It’s no secret that promo is everywhere – extending across countries and continents as the industry continues to become more global.

Case in point: the first-ever study of the promotional products market in Argentina.

Zecat, a promo supplier based in Buenos Aires, and the Argentine Chamber of Promotional Products (CAMAP) – which is headed by Zecat’s Founder and CEO Mariano Zegarelli – released a comprehensive report focused on 2023 sales and key insights into consumer behavior earlier this year.

“This first market study is a fundamental step in understanding and strengthening the promotional products industry in Argentina,” said Paz Arancedo, Zecat’s head of strategic projects. “At Zecat, we believe that fostering research and data-driven insights is key to professionalizing the sector and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth. Our goal is to continue developing these studies to provide valuable information for all industry players.”

Key Sales Figures

Zecat is one of about 10 suppliers in Argentina that serve roughly 3,000 distributors across the country for an estimated total market size of $230 million, said Arancedo. The country has the third-largest GDP in Latin America, behind only Brazil and Mexico.

The distributors surveyed for Zecat’s report who provided 2023 sales numbers accounted for $39.7 million of that revenue.

Apparel – which makes up close to 50% of promo sales in the U.S., according to ASI’s annual State of the Industry report – is less of a focus for many Argentinian distributors, the report found, with just 6% naming it as their top product category.

Instead, more commonly reported top categories included drinkware, bags, stationery and hats, all of which are also popular in the U.S. market. Vacuum flasks – or tumblers and similar temperature-regulating products – rounded out the top five.

The markets where promo was most in-demand in Argentina also contrasted with the top industries in the U.S. Retail was number one in Argentina – it ranked sixth in 2023 sales for the U.S. – followed by laboratories and agriculture. By comparison, education and healthcare (the two top markets in the U.S.) generated less demand in Argentina.

What Clients Want From Sales Reps

Another key distinction between Argentinian buyers and the U.S. market? Speed.

Six in ten clients place orders fewer than seven business days in advance of when they need the items – with about one in five giving just one or two days’ notice, the study found. ASI’s research on the U.S. market shows, in contrast, that just about a quarter of orders require a five-day or fewer turnaround time.

And those rapid orders don’t necessarily come from clients who know exactly what they want – two-thirds of customers either need full proposals to fulfill their campaigns or ask for help defining options.

Despite this emphasis on speed, delivery times only came in third on the Argentinian distributors’ list of the most in-demand features of their promo products.

Topping the list was quality, followed closely by price – but when clients are forced to choose between the two, the order flips. Sixty percent of customers would pick lower prices over higher quality if they can’t have both.

A few distributors also cited sustainability as a key attribute – which, much like in the U.S., is growing in importance to Argentinian consumers. Three-quarters of Argentinian distributors had clients asking for sustainable products in 2023, with about 20% noting an increase in demand for eco-friendly items that year.

ASI two years ago released the promo industry’s first data-backed study of the European Union and the United Kingdom. Last year’s follow-up found that the U.K. and 27 EU countries accounted for nearly $14.1 billion in distributor sales in 2023. Multiple global initiatives have brought promo companies together across continents – including PromoAlliance, which is a global partnership between the Advertising Specialty Institute, the U.K.’s Sourcing City and Germany’s PSI.

“ASI has long recognized that data is what can help the promo industry thrive, and I’m thrilled that Zecat has provided this inaugural promo market study of Argentina,” said Nate Kucsma, ASI’s senior executive director of research. “It’s fascinating to see how distinct their market is from the U.S. in terms of leading products and industries and yet, how similar they are with the growing importance of sustainability and the importance of consultative behavior.”