New Study: Businesses in South Spend Most on Promo Products

Advertisers nationwide spent average $56.13 on each person in the U.S.

TREVOSE, PA – May 3, 2011 – A new study reports businesses and organizations in the South led the nation in money spent on logoed promotional products like pens, caps and T-shirts, for a total of $5.9 billion worth in 2010 – an average $52.31 per person.

Advantages magazine, published by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), reports companies spent an average $56.13 on each person in the U.S., for a total of $17.4 billion worth of logoed business giveaways.

A regional breakdown shows distributors of promotional products based in the Midwest sold $4.3 billion worth of imprinted items, an average $64.08 per person. Distributors in Western states sold $4 billion, an average $56.68 per person, followed by Northeast distributors, who sold $3.1 billion, an average $57.49 per person.

“What’s remarkable about this study is how robust the promo products industry really is, whether companies are in high-tech California or metro-heavy Northeast,” said Advantages Editor Kathy Huston. “According to our surveys, the industry as a whole defied the recession and grew by 9.1% in 2010.”

To read the Advantages report, click here.

The West is home to four of 2010’s top five promotional product suppliers: American Apparel, Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear, Sweda and Sunscope. With tech heavyweights like Apple, Microsoft, Google, Twitter and Facebook based in California and Washington, many promo product companies in the West focus on this sector.

Tech-related promo products like iPad cases, screen wipes, Flip cameras and USB-powered portable chargers are most popular.

Northeast suppliers and distributors reap the benefit of proximity to the country’s largest metropolitan region, and industries like health care, insurance, banking and education report total industry sales of over $3 billion, according to Advantages. Of that total, New York contributes most, with $1.1 billion; Pennsylvania $714 million and N.J. $494 million.

Promotional products include pens, T-shirts, caps, coffee mugs and high-tech electronics imprinted with a logo or slogan to promote everything from a new store opening or hot new product to a Super Bowl win.

For more information, contact Kathy Huston at [email protected] and 215-953-3337.

About ASI
Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) is the largest business-to-business media organization for the promotional product and advertising industry, offering award-winning publishing, marketing and e-commerce services to over 26,000 members. Visit ASI at www.asicentral.com.