Five Major Insights From the 2026 ASI Ad Impressions Study

Promotional products are one of the most effective advertising mediums out there, with a low cost per impression and positive consumer sentiment. That’s not just my opinion as someone who has worked in this industry for over a decade. It’s backed up by more than 15 years of consumer surveys (known as “end-users” in promo industry vernacular) by ASI Research.

We released the latest iteration of the 2026 ASI Ad Impressions Study recently, and as always, it’s chock full of insights and information. As Nate Kucsma, ASI’s senior executive director of research, noted in an episode of the Promo Insiders podcast, the statistics are interesting in and of themselves, but there’s more to it than just loading up on fun facts to deploy at dinner parties.

“The real value in this,” he says, “is using the data to enable you to position promotional products to your clients in a favorable way versus other advertising they may be considering as part of their marketing mix.”

For this year’s Ad Impressions study, ASI Research focused on overall findings about the U.S. branded merch market as well as 19 different product categories. (Data from Canada, Mexico and Europe is forthcoming.)

You can read and download the U.S. report now. To whet your appetite, here are a few of the most compelling takeaways.

1. The bestselling promo products and most popular items with consumers don’t always align.

T-shirts – the promo industry’s top-selling product with $4.2 billion in sales according to Counselor’s 2025 State of the Industry Report – are also the item consumers say they’d be most excited to receive. Other items consumers are excited to receive are fleece/jackets, food gifts, blankets and bags. Drinkware, polos and caps/headwear – all categories that are top sellers – didn’t generate the same amount of excitement among consumers.

2. Promotional products are an exceptionally cost-effective form of advertising.

Consider this: A $6 tote bag generates nearly 5,000 impressions over its lifetime, generating a cost per impression (CPI) of about 1/10 of a cent. Similarly, a $13 baseball cap delivers an average CPI of just 3/10 of a cent. Even higher-priced items like fleece and outerwear maintain a low CPI (of less than 4/10 of a cent per impression) because of how long recipients keep and wear them.

3. Useful products have the longest shelf life.

Over two-thirds of U.S. consumers say they would keep a promo item because it’s useful. That percentage is even higher for inherently practical items such as umbrellas, housewares, health and safety products, and tech accessories like USB drives and power banks.

4. Sustainability and responsible sourcing are important factors for consumers.

Compared to the previous edition of the ASI Ad Impressions Study, there was a notable increase in the percentage of consumers who said they would have a more favorable view of an advertiser that gave them a promo product that was sustainable, Made in USA or socially responsible.

That should be welcome news for an industry that has been making strides in upping its sustainability. A joint ASI-PPAI third-party study released earlier this year found that promotional products deliver strong brand recall with relatively low carbon emissions, including a carbon impact per memorized impression that’s eight times smaller than digital advertising.

ASI has also been documenting sustainability efforts on its Promo for the Planet site, which includes the Do-Gooders Directory page, listing giveback programs, corporate social responsibility initiatives and sustainability certifications from suppliers and distributors.

5. Consumers prefer promo products to all other forms of advertising.

Nearly 80% of U.S. consumers who receive a promo item say they have a more favorable impression of the advertiser afterward, and three in four report they’re more likely to do business with a company that gives them promo.

Year after year, the ASI Ad Impressions Study has found that consumers prefer promo above all other forms of advertising, including TV, social media, radio and online advertising.

DOWNLOAD THE ASI AD IMPRESSIONS STUDY

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.