For example, during the summer this year, the tabloid newspapers were awash with photographs of various A-list celebrities, including Keira Knightley and Reese Witherspoon, brandishing a cotton bag displaying the words, ‘I’m not a plastic bag’. This creation, designed by boutique bag specialist Anya Hindmarch, caused so much of a stir that people were queuing in their hundreds outside the Sainsbury’s stores in which they were sold, desperate to get hold of them. Furthermore, they were also seen on ebay selling at more than 4,000% of their original selling price.

Here, the message that the Anya Hindmarch team wanted to convey was to encourage consumers to be responsible shoppers and to recycle their shopping bags where possible. It is clear that the bag most certainly helped to do this. But, additionally, this unique and innovative bag managed to raise awareness of the designer Anya Hindmarch and her business in general and, undoubtedly, its sales have soared since.

This is a clear example of how much of a talking point bags can actually be: their effectiveness in the promotional sector should not be underrated. As we have just seen, originality in this field can increase public awareness of a company, and increased awareness inevitably means greater sales and benefits for that company in general.

Today it’s obvious that bags are no longer seen as merely a way to carry your items. Instead, in the promotional merchandise arena, they are an incredibly popular and valuable choice, in more ways than one.

Incentives Plus is a distributor company that recognises exactly how effective bags can be when used as promotional items. Annette Scott, the company’s md, explains: “The power of bags in the promotional merchandising sector should not be underestimated. Bags are a good investment for companies because not only are they economical to produce and purchase, they also offer long-term advertising benefits for businesses if the bags are reused and recycled by their consumers.”

In the past, plastic was the standard material used to make carrier bags and only rarely would you see them made from anything different. However, plastic is far from being the only material that can be used. With a greater awareness about the importance of recycling and ethical trade, increasingly suppliers are creating bags made from different materials.

It needs to be said though, that a high percentage of bags are still made from plastic and, if reused and recycled, they pose little environmental problems. However, in recent years, more and more carrier bags are being made out of paper or cotton, both of which are fabrics that can be reused and recycled repeatedly. More than ever, using one of these materials, and choosing not to use others, is not just an aesthetic decision, but an indication of a company’s ideals and values.

It is often difficult to think of new ideas in the promotional merchandising sector. As a result, many ideas are inevitably recycled. But, as all good business people know, this is not necessarily a problem. What is a problem though, is a lack of imagination, innovation or creativity when recycling these old ideas.

With so many different types of bags (shoulder bags, drawstring bags, handbags to name but a few…), it is necessary to make your product stand out. This could be by displaying your brand name, logo, or image in a creative and unique way, or by using a colourful and powerful slogan.

If you want an effective billboard for your company, the bag must be practical for everyday use with your message clearly displayed. If the bag is a convenient shape and size, it will be reused many times by consumers, particularly when shopping, travelling, or completing errands, and can potentially create international coverage for your brand or product.

Promotional carrier bags are also perfect for exhibitions, trade shows and special events as they can act as a simple but highly effective advertising device. In fact, bags are particularly successful at trade shows as in addition to the various practicalities they offer, they can conveniently display corporate messages.

At these types of events you can either choose to opt for simplicity of an original design (i.e. your company logo boldly displayed) or a rather more daring and creative approach. Indeed, for corporate events, there is more room for manoeuvre and it is beneficial to tailor the design to suit the event.

A new trend in the advertising bag sector is making the bags in unusual shapes and sizes. Recently, many glossy women’s magazines deemed distinctively designed bags as a ‘must have’ item after spotting Sex and the City’s fashionista, Carrie Bradshaw, holding a handbag in the shape of The Eiffel Tower in the forthcoming film. With the film being released next May, it looks like the trend for uniquely shaped bags is here to stay.

Both elaborately designed bags and those that opt for greater simplicity have the same effect though: they are economical promotional tools that can display the image and message that you want to display time and time again.

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