The Power of Bags

In 2008, the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) conduced a national survey of end users to determine the effectiveness of promotional products versus other advertising media. ASI was interested in determining the motivations, influences, uses and impact promotional products had on recipients. From this information, ASI was able to formulate the “cost-per-impression” promotional products have over more traditional media such as prime time TV, cable TV, national magazines and newspapers.
The study’s results highlighted some very favorable findings for the effectiveness of BAGS as an advertising vehicle. Here are some of those highlights for you:

In The Bag!: Bags were reported to be a frequently-used promotional product, an average of 9 times per month – even more than apparel.

Very Impressionable: Bags made the highest number of marketing “impressions” during their use, approximately 1,038 per month. This was more than shirts, writing instruments, drinkware, calendars, business accessories or awards.

Staying Power: Even more remarkable, bags were kept the longest, an average of almost 9 months. That’s nearly 10,000 marketing impacts over the life of the bag!

User-Friendly: More than 90% said their reason for keeping a bag was because it was considered “useful”. The second most cited reason was its “attractiveness”.

Total Recall: More than 90% could clearly identify the advertiser who gave them the bag and more than half (53%) said they now had a “more favorable” impression of the advertiser. Best of all, 68% reported doing business with the advertiser after receiving the bag!

Highly Cost Effective: The overall “cost-per-impression” for bags averages only $0.002. That’s less expensive than traditional media such as prime time TV ($0.019), cable TV ($0.007) or national magazines ($0.033). When measured against other promotional product categories, bags scored equally as well. Bags have a lower cost-per-impression than calendars ($0.003), drinkware ($0.004), shirts ($0.005) and business accessories ($0.007).

All of this points to something we’ve known all along: that bags are functional, mobile and valuable -- making them extremely effective marketing and branding vehicles. Buyers of bags get a better return on their advertising investment and greater exposure and impact for their message.