Looking for a creative, low-cost promo with tons of brand stickiness? Consider the appeal of the custom sticker sheet.

Sticker sheets are a fun add-on item for the #promoproducts industry. Let me tell you a little about the trend in this quick hit video.#PromoInsiders #ASIMedia #stickers pic.twitter.com/jWaarYGMgF

— Theresa Hegel (@TheresaHegel) April 22, 2021

Though they hark back to the simple pleasures of childhood, stickers have been trending for adults, particularly millennials. “Customers will put stickers on items like their phones, laptops, water bottles, cars and more, advertising their support of local businesses, to remember a great experience or vacation, or simply to flaunt their affiliation with a cool brand,” says Jennifer Hoyt, marketing communications manager at Top 40 supplier Stouse (asi/89910).

Stickers have become a way to show off personal style and creativity, says E-Xuan Chen, B2B marketing specialist with supplier StickerYou (asi/89791). Stickers allow “people to express themselves – what matters to them, who they are, what they represent.”

StickerYou sent this sticker sheet, featuring employees’ “memojis,” to staff at the start of the pandemic to help them feel connected with each other.

Sticker sheets and other custom stickers are a value-add with a low cost per unit, making them an ideal upsell item. Kyle Xavier, director of marketing and business development with supplier Stickerbeat Inc. (asi/89771), has noticed sticker sheets being inserted into subscription boxes for coffee, beer and other goods. Because of their small price tag and minimal weight, sticker sheets make sense to include in a variety of drop-shipped, custom kitting projects. “It’s adding another level of customer experience,” Xavier says.

Stickerbeat produced this Friends-themed sticker sheet, designed by ImpoliteOwl Design.

When it comes to markets to target, the possibilities for custom stickers are nearly endless. “There’s a sticker out there for everyone,” Hoyt says, pointing to lifestyle brands, fitness, animal rescues, outdoor life, museums, nonprofits, schools, small businesses and national brands as a few of the niches using stickers effectively.

Jeremy Picker, co-founder and CEO of AMB3R (asi/590243), believes sticker sheets are underrated and can help bring up e-commerce cart value. “They’re not a huge moneymaker for us distributors, and there’s a bunch of creative involved,” he says, “but stickers are super popular and a great add-on item that gives the end buyer a lower-cost option if they can’t afford to buy a wearable or just want to support the brand.” Picker notes that he has a client that has been doing very well with stickers and sticker packs, selling over 200,000 of the items to a major retailer.

Stickers can easily be incorporated into a brand’s marketing campaigns. Some companies, Hoyt says, include a coupon or other call to action on the sticker liner, offering a discount on the next purchase. Or, brands can include their social media info on the liner or a peel-away tab on the sticker, creating a digital contest asking recipients to take photos of where they’ve placed their sticker and post them online for a chance to win a prize.

Sticker sheets, like these created by AMB3R Creative, are a great option for podcast merch and other e-commerce.

There’s an art to designing custom sticker sheets for brands. It’s not necessarily a good idea to load up the page with a dozen iterations of the same logo. Chen recommends including the brand’s logo once or twice and mixing it in with “company culture items.” For example, a coffee shop could create a sticker sheet featuring espresso beans, a steaming cup of joe, cookies and muffins and perhaps pepper in some pun-like phrases, such as “I like coffee a latte.” Be sure to stick with a similar color palette and art style to give the page stylistic cohesion. Consult with your sticker vendor to create an optimal arrangement of sticker types and sizes to get the best price per square inch, Xavier says.

Though stickers are popular in part because of their low cost, that doesn’t mean you should skimp on quality. “Nothing’s worse than a flimsy, cheap-looking sticker sheet,” Hoyt says, adding that consumers tend to appreciate sticker sheets with a stable, high-quality liner and bigger shapes that peel off easily.

Stouse made these avocado stickers to give away to distributors during an industry trade show.

Consider too the type of adhesive the stickers use. If stickers leave glue residue behind on cars or laptops when they’re removed, that will also leave a negative brand impression with end-users. To combat that issue (and help reduce bubbling when the sticker is placed), Stickerbeat uses 3M vinyl for its stickers, Xavier says.

Though there are many factors to think about when crafting the perfect aesthetic for a brand, try not to get too stuck on the details. Remember, Hoyt says, “Stickers are just plain fun.”