A narrative in the lessons of longevity
One of my favorite t-shirts is one that I purchased at a sailing regatta back in 1995. I still wear this t-shirt when I go running because it fits well and has sentimental value. On the shirt is the name of the regatta and a large logo from the sponsor, American Airlines.
As we know, one of the main goals in marketing is to find a way to stay in front of customers and prospects so that when they have a need for your product or service, you're the one that comes to mind. With the advent of the Internet and digital media, there are many different mediums to advertise your company. Few of those methods, however, will be seen by your customers and prospects today, tomorrow and well into the future. Most advertising mediums (television, newspaper, radio, the Internet) have a set life span of being able to affect consumers. Once the promotion is over, another campaign has to be created. But putting your company logo on a useful product can translate into promotional longevity for your organization.
Just last weekend my father was talking about how his Gatorade Timex Ironman watch finally died and he needed to get a new sport watch. He received the watch as a gift from a Gatorade salesman more than 18 years ago. In the nearly two decades since, when my dad wore his watch, he saw the Gatorade logo each time he checked the time. There are two important lessons that come from my father's watch. First, this repeated exposure for building a brand (Gatorade was still in its infancy when the watch was given) cannot be matched by other methods of advertising. The amount of impressions for the cost of the product was amazingly low. The Gatorade name was reinforced in my father's mind countless times, and it also often became a topic of discussion when others noticed the Gatorade logo and commented on the watch. Secondly, since Gatorade chose to go with a high quality, useful product (a Timex Ironman watch), the item was used for a long period of time, illustrating the point that in the long run, spending a little extra money on a quality product can certainly be worth the investment.
So when you're deciding how to build your brand and advertise your company, consider the long-term benefits of promotional products and how they can build your company today and for years to come.
