The evolution of promotional products.

How has technology changed since you joined the promotional merchandise industry?

Thanks for a question that demonstrates I’m approaching 60! I joined the industry in the mid-1980s, and anyone under 30 may find how the world looked then pretty hard to believe. The internet had not been launched, email didn’t exist, Microsoft Word and Excel were just on their way and mobile phones were massive boxes rare to but a few!

How was promotional merchandise sold then?

The ‘80s and ‘90s were dominated by catalogue selling – hundreds of thousands were mailed across the UK. Distributors visited customers personally, often with a case of samples. For anyone wanting to contact the office most had to hunt down a telephone box! Sales enquiries were handwritten before being passed to a secretary to type up on a word processor prior to a quote being sent out.

What about lead times?

Lead times were a standard 4-6 weeks, which today is unthinkable. It wasn’t until the mid to late 1990s that email and Microsoft Word and Excel started to become mainstream. As the 2000s opened, the Nokia 3310 mobile phone established itself in the business world. As the internet became increasingly understood, companies made their first forays into using websites as a new communication channel.

What happened then?

Things moved pretty fast! As the internet established itself, 2004 saw the launch of Sourcing City – the first online trade sourcing tool. Very quickly distributors moved from being focused on a defined catalogue range, to a vast array of product ideas being available online from manufacturers and importers worldwide. In turn, distributors started building their own websites to directly communicate a much larger selection of promotional goods to their customers. Social media was also a new kid on the block, coming into the business mix around 2008.

Where are we going next?

Internal business management systems are now crucial to driving efficiency, productivity and accuracy in the leading companies. The need for product data has become critical within the industry, and a revolutionary market technology is on its way in the form of Dynamic Highway, which will share data, pricing and stock information directly from suppliers to distributors, enabling faster quotations and the opportunity to develop true online e-commerce. Web to print technology is growing and over time this will change some of the market shape; 3D printing has yet to establish a place in the market but the next ten years could see it move towards centre stage.

What does the future hold?

One thing’s for sure, technology in the promotional merchandise world will look very different by 2030, but at the same time, customers will always value the personal service offered by business professionals.

Thanks, David.

Make Memorable Merchandise

[mailmunch-form id=”172197″]

Jason Markwick

Having worked in Promotional Merchandise for the last 25 years I have been exposed to all aspects of the industry. Starting out as an account manager working with some of the worlds leading brands, I have learnt to understand the needs of a client, manufacturing processes, and what it takes to deliver a successful promotional campaign that is on brand, on time and within a given budget.