Every year companies ask us the same thing:
“Do promotional products actually work?”
Fair question. Budgets are tight, marketing channels are noisy, and you want to know if putting your logo on a hoodie is worth it. Spoiler: yes. Let’s break down why branded merch still punches above its weight in 2025.
Merch vs Digital Ads: Who Wins?
Think about this. You run a digital ad, pay per click, and after a few seconds the audience scrolls past. Money gone. Impression gone.
Now picture a hoodie. You hand it to your team, your customers, or your event crowd. They wear it again and again. Every single time, your logo shows up at coffee shops, gyms, airports, and grocery stores. That is hundreds of impressions for the cost of one item.
Digital ads disappear. Hoodies get washed and re-worn. Which one wins in the long game?
What the Numbers Say
Industry studies back it up. Promotional products are still one of the highest ROI marketing channels. Here’s why:
- Cost per impression is tiny. A quality hoodie might get worn 50+ times. Do the math, and your brand visibility per wear costs pennies.
- People keep merch. Research shows 80 percent of people own branded apparel. Half keep it for over a year.
- Repeat wear = repeat exposure. Every time someone wears your gear, it is another impression you did not have to pay for.
That is ROI you can measure without a spreadsheet meltdown.
Why It Works in 2025
1. People are tired of ads. Nobody brags about the banner ad they saw. But they will happily wear a soft hoodie with your logo if it feels good.
2. It builds culture. Branded apparel creates belonging. Teams in uniform feel connected. Employees in onboarding kits feel welcomed. That is value that doesn’t show up in a Facebook Ads dashboard.
3. It scales organically. Your merch walks out of the office, shows up at the grocery store, travels on flights, and ends up in Instagram posts. That is marketing you did not have to buy.
How to Maximize ROI
Not all swag is created equal. If you want returns, skip the flimsy stuff. Focus on:
- Quality blanks. If it feels good, they wear it more.
- Useful items. Hoodies, tees, bottles, tech gear. Not plastic stress balls.
- Intentional design. If it looks cool, people wear it beyond the office.
- Quantity sweet spots. Bulk orders drop your cost per item, making ROI even stronger.
The formula is simple. Good gear + consistent wear = brand impressions that outlast your campaign.
Final Word: Merch Still Works
So do promotional products actually work in 2025? Absolutely. When done right, custom merch has a longer shelf life and a lower cost per impression than almost any digital ad.
It is not just about slapping a logo on fabric. It is about creating something people want to keep, use, and wear. That is how your brand travels, builds culture, and sticks in people’s minds.
And in a world where everyone is drowning in digital ads, being on someone’s favorite hoodie is still the smartest ROI move you can make.