End Brandfill
Why do you buy merch, swag, promotional products? 🤔
If you can’t answer that question, STOP BUYING IT! 🛑
Seriously. Put the credit card away. Because without a clear answer, you are not marketing your business. You are filling landfills with your logo on it.
"If you can't answer why you're buying branded gear, stop buying it. Branded junk is worse than no promo at all. It tells people exactly what you think of them.".
Brandfill Is a Real Problem and You May Be Creating It
Brandfill is branded merchandise bought and given out with so little intention that it ends up in a landfill. Not in someone’s home. Not on someone’s desk. In the trash. Taking your brand reputation right along with it.
And it happens constantly, by well-meaning organizations who thought they were doing the right thing.
According to the Promotional Products Association International 2021 Consumer Study, 94 percent of people enjoy receiving promotional products. That number should excite you.
It also should concern you. Because the flip side is this: when the product misses, people remember that too. They remember who gave them something cheap, something useless, something that felt like an afterthought.
That’s not the impression you’re trying to make.
The One Question That Changes Everything
Before you spend a single dollar on promotional products, answer this:
Why am I buying this?
Not “because we have an event coming up.” Not “because everyone else does it.” A real answer. A strategic answer. One that connects the product to a purpose.
Here are legitimate reasons that lead to smart promo decisions:
- Recognizing employees for a milestone or achievement
- Building brand awareness in a specific market or community
- Attracting quality candidates at a job fair
- Thanking clients in a way that deepens the relationship
- Identifying team members in the field or at events
- Driving traffic to a trade show booth with intention
- Rewarding donors at a fundraiser in a meaningful way
- Motivating a specific action like a follow, a signup, or a referral
Notice what is not on that list: “because we needed something with our logo on it.”
Once your why is clear, the right product becomes much easier to find. You stop scrolling through a million options and start looking for the one item that fits your purpose, your audience, and your budget.
A Cautionary Tale
A large healthcare organization was rebranding and needed to announce the new name to thousands of employees. The moment called for something memorable, something that would get people excited about the change.
I suggested a logo-changing mug. Recipients would see the old logo until they poured hot coffee or tea, at which point the heat would reveal the new brand. Practical. Affordable. Creative. Perfectly matched to the message.
They chose plain white golf hats instead.
The hats went on shelves. Some went straight in the trash. A massive, motivated workforce that could have become enthusiastic ambassadors for the new brand walked away from the announcement underwhelmed. The organization knew why they were buying. They just failed to match the product to the moment, and brandfill was the result.
Good intentions are not enough. The product has to earn its place.
Knowing your why is only half the equation. The product still has to match the moment, the audience, and the message. A mismatched promo with a clear purpose is still brandfill.
This Is Also the Heart of a Book
This post is adapted from Sandee’s upcoming book, From Brandfill to Brand Value, a complete guide to choosing and using promotional products that actually work. If you want smarter promo decisions before the book releases, the team at D and S Designs is ready to think it through with you.
Keep reading
If you have a brand partner, co-op marketing funds might cover more of your next wearables order than you think.
Matching your promotional product to the right audience is the single most reliable way to improve your return on investment.
Promotional products chosen well are one of the most cost-effective, longest-lasting forms of marketing available. Chosen poorly, they are landfill with your logo on it. The difference is intention. Start with your why, match it to the right product and the right audience, and your next promo order becomes an investment instead of an expense. Ready to do it right? Reach out to the team HERE and let’s start there.
