Why is custom made merchandise worth the investment?
We've all received promotional merchandise from companies at events, as a free gift with a purchase or bought a brand's merchandise online. Most of the time, the swag will be a standard product with the printed company logo as the only customisation. However, there are times when you receive something more bespoke and memorable; something that's an interesting size, shape or a has a unique use or concept. We look at 5 reasons why you might want to consider creating your own custom made merchandise for your next marketing or brand campaign.
1. Custom produced swag will offer you a better reflection of your brand identity
There will be many elements that make up your brand’s visual identity, including your brand colours, typography, image style, shaping and of course, your company mascot. Custom made merchandise allows for the best reflection of this brand identity and gives you more brand awareness. You can create giveaways in your company’s specific brand colours using the Pantone matching system, or, you could create soft toys, inflatables or keyrings in the shape of your company mascot. Swag that highly reflects your brand will only work to strengthen that brand identity even further.
2. There’s no better way to mark a special occasion
Maybe it’s the 10 year anniversary of your company, maybe your going through a rebrand or maybe you won a major award and want to celebrate in style. Regardless, company merchandise is a great way to mark a special occasion with giveaways to employees or clients. Gifting the same notebook or water bottle that they’ve seen countless times or even have already sitting in their drawer, doesn’t seem special enough. Create something custom made that truly reflects the enormity of the occasion and people will feel like they’ve received something special.
3. Create a limited edition or collectors item and drive more interest
Custom made merchandise items are often produced in limited quantities and this can be used to drive up the interest in the products. It can be particularly appealing to collectors and those that enjoy owing something that’s a limited edition. When merchandise products are custom made, they are often more distinctive and stand out in a crowd of “the same old swag”. This again, can drive more interest and will appeal to fans of your brand.
4. Get custom shaped merchandise that fits like a glove
Creating your own custom merchandise gives you more control. It might be that you want to add a water bottle to your employee welcome packs but the standard bottles available just aren’t the right size. You might want a reusable straw to give out at events but you need one that better fits your drink packaging or maybe you’re an airline and you need travel goods that fit perfectly in the seat pockets. With custom made merchandise you have more control on the size of your item, the materials used and the packaging.
5. It’s the best way to ensure your merchandise aligns with your values and message
Branded merchandise isn’t just about highlighting the visual side of your brand’s identity. It can also convey your company’s values or highlight a specific marketing message. A sandwich company may want to highlight new sustainable practices with a giveaway such as a custom made beeswax wrap (an eco alternative to single-use sandwich bags). A company that’s committed to using renewable energy may want a solar powered charge bank to gift to their clients. Custom made merchandise allows you to be more specific about your messaging and better reflect your brand values.
What are the negatives to custom made promotional merchandise?
Custom made merchandise really is an investment. It often requires more resources, with people needing to brainstorm ideas and designers may need to be involved. There is usually a longer lead time, with production often taking place outside of the local region. Also, custom made merchandise can cost more, usually because there are higher minimum order quantities with bespoke items than with ready to brand products.
If you'd like information on creating your own custom made promotional merchandise or would like to get a quotation for an idea you have for your next campaign, please get in touch with a member of our team on sales@arcadiams.com or use our contact form. To read more about the process for custom made merchandise, click on the button below.
Comments