Big Brands Use a Marketing Trick: Custom Logo Products That Work Like Magic
Think of the coffee mug you like best. Is there a Nike swoosh, a Starbucks mermaid, or maybe a tech business you met at a conference? That logo isn’t simply there for fun. Big brands love to put their yeti mugs with company logo on things you use every day.
Let’s be honest. People enjoy things that are free. You may walk by a billboard a thousand times and not remember it, but if someone gives you a cool water bottle at an event, you’ll remember them. Custom branding items can get into your office desk or gym bag without you knowing. It sneaks up on you like a ninja while you drink your morning coffee or charge your phone.
Three years ago, I got a tote bag at a pet food convention that I still use. People who live around me think I have five dogs. But that brand is now stuck in my head. You can praise major brands for knowing how to stay with you without being needy. Custom merch says, “Hey, I’m useful!” Stay with me. That’s not as obnoxious as a pop-up ad, right?
One important benefit of these products is that they repeat. If you see the brand on your lunchbox every day at work, it becomes part of you. Logos change color to match their surroundings. Do you have too many T-shirts? Give one to a friend. That logo goes on a brief trip, spreading without spending any more money.
There is now an art to choosing which items to put a logo on. What about umbrellas? Great for impressions on a rainy day. Chargers for phones? A brilliant idea, considering everyone worries about how long their batteries will last. Brands don’t just put their logo on anything. They want something that people will use, wear, or show off. If that pen leaks or that clothing shrinks in the wash, they get points taken away.
Don’t forget about the bragging rights. When you walk into a workplace, you’ll notice branded gear lined up like soldiers on every desk. It turns into a quiet status battle about who has the cooler gear. Adults also like to feel exceptional, it turns out. People converse about big brands without even saying a word.
This isn’t magic, but it works so beautifully that it seems like it is. Want to be different? Think like the big shots. Find useful, innovative things, put your logo on them, and let those mini billboards do the work for you. If your neighbor thinks you have a secret love for dog food because of your tote, you might finally have something new to talk about.