ASI’s 2026 Ad Impressions Study provided one of our most comprehensive looks at the value, effectiveness and impact of promotional products, particularly when it comes to how branded products influence buying decisions with a low cost-per-impression. Now, we’re spotlighting stats around individual product categories, research questions and specific international markets worth taking a second look at.

T-shirts have been the perennial most popular product in the industry by percentage of industry sales, representing more than $4.2 million annual volume – and for good reason. Four in every five consumers say that they’d hang onto a promotional T-shirt for at least a year after receiving it, and nine in 10 would wear it at least once a month.

That means, based on ASI Research’s calculations, that a well-loved branded T-shirt is likely to garner 3,500 impressions over its lifespan – resulting in an average cost-per-impression of just 1/3 of a cent.

If a tee is kept for longer than average, of course, the number of brand impressions will only go up. What makes consumers want to keep a shirt? Unlike some other product categories, the T-shirt being useful, enjoyable to have and attractive are all nearly identical in importance, meaning that design and comfort matter equally as much as a consumer’s need for a new shirt.

Read and download the full 2026 Ad Impressions report here.

Click here for a pdf of this infographic.