24) people will have a more favorable view of an organization if the product is environmentally friendly.
  • Most people will have a more favorable view of an organization if the product is made in the U.S.
  • On average, reusable bags generate the most impressions, which is the number of times a person sees or interacts with the item and a good criteria to use when deciding how to advertise your organization. They are followed by hats, then pens, then outerwear such as hoodies or jackets, then t-shirts. Pens, however, have the lowest cost per impression and may therefore be a better investment.

Consider the following questions:

  1. Will anyone use this item? Will they use it often over time, or will they lose interest quickly? Because advertising is one of the primary purposes of giveaway items, use items that will be seen and used often for as long as possible. While many groups believe t-shirts are great for advertising, most students admit that they rarely wear all the free shirts they receive.
  2. Do I want to reward my established supporters, seek out new participants or allies, or advertise as much as possible? This will determine how you distribute your items, and how many you order. Remember that your item or logo may appear in places you don’t expect, and keeping distribution to those who specifically express support for your message may help reduce unintended negative publicity.
  3. Can this item be tied with a specific or annual event for your organization to increase use or impact? Coastal Fund orders pocket calendars that track daily high and low tides and distributes them early in the year. They are a popular item that fits will with Coastal Fund’s ocean focus, and several people seek out a new one each year.
  4. Is the item high quality? Cheap items that fall apart quickly or don’t work well create a negative association with your brand. If you have a limited budget, you will generally be better off by ordering fewer items than by reducing the quality.

See our list of recommended vendors for lots of suggestions for useful, durable, and sustainable giveaway items!