Warm and Fuzzy Giveaways to Raise Brand Awareness

Having strong brand awareness means that potential customers feel like they’ve “seen you around” because of your advertising, your YouTube videos, or other marketing channels. This familiarity breeds trust, so when customers are ready to buy, they’re more likely to buy from you. A brand exposure is the term we use to describe each time a potential customer encounters your brand, and every brand exposure deepens a customer’s brand awareness, making your company a bit more trustworthy in their mind. But some brand exposures are more influential than others. In this article we’ll discuss ways to deepen brand awareness with season-specific, promotional giveaways.

With cold weather upon us, people are naturally interested in making a few wardrobe adjustments to stay warm, so when you put your logo on winter apparel or accessories and give them to employees, customers, and business prospects, you’re creating more than brand awareness; you’re passing on a feeling of goodwill. These people will be “walking billboards” for your organization, and research shows that prospective customers who receive these types of promotional items are 50 percent more likely to do business with you in the future.

So who should you give stuff to? It depends on the gift. Let’s take custom beanies as an example. A beanie is a low-cost giveaway item, perfect for:
• Your 100 best customers
• Your salespeople
• New employees coming aboard
• A bonus gift for customers who spend over a certain amount

The other benefit of giving away promotional products (versus other types of advertising) is that people tend to hold onto them, extending the brand impression far into the future. So it stands to reason that the best winter giveaway items are practical, like apparel, mugs, and umbrellas, or even small gifts like personal
hand-sanitizer and windshield ice scrapers.

If you’re planning promotional giveaways for the entire year, branded water bottles and sunglasses are popular in the warmer months, and as with winter giveaway items, recipients tend to hold onto them, extending the brand exposure. US Logo can help you plan a coordinated strategy for your entire fiscal year, but we’re talking about winter now! Let’s take a look at a few other popular giveaway items.

Here are some of our favorites to start your brainstorming

Custom branded beanie

January/February giveaways work best for beanies. New winter styles are released this time of year, and they’re easily customized with a variety of Pantone colors, and of course, your logo. Beanies are available with and without pompoms.

Embroidered scarfs

Like sports team scarfs, company scarfs are popular in the cold months. This added protection from winter’s chill will be warmly appreciated by recipients, who will wear your logo everywhere they go on those frosty days. Scarfs can also be a fun employee giveaway to cultivate team spirit.

Memorable custom mittens and gloves

You want grateful customers in the winter months? Give them mittens or gloves. There’s nothing cozier, and these make a particularly good giveaway at winter events. Many people will put them on when they leave, then pack them, take them home, and wear them for many seasons to come.

Fuzzy custom socks

A little on the playful side, yet incredibly practical in cold weather, fuzzy socks can be a popular giveaway item for events, client visits and new business meetings this time of year. Fuzzy custom socks can look plain, outrageous, or anything in between, but they’re always nice and warm. Definitely one of our most popular giveaway items.

Mug and tea or cocoa set

An instant winter favorite, warm beverage ware brings winter cheer to your customers and potential customers. Branded mugs are often kept for work and office use by recipients, making them a nice piece of advertising around the workplace. Add some cocoa or an assortment of teas, and you have a classic gift that will warm hearts and tummies.

Thermos and Tumblers

We’re all on the go, these days, so insulated drink containers are more popular than ever. Put your logo on a Thermos or insulated tumbler, and you’ll be sending it out into the world to be seen by many people on many journeys. You can also add a custom quote or meme to amp up the personality of your brand. These gifts are particularly popular for people with mobile lives, like salespeople and consultants, but everyone loves receiving them.

Teddy Bears

It doesn’t get much warmer and fuzzier than a teddy bear (or any kind of stuffed animal). This kind of gift makes a nice statement to the recipient, and it can be perfect for brands built around sensitivity to customers. When you embroider your logo onto a plush, stuffed animal, you’re connecting with a kinder, gentler advertising message that can resonate beautifully with the right audience.

Custom Screen-Printed Hoodies and Coats

Logo hoodies are extremely popular gifts, but they cost a few bucks. Many companies reserve these giveaways for prize drawings or bonuses to high-volume customers. Or give them to your salespeople and distributors to function as “walking billboards” for your brand. Give them away at trade shows, and you’ll probably see people walking around in them before the event is over. These can be screen printed or custom embroidered, giving you a broad range of design and resiliency options.

Blankets & Pillows

This is a fun giveaway item that can work wonders with the right recipients. Logo blankets and pillows may be used for travel, camping, guest room furnishings, or they may even make the “main event” of the sofa or master bedroom. In any case, the idea of a customer wrapping themselves up in your brand is nicely symbolic, and a great fit for many giveaways.

Embroidered Jackets and Coats

Again, the best custom gifts are practical, and nothing is more practical than a coat or jacket on those cold days. Available in a huge variety of styles and insulation values, a nice, warm-up garment is an exceptional billboard for your brand this time of year, and a gift that won’t soon be forgotten.

Every company is different, every customer base is different, and every giveaway has different business goals, but one thing is constant: winter. It brings us together, and it makes us feel a little cozier when someone shares some winter warmth and style. Whether you’re looking for a high-volume, low-cost giveaway item, or something really memorable for a smaller audience, US Logo has a huge selection of winter promo items, and we’re sure to have just what you need.

Is your brain churning with new ideas? Give us a call at (316) 264-1321 from 8 to 5, Monday – Friday, to discuss promotional options that will bolster your brand and create goodwill among customers and employees alike.