Hot Ideas To Heat Up Summer Promo Sales
The weather is heating up, and so is the merch at summer events. ASI Media editors discuss sales ideas for the season and taste-test scrumptious and a few wacky treats.
The summer months usher in a season full of outdoor events and bustling vacation spots, with promotional products often playing a starring role.
In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI Media Editors Theresa Hegel, Sara Lavenduski and Hannah Rosenberger – along with summer Editorial Intern Chris Bao, a rising junior at Princeton University – reveal their plans to scope out promo at upcoming events, share sales ideas for the next few months (including back-to-school) and taste-test unique treats, like Dr Pepper-flavored cotton candy along with peppercorn and meat-flavored potato chips.
Bao in particular brought a unique perspective to the back-to-school promo sales discussion as a current college student. “We desperately want free things,” he said. “Of course there are a lot of classics, like sweatshirts and sweatpants, that students will use all semester.”
Bao emphasized the importance of pairing multiple branded pieces, like stickers plus water bottles and bags with items inside. “At the same time, make sure they’re useful,” he said, “and that they’re things that students will want to take home as opposed to leaving in their dorms at the end of the semester.”
This episode is brought to you by S&S Activewear (asi/84358).
Key Takeaways
• A Fun Tradition: ASI Media’s seasonal taste tests celebrate the changing seasons and include promo sales tips. This edition features unique snacks like Dr Pepper cotton candy, banana Pocky and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Hershey’s Kisses, blending fun with industry insights.
• Promo Events & Cultural Tie-Ins: Intern Chris Bao highlights the Chinese Lantern Festival in Philadelphia as a great example of how cultural events can integrate promo products. This reflects a broader trend of using culturally relevant events to boost brand engagement.
• Creative & Impactful Campaigns: The team discusses recent standout brand campaigns, including a Lego x Nike collaboration, a chocolate bar self-promo by Deluxe and a Slim Jim x WWE partnership.
• College Campus Trends: Bao shares insights from Princeton, noting that students value practical, reusable items like sweatshirts, stickers and bags. He emphasizes the importance of pairing items (e.g., stickers with laptops or water bottles) and avoiding wasteful “brandfill.”
• Back-to-School Sales Tips: Rosenberger and Bao suggest providing useful, timely items like umbrellas on rainy days or portable chargers during exams. Consider products that create positive brand associations when they “save the day.”
• Summer Promo Ideas: Bao proposes fun adult-oriented beach kits with branded sandcastle tools and social media tie-ins. Another idea: Revamp the fruitcake as a humorous and nostalgic holiday promo item.
• Emphasis on Sustainability & Giveback Programs: The team stresses the importance of intentional sustainable promo products. Lavenduski highlights notebooks from Denik (asi/49264), which help fund school construction around the world, while Hegel shares about ASI’s “Do-Gooders Directory,” which spotlights suppliers with strong giveback initiatives.