The kitchen is the heart of the home in most households. Itâs where family and friends come together to converse, prepare meals, and share a beverage or two. Distributors should capitalize on the usefulness, multifunctionality, and lasting power of these productsâand have plenty on hand to show their clients. Fortunately, there are a plethora of items to choose from, such as coasters, knives, drinkware, digital thermometers, and flashlights. Natural materials such as bamboo, wood, and marble are extremely popular in this product category.
According to Sarah Hobson of Webb Company, the top trends in the kitchen/household market mirror other trends seen in the promotional products market: items have a high perceived value and are retail-inspired. âThe demand has been high!â she exclaims. âHousehold items will always be a top product in the industry because they are in sight and used by the receivers and more likely to be held on to for years.â
In agreement is BIC Graphicâs Laura High, also citing the retail-inspired trend. âConsumers trust well-known retail brands and that makes them ideal promotional products,â she states. âDemand for kitchen/household promotional products continues to grow year-after-year. We believe this is because the kitchen is the heart of the home. Dream kitchens drive the remodeling industryâthanks to HGTVâand cooking now qualifies as a hobby rather than a necessity. How often do you find all your guests congregating in the kitchen while the living room is empty? And how many times has your kitchen table doubled for the ideal place for homework, arts and crafts, and doing your taxes? Advertisers recognize that and want to be a part of this space.â
Gwen Brey of Beacon Promotions notes that demand in this category is high throughout the year. âEarly in the year we see more orders for the inexpensive, smaller items as they fit budgets better and are easier to distribute,â she comments. âHowever, as we hit the fourth quarter, we see a spike in sales of the more expensive products as they make great holiday gifts.â
Other trends in this market are safety, convenience, and practicality, notes Gary Rosenberg of Compass Industries. âWith people seeing the devastation from storms, fires, and other disasters, they need items they can rely on during those times,â he points out. âFor example, they need flashlights during a blackout or storm, and they need one they can count on to work. A multi-tool is a must for emergencies of all kindsâwhether in the house or the car.â
In response to the high demand in this lucrative market segment, promotional products suppliers have introduced an array of exciting new items, and maintain that their best-selling items continue to be popular. Hobson of Webb Company reports that the natural wood coaster set is a newer product in their line and has been a huge seller. âThey are gorgeous, unique, and reflect the trends in retail home goods,â she says. âOne of my favorite selling points on this product is that it is sustainably sourced and Rainforest Alliance certified. Oftentimes clients can tie this into their marketing campaigns and promote their own efforts in protecting the environment.â
Polyconcept North America is also capitalizing on the natural materials trend. âThereâs an extensive new bamboo launch: The Bamboo Wine Bottle and Glasses Valet, Bamboo Coaster Set, Bamboo 4-piece Kitchen Tool Set and Canister, and Bamboo 2-piece Wine Plate Set,â Rick French points out. They are all less than $10 and have been strong out of the gates, he notes.
BIC Graphic also has two new items for 2018. KOOZIEÂŽ Rectangle and Square Food Storage containers include a handy, reusable fork. The lids have a steam-release silicone plug for easy ventilation. The silicone band and snap closure hinges on the lid keep contents fresh and secure, High adds. They join a Spinner with Bottle Openerâa fidget spinner with two bottle openers.
Kitchen gadgets are also faring well at Beacon Promotions, with a veggie brush/peeler faring very well because of its price point, Brey notes. She adds that the companyâs digital thermometer is also doing well since the spring and summer when grilling was at its peak. âWe anticipate this will continue to do well in the fourth quarter gift giving season as well,â she says.
Bamboo products are also trending at Bay State Specialty Company. According to Josette Bosse, bamboo kitchen items cover âhealthyâ home cooking, fitness and wellness, as well as being environmentally-friendly. âThese items are useful, appreciated and will last!â she emphasizes. The companyâs Bamboo Combo is extremely popular, under $10.00, containing a bamboo cutting board, spatula, and spoonâand packaged in a gift bag.
The Allen Companyâs best sellers in the kitchen/household market segment are its drinkware. Its Acrylic Juice Jar, available in 36 ounces and 56 ounces, is a crystal-clear acrylic juice jar that has an air-tight, silicone-sealed lid to keep a beverage fresh. A flip-top pour spout adds ease in serving, Stan Dohan reports, and it
is perfect for storing and serving juices, milk, tea, and more. The Fruit Infusion⢠Flavor Bottle is a 32-ounce clear bottle that can be used as a fruit infuser to infuse water, tea, spirits, and more with natural fruit flavors. Dohan adds it can also be used as a cocktail shaker.
Compass Industries is introducing several new items in 2018. Rosenberg notes the companyâs Made In The USA MP-8 and MP-15 multi-tool sets have been huge. âAll driver bits stored in the set and attach easily and made of very durable materials,â he comments. âOur collection of items from Nite-Ize such as the DH-1, The Doohickey, is a fabulous pocket tool that is TSA-approved and does a myriad of things with a wrench, screwdriver, bottle opener, carabiner, and more in a little item that easily fits in a pocket or purse.â
Rosenberg continues that Mag-Lites are another Made In The USA product that have been around for a long time because of the quality of the light. âWith all the âhooplaâ regarding tactical lights, the Mag-Lite 2C-LED is the best light for the money anywhere and gives you the comfort of knowing you will have light that lasts and gives you the illumination you want,â he says.
Over at BIC Graphic, High notes that the company has seen a number of newer, more innovative products really take off. The Bottle Opener Coaster, a multi-function coaster, features a metal bottle opener. The EVA foam padding on the bottom keeps it from slipping, and the economical price point makes it ideal for mailings and giveaways, she explains. The Cool Gear⢠Freezable Gel Lid Storage Container has a built-in freezable gel lid to keep food cold for up to five hours. And, Cool Gear⢠Lunch To Go has a bottom container that is microwave safe and features divided compartments to keep food separated. A reusable fork and knife are conveniently stored in the lid. Snap-closing hinges keep the lid secure.
Promotional products suppliers agree that selling these products successfully is a matter of highlighting their staying power. âI would recommend really emphasizing the cost per impression,â Webb Companyâs Hobson affirms. âThe client may be paying $1.62 per coaster, but that coaster is going to sit on the clientâs desk or coffee table for 10-plus years, so they really are getting great brand
visibility.â
Brey of Beacon Promotions expands on Hobsonâs sentiments. âThe kitchen is the busiest room in the house, with adult Americans spending an average of three to five hours a day there,â she states. âThereâs no better place to put a promotional product that gets used with the advertisement seen on a regular basis. Itâs a great return on the advertiserâs investment so it is a pretty easy sell.â
BIC Graphicâs High takes the concept one step further. âBoth men and women are spending more time preparing meals and entertaining,â she notes. âCooking tools have come a long way thanks to retailers such as Target and Williams-Sonoma. Not only are they driving consumer perceptions that having just the right gadget is critical to a successful meal, but with the wide variety of colors, styles, and functionality, they've become part of a home's decor and an expression of the cook's personality.
âThe promotional products industry has wisely followed the trend,â she continues. âGiving housewares as promotional items offers a more personal approach that lends itself to a variety of industries such as real estate, insurance, health/wellness, financial, and more. Items used for entertaining such as wine accessories and serving dishes are unique ideas for holiday gifts and incentives. Housewares are practical, durable items that people are reluctant to dispose of. The frequency of use and long shelf-life make for excellent retention rates for branding and advertising messages. Giving a useful item for the home allows a brand to become part of the very fabric of a consumer's life, cementing recall and more importantly, loyalty.â
Adding to this notion is French of Polyconcept North America, who concludes, âPeople like to entertain at home and when they do, the kitchen or living room becomes the venue for happy memories and great experiences. Companies love to have their brands associated with this âhappy place.â Itâs branding gold! Keep the logos subtle and youâve got a strong chance of having your product in the middle of a happy experience.â
Case Studies
Gwen Brey, Beacon Promotions
A State Cattlemenâs Association was doing presentations at a local county fair. The presentation was to educate the consumer on beef products, how to prepare the different cuts of beef and some recipes. At the end of each presentation they had the participants complete a survey. The Cattlemenâs Association wanted to give a thank you gift to those who took the time to attend the presentation and complete the survey. They choose the HW23TH Digital Kitchen/Grilling Thermometer. It serves two purposesâa thank you gift and a useful tool in meal preparation so you donât overcook your beef!
Gary Rosenberg, Compass Industries
A large motorcycle distributor was looking for a way to get people to test drive their new, very expensive bikes. They loved the quality and capabilities of the Leatherman REV, another Made In The USA product. This item has a lockable blade for safety along with over 12 tools and a removable pocket clip. One of the most useful tools in the industry for any emergency situation for handymen/women, home, office, car or motorcycles. They purchased 250 for their first order and anyone who test drove the new bike received the Leatherman. It was such a successful promotion they ended up reordering two more times for over 900 pieces total.