Advertising materials: memories to take away – or to forget

Whether pens, carrier bags or branded sweets – advertising materials have been a staple at trade fairs for decades. Almost everyone takes something with them, and many take nothing home. What remains is not the object itself, but the question: did this object actually convey anything? Or was it just filler?

A good promotional item fulfills a function. It creates connection, recognition, perhaps even sympathy. A bad one, on the other hand, ends up in the trash – or worse: in the memory as interchangeable junk. The difference between these two extremes determines whether a brand resonates or simply disappears.

What advertising material can do – and what it can't

Advertising material is no guarantee of attention. It is a means to an end – nothing more, nothing less. Its value is not determined by price or size, but by context. Why is something being distributed? Does it fit the product? Does it strike the right note with the target group?

At trade fairs, where conversation and information are paramount, advertising materials can have a subtle effect: as a reminder of a conversation, as a conversation starter, or as a bridge for making contact after the fair. It's not about quantity, but about meaning.

Between usefulness and message

The selection of suitable advertising materials does not begin in the catalog, but with your own brand. What do you want to convey? What does the company stand for? If you are clear about this, you will choose differently. And you will avoid standard solutions that are available from your competitors in exactly the same box.

Sometimes a small, well-thought-out gesture is more effective than an elaborately produced gadget. Sometimes it is better to produce less – but in a more targeted manner. Because good advertising material not only tells a story, it also creates memories. Of a conversation, a moment, an attitude.

Important questions to ask before making a selection:

• Does the product fit the message or industry?
• Is the advertising material functional or decorative?
• Will it remain in use or just end up in a pile of trade fair bags?
• Does it generate conversation, a reaction, or a recognition effect?

The silent communication behind the object

Advertising material speaks even when no one is around. It lies on the desk, in the car, on the bedside table. And it says something: about quality, about attitude, about relevance. That's why every detail is important – material, design, text. Anything that looks cheap will be perceived as such. Anything that looks careless says more about the company than about the product itself.

Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role. Disposable items with no function or made from problematic materials contradict many brand values. Anyone who wants to appear credible today thinks not only about reach, but also about depth of impact.

Advertising materials are part of the overall presentation

Advertising material rarely has an impact on its own. It is strongly influenced by its context – the place, the person, the moment it is handed over. Is it handed over casually? Is it lying carelessly on the counter? Or is it deliberately linked to a message?

That's why it's worth thinking about advertising materials not in isolation, but as part of a trade fair concept. Where does it fit? When does it fit? And to whom? Only when these questions are considered can a real impact be achieved. Otherwise, the object remains, but the meaning evaporates.

Conclusion: Advertising material is not a giveaway – it is an invitation

When done well, advertising material is more than just an object. It is a gesture, a reminder, sometimes even the start of a conversation that will begin later. Those who plan carelessly waste potential. Those who choose carefully can achieve a lot with simple means – because something sticks that doesn't need to be explained: the feeling of being taken seriously.