Personalised products vary from pens to teddybears and are used to attract prospective students and to represent the university externally.

Students certainly have a reputation for being magpie-like when it comes to freebies. Open days and freshers' weeks are two examples of events which use brightly coloured promotional giveaways to attract students to the university and also to build an exciting atmosphere.

Products which are eye-catching such as coloured pens, frisbees and sweets are great to hand out to students at events such as these.

In this sense, it would be important for promotional merchandise companies to get to know the university calendar to see which events can be exploited in terms of large orders of promotional merchandise.

As suggested, products are used to attract students but they can also later be used to remind them of their time at university. In the same way that freshers' week uses promotional merchandise to build an atmosphere of excitement, graduation ceremonies also provide opportunities for university branded products.

Promotional merchandise companies should see these events as opportunities, as branded hoodies, cufflinks and photo frames are becoming popular mementoes of a student's university career.

PROMOTA member, Paul Bonning, managing director of Purple Zebra, said: "We have found the best selling items for Crystal Impressions are the Graduation Crystal, which is a 3D lasered image inside a crystal cube with the logo of the university also engraved inside. They are then given as graduation gifts and are a lovely keepsake for the students and relatives."

Sport is another key area for branded items for universities. Sports teams need kit with the university branding, as well as promotional banners and mascot items to help build team spirit but also to represent the university at external sports fixtures.

Lucy Hood, PR, Media and Promotions officer for University of Birmingham Sport, said: "Branded items are really important in our department, especially when our teams play externally. We want to make sure that the products we choose help to represent the university in the right way. We use a huge variety of products, from the kits for the various sports teams to the branded cuddly lions which act as mini mascots for university sport!"

Universities also have general branded products aimed at students all year round. A short walk around any campus will show you the number of students acting as walking billboards in university branded hoodies and t-shirts. University shops sell these types of branded products throughout the year meaning that there are constant opportunities for promotional merchandise companies. Embroidered clothing, along with crested silverware and mugs, are great as gifts for those outside of the university but can also be used as part of a university's marketing process. Stationery also forms part of this marketing approach. Simple things such as pens and notepads on reception desks or gifts to corporate companies are a great way of extending the university brand to the outside public.

Promotional and branded products form a major part of university life. The use of products varies enormously, from the light-hearted giveaways of freshers' week, to branded sports kit to build team spirit and finally to mementoes and executive items to boost the brand outside of the university. The huge potential for branded products means that universities are constantly looking for quality promotional merchandise which they can use for a variety of purposes, giving ideal opportunities for promotional merchandise companies to offer bespoke and unique services.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---