5 Reasons to Use Branded Premiums with Your Experiential Marketing

Thanksgiving makes me thankful for a lot of things… family, friends, work, naps, snack time…. the list goes on and on.  One thing it doesn’t make me thankful for… Black Friday.  I am pretty sure it’s the only Friday each year that I don’t look forward to.  Everyone knows what I am talking about… bumper to bumper traffic at the mall, long waiting lines, and people literally willing to fight you for that “last” off pair of UGG boots that AREN’T EVEN ON SALE!!
So why does everyone go?  Do you really think its all for the 10% off? I am telling you… it’s for the free stuff.

Each year my mom and I have a tradition… we wake up at 3:30…AM… and go to JCPenney.  Why you ask? ….LIMITED SUPPLY Disney snow globes given away at 4am of course!  It’s been almost 10 years since we started collecting.  Each year I tell my mom, “This is it, I’m sorry but we are NOT going next year”, but of course every year I drag myself out of bed to go get the snow globes that may or may not cost $1.75.

Each year I make it VERY CLEAR… we are going to get those snow globes and then we are LEAVING!

NEVER happens. NEVER.

“MOM.. have you seen… THE RED AND GREEN COTTON BALLS!?! WOW, tiny buttons!” Need I say more besides… Well done JCPenney… you have won again…

Obviously after ten years I have gotten more than my fair share out of this free snow globe deal… so you may be wondering… what do companies get out of premiums?  After interning at an event marketing company I know that experiential marketing has many perks….

  1. Long lasting – The right premium or” snow globe” has the potential to stay with a consumer for years on end.
  2. Visibility – With a brand’s logo on the premium, it has constant visibility.  Every Christmas when my mom takes out our snow globes JCPenney is displayed for all to see.
  3. Cost Effective – Premiums are can be extremely inexpensive and when paired with guerrilla marketing provides great exposure and ROI.
  4. Attracting Consumers – I don’t usually shop at JCPenney, but every Black Thursday JCPenney becomes one of my favorite stores.
  5. Conversation Starters – Premiums provide brands with a reason to reach out, engage and have a conversation with their consumers.  Whether it’s a loyal consumer or a new customer premiums can be conversation starters.

What have we learned from this?

  1. Premiums are a great resource of promotional marketing for businesses to attract consumers.
  2. I secretly love Black Friday.