A year ago, I set out to find the hottest trends in promotional items and apparel – or “swag” as we like to call it at Lessing-Flynn — but, trends come and go and cooler, newer items take their place. Plus, I like to think I’ve refined my taste in the past year and a half. The Flynnies have high standards for what’s “cool” so I had to keep up.

 

So, without further ado, here is my second annual take on what’s big in the swag-o-sphere for the year ahead:

 

Tech It Out

As the world becomes more hands-free and mobile, tech continues to be a leading focus in swag trends. From BluetoothTM speakers, portable chargers or wireless earbuds, there’s no room to toss around cheap promotional products anymore. Typically, tech items will cost you a bit more upfront, but remember, fans love to receive items that they can utilize on a daily basis. It also makes them feel appreciated. The more uses it gets, the more brand awareness you receive, which then drives down the overall cost per use.

 

Highlight Your Brand

Thought neon was a thing of the past? Many of our agriculture and construction client customers continue to request and utilize bright fluorescents. These colors are hard to ignore after all.

 

Tumblers, Koozies and Coolers – Oh My!

Just like in 2017, YETI® tumblers and koozies (and various quality knockoffs) are still a great option. They keep drinks cold for a long time out in the field — and everywhere else for that matter — and it’s something a customer will want to hold on to.

If tumblers and koozies aren’t enough, you can go bigger and better with a fully customizable cooler. High-end coolers are the way to go when you want to “treat” your key customers with something big or if you want to make a giveaway standout.

 

This year, Apache Sprayers gave away 100 of these YETI coolers with the purchase of a self-propelled sprayer — they SOLD OUT in record time.

 

 

Pop Some Bottles

Companies are allowed to have a little fun every once in a while, right? Show your appreciation with some custom bar accessories to make your brand the life of the party:

  • Wine Bottle Tote – Take the fun with you to the next company outing, but make sure its full!
  • Bottle Opener & Coaster – As part of a trade show promotion, Standard Golf left these customized coasters around gathering areas and social hours to promote their booth. They were swiped up quickly by show attendees. 

 

T-Shirts Never Fail

We’re big fans of the tried-and-true custom T-shirt at LF. Stop by our office on any given day and you’ll see nearly half the office decked out in LF gear. We can testify that apparel companies have figured out that comfort and fit are just as important as the logo on the shirt. We go for T-shirts with super soft, rayon fabric in various styles depending on the look we’re going for. We love our tee’s and thus we love promoting ourselves as walking billboards around town — you can do the same for your brand!

 

Not sure where to start with your 2018 swag goals? We got you covered. Reach out to the team with the best swag insight in Des Moines!