Promotional products now rank #1 in consumer advertising preference, ahead of TV, internet, mobile and social media. That is not a minor finding. It is a signal every brand manager should act on.
The Advertising Speciality Institue surveyed thousands of consumers across the United States and internationally for its 2026/2027 Global Ad Impression Study. The numbers tell a clear store: branded merchandise generates lasting goodwill, drives purchase intent, and delivers measurable ROI, and the products that do it best share one defining tratit. They are high quality and genuinely useful.
For companies running corporate stores and employee merchandise programs, this data is a direct arguement for getting your product strategy right. At iCoStore, it confirms what we have built our platform around: on-demand production, in-house decoration, and curated product selection that puts your brand on items people actually want to keep.
The Top-Line Numbers
No other advrtiasing format scored as high on positive consumer sentiment. Not TV. Not digital. Not social. Promotional products outrank them all. The reason is straightforward: a well-chosen branded product delivers value to the recipient every time they use it. That is earned attention, not paid interruption.
Quality Drives More Than the Logo
When asked why they keep promotional products, 55% of consumers cited quality and 50% cited design. Brand name registered on 30%. The product earns its place in someone’s life before the brand does.
That has a direct impact on impression value. A quality fleece jacket generates 9,000 lifetime impressions at less than half a cent each. Bags deliver 4,900. Caps and T-shirts reach 4,000 and 3,500 respectively. A cheap item that gets discarded generates zero and may impact your brand value.
Sourcing Is a Brand Decision
The study also measured consumer response to sustainable, Made-in-USA, and socially responsible products. The favorability life is consistent across every category,. Sustainable bags lift brand perception by 86%. Made-in-USA writing instruments hit 86%. Socially responsible bags reach 87%. Choosing better products is not a cost center. It is a brand investment.
The data is clear. A well-run branded merchandise program anchored in quality wearables, responsibly sourced products, and on-demand fulfillment is one of the most cost-effective brand investments available. The question is whether your program is built to take advantage of it.
Research provided by the Advertising Speciality Institute, 2026. All Rights Reserved. Data sourced from the ASI Global Ad Impressions Study 2026/2027 Edition.
