Branded merchandise fits easily into the beats of work life. It is selling, all right–but it is recall. It is the pen, which remains in your hand even after the presentation. The sweatshirt which seems to creep into your wardrobe and one day ends up on the front of your table on a Saturday brunch. It is brand awareness without making much noise about it. Discover more here!

The ability to memorize frequently rests on touch. Human beings have a feeling of quality. The weight of a notebook in solid. The powerful, good feeling of a pen clicking. A mug that will not scald your fingers early one morning when you are half awake. These sensual touches are louder than any slogan ever was.

There is the power of timing. It is considerate and deliberate to present something useful at the very moment in time. You miss that window and the gesture is random. It is reasonable that a notebook that is distributed during planning season will be useful. The identical notebook that was handed out in mid-summer can be left untouched. Products sent with intent have more value.

There is the unwritten rule of respect as well. Employees aren’t billboards. There is no need why clients would choose to become walking advertisements. But give me something that will fit in with everyday life, and they will retain it–possibly even take it to their chests. And there loyalty is silently established.

Repetition can be risky. Recognition is created through familiarity whereas predictability kills interest. The fact that the same water bottle is reinstated every year is an indicator of autopilot. Change the material. Test a new texture or a new color. Keep curiosity alive. Brands lose their appeal when they are too much expected.

The social aspect of merchandise exists also. A jacket can allude to common experiences. A pin can be used to start a hallway conversation. I once witnessed a situation of two individuals reuniting after several years upon seeing the same event badge. It is very rare that digital campaigns generate such spontaneous bond.

There is always the element of cost. When it is cheap to touch, it can be disposed of. People can be afraid to use it in case it is too expensive. The harmony is in the practicality, things that will really find their place on a desk or a bag by fulfilling a minor, daily necessity.

Corporate merchandise does not mean having branded stock in storage rooms. It is about planting small seeds of a business in the stream of everyday life which are handy, common reminders that are quiet but persistent.