I have written before on how custom promotional stickers are not a typical promotional product. I made similar points talking about what the best promotional products are. The point of both blog posts was that promotional stickers are not easily compared to most common promotional products (like gift baskets, pens, calendars, mugs, key chains, fridge magnets, etc.) because they have the ability to make impressions on a much larger audience than just the people in possession of the product. So, what is the best promotional product?
A few people pointed out that t-shirts (and other wearables) also broadcast to a wider market and encourage word of mouth marketing. True. But, I would still maintain that promotional t shirts and stickers are very different. There is no reason to have a “showdown”, as companies should always use a variety of promotional products that are a good fit for their individual marketing programs. But, if we were to have a showdown and you could only pick one product between stickers or t shirts, here are my top 5 reasons I think custom stickers come out on top as the best promotional product.
#5Â Â Focused Usage – There are no alternative uses for a promotional car sticker (except perhaps covering a rust spot). T-shirts may be harder to throw away, but they also make better dust rags and painting clothes (just ask my wife).
#4 Â Ease of Distribution – Stickers are small and flat. They can easily be sent in envelopes, included with products and information, hung from products as sticker hang tags, or handed out at will. T-shirts… not so much.
#3 Â Honesty of Endorsement – Let’s face it, if you put a sticker on your car or snowboard or locker, you love and support that product, company or idea. And once it is applied it is there 24/7. If you wear a t-shirt, hey, maybe you just needed something to wear because everything else was in the laundry. Is that t-shirt about love and dedication, or just a freebie that’s hard to throw away and occasionally gets some usage?
#2Â More Impressions – Let’s remember this marketing showdown between t shirts and stickers is about exposure and promoting. I think a bumper sticker on a car in a traffic jam is making more impressions and potentially starting more conversations than a t-shirt in a crowd of people. Signs and the car in front of you are hard to ignore when you are driving along – it’s a “captive audience”. People (and what they wear), on the other hand, are ignored all the time (it’s about personal space, don’t-look-them-in-the-eye).
#1 Â Better Value – The above reasons all contribute to the #1 reason I believe stickers rule over t shirts. Promotion is about impressions and getting more impressions and conversations for less money is a slam dunk.
Whether you are talking about t shirts and stickers, or any other promotional product it is important to not only pick the right products for your marketing goals but to effectively design them for maximum distribution, application (or wearability or usage), and in the end, impressions that align with your identity and goals. A t-shirt is not effective if no one is willing to wear it. A promotional sticker is not effective if it ends up in the trash or no one applies it in a visible location. Work closely with your marketing department, designers, and product suppliers to make sure your money is well spent on products and images that are effective in building identity, advertising and growing your business.
Other Relevant Posts:
The Best Promotional Products?
Why Do People Put Stickers On Cars?
Business Logo Stickers – 5 Design Tips
Jeff Nicholson is the founder and Creative Director at 
