Best 50 promotional products and trends to create brand loyalty in 2025

Who doesn’t love free promotional products? There’s something undeniably fun about receiving an impromptu gift, whether it’s as simple as a fridge magnet or as tasty as a box of sweets. 

Promotional products are a great tool for  business owners who want to boost their brand recognition and drive customer loyalty. And you get the added benefit of showing off the business you’re so proud of—there’s nothing better than seeing someone wear your logo on a T-shirt, right? 

But how do you know what promotional products your audience will actually like? How do you choose between products as varied as a USB stick or even an umbrella?

Promotional product trends in 2024

1. A majority of people love getting promotional products—and actually use them: Worried you might be giving away a bunch of stuff that nobody wants? It turns out that a lot of people really do like free swag, especially from businesses. They also agree that it helps them get to know a brand. 

  •   61% agree that promo products help build brand awareness
  •   58% say they love getting promo products
  •   54% say they regularly use promo products in their day-to-day life 
  •   44% say they prefer to get products from an unknown brand or small business 

2. People like stuff they can use every day, but they don’t mind a bit of flair, either: Surveyed consumers do want the basics—pens, T-shirts, mugs and tote bags. When asked about their ideal products, most consumers want them to be “useful” (53%). But 42% also said they like their swag to be “unique.” How about branded lip balm, for example? 

3. Getting swag can change how consumers feel about a brand: Promotional products do their job, according to research; they make people remember and feel more positive about a brand. 

  • 66% say they’re more likely to view a brand positively after getting swag
  • 49% are more likely to remember the brand
  • 43% are more likely to recommend the brand to others

4. Get creative with your design: You’d be forgiven for thinking most people want products that play it safe. Our survey actually shows that people love a brand design that stands out. The majority of people prefer promotional products with eye-catching design (49%), followed by a unique/unusual design, such as an illustration or graphic (47%).

Top 50 best promotional items to give away

When 2,000 consumers were asked what items they prefer to receive from brands, pens came out on top, followed by T-shirts, mugs and tote bags. Here are the top 50 products for marketing in order of popularity:

Top 50 promotional customers want to receive

1. Pens

2. T-shirts

3. Mugs

4. Tote bags

5. Umbrellas

6. Water bottles

7. Flashlight

8. Calendars

9. USB chargers

10. Blankets or throws

11. Hoodies

12. Travel coffee cups

13. Headphones        

14. Caps

15. USB sticks        

16. Socks  

17. Car air fresheners        

18. Sweets        

19. Laptop or tablet cases

20. Hand sanitizers       

21. First aid kit       

22. Mousepads

23. Fridge magnets

24. Chocolate bars

25. Backpacks

26. Baked goods

27. Portable speakers

28. Phone covers

29. Bottle openers

30. Sunglasses

31. Tea towels or dish towels

32. Drinking glasses

33. Keyrings

34. Tape measure        

35. Coasters      

36. Glasses case

37. Photo frames

38. Stress balls

39. Packet of plant seeds

40. Laptop stickers   

41. DIY tools

42. Bookmarks

43. Lunchbox        

44. Drink koozie

45. Face masks (PPE)

46. Sweat bands

47. Car stickers

48. Beanie hats

49. Pop socket

50. Bicycle reflectors

Some food for thought, call us today to place your order