Promotional apparels are items of clothing that feature a brand’s name and logo. Many also include the company’s message, and are carefully designed to match its branding and values.
There are various ways to use promotional apparel:
Like all custom promotional products, apparel is designed to be used. Every time a customer wears a branded tee, jacket, hat, or hoodie, they’re advertising your brand. They could be increasing awareness in their workplace or building brand recognition out in the real world.
Brands work with promotional apparel companies to prepare for trade shows, conferences, and other events. They place their brand on quality apparel, hand it out to prospective customers, and then enjoy the fruits of their labor as those customers showcase the brand to all other attendees.
Promotional apparel works in conjunction with broader merchandise drives and promotions to create cohesion. If you’re launching a new product, for instance, you can create some promotional apparel and give it away to promote the launch.
Everyone loves a freebie, and as they’ll have something tangible to remember to launch, your brand and products will stay fresh in their minds.
More exposure, greater brand visibility, stronger company culture—these are just a few of the benefits of promotional apparel:
Think of promotional products in the context of moving billboards. The difference is that a billboard is fixed and its intent is clear. Consumers know it’s there, and as they see countless ads every day, they tend to tune it out. If someone wears your brand on their T-shirt, hoodie, or jacket, however, they’ll expose it to real people in everyday situations.
It’s organic advertising, and it’s incredibly effective. What’s more, if it’s a high-quality, durable item, it could be generating exposure for years to come.
Consistency is key when it comes to promotional products, and apparel is no different. The apparel should reflect the style and voice of your brand, whether that means big and bold designs or minimalist and eco-friendly style. It spreads a visual message that reminds people what you do and why your brand should be important to them.
Promotional apparel is often given to employees as part of a workplace uniform. But it’s much more than that. It gives them a stronger connection to the brand and improves company culture, while encouraging them to voice their support away from the workplace.
Promotional apparel is often used as part of event giveaways. If attendees wear your logo, name, and message, they’ll showcase your company to everyone at the event. Employees should also wear branded apparel, increasing your reach, creating uniformity, and ensuring your branding is seen multiple times by everyone at the event.
As with any marketing campaign, the greater the effort and planning, the better the results. Don’t simply look for the cheapest T-shirts, paste your brand, and then call it a day.
Whether you’re preparing apparel for employees or buying for an event, implement a carefully considered strategy:
What apparel would work best for your needs? If it’s a winter event, think cozy hats, jackets, gloves, and hoodies. For retail uniforms, simple polo shirts work best. Consider the season, the purpose, and the recipients.
It’s tempting to cram as many items as you can into your budget. You go big—quantity over quality—in the hope you’ll please as many people as possible.
But those $3 tees become very expensive when you realize 99% of recipients are throwing them in the trash. It’s better to spend $30 on a hoodie that will actually be worn and appreciated, even if it means you end up with 10x fewer items.
The only thing more off-putting than apparel made from cheap, scratchy materials is a garish brand that takes up most of the garment. Your customers will happily become walking billboards if the design looks good, so consider colors and style, as well as size and placement.
An embroidered, understated logo on the sleeve or shoulder is often better than bold print across the chest, but it still needs to be seen.
For branded employee apparel and other ongoing campaigns, consider getting your own store. At Foxtrot Marketing, we can help you create a tailor-made storefront complete with inventory management, fulfillment, live chat support, and more.
Your employees and customers can order as they please (using discount/employee codes when available), and you don’t need to worry about keeping or replenishing stock.
If you want to run giveaways that will benefit your brand for months and even years, yes, you need promotional apparel. It’s also beneficial for customer-facing companies with multiple employees, as well as for kitting out employees at trade shows and events.
T-shirts are the most common, but you can buy and customize any type of clothing or accessory. Hoodies, sweats, and outerwear are good options if you want a more luxurious product, while hats, gloves, and even socks are great if your budget is tight.
You can work with experienced companies like Foxtrot Marketing to create unique, high-quality promotional apparel. Many printing services will let you add your own text to existing items, but these white-label services are often very basic and are limited to simple colors and texts that ultimately mean your products look the same as all other promotional apparel.