Happy New Year! If you are like us, you are probably just getting back to your regular routine after a busy and fun, but tiring holiday season. Now that the festivities are over, it’s time to get back to work and plan for the long year ahead. Many businesses will use the start of the year as an opportunity to revamp their marketing campaigns, and devise new ways to attract leads. This includes looking into new trends and fads that can be used as vehicles to increase brand awareness – that’s why we created a list of promotional product trends to follow this year. Employing a tactic such as keeping an eye on emerging trends can increase the impact of your campaigns, thus allowing you to take better advantage of the benefits associated with promotional advertising.

You will surely notice that several trends from previous years are alive and well – and still relevant for 2020. However you will also note that numerous new fads are arising as a result of technological developments, changing tastes and shifting demographics. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it!

Trend #1: Eco-Friendly Products Continue to Trend

This one makes us really happy, and we are glad that the optimism of eco-friendly products in the promotional products industry is still thriving.  Eco-friendly products have been on the rise for the past couple of years, and really show no signs of slowing down – quite the contrary in fact. With more and more cities introducing plastic bag bans, and the debate regarding climate change heating up, you can be sure that companies will want to show their eco-consciousness. Re-useabletote bags,water bottles,bamboo products, and items made from recyclable materials are the most popular in this category as they diminish waste generated from plastic.

Trend #2: Retail Inspired Products 

If you are thinking of investing in promotional products, pay attention to retail trends. Retail brands have enormous influence not only on the types of products that the public wants, but also on the features of those products. You can expect to see well designed and visually appealing promo products to be in high demand in 2020 as they emulate the look and feel of popular retail products. A great example areinsulated drinkware products. Look out for bottles with bold colours, simple designs and matte finishes as these trends are booming in the retail world this year. Businesses can brand these with their logos, and use the public’s preferences as a way to build rapport with them. 

Trend #3: Health & Wellness

Being healthier is at the top of many people’s New Year’s resolutions list, and businesses can support them on their journey by providing products that encourage a healthy lifestyle. In recent times, the issue of mental health has received a considerable amount of attention prompting a number of online campaigns to open the dialogue and remove the stigma associated with mental health. This is why we can expect to see a demand for promotional products that provide calming experiences such as:stress relievers,hot/cold packs and coloring books. We can also expect to see products that help track and preserve health such as:pedometers,hand sanitizers andfirst aid kits.

Trend #4: Tech-Related Products

The last trend should not come as a shock to anyone and should be expected as technology continues to accelerate. 2020 sounds like we are living in the future. Did you know the movie Blade Runner (1982) takes place in 2019? While their prediction of the future was overly-optimistic to say the least, we can still see the role of technology steadily increasing in our everyday lives. As our dependence on smart phones, tablets, and smartwatches continues to trend upward, there are endless advertising opportunities that come with it. Accessories such as: custom branded power banks, bluetooth speakers, phone wallets andstands will be immensely popular this year.

Whether its fashion, technology, entertainment or promotional products, trends are ever-changing. Make sure you stay on top of them to maximize your marketing potential. Use these trends as inspiration for your next campaign and experiment with them to create a unique branded gift.