All it takes is a quick look around to see that promotional products are everywhere, from drinkware and apparel to keychains, lanyards, tote bags, badges, awards and medals — just to name a few categories in a vast universe of customizable items. In 2026, the promotional products industry is on track to generate over $28 billion in annual revenue in the U.S. alone.

In addition to being powerful marketing tools, promotional products are popular and effective. Roughly 75 to 80 percent of consumers own at least one branded item and keep useful pieces like apparel and drinkware for a year or longer. The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), a technology, marketing and information provider in the promotional products industry, reports that a promotional product will generate an average of 3300 impressions over its lifetime, and the average cost-per-impression for a promotional item is 6/10 of a cent.

In addition, 75 percent of U.S. consumers have a positive opinion of promotional products, a higher percentage than all other forms of advertising.

The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), a non-profit trade association for the branded merchandise and promotional products industry, states that 90 percent of people who receive a promotional product remember the brand name. Statistics also show that 83 percent of people are loyal to a brand they currently shop with that gives them a promotional product.

The upshot is that investing in a well-made promotional product can generate a lot of bang for the buck — these durable items stay with users for years, meaning people will keep seeing your brand over and over, ensuring that your brand stays top of mind.

Here are five really good reasons run specialty retailers should sell promotional products — other than the fact that if you don’t sell them to your existing customers someone else will.

1. Building Margins and Loyalty

For the running specialty channel, Nikki Stella, ASI’s senior VP, strategic relationships and initiatives, says: “Margins are strong on promotional items and these items are also a fantastic advertising medium. The product builds a connection between the store and the customer, and it builds huge customer loyalty.

“It’s far more effective than just sending out an email or text — you can pair a promotional product with a QR code or email campaign, which allows you to track that data,” she adds.

Stella also notes that the possibilities are nearly limitless as to what types of products can be customized: “If you can dream it, it’s probably available.”

2. Broadening In-store Assortment:

“Customers are coming into your store looking for items, so it pays to broaden the assortment of merchandise you’re offering,” says Zachary Cicconi, field sales manager at PCNA, North America’s largest hardgoods supplier of promotional products. (The New Kensington, PA-based company also offers apparel, and boasts more than 60 brand partners.)

“Offering practical, usable items with brand logos boosts perceived value and having more options available to consumers is good for business. In addition, such items help people feel connected to their athletic communities, and a customized logo helps them stand out.”

That said, Cicconi advises retailers to try to simplify choices. “Find a few categories that work for your customers, focus on decorating and don’t overthink it,” he stresses. “Working with a direct supplier helps simplify the process by shortening lead times and eliminating the need for third parties.”

3. Maximizing Brand Awareness:

“Brand image and collectability of promotional products have long been cemented in the running industry,” says Morgan Ashworth, sales manager and COO of North Attleboro, MA-based Ashworth Awards. “Runners deserve to receive a token of their achievement and receiving a post-race award has come to be standard practice.

“Since it is likely that a race with no medal, apparel or other finisher gifts would not be a great success, race directors and timers are constantly searching for new methods of finisher awards, with the intention of maximizing brand awareness, and utility for their racers,” Ashworth adds.

This is one reason why Ashworth Awards offers promotional products that maximize utility such as keychains, bottle openers, cups and custom race apparel. For smaller races that may not share the same budget of major marathons, this growth is largely seen in collectible age group awards or multi-year promotional items, undated, which can be used year after year.

“Whether promotional products are used for race finishers, recognizing volunteers or general race signage and branding, they are of critical importance to the running specialty market,” says Ashworth. In 2026, the company offered more than 200 unique product types to clients, which highlights the growth of promotional products in addition to medals and shirts.

Nearly nine out of 10 people will keep a promotional product with them for more than a year, while four out of 10 will keep promotional items for more than 10 years, according to Sellers Commerce. In short, “Brand recognition is ultimately what keeps runners engaged, and involved in events year over year,” says Ashworth.

4. Tapping the Power

As Ashworth explains, “There are two categories of promotional products involved in the power of promotional products. The first being all of the signage, banners, scrim, tablecloths, finish line arches and various other items that help guide runners from start to finish. Beyond serving the purpose of ensuring a smooth event, these items are the first half of what people see. In today’s age, the majority of participants take pre- and post-race photos, often posting them to social media. It would be a wasted opportunity for race directors to not ensure their branding is seen in as many photos as possible.”

Similarly to how participants want others to know when they’ve run a race via social media, they also want to show off their array of promotional products, medals, shirts and other tokens of achievement. Just as importantly, spectators also want to show people that they were at the race and have the option to buy branded or receive branded gear, notes Ashworth.

“All of these factors contribute to growing the brand, the stakeholders’ satisfaction and overall race success.”

5. Deepening Customer Relationships

One of the most important aspects for running retailers looking to buy promotional products is to know their customers.

According to Ashworth, some considerations include: How important is sustainability to my racers? Do they want products that maximize usefulness or do they just want the largest, most intricate medal they can get?

Another driving factor in today’s society is a brand’s sustainability practices. According to a consumer study by PPAI, more than two-thirds of participants identified recycled or reusable materials as their driving factor in sustainability.

Overall, says PCNA’s Cicconi, “Don’t think of promotional products as just another category — use them as a multiplier in everything you do. Promotional products help expand wallet share, ensure that your business stays relevant year-round, and serve to deepen relationships with your customers.”