If you're in the business of promotional products, you know the impact they can have on an organisation's marketing efforts.  But do you know these fun facts about promotional products?

1. Eight in 10 consumers own between one and 10 promotional products.
2. Fifty-three percent of these people use a promotional product at least once a week.
3. Six in 10 of them keep promotional products for up to two years.
4. Only one in five people will trash an unwanted promotional product.
5. Before receiving a promotional product, 55 percent of people had done business with the advertiser.  After receiving a promotional product, 85 percent of people did business with the advertiser.
6. With nearly six thousand impressions, bags generate more impressions than any other promotional product in the U.S.
7. Thirty-one percent of U.S. consumers own a promotional bag.
8. At one-tenth of a cent, bags tie with writing instruments for the lowest cost per impression of any promotional product in the U.S.
9. The first known promotional products – commemorative buttons – trace back to 1789 when George Washington was elected president.
10. Fifty-three percent of the time, promotional products create a more favorable impression of the advertiser.
11. Forty-eight percent of consumers would like to receive promotional products more often.
12. Consumers hang on to promotional products for an average of 6.6 months.
13. Sixty-nine percent of consumers would pick up a promotional product if they deemed it useful.
14. Sixty-three percent of consumers pass along the promotional products they no longer wish to keep.
15. Eighty-nine percent of consumers can recall the advertiser of a promotional product they'd received in the last two years.
16. Ninety-one percent of consumers have at least one promotional product in their kitchen, 74 percent have at least one in their workspace, 55 percent have at least one in their bedroom.
17. Seventy-seven percent of consumers say a promotional product's usefulness is the number-one reason to keep it, with health and safety products, computer products and writing instruments ranked as the most useful.
18. The top five buyers of promotional products are clients in education, finance, not-for-profit, healthcare, and construction.
19. Wearables are the top product category, followed by writing instruments, bags, calendars and drinkware.
20. The first promotional product tradeshow was held in 1914 – there were 32 exhibitors.
21. Women are more likely to have bags, writing instruments and calendars, whereas men are more likely to own shirts and caps.
22. Ownership of logoed outerwear is highest in the Midwest, with 15 percent of people owning an item.
23. Logo'd mugs in particular are more effective advertising than radio and television spots; 57 percent of people were able to recall the advertiser on a mug, versus 32 percent of radio and 28 percent of T.V.
24. Adding a promotional product to the media mix increases the effectiveness of other media by up to 44 percent.
25. Promotional products draw as many as 500 percent more referrals from satisfied customers than an appeal letter alone.