At the recent Promotions East in Atlantic City, PPAI Board Chair Stan Breckenridge made the following points, as summarized by Gene Geiger:

Promotional products
• Are cost-effective.
• Are not intrusive. Rather they are welcomed by the recipient.
• Deliver a positive, powerful and personal message.
• Fit every budget. Company names, logos and slogans can appear on anything from packs of gum to crystal vases.
• Offer endless versatility. Promotional products can be used to motivate, reward, remind, persuade, introduce, advocate or even protest. They can promote ideas, products, companies, people, places, organizations or causes.
But one of the biggest advantages of promotional products advertising is that it is multi-dimensional and reaches all the senses. It can be seen, heard, touched, smelled and even tasted.

That is why, in the last four recessions here in the US, promotional products sales have increased!