Promotional Trends for 2011
As the economy has started showing signs of slight recovery, marketing budgets on average are beginning to increase. One thing that has not changed, however, is that people still need to get the absolute most out of every marketing dollar spent in order to ensure their bottom line remains on the incline. As you begin planning for 2011, keep in mind the below trends you can expect to see in the coming year.

USB Drives. While logoed flash drives will remain a popular item, the models with storage capacity below 1GB will be phased out. The price on memory items constantly fluctuate. It reached a high in December '09 and has since decreased steadily throughout 2010. As the pricing dropped, the rate of the decline was faster on those with larger storage capacities, making the price difference between the 512MB and the 1GB minimal. As this continues, there will be no market for the 512MB drive and below, when larger drives can be purchased for nearly the same price.

Eco Products. Environmentally friendly products have grown in popularity over the past few years, but the recession made their higher price tag a big deterrent. While budgets are still tight, suppliers have found better ways to manufacturer eco products. This increased efficiency should result in Green products being offered for the same or less than their non-environmentally responsible counterparts, making them more accessible to budgets of all sizes.

Apparel. For those buying corporate apparel in 2011, the biggest change of the year will be the surge in synthetic fabrics. Even before the dramatic increase in cotton prices, synthetic fabrics were claiming larger shares of the market based on the technological advantages they offer. Performance apparel will continue to gain popularity while those constructed of mainly cotton will see a major decline this year.

Inexpensive Giveaways. As marketers strive to squeeze every penny possible out of their budgets, inexpensive items that have been proven winners will remain strong. This includes products like hand sanitizer spray and mint tins, which offer a lot of real estate for customization.

Product Safety. Over the past few years there have been growing concerns about overseas factories and the materials that are used in products coming into the United States. In order to provide reassurance and calm these fears, more suppliers in the Promotional Products industry will make product safety test reports readily available to consumers.

Home Entertainment. The recent economic recession has pushed many people to spend more time at home, creating an increase in popularity of houseware products and entertainment items. Popular corporate gifts in 2011 will include bar sets, serving dishes, glassware, etc.




Additional MacDryverisms:
The Vitamin C Saver roll is a great new product for health and wellness promotions in 2011. Vitamin C is a healthier, fat-free alternative to candy, making it a great inexpensive giveaway.
Appeal to techies in 2011 with this Quick Key Portable Power Keycahin. Eliminate the need to carry all charging cords with this portable large to small USB adapter. Key latch included.
Eco to go travel cups will be all the rage in 2011. It resembles a paper coffee cup, but this one's a keeper. The reusable plastic cup has double insulation, rubber grip, and a no-skid bottom. It's also BPA free!