How Calendars Are Still an Effective Tool to Help You Build Your Brand

We look at calendars several times a day but don't always give them the respect and credit that they deserve as brand building tools.

Quite a bit of research has been done by the promotional products industry around the effectiveness of calendars. It has been shown that printed calendars ARE an effective way to place your brand in the homes and offices of your customers and prospects.

One big misconception about printed calendars is they are no longer relevant in the digital age. Although the numbers are lower than in decades past, printed calendars are still very relevant. For example, in a survey conducted by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) of over 1,000 U.S. businesses, 78% of the people who participated reported having a printed calendar at their workplace. Although this figure contrasts to 100% of those surveyed back in 1981, 78% is still a large percentage of prospects that will see your brand on a calendar.

In addition, 79% of the business respondents say they enjoy receiving calendars as a complimentary gift.
When asked what types of advertising calendars respondents were most likely to keep and use, not surprisingly, the wall calendar came out on top (64%) followed by desk calendars, calendars-in-a-day

planner, magnetic, and pocket calendars.

However, knowing that people appreciate calendars, with a little bit of imagination you can imprint calendar information on other products to make your brand stand out. For example, print your company logo and calendar on a microfiber screen cleaning cloth. This item is both very popular and very portable, keeping your name in front of prospects throughout the year.

 
Or what about printing a calendar onto a pen caddy that will be displayed on a desk? This is another useful item that gives great visibility to your brand while providing utility to the recipient.

More Results from the Survey

Other results from the calendar survey: Eight out of 10 business respondents state that the calendar plays either an important, very important or extremely important role in their lives. And it's not all digital, all the time. When asked how many times they used a calendar on their computer, 33 percent reported never referring to a computer on their calendar. Fifty percent of respondents had at some point printed their calendar off their computer. This is a sign that also points to  a need for a physical form of calendar as well as a marketing opportunity for companies.

The average number of printed calendars per business was 2.1 versus the average of 2.56 back in 1981. 37% of respondents had at least one calendar at work, 62% had between two and nine printed calendars at work and one percent had more than 10. These numbers also bode well for providers of printed calendars. Only 24 percent of respondents who had a print calendar at work stated that their calendars were not an advertising calendar, so we know that 76 percent had an advertising calendar! 

The question is that - is there room for more? The answer is a resounding yes. 64% of respondents plan to purchase a calendar in the future. This tells us that there is opportunity for advertisers to step in and make sure that advertising calendars take the place of those that are purchased. 

Calendars Work to Build Brand Awareness

The study also reveals that the advertising calendar is a very effective advertising vehicle. We know that between 75% - 77% could remember the advertiser or message advertised on the calendar they use. 61% had a more favorable impression of the advertiser and 49% have referred the company who gave them the calendar to somebody else. Recall and reaction was also very encouraging . . . All with huge implications for the effectiveness of this advertising medium. 

Make your calendar stand out even more with digital printing. Check out Use Personalization to Make Your Brand Stand Out. 

So what are you waiting for? As you start using your 2014 calendars and realize how ubiquitous and effective they are, think about allocating some of your upcoming budget for calendars for the 2015 season. Then it will be your company name that they remember when it is time to buy.

Give me a call today to brainstorm ideas to make your brand stand out with a calendar promotional product. 847-398-5500 or dona.blunt@newportpros.com. 


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