We’ve been observing trends in the corporate merchandise sector: tried-and-tested favourites continue to play a central role in promotional campaigns, while new categories and tech solutions are emerging to meet specific needs.
So, let’s answer a few key questions: what’s working in the industry today? Are businesses looking for new products or sticking with the classics? And what role does technology play?
First, however, there’s one conclusion worth highlighting: innovation and tradition are not competing with each other. While classic products such as water bottles, pens, backpacks and T-shirts continue to attract interest, new tech gadgets are emerging to meet specific needs and carve out their own place in the market.
· The classics still deliver
In an industry where new materials, formats and technologies appear every season, it might seem natural to assume that traditional products are losing ground.
However, data from Gift Campaign customer purchases tells a different story. Personalised water bottles, promotional pens, branded backpacks and personalised notebooks remain important categories in corporate merchandise. This isn’t just about tradition: these products are easy to incorporate into a wide range of campaigns and offer immediate practical value.
A water bottle can be used at the office, at the gym or during an event. A pen fits into almost any professional setting. A backpack can accompany its recipient for years, while a T-shirt can serve as a promotional giveaway or as part of the uniform for employees, associations or event participants.
Our own experience with customer orders points in the same direction. We have found that categories such as bags, water bottles, pens, backpacks and notebooks continue to account for a significant share of purchases.
The conclusion seems simple: in promotional merchandise, novelty doesn’t necessarily outweigh practicality.
· Even familiar products are evolving
The fact that classic products continue to perform well doesn’t mean they’re the same as they were ten years ago. Some of the industry’s most interesting developments are taking place within these very categories.
Water bottles increasingly feature thermal insulation, temperature displays, recycled materials and new opening mechanisms. Backpacks come with dedicated compartments for electronic devices, RFID protection and water-resistant materials. The textile sector also offers a growing range of fabric weights, compositions and finishes.
Materials are changing too, as manufacturers explore more sustainable options and finishes that make branded products more appealing. One example is the growing use of acacia wood in new collections, where bamboo previously played a more prominent role. You can explore this trend in our article comparing acacia wood and bamboo, which examines the advantages of both materials.
In other words, many classic products aren’t disappearing; they’re simply evolving.
· Tech gadgets are becoming increasingly popular
At the other end of the spectrum are products that had a much smaller presence in promotional catalogues just a few years ago.
Technology has become one of the most dynamic areas of the industry, introducing new formats and features. Two categories attracting increasing attention are smart trackers and power banks with wireless or magnetic charging.
The reason is easy to understand. Unlike some more traditional promotional tech gadgets, these products address very practical needs in everyday life.
· Trackers: a trend to watch
Losing your keys, backpack, suitcase or even certain work tools is a fairly common problem. Smart trackers are designed to help solve it.
Current models can connect to smartphones and, depending on the device, integrate with ecosystems such as Apple Find My or Google Find Hub. Some also feature audible alerts, keyring designs, replaceable batteries or USB-C charging.
From a promotional merchandise perspective, they have another particularly interesting advantage: they stay close to the user, as they’re usually attached to everyday items and accessories.
A promotional gift becomes more valuable when it stops being simply a surface for displaying a logo and starts to solve a practical problem.
A tracker attached to someone’s keys and used every day is far more likely to remain in use than an item chosen purely because it looks unusual or eye-catching.
This is precisely what makes this category so interesting for promotional merchandise: technology isn’t an end in itself; it becomes part of the product’s everyday usefulness.
· Magnetic power banks: simple, cable-free charging
A similar trend can be seen in portable chargers.
Personalised power banks have been part of promotional tech merchandise for years, but this category is evolving too. One format becoming increasingly common is the magnetic power bank, such as this model from the Gift Campaign catalogue.
Unlike traditional power banks, magnetic models attach directly to compatible devices, reducing the need for cables and allowing users to continue using their smartphones while charging.
This type of product reflects the direction in which part of the promotional tech market appears to be heading: fewer gadgets designed simply to look innovative, and more accessories built around technologies that consumers already use in their everyday lives.
· Technology is great, but it needs to be useful
One of the most interesting trends emerging from the industry’s evolution is the relationship between technology and practicality.
Not every tech product automatically makes a good corporate gift. To be effective, it needs to offer a tangible benefit.
A tracker helps users find lost items, a power bank provides extra battery life, a wireless charger reduces the need for cables, and a hub expands a computer’s connectivity options. Technology makes sense when it meets a real need.
That’s why the real trend probably isn’t simply about giving away more technology. It’s about choosing promotional gadgets that have already demonstrated a clear, practical purpose beyond the promotional merchandise market.
· Innovation or classic favourites? What these trends tell us
Looking at how product categories and the available market offering are evolving, our impression is that the industry isn’t replacing one category with another. Instead, it’s expanding the options available to businesses.
Classic favourites continue to perform well because they meet simple, universal needs: drinking, writing, carrying belongings and getting dressed.
At the same time, new products are emerging to address needs that played a much smaller role just a few years ago, such as tracking personal belongings or keeping electronic devices charged throughout the day.
Purchasing trends in the UK promotional merchandise sector highlight the continued appeal of everyday essentials alongside growing interest in technology products. Industry insights from Arcadia point to established categories such as pens, bags and drink ware remaining important, while power banks and charging accessories offer businesses additional options for their campaigns. This suggests that companies don’t necessarily have to choose between traditional merchandise and newer products. Instead, the most effective approach is to select items that combine practical value with the needs of the target audience and the objectives of the campaign.
When choosing promotional merchandise, businesses should therefore look beyond simply asking which products are trending. It can be much more useful to ask three questions:
- Will the recipient actually use it?
- Is it suitable for the context in which it will be distributed?
- Does it reflect the brand image we want to convey?
In some cases, the answer will be a water bottle or a pen. In others, it might be a tracker or a magnetic power bank. By taking this approach, businesses can ensure their promotional merchandise is genuinely suited to the audience they want to reach. Because, ultimately, isn’t that the goal of every promotional campaign?