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15 November, 2026

What Australian Research Tells Us About Branded Merchandise

I've worked in promotional products for more than twenty years, and for most of that time I've relied on what I see with my own clients to explain why branded merchandise works. When a business orders a good drink bottle or a decent polo, they tend to come back. That repeat business has always been my best evidence that good merch works.

That’s why the latest research from the Australasian Promotional Products Association (APPA) caught my attention. APPA commissioned two independent studies across Australia and New Zealand, surveying 627 people: 399 who had received a promotional product, and 228 buyers who purchase them for their business. It’s good to have numbers that reflect people here, and the findings back up a lot of what I’ve seen over the years.

People Remember The Brand On The Item

The figure that stood out to me first was recall. According to APPA, 81 percent of recipients could name the brand on a promotional product they had received, which the study says outperforms average recall for digital and print advertising.
That makes sense to me. An ad is gone the moment you scroll past it. A pen on your desk or a bottle in your bag is something you see every day, often for months.

Recall Turns Into Purchases

Businesses understandably want to know whether remembering a brand leads anywhere. The APPA research found that 77 percent of recipients had gone on to buy a product or service from a brand after receiving a promotional item.

To me, that shows a branded item keeping a business in mind at the moment someone is ready to buy.

People Talk About What They Are Given

The study also found that 84 percent of recipients had told someone else about a brand after receiving a promotional product. That is word of mouth nobody had to ask for.
In my experience, the items that get talked about are the ones people actually like using. A quality umbrella on a wet day or a well-fitting cap at a weekend game starts conversations that a cheap giveaway rarely does.

Merch And Digital Work Together

I'm often asked whether promotional products still matter now that so much marketing happens online. The APPA findings suggest the two work well together.
According to the recipient study, 66 percent of people visited a brand's website or connected with it on social media after receiving a physical branded item. A tangible product can be the thing that sends someone online in the first place.

That is why I encourage clients to plan their merch and their online marketing side by side. A QR code on a notebook or a web address on a tote bag is a simple way to connect the item in someone's hand with what you're doing digitally. It works especially well on items people keep close, like drink bottles, lanyards and desk calendars, because the link is there whenever they need it.

What Buyers Are Looking For

The second study looked at the other side of the counter: the people who buy promotional products, mostly from micro and small businesses.

Price was the top factor when choosing a supplier, at 79.9 percent, with quality almost equal at 79.5 percent. That matches every conversation I have with clients. Clients want to keep costs down, and they also want their logo on something that lasts.

The research also found that 74.2 percent of organisations use promotional products mainly for brand building, with visibility and recognition as the core goals. That is a helpful reminder that merch is a long-term investment in how a business is seen. Brand building takes repetition, which is where a good product earns its place. A logo on a cap or a coffee cup gets seen week after week, by the person who owns it and by the people around them.

Service Still Counts

Customer service ranked third overall in choosing a supplier, cited by 60.7 percent of buyers. Responsiveness and reliability strongly influenced loyalty and repeat business.

I'm not surprised. Most of our clients are working to a deadline, whether it's an expo, a school event or a staff launch. Knowing an order will arrive on time and look right matters as much as the product itself.

Buyers Will Pay A Little More For Sustainability

One finding I think deserves more attention is that 52.2 percent of buyers said they would pay up to 10 percent more for sustainably sourced branded products. APPA describes price as a hurdle that buyers are willing to clear, and I agree.

We've seen steady interest in eco options such as bamboo products, recycled materials and reusable drink bottles. When the item is useful and well made, the sustainability story tends to strengthen the brand. Recycled stainless steel bottles, organic cotton totes and bamboo desk items are good places to start, and each one carries its sustainability story in the material itself.

Your Merch Says Something About You

The point in the APPA summary that I'd underline is that branded merchandise is a brand signal. Thoughtful, useful and responsibly sourced items reflect well on a business. Single-use, disposable items can undermine the very message a company is trying to send.

I've always believed the best promotional product is one people choose to keep.

What I Take From The Research

For me, the APPA studies confirm what good merch has always been about. Choose something useful, make sure it's made well, think about how it was sourced, and connect it with the rest of your marketing. Do that, and the item keeps working for your brand long after the event is over.

Source: APPA Recipient Study (n=399) and APPA End-User Study (n=228), Australia and New Zealand.

https://www.appa.com.au/assets/Industry-Research-Webinar-Series/APPA-Fast-Facts-One-Pager.pdf

The PromotionsOnly Team