A short history of Branded Merchandise

Most companies consider branded merchandise as one of the most cost effective forms of advertising. Using branded merchandise and promotional products is a great way of establishing a message in the back of a customer’s mind. It is said that people tend to remember the companies who offer them promotional products more than the ones that do not. People also tend to hold onto their branded merchandise for a while and like to share their experiences with friends.

For a company branding merchandise with their company logo can be effective in many ways. One of which is that it stimulates the customer to come back to you, again and again, choosing you over your competitors, which is always a nice thought. The branding of merchandise idea hasn’t always been around. One of the very first known branded merchandise was in the United States with a commemorative button (campaign button). This dates back to the election of George Washington in 1789.

George Washington was said to use the campaign button as an effective way to advertise himself. Skipping forward to the early 19th century, there was some advertising calendars, rules, and wooden specialties, but there wasn’t an organized industry for the creation and distribution of promotional items until later in the 19th century.

One of the very first printers of brand merchandise was Jasper Meeks. He is considered by many to be the originator of the band merchandise industry because he convinced a local shoe store to supply book bags imprinted with the store's name to local schools. This soon caught on as in the 1970s an there was an explosion in growth of demand for promotional merchandise. Companies began to recognise the benefits gained from promoting their corporate identity, brand or products, with the use of promotional gifts, printed with their own logo on.

When branding merchandise first caught on, the range of merchandise you could apply your brand to, was limited. In the early 1980s, demand grew again for more promotional products that companies could brand as their own and leave with their corporate customers.

Branding merchandise soon went global and companies today, big and small brand their merchandise all over the world. Branded merchandise is used as giveaways at events, such as exhibitions, product launches, and conferences. Have a look at our range of Brand merchandise that you can get your company logo printed onto, to see just how much we have evolved over the years. Roll on 2020!