One criticism that branded merchandise has faced as a marketing medium is wastefulness. People often end up pondering the following questions:
At the end of a marketing campaign, what do I do with all the unused promotional items?
Where shall I store unclaimed branded giveaways after events?
Should I discard branded stationery with my old logo after a company rebrand?
There is one important rule: don’t just throw it away!
Branded merchandise suppliers and distributors have had to clean up their act over the last few years and put sustainability at its core. Rightly so. It’s not just products and materials that are more environmentally friendly, it’s business practices too. As part of our sustainability commitment, we want to encourage our clients to make more responsible decisions with their branded products too. So, here’s some suggestions on what to do if you’re facing some of the questions listed above and have “old” or “unwanted” company branded merchandise.
Gift to clients or staff members.
If you’ve recently run a marketing promotion or attended a trade show, there is a chance you’ll have left-over promotional branded merchandise. Rather than stuff this into the back of a cupboard, never to be seen again, why not gift the merchandise to existing clients or your staff members. With your clients, it may help build brand recognition and loyalty, as “feeling appreciated” is the number one emotional response to being gifted merchandise according to the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA). With employees, being given company branded merchandise helps them feel like part of a team and can increase levels of job satisfaction and even decrease staff turnover rates.
Upcycle or rebrand.
Company rebrands can often leave us with lots of merchandise with our old branding. This could be everything from stationary to office decoration. While not true of all branded items, you may find that some products can be rebranded or upcycled with your new logo or colouring. For example, maybe you have branded deckchairs on your funky office patio, or that your take to events. You may find your original supplier can print new material to hang rather than discard the deckchairs. Or you may be able to have embroidered logo patches printed that can be sewn over the old logo placement. Dome stickers are another great option of professional looking branding that can be used to cover old logos.
Repurpose.
There are times when the merchandise you have in storage might not be appropriate for giving away or likely to be in high demand. In this case, you might find that the material can be recycled and/or repurposed. One great example of this we’ve seen recently is old event t-shirts and socks repurposed into branded soft toys. What was particularly brilliant about this idea is that the t-shirts and socks were already in the brand colours and so added
an extra element of brand awareness.
Donate to charity.
If your branded merchandise is unlikely to be wanted by clients and staff and can’t be rebranded, recycled or repurposed, then consider donating it to a charity. Not only is it good for the environment, it can also be great for your company’s image and CSR. It’s a great way of making connections and being part of your local community. However, if you’re struggling to find a local cause that would be interested in your unwanted merchandise, there are larger organisations set up to help. One such organisation is called A Good Thing. They will find the right charity for your unwanted branded merchandise and any other office items that you may no longer have use for. They’re so effective, we have used them ourselves.
Beyond all these handy tips, there are other considerations you can take before time in future to help you stay sustainable in your branded merchandising. One, is to consider the end of life of your products. There are many products available that are made eco materials and are recyclable or compostable at the end of their life, meaning any of your discarded merchandise won’t be found filling up landfills.
If you’d like any more information about sustainable merchandise schemes or would like some information on branded merchandise that have more positive end of life materials, get in touch with our team on sales@arcadiams.com or visit our sustainable consultancy page.
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