Promotional item
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A promotional item is merchandise given away free of charge to the public in an effort to promote a business or increase interest in, or sales of, a product. Often distributed at trade shows, used in direct mail and as part of guerilla marketing campaigns, these items are also referred to by the slang terms swag ( Stuff We All Get ) and tchotchke. (The latter is derived from a Yiddish word meaning "trinket".)
Promotional items are also used in politics to promote candidates and causes. Promotional items are also used by schools and other organizations, often as a part of fundraising and awareness-raising campaigns. A prominent example was the livestrong wristband, used to promote cancer awareness and raise funds to support cancer survivorship programs and research.
Examples of promotional items include logo-branded t-shirts, caps, keychains, bumper stickers, pens and badges.
Collection of certain types of promotional items is a popular hobby.
