ASI Study Shows Promotional Products Drive Results

By Allee Bruce

ASI recently released the full 2026 Global Ad Impressions Study, highlighting the continued influence and impact of promotional products as an advertising medium.

For this year's report, ASI Research surveyed thousands of consumers globally to gain insights into how they view and value promotional products. Respondents included promo recipients in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and nearly two dozen European countries, broken down into three segments: the United States, Canada, and the international market.

One common thread from the report: Consumers value promotional products more than other forms of advertising. Some highlights from the report:

Consumers across all markets said they would be more likely to do business with an advertiser after receiving a promotional item, including 79% of U.S. consumers, 87% of Canadian consumers, and 92% of international consumers.
After receiving a personalized promotional item, 68% of U.S. consumers said they would have a more favorable view of an advertiser, compared with 78% of Canadian consumers and 89% of international consumers.
Usefulness drives retention, with 78% of U.S. consumers, 85% of Canadian consumers, and 74% of international consumers saying they would keep an item because it is useful.
T-shirts are the most desired promotional product among U.S. (55%) and international (48%) consumers, while food gifts ranked highest among Canadian consumers (53%).

“We know that promotional products have a significant impact on consumer behavior around the world,” Nate Kucsma, ASI’s senior executive director of research, said in an announcement. “With clients asking harder questions about performance and ROI, our industry can use the specific, straightforward data from our Ad Impressions Study to show clients exactly how much power a well-targeted promo campaign can have.”

To get a better understanding of the value and effectiveness of promotional products for end-users, view the full report.