Think of popular brand logos you could spot from far away or perhaps a slogan that instantly brings a brand to mind. These are just some of the examples of the power that good corporate branding can bring businesses.
But what is corporate branding?
Corporate branding is the strategy of promoting the brand rather than just the product or service. Creating a strong and consistent brand image helps you stand out from your competitors and keeps you in the minds of your target audience. When done right, corporate branding can result in growth, brand loyalty, and repeat business.
In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into everything there is to know about corporate branding and how promotional products can help in your branding strategy.
Understanding Promotional Merchandise
Think of the time you’ve attended an event or purchased something and received a complimentary product branded with the company’s logo. Promotional items are seen everywhere today and for good reason. They are an effective and cost-effective way to bring your brand more awareness.
Consumers’ engagement with branded merch is also on the rise since the pandemic, as 60% now reference promo products for information, more than double that (24%) of two years ago.
Promotional merchandise are items that are branded with your company logo or slogan and are distributed with little to no cost as a way to promote your brand. The strength of promotional products over other advertising tools is their longevity—giving your brand longer impressions and direct engagements that help build deeper connections.
Typical promotional products include branded apparel, office supplies, and even tech accessories. They can be seen everywhere from branded merchandise being sold at entertainment events to employee welcome kits containing company branded items given to new hires on their first day.
The Role of Promotional Merchandise in Corporate Branding
Promotional products are more than just giveaways. When used correctly, they go hand in hand with corporate branding by creating more memorable impressions and experiences with both clients and employees.
But to understand what makes promotional merchandise important, we must look at the difference between advertising and promotion.
Advertising is a continuous strategy to build long-term awareness and increase demand for the product or service. It typically has an end goal of brand building.
Promotions drive immediate responses by giving the buyer incentives such as discounts and free products. It can involve disseminating information about a product or company.
Promotional products are in an interesting position to offer a business the benefits of both advertising and promotion. They can last long enough to help advertise your brand in the long term. According to PPAI, 41% of consumers keep promotional merchandise for one to five years.
At the same time, they can give your brand that immediate promotional boost. PPAI states that around 80% of consumers react immediately to promotional and marketing products, even if they have never heard of the brand.
Advantages of Using Promotional Merchandise for Corporate Branding
Here are some of the advantages that promotional merchandise can bring to your corporate branding:
Brand reinforcement: Designing promotional products that are in line with your company image and values helps create a consistent image of who your brand is. By leveraging promotional products, you create a tangible connection for consumers to connect with your brand on a deeper level as they use and interact with your product.
Brand awareness: Promotional products become and extension of your brand and give you that visibility, especially with wearable items like t-shirts, tote bags, and caps.
Customer loyalty: In a PPAI survey, 78% of consumers mentioned they enjoy receiving free stuff from brands they love. Making customers feel happy and valued helps drive repeat business and foster brand loyalty.
Employee engagement: Branded promotional products help reinforce company culture and promote a sense of belonging within a team. This deepens their engagement with your brand as a whole.
Key Types of Promotional Merchandise for Corporate Branding
Promotional merchandise comes in many shapes and forms. Different companies have different needs for promotional products. There are factors like customer base, industry, and type of event that can dictate what promotional merchandise can be more relevant and useful for the occasion.
Corporate Uniforms and Apparel
Corporate uniforms and apparel are clothes designed to help employees represent a company with a unified look. There are plenty of benefits of corporate uniforms such as giving your team a distinct and professional look. This helps identify them when they’re meeting customers or going about their workday.
Uniforms also create brand consistency if designed to capture the brand’s colors. For new hires, getting their corporate uniforms can help create a sense of belonging and boost team spirit.
Welcome Kits for Employees and Clients
Welcome kits are strategic tools given to new employees to celebrate their first day. They can also be given to clients or key partners when celebrating business milestones.
These welcome packs are designed to be engaging and memorable for their recipients, often containing branded merchandise items that are functional for everyday use. There are many ways to design your welcome kit, but it’s good to consider your budget and target audience to really curate a kit that would be memorable for them. To make it more personal, add some personalisation by including items with their name on them or writing a personal message.
Branded Merchandise
Branded merchandise is a must-have for any promotional product giveaway for events and special occasions. They are simple, straightforward, and give your brand that extra exposure it needs. Whether it’s eco-friendly merchandise or fitness-related products, there are plenty of branded merchandise item ideas depending on your target’s profile and demographics.
Custom Office Supplies
The more usable a promotional item is, the more effective it is as a tool. Office supplies are another popular item for branded merchandise because they are simple and functional. Items like note pads, pens, desk organisers, and notebooks are all things that can be easily branded and packaged for your promotional merchandise use whether at home or in the office.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Merchandise
Appeal to eco-conscious consumers with eco-friendly and sustainable merchandise. The rising demand for companies to embrace ESG practices shows in changing consumer preferences for supporting companies that share that same advocacy.
Eco-friendly merchandise takes a spin on regular merch with the use of recycled materials and ethical supply chains. Organic tote bags, bamboo pens, and wooden desk lamps are just some examples of how you can add a greener twist to everyday promotional items.
Crafting a Promotional Merchandise Strategy
Now that we know of the impact of promotional merchandise on your business’ marketing and brand strategy, let’s take a closer look at how you can effectively implement it.
Setting Goals
Goal setting is the first and most important thing to do before starting on any promotional strategy. Understanding your goals gives you a clearer picture of what measurable steps you need to take to achieve them.
Do you want to increase brand recognition? Or do you want to build stronger relationships with existing customers? Are you planning to use promotional items for events or trade shows?
Understanding Your Audience
Knowing your target audience is pivotal to your promotional strategy’s success. A target audience is the specific group of people that your business wants to turn into regular customers. Researching your market and creating buyer personas can help narrow down who your audience is, making it easier to identify the right strategies that would work for them.
The same goes for building your promotional merchandise strategy. Understanding your target audience enables you to find products that would resonate with them based on their demographics and position these in the best way possible.
Aligning Merchandise with Brand Identity
Before you get excited and think of all of the different items you can mix and match into your promotional product pool, it’s important to align it with your brand. Think of your brand identity and brand values. What are the kinds of products that would best align with these?
A company that prides itself in being environmentally friendly would be more inclined to select sustainably sourced products that show their commitment. In the same way, a tech-focused company should include tech gadgets or accessories as a promotional giveaway.
There is no one size fits all for choosing the right promotional merchandise. The only thing that matters is that it best reflects who you are as a brand and what matters to you.
Incorporate your brand logos, tagline, and colors into the design to create a consistent brand experience with your other products and services. Making your merchandise seamlessly fit with what your brand stands for helps reinforce the image of who your brand is.
Make sure the designs are as creative and unique as possible to help you stand out, especially if these are branded apparel that gives plenty of room for creative designs.
But don’t stop there. Consider customising the products for your recipients to increase the engagement that you get out of them. A simple way to do this is by adding their names or initials on the product.
Best Practices for Distributing Promotional Merchandise
Employees as Brand Ambassadors
The best way to sell your promotional merchandise and the rest of your offerings to your customers is to walk the talk. When customers see that your employees are using your merchandise or wearing your apparel firsthand, it brings awareness to your brand as customers also get a glimpse of what the experience is like.
This is a cost-effective and authentic way to engage with customers. It also builds credibility as customers are more likely to trust employees rather than just words spoken by a business entity.
Corporate Events
Events can bring in a lot of brand exposure when done right. One way to stand out and draw the attention of your target audience is through promotional merchandise. Trade shows, conferences, and other corporate events are great avenues to distribute promotional merchandise.
People love free stuff and free promotional items as giveaways can make a difference in getting people to flock to your booth. Choose the right products and time your distribution strategy well to maximise your exposure. Take your event promotion to the next level by including personalisation options to your giveaway or adding some interactive element to your booth such as raffles or games.
Measuring Success of Promotional Merchandise Campaign
Key Metrics to Track
Knowing that customers ‘liked’ your branded merch isn’t enough. Today’s data-driven landscape demands that businesses are able to measure their campaign’s return on investment (ROI). Here are some of the key metrics to look out for:
Cost per Acquisition (CPA): CPA is the cost that comes with acquiring each customer or lead. Divide the total advertising cost by the number of new customers acquired through your promotional merchandise campaign.
Brand Awareness: Track your social media engagement, website traffic, or customer surveys to check the effectiveness of your merchandise campaign.
Brand Recall: Conduct surveys and focused group discussions to assess your brand recall after the promotional campaign.
Repeat Purchases: Track the number of customers who make repeat purchases after receiving promotional items.
These metrics can be tracked in various ways, from branded URLs and QR codes on your swag, to social media engagements, and lead capture forms.
But remember that it doesn’t stop at knowing the numbers. Optimising your campaigns based on the feedback and results helps ensure that you are on the right track.
Case Studies
The right use of promotional merchandise can go a long way. Check out some of our clients’ success stories at Red Tomato and see the different ways the right use of promotional merchandise helped them reach their business and marketing goals.
Country Racing Victoria
Every year, Country Racing Victoria brings together families and communities through the excitement of racing. Their Kids of Summer Racing campaign was aimed at increasing family engagement and boosting attendance, so they enlisted our help in creating complimentary merchandise products.
The end product was a free customised backpack that came with a trucker cap, patch kit, goggles, a retro lunch box, drink bottles, and sunscreen. The campaign was met with great results, with a dramatic increase of 5% in participants at local events from previous years and a 9% increase in gate revenue.
Kennards Hire
For their 70th anniversary milestone, Kennards Hire wanted to surprise the rest of the staff for all their hard work and loyalty. A custom Monopoly board was designed as a way to celebrate the family-owned business’ history and champion their different branches around Australia.
Red Tomato helped in managing the project from conception to fulfillment. During Christmas, around 2,000 Kennards Hire Monopoly boards were gifted to the employees. As word got out, fans of both the Kennards Hire brand and Monopoly sought to get their hands on the exclusive merchandise, which the business was proud to share with top customers and partners.
Promotional Merchandise Trends
AI Merch Generator
With AI ramping up, the promotional merchandise industry is also changing. AI enables hyper-personalised promotional marketing, highly targeted campaigns, and enhanced customer engagement, allowing businesses to make more relevant campaigns that customers would like.
One of AI’s applications is to help speed up merchandise brainstorming. That is made possible with Red Tomato’s free AI Merchandise Generator. Simply indicate the details of your promotional campaign and watch AI generate tailored branded merchandise ideas for every budget.
Conclusion
Establishing good corporate branding is all about creating a lasting brand impression on your target audience. Promotional merchandise gives you a tangible way to connect with consumers that can help bring brand awareness, customer loyalty, and long-term business growth.
Explore the possibilities of customised promotional merchandise with Red Tomato. Browse our catalogue and book an ideas call to make your corporate branding ideas come to life.
In today’s competitive landscape, how can brands stand out?
Branding is the process of cultivating and managing a company’s brand identity through assets and actions. The goal is to create a distinct identity in the minds of the target audience and stakeholders.
It’s a common misconception that branding is all about aesthetics and visuals. Branding helps distinguish you from the rest of the competition and communicate what you offer, highlighting what makes you unique. It also affects your brand’s perception and reputation, or how your target audience associates your brand in their mind.
There are many ways to communicate your company’s branding. One of them is through branded merchandise—promotional items designed with your brand’s logo and tagline. From simple stationery to more creative t-shirts, gadgets, and accessories, branded merchandise today can come in various shapes and forms.
8 Benefits of Branded Merchandise to Your Business
While advertising costs can be generally higher than promotional costs, branded merchandise presents itself as a cost-effective way to build brand awareness. Using branded merchandise as an advertising strategy can both promote your brand’s message and attract potential customers.
Let’s take a closer look at the different benefits branded merchandise can give your business.
Increases Brand Recognition
Creating merchandise for your brand can help generate more awareness and recognition. Just like any advertising platform like a TV commercial or a newspaper ad, the branded merch item can become an extension of your brand for your audience to see. What sets it apart is its interactive nature. Customers can’t always bring home the advertisements they see, much more interact with them.
Branded items on the other hand are things they can take home and use on a daily basis, like a branded coffee mug they can use for their morning routines or a branded notepad they can use in their home office. When your customers use and interact daily with items branded with your logo on them, helps keep your brand in your customer’s minds.
Emotional Connection with Customers
Branded merchandise is typically functional and often helps solve a pain point. For example, your brand might decide to give away branded pens and notepads during a conference or trade show. These items would give the attendees a neat way to take notes during the talks, solving a pain point.
Because your brand logo is displayed on the item, the positive experience they get with using your branded item can be associated with your brand. This helps establish an emotional connection with your audience by making them feel that you care for their pain points and value their experience.
Strengthens Customer Loyalty
One common tactic is giving away branded promotional products for every purchase. For customers, this simple gesture can mean that you value them and want to reward them for the purchase.
Research shows that 83% of customers would experience stronger loyalty to a brand that would give them a promotional product. Incorporate branded merchandise into your marketing strategy and increase your customer’s loyalty.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Unlike other marketing activities, branded merchandise has the advantage of longevity. In a world where billboard ads and social media ads only last as long as your budget allows, merch continues to exist as long as they are well-built and quality-made.
Promotional tote bags or backpacks can last a couple of years and offer a practical use of letting your customers carry around their items. Invest in high-quality branded merchandise to make sure that you get your money’s worth in advertising.
Enhances Employee Engagement
Strong company branding contributes to a stronger sense of purpose, which can help unite a team. Wearing or using branded merchandise helps foster a sense of belonging and strengthen the team’s bond especially when worn during company events or team building.
There’s no better way to display your company culture than with a well-curated induction package that includes a collection of various items and branded merchandise. Right from the get go, make your newest hires feel welcomed with branded merchandise that lets them feel like they’re part of the team.
Customisation and Personalisation
80% of consumers believe that personalised gifts are more thoughtful than non-personalised ones. Branded merchandise can be tailored and personalised to your audience to create a much more memorable experience.
Understanding who your target audience is and their demographics and interests is the first step in narrowing down what promotional items you can use. You can also tailor it to fit your current event, for example including branded water bottles and towels for a fun run giveaway.
Expands Business Reach
Introduce your brand to a whole new audience with the strategic use of promotional item giveaways. Corporate events, conferences, and trade shows often involve setting up booths to promote your brand’s products and services. Using branded promotional product giveaways can help draw more attention and drive foot traffic to your booth.
Promotional item giveaways can be a great way to introduce your brand, by taking the shape and form of a functional or trendy item. Whether it’s a limited edition company anniversary merchandise or a functional item they can use in their daily routines, promotional items are versatile marketing tools that can make your events much more memorable.
Creates Long Lasting Impressions
Unlike other promotional channels, branded merchandise lasts. 85% of consumers remember the advertiser who gave them the branded merchandise. This sets it apart from the other forms of advertising when it comes to longevity.
Its physical and tangible nature ensures more chances for awareness and engagement for your consumers because it can be used plenty of times.
Customers who are satisfied with getting your merchandise also can partake in social sharing by sharing their experiences with your brand on social media and recommending it to their friends and family.
Create Your Branded Merchandise with Red Tomato
With so much competition around, companies should look into investing in their brand strategy. Utilising branded merchandise is a cost-effective way to increase brand awareness, reach, and engagement.
Promotional products used for merchandise are often functional and relevant for everyday customers and have broad appeal, which makes it a great avenue for advertising. They can be bundled with the product or services or act as giveaways during trade shows and conferences.
Level up your branded merchandise and bring your creative ideas to life with Red Tomato! Book an ideas call with us and get started.
Promotional products, often referred to as branded merchandise, have become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to establish a strong brand identity. These are tangible items, usually imprinted with a company’s logo, slogan, or message that serve as marketing vehicles to leave a lasting impression on target audiences. Typically, promotional products are used as a long-term branding effort or part of event marketing efforts as giveaways.
Unlike marketing activities that are typically geared towards short-term goals like promoting a sale, branded merchandise falls into the continuous strategy of advertising to build long-term brand awareness.
Nailing the execution of promotional merchandise relies on careful selection and strategic implementation. By understanding the nuances of promotional product marketing, businesses can maximise their return on investment (ROI) and solidify their brand reputation.
Here are some tips on using promotional products effectively in your branding strategies and event marketing campaigns.
Define Clear Goals for Your Promotional Products
Promotional products are sometimes treated as one-offs during events and campaigns. But you will see more success if you treat promotional products as an integral part of your overall marketing strategy.
Just like any marketing effort, it’s important to start with defining clear goals. First, determine what your goals are. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Do you want to drive repeat customers? Or do you want to boost employee morale and engagement?
Knowing this is important because it will help dictate what promotional products will work, what your distribution strategy will be, and more.
Know Your Audience
Researching your target audience helps narrow down the kinds of branded merchandise that would best suit them. Conducting market research helps identify key details of your audience such as their age, gender, income level, lifestyle, and hobbies.
Even without getting professional market research done, you should have a clear picture of the characteristics of the people you want as customers.
Ask yourself these questions:
Where do they live?
What do they do for a living?
Do they have children?
What are their hobbies or things they like to do for fun?
What are their common pain points?
How can your product or service answer these pain points?
Choose the Right Products
There are two parts that go into choosing the right promotional product for your brand. The first is about the product’s usability. Branded merchandise is only as effective as the direct value it offers to your audience. The most common items you would see are pens and stationery items because of the innate functionality they give.
The next part is all about choosing a product that aligns and reflects with your brand identity. Promotional products become an extension of your brand so it would create a better impact if it aligns with your products, services, and identity. If you’re a technology-focused company, it would only make sense to have your branded merchandise be tech-related as well such as flash drives or power banks. That way, the product’s use would be better associated with your brand image whenever your customers use the item.
While there are many unique branded merchandise ideas you can try, ultimately the most ideal one is the product that naturally fits in your business’s brand identity. Try to think of what products come to mind when it comes to your business or industry and then customise it to feature your branding.
Integrate with Your Marketing Strategy
Marketing doesn’t happen in a silo. Instead of thinking of branded merchandise as a separate effort, think of it as an extension of your branding strategy. Synergising different marketing efforts and channels into one integrated, multi-channel approach ensures the best success for your campaign.
One example is to incentivise customers to buy more products so that they can get a limited edition branded merchandise item. Another is to encourage user-generated content by including a branded event hashtag on your promotional product to encourage recipients to post photos of themselves together with the freebies.
These are just a few ways on how you can get creative with your cross-channel marketing efforts. When executed right, your marketing strategy can help you reach your goals whether it’s to generate brand awareness or increase customer loyalty.
Leverage Corporate Events and Trade Shows
Corporate events and trade shows are great avenues to utilise promotional products seamlessly as freebies or giveaways. Branded giveaways at events are a great way to:
Boost engagement by attracting attendees to visit your booth, becoming a point of conversation.
Build brand awareness through items that the attendees would use long after the event is done, keeping your brand top of mind.
Generate leads by using the freebies as incentives to leave their contact information
Stand out from the rest of the competition by incorporating unique promotional product ideas like the branded socks done by AIG in a conference. Be creative with your distribution strategy, like for example including QR codes on your branded freebies during trade shows so that they can access an exclusive ebook.
Encourage User Engagement or Social Sharing
People love sharing positive experiences, whether it be through word-of-mouth recommendations or by sharing visually appealing photos. Integrating promotional products into your marketing strategy allows you to benefit from social sharing.
Creative, thoughtful, and uniquely designed branded merchandise can be photo-worthy for your customers to share about on social media. You can offer rewards for users who share photos with your merch and tag your company on social media, adding an interactive element and further encouraging sharing.
Since branded merchandise is very physical, there are a lot of user engagement opportunities you can play around with. Pair your promo products with a branded hashtag challenge on social media to encourage more people to post content. Set up an interactive booth at an event that lets your customers personalise their merch, making it both an engaging and shareable moment for both your brand and your customer.
Track and Measure Success
Once your promotional merchandise has been launched into the world, you would want to know how successful it is. Tracking the effectiveness of promotional products helps you understand their impact on your marketing efforts and that you get a good return on investment.
Use a mix of different KPIs to help give you a clearer and complete picture of your overall marketing success.
Lastly, don’t forget to optimise your future campaigns based on the results garnered. This helps ensure that your marketing is relevant and effective in meeting your desired goals.
Conclusion
Promotional products are an important in marketing strategy that brands can use for long-term brand awareness. With a thoughtful design and implementation of your bigger marketing strategy, promotional merchandise can become a powerful tool to extend your brand’s reach and engagement.
Knowing all of these tips can hopefully steer you toward getting your promotional products to bring you closer to your business goals.
Boost your brand and marketing strategy with the help of high-quality and custom promotional products. Contact Red Tomato today and learn how you can get started.
Every year, brands are looking for ways to connect with their audiences. A new season brings in more opportunities to tap into something timely and relevant.
Halloween, traditionally a night of spooks and ghoulish fun, has evolved into a major commercial holiday. For brands and businesses, it presents a unique opportunity to engage with consumers in a creative and memorable way. By tapping into the holiday’s spooky spirit, businesses can drive sales, enhance brand awareness, and foster customer loyalty.
Looking for ways to stand out this Halloween season?
Embrace the spooks and thrills this October by incorporating Halloween-themed promotional products. This is the perfect time for brands to get creative and channel the spirit of Halloween to create something memorable. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the various Halloween merchandise your brand can play around with to create a memorable holiday.
Why Promotional Products?
Compared to regular marketing promotions, promotional products are unique because they offer both tangible and intangible benefits.
They become a tangible extension of your brand that helps in creating a deeper connection with your brand. Branded promotional merchandise aren’t just items your customers see, but things they actually use and interact with daily which makes it more impactful. This helps improve brand awareness, recall, and engagement.
Additionally, promotional products can be strategically chosen to align with the brand’s message and target audience, making it a more personal and targeted marketing approach. For example, an electronics brand is attending a technology trade show so they decide to give branded mouse pads or laptop bags to people who drop by their booth.
When executed right, promotional products are a powerful and lasting marketing tool that helps your brand visibility and keeps your customers engaged.
Creative Halloween Promotional Item Ideas
Engage with your audiences in a memorable way this Halloween with the use of promotional products. We have rounded up creative and unique Halloween promotional item ideas to get you started.
Themed Apparel
Add a trendier twist to your usual merchandise giveaways and give your loyal customers something to look forward to for the spooky season. Give your usual branded apparel a fresh spin by designing them to be Halloween-themed.
Think of your usual crew neck t-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags decorated with Halloween designs, motifs, and colors – a skeleton shirt, anyone?
Looking to engage with your employees? Make Halloween-themed apparel part of their uniform to liven up office days.
Spooky Merchandise
Celebrating a Halloween party at the office? What better way to show your Halloween spirit than with merchandise perfect for giveaways such as branded trick-or-treat bags, pumpkin-shaped hats and plushies, and Halloween enamel pins?
Small, spooky merchandise like keychains, stickers, or temporary tattoos can be a fun and affordable Halloween giveaway. These items can be branded with your logo and a Halloween-themed design, making them a perfect addition to any trick-or-treat bag.
You can also incorporate Halloween-themed party supplies like branded paper plates, napkins, and cups. Sprinkle some thrills with skeletons, ghosts, and similarly designed decorations in your event place.
Eco-Friendly Halloween Items
Show your eco-friendly advocacy all year round with eco-friendly Halloween items. Think tote bags printed with Halloween motifs, skull and pumpkin-shaped notepads, and metal straws in a Halloween-designed pouch.
Appeal not just to Halloween enjoyers but also to eco-conscious customers that your company takes its sustainable commitment seriously.
Run a Halloween costume contest to give employees something to look forward to. Incentivise everyone’s participation through branded prizes, such as themed apparel or merchandise. Set up interactive photo walls and frames that highlight everyone’s costumes or the spooky decor in your event area. Lastly, make sure to have fun with the food and games by adding a Halloween twist, from werewolf games to blood-red juice, the only limit is your imagination.
If a Halloween-themed corporate event isn’t your thing, you can organise a simple trick-or-treat party that encourages everyone to participate and collect treats around different stations.
Tips for Effective Halloween Promotions
Target Audience
Consider who your main target audience is and tailor your promotional products accordingly. While promotional items can have broad appeal, being relevant to your demographic’s preferences makes a world of difference in its effectiveness and memorability.
Product Quality
Your promotional product is as only good as its quality. Ditch the generic merchandise that is cheap and Select suppliers that offer quality-made products that are long-lasting so that you can deliver lasting impressions and engagement over the product’s lifespan.
Brand Consistency
Even the unique and best-designed promotional merch items won’t serve their purpose if you fail to connect them with your brand. Achieve brand consistency by choosing items that align with your products, brand values, and company culture. That way, your merchandise can be more memorable by also serving the double purpose of connecting with your brand identity.
Timing
An effective campaign has to be planned in advance. Getting the timing right can mean that you distribute and execute your plans according to schedule, delivering the most impact. Planning in advance also lets you secure the promotional products you want early, beating the holiday season rush.
Tracking Results
Lastly, track the results of your Halloween event and campaign to ensure its success. Hand out surveys to your clients or employees, conduct focus groups, or ask them personally in a follow-up. Gather their feedback to determine your campaign’s effectiveness, the promotional products your audience liked, and things that can be improved. Knowing this helps you optimise better for your next promotional campaigns.
Make Halloween Memorable with Promotional Items
Seasons like Halloween are a great way for brands to engage with a wider audience through relevant themes and captivating visuals. Apart from the usual marketing tactics, promotional items can be tailored and designed to be a part of your company’s Halloween marketing activities.
Explore custom Halloween promotional products to make memorable brand experiences. Bring your unique branded ideas come to life with Red Tomato – book an ideas call today!
Halloween is more than just a kid’s holiday. With the spookiest season just around the corner, why not celebrate Halloween in a spooktacular way with the rest of your team?
More than creating a fun break from business as usual, celebrating Halloween at the office can help boost your employee engagement and morale. Halloween is the perfect time to play dress up, decorate the office, and explore fun activities trick-or-treating, games, or mini contests to get everyone pumped for the occasion. Keep your team engaged this Halloween with games and activities that entertain, build camaraderie and foster teamwork.
If you’re looking to add a touch of Halloween magic to your workplace, look no further. Here are 9 different Halloween activity ideas that are fun and engaging for your team – whether it’s a large corporate event or a small remote team.
9 Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween At Work
Halloween Costume Contest
Halloween is synonymous with costumes, so a costume contest is a natural way to celebrate the holiday. Whether you’re into spooky characters or more creative themes, a costume contest can transform an ordinary day into a memorable one.
To recognise your employees’ creativity and effort in dressing the part, consider hosting a costume contest with various award categories. From the spookiest costume to the most creative or best-dressed team, the possibilities are endless.
As a token of appreciation, consider providing custom-branded hoodies as a takeaway. These hoodies can serve as a lasting reminder of your Halloween event and your team’s festive spirit.
Spooky Decoration Contest
Ignite your team’s competitive spirit with a spooky decoration contest! The team or individual with the most creative and impressive workspace will be rewarded with special prizes.
Clearly outline the contest guidelines, including acceptable decoration materials and the level of creativity expected. During the event, host a guided tour so everyone can admire the unique and festive decorations.
To add a personal touch, provide branded Halloween decoration kits. These kits can inspire your team and help create a truly spooky atmosphere in your workplace.
Trick-or-Treat Office Party
Don’t miss out on this staple Halloween activity this season. Indulge your inner sweet tooth this Halloween event with a fun-filled trick-or-treat party! Set up trick-or-treat stations throughout your office and encourage your team to dress up in their favorite costumes.
The best part about this Halloween event idea is that it’s suitable for large groups. It’s something anyone can participate in without asking much of them and it’s fairly easy to prepare.
Prepare branded candy bags filled with delicious treats that your employees will love. Invite everyone to make rounds when it’s trick-or-treat time. Even create a map of the different locations in your office where you plan to distribute the treats. For an extra special touch, consider personalising the treats or adding your employees’ names to the loot bags.
Halloween-Themed Team Building Games
Add a spooky twist to your traditional team-building games by incorporating Halloween-themed elements. Have your team participate in the games wearing their favorite Halloween costumes. From scavenger hunts to charades, there are plenty of team-building games to choose from that you can get creative with.
Make it extra special by adding branded company merchandise as rewards for the winning players and teams. Mix and match the different prizes for the level of difficulty of the games. A harder game can have a bigger prize that’s more enticing like branded Bluetooth Headphones or fitness trackers.
Werewolf Game
Tired of the same old party games? A werewolf game, also known as Mafia, offers a thrilling social deduction experience for your team. In this game, a small group of players are secretly assigned roles as werewolves, while the rest are villagers. The villagers must work together to identify and eliminate the werewolves before they can wipe out the village.
To add to the fun, encourage your team to dress up in costumes and create custom props to make the roleplaying more believable. Those not participating can enjoy the show as they watch the drama unfold.
Halloween Photo Booth
Create lasting memories with a Halloween-themed photo booth in the office. Provide your staff with branded Halloween props and accessories to add a fun and festive touch to their photos. Whether they want to dress up as a vampire or another spooky character, they’ll have a blast capturing unforgettable moments. One thing’s for sure. Your employees will cherish these photos as a reminder of your company’s Halloween celebration.
Virtual Halloween for Remote Teams
Remote teams can still experience the thrills and excitement of Halloween. Set up Halloween-themed virtual backgrounds for the video calls that everyone on the team will use for the celebration. While traditional trick-or-treating isn’t possible, you can still host a virtual costume party. Spread the Halloween spirit by sending your team Halloween-themed gift boxes filled with sweets, goodies, and other branded merchandise. This little gesture can show your employees that they are valued and you want them to share in these good memories.
Halloween Charity Drive
Setting up a Halloween charity or volunteer drive is a unique way to give back to your community while celebrating the holiday. Consider partnering with local organisations that need your help or with ones that align with your brand’s advocacy. Don’t forget to collect donations and organise volunteer activities that align with your chosen charity’s goals.
Blood red mocktails anyone? Or how about deviled eggs? There’s no better way to end the workday than with a Halloween happy hour. Host a Halloween-themed cocktail party with your Halloween-themed food and beverages. You can get creative with the event and decorate your pantry for Halloween or invite your employees to come in costume. Don’t forget to give them a related giveaway like a company-branded cocktail glass.
Make Halloween Unforgettable with Red Tomato
More than the temporary spooks and thrills, the best Halloween experience is one that lasts in their memory. Give your team an experience they will always cherish and look back on by celebrating Halloween together in your company’s own unique style. Whether you want to hold a costume contest or play some team building games, what’s more important is what they take home from the event.
Branded merchandise like a Halloween-themed shirt of your company can serve as memorabilia that can serve as a lasting reminder of that experience. Give your Halloween company celebrations a tangible keepsake with the use of branded Halloween items. Red Tomato can help level up your merchandise game with the right customisations to make it extra special.
From practical glass bottles to comfortable beanies, impress new hires with trendy and useful items perfect for the daily grind.
Innovate and Inspire
INNOVATE AND INSPIRE
Price: $165 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Voyager Laptop Backpack
Swiss Peak TWS Earbuds
Vector Wireless Charger – Square
Omega Notebook
Cylon Bluetooth Speaker
The ultimate ensemble for forward-thinking professionals who thrive on creativity and innovation. Each item in this meticulously curated kit enhances both productivity and inspiration.
SURPRISE & DELIGHT
SURPRISE & DELIGHT
Price: $110 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Stealth Vacuum Bottle
Stencil Half Zip Crew
Swiss Peak Traveller Umbrella
Silicone Phone Wallet
Ritz Bib Apron
Surprise & delight key clients, partners, or team members with the finer things like our premium bottle of wine, artisanal cheese selection box, and handpicked assorted gourmet chocolates.
GIVE THEM A WARM WELCOME
GIVE THEM A WARM WELCOME
Price: $70 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Vacuum Cup
Gildan Softstyle
Bondi Bucket Hat
Kingston Notebook
Corolla Backpack
Welcome your newest hires with branded swag that will make them feel part of the team.
THE SUSTAINABLE ENSEMBLE
THE SUSTAINABLE ENSEMBLE
Price: $55 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Adora Aluminium Bottle
Sonnet Cotton Tote Bag – Colours
Monza Jute Tote Bag
RPET Compact Umbrella
Arabica Coffee Mug
Show your commitment to going green with a sustainable starter kit with quality and recycled items such as a jute tote bag, RPET compact umbrella, and an aluminum bottle.
THE GEN Z PACK
THE GEN Z PACK
Price: $90 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak TWS Earbuds
Silicone Phone Wallet
Vento Double Wall Cup
Everest Beanie
Berkeley Backpack
Bring the rizz on with gifts your Gen Z employees can enjoy from TWS earbuds to double wall cups for quick coffee runs.
THE MILLENIAL PACK
THE MILLENIAL PACK
Price: $90 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Mirage Steel Bottle
Classic Tee
Carnaby Cotton Tote Bag – Colours
Himalayan Vacuum Tumbler
Nirvana Backpack
Curate everyday essentials for millennials on the go with items like our cotton tote, vacuum tumbler, and backpack.
CLASSY AND MINIMALIST
CLASSY AND MINIMALIST
Price: $80 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Luzern Pen
Omega Notebook
Premium Hood
Ritz Bib Apron
Metro Cup
Blend elegance and simplicity perfect for modern professionals with a premium hood, metro cup, an omega notebook, and more.
FUEL THE CREATIVE JUICES KIT
FUEL THE CREATIVE JUICES KIT
Price: $75 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Fuel Coffee Mug
Stencil United Crew
Cordia Cup
Powell Pro Foldable Stand
Atlantis Pen
Spark creativity with items that merge inspiration with essentials from a crew sweater to keep them comfortable in work sessions to a foldable gadget stand that helps with a creative desk setup.
EXECUTIVE ESSENTIALS
EXECUTIVE ESSENTIALS
Price: $110 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Heritage Rollerball Pen &
Swiss Peak Heritage A5 Notebook
Gildan Softstyle – Adult V-Neck T-Shirt
Horizon Duffle Bag
Seattle Scarf and Gloves Set
Let executives work and travel in style. From a scarf and gloves set to luxury pens, they can find everything they need with our executive essentials set.
THE ULTIMATE TECH ENSEMBLE
THE ULTIMATE TECH ENSEMBLE
Price: $200 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Swiss Peak Voyager Laptop Backpack
Swiss Peak TWS Earbuds
Swiss Peak Luxury 15W Wireless Charger
Vector Wireless Charger – Square
Cylon Bluetooth Speaker
Stay connected with TWS earbuds, laptop backpacks, and wireless chargers, fit for every tech-lover ready to conquer the day.
GIVE THEM A WARM WELCOME
Pricing from $100.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Insulated Winter Jacket
Soft-Fit Company T-shirt
Embossed Leather Notebook
Insulated Travel Mug
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Signature Series Ballpoint Pen
Cotton Tote Bag
Gear up for a cozy start, complete with essentials that give a warm welcome.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
SALES PERSON WELCOME KIT
Pricing from $35.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Protective Laptop Sleeve
Personalized Business Card Holder
Interactive Sales Presentation Pointer
Durable Mobile Phone Stand
Ecofriendly Power Bank
Premium Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Everything a salesperson needs, in one streamlined package.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
SURPRISE & DELIGHT
Pricing from $30.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Handpicked Assorted Gourmet Chocolates
Premium Bottle of Wine (with branded wine stopper)
Artisanal Cheese Selection Box
Perfect for those who savour the finer things while settling into a fresh start.
Eco Friendly
Local
Customisable
SURPRISE & DELIGHT
Pricing from $30.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Capri Glass Bottle
Kingston Notebook
Vistro Pen – Silver Barrels
Precision Mouse Mat
Welcome Cards
Suited for anyone looking for a rich welcome on their first day.
Eco Friendly
Local
Customisable
BUILD LONG LASTING MEMORIES
Pricing from $75.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Wireless Charging Pad
Eco-friendly Reusable Straw Set
Customisable PopSocket Grip
Limited Edition Enamel Pin
Twist Backpack
Soda Aluminium Drink Bottle
Trendy essentials that seamlessly blend style, function, and unforgettable memories.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
THE MILLENIAL PACK
Pricing from $40.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Eco-friendly Modular Backpack
Ambassador Bound Journal Notebook
Smart Mug
Multi-function Leather Cardholder
Bumper Stickers
Bullet Pen
Curated essentials that resonate with the millennial pace, wherever work calls.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
WELCOME KITS FOR CREATIVES
Pricing from $35.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Linen-bound Notebook
Stainless Steel Tumbler
Adjustable Phone Holder
Textured Card Wallet
Minimalist Desk Organizer
Sleek Black Pen
Ideal for creative minds, merging inspiration with essentials.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
INSTIL CORPORATE VALUES
Pricing from $45.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Branded Guidebook
Desk Plaque
Team Unity Puzzle
Value-based Achievement Badges
Inspirational Quote Calendar
Company History Coffee Table Book
Welcome essentials that subtly echo your company’s spirit.
Eco Friendly
Sustainable
Customisable
CLASSY & MINIMALIST
Pricing from $30.00 + GST
Welcome Pack Inclusions
Tailored Leather Wallet
A5 Hardcover Linen Notebook
Monochrome Desk Organiser
Sleek Metal Water Bottle
Minimalist Tote Bag
Neutral-Toned Lanyard
Ideal for the modern professional who appreciates elegance in simplicity.
