As technology becomes smarter and more sophisticated, items such as Bluetooth® wireless headphones, earbuds, and speakers (outdoor and smart) are in high demand in the promotional products industry, with many suppliers reporting they can barely keep some of these items in stock! These products are retail-inspired and multifunctional—boasting a sleek, minimalistic look. The items are particularly popular as corporate gifts/event giveaways since they are gender-neutral and appropriate for all ages. Suppliers expect demand to increase as the holiday season approaches.
Kristie Arenas of Sweda Company notes that wireless headphones and speakers are no longer simply headphones and speakers: they light up, are power banks, or are even placed strategically in a beanie for consumers to keep their heads warm while listening to music. “Having multiple functions, that work well, really up the value and increase the chances the end user will keep/use the product,” she emphasizes. She adds that among bright colors and loud patterns, having a minimal look really stands out and also makes it easier for a logo imprint to stand out.
Higher-end, quality audio devices are trending at Origaudio, according to Brookelynn Graditi. “The industry isn’t just about gimmicks anymore,” she says. “People want to put their brand on something that will be valued and remembered. We've noticed the high demand for true wireless Bluetooth® earbuds (like our Pionears and Kronies). We've also noticed clients requesting speakers that actually have great sound quality—our most popular being the Thumpah and Hive.”
Over at PCNA, wireless earbuds are a major trend, driven by the major retail brands. “Apple started the trend of Wireless Bluetooth® Earbuds when they eliminated the headphone jack on their iPhones and introduced the must-have AirPods,” John Bates comments. “Another trend we are seeing in retail is the concept of the smart home. Amazon and Google have dominated this category with items such as the Echo and Dot (Amazon) and Home (Google). The concept of the smart home allows you to easily control everyday functions like adjusting your thermostat, ordering groceries, and even dimming lights, with your voice or an app.”
With demand at an all-time high, promotional products supplier are extremely excited about both new and best-selling offerings. Sweda Company’s Arenas says that one of the company’s new items that has really been taking off is its Sebastian Tower Wireless Speaker (ME7188). “Its multiple functions and minimalistic look has sent this product soaring for us,” she states. “The Sebastian Tower Wireless Speaker is a rechargeable wireless speaker with a built-in light. Its minimalistic look gives it that sleek feel perfectly suited for executives and a canvas with a large imprint area.”
Sweda’s TWS Earbud with Powerbank Charging Case, another item with both a minimalistic design and multiple functions, is also performing well. “With all the wireless only compatible smartphones and tablets, wireless earbuds are here to stay,” Arenas explains. “These are sleek in all black and barely noticeable when wearing them. Its case also has an area for large imprints. In the fast-paced world we live in, there isn’t enough time to sit down and charge our tech pieces. With the TWS Earbud Powerbank Charging Case, customers can use the earbud case to charge their earbuds or plug in their other tech pieces.”
Over at Origaudio, new headphones/speakers include Budsies, Thumpath, and Hive—with best sellers the Budsies, which Graditi notes are a great price point for high-quality earbuds. “The other speakers are also doing really well for us, and we expect them to heat up more in the holiday season too,” Graditi adds “The Hive sells well because it's so unique—you can connect up to 100 of them for surround sound! And the Thumpah is IPX-5 water-resistant and has an awesome fabric imprint.”
Gwen Brey of Beacon Promotions notes the company has a new wellness division in its Corporate Gift Bose brand. “It has ‘hear’ phones—conversation-enhancing headphones that are designed to help you hear in louder environments,” she says. “Also new is the noise-masking sleep buds with built-in noise-masking technology for a good night of sleep.”
PCNA’s best sellers include any of the company’s “true wireless” earbuds as well as a combination of its Wi-Fi Smart Plug (7140-94) and Wi-Fi Bluetooth Speaker with Amazon Alexa (7199-92), according to Josh Shields. The company has nearly two dozen wireless Bluetooth® earbuds available. Bates adds during the recent PPAI Show; the Wi-Fi Smart Plug was one of the top sampled items and quickly sold out days following the show.
The prevalence of technology in all aspects of life may help sell these products to clients. Brey at Beacon Promotions says that corporate gift items are attractive because of their brand recognition, quality, long-lasting value, and universal appeal. “Many corporate gift items can be ordered in minimums of one,” she comments. “These are great business gifts, service awards, performance incentives, and recognition awards.”
Graditi at Origaudio recommends convincing clients that quality matters, as items such as speakers can be used for years. Additionally, headphones and speakers are gender-neutral and incredibly functional in many situations, she maintains. “The dual-sided imprint with no setups (at Origaudio) makes it super easy to co-brand on items like the Thumpah and Budsies,” she adds. “We see it all the time!”
Arenas at Sweda Company cautions not to recommend an item perform too many tasks. “Having a product bulked up with multiple functions may sound efficient and convenient but it comes down to if the functions work well individually,” she stresses. “It is better to have a product with two well-working functions than a product with 10-plus functions that do not work properly.”
PCNA’s Bates recommends obtaining samples and incorporating them into your daily activities. “Swap out your wired earbuds for wireless…plug your lamp into a Wi-Fi Smart Plug and pair it with the speaker,” he comments. “If you can talk intelligently about how each product can be used, you will be looked upon as the expert by your clients.”
Bates also suggests becoming educated on all the latest trends. “Voice-enabled technology is going to be the future of how we operate, with Alexa leading the way,” he concludes. “Right now, we are still in an early adoption stage, but that will change quickly. If you don’t spend the time to educate yourself now, your competition will!”
Case Studies
Gwen Brey, Beacon Promotions
A pharmaceutical company was holding a health and wellness challenge for their employees. It was completely voluntary for the employees to participate. The company chose a number of Corporate Gift products to use as incentives as the employees met certain milestones in the competition. The Bose speaker #7833420 was the incentive gift for the ones that got the most miles for cycling, running, or walking. They had a great number of employees take part in the challenge and they felt it was because of the high-quality Corporate Gifts that were used as incentive prizes.
| Brookelynn Graditi, Origaudio |
Soul and Swag is a small woman-owned business in Nebraska specializing in custom swag with a purpose. With a combined 35 years in the industry, they focus largely on connecting their clients with the right suppliers who truly care about their products and relationships.
The Pinnacle Bank championships is a golf tournament on the Web.com Tour hosted in Elk Horn, Nebraska. Prior to the tournament, starting there is Pro-Ams, which allow businesses and individuals to golf and practice rounds with the professional golfers. These individuals receive a gift from local sponsors. S&S knew they wanted to help provide a very unique, high-quality gift that would be used and remembered, the Thumpah speaker. “Origaudio is our number one go-to for anything tech- or gift-related,” says Jackie Keithley. “The Thumpah speaker far exceeded our customer’s expectations. Because of the incredible effort from both Origaudio and our Soul and Swag team members, we were able to create a lasting impression to the people from all over the country.”