Promotional Products by Generation: What the Data Says About What Each Generation Actually Want

If you are choosing promotional products based on guesswork, you are leaving results on the table. The best promotional strategies are built around one simple idea. Give people what they actually want to receive and use.
New research from PPAI’s 2025 Promo Preferences by Generation study gives us a clear look at how different age groups respond to promotional products.1 The takeaway is simple. While preferences vary by generation, usefulness and relevance still drive everything.
Let’s break down what the data shows and how businesses can use it to make smarter promotional decisions.

Apparel Is the Clear Winner Across All Generations

If there is one category that consistently performs, it is apparel.
The research shows that apparel is the number one promotional product category across every generation:

• Gen Z: 73 percent
• Millennials: 62 percent
• Gen X: 61 percent

Apparel Wins For All Generations

This is not surprising. It’s illegal to walk around in public naked. Apparel is worn, seen, and used repeatedly. It turns customers, employees, and fans into walking brand ambassadors.

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How to use apparel effectively

Businesses can use custom apparel for:

• Employee uniforms and company culture
• Event giveaways and trade shows
• Fundraisers and school programs
• Customer appreciation gifts

The key is choosing styles people actually want to wear. Comfortable fabrics, modern fits, and clean designs make a huge difference in whether apparel gets used or ignored.

Food and Beverage Is a Strong Emotional Driver

Food and beverage items rank high across all age groups, especially with younger audiences.

• Gen Z: 58 percent
• Millennials: 47 percent
• Gen X: 45 percent

These items create immediate enjoyment and positive emotional connections. When someone enjoys a snack, drink, or food-related item, that feeling transfers to your brand.

Best uses for food and beverage items

• Event giveaways
• Holiday gifts
• Customer thank you campaigns
• Open houses and grand openings

Edible promotions are especially powerful because they create a sensory experience. People do not just see your brand. They experience it.

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Wearables and Fashion Accessories Appeal to Younger Audiences

Fashion and wearable accessories are especially popular with Gen Z and Millennials.

• Gen Z: 52 percent
• Millennials: 55 percent
• Gen X: 34 percent

This category includes items like sunglasses, hats, and lifestyle accessories that reflect personal style.
Younger audiences tend to value items that feel current and on trend. If the product looks good, it gets worn. If it gets worn, your brand gets seen.

Smart campaign ideas for Wearable Accessories

• Custom sunglasses for summer promotions
• Branded hats for outdoor events
• Lifestyle accessories for influencer campaigns

The key here is design. Style matters more than ever.

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​Office Products Still Matter, Especially for Gen X

While digital tools have grown, traditional office items still have strong appeal, particularly for Gen X.

• Gen Z: 27 percent
• Millennials: 41 percent
• Gen X: 52 percent

Office products include notebooks, planners, desk accessories, and organizational tools.
These items work because they are practical. They are used repeatedly in work environments, which leads to consistent brand exposure.

Best uses for office products

• Corporate onboarding kits
• Employee appreciation programs
• B2B marketing campaigns
• Conference giveaways

If your audience includes professionals or decision makers, office products are still a smart investment.

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Office Products Still Matter, Especially for Gen X

Drinkware Delivers Long-Term Brand Exposure

Drinkware continues to be one of the most reliable promotional product categories.

• Gen Z: 24 percent
• Millennials: 40 percent
• Gen X: 37 percent

Think about how often people use drinkware. Every day. At home, at work, in the car, at the gym.
That frequency creates repeated brand impressions, which is exactly what you want from a promotional item.

How to use drinkware

• Employee welcome kits
• Fitness and wellness programs
• Trade show giveaways
• Customer loyalty gifts
• 
  Drinkware is a great example of everyday use driving long term marketing value.

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Bags and Travel Items Stand Out for Gen X

Another interesting finding is how strongly bags and travel items perform with Gen X.
Gen X values bags and travel items at 40 percent, while Millennials and Gen Z both come in at 33 percent.
This includes items like tote bags, backpacks, and travel accessories.
These products offer large branding areas and practical use, making them ideal for long-term exposure.

Where bags perform best

• Conferences and trade shows
• Retail and gift shops
• Travel and hospitality promotions
• School and community events

Because bags are used repeatedly, they continue to generate impressions long after they are received.

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Writing Instruments Are Still Relevant

Even with digital communication, pens are not going away.
The research shows:

• 34 percent of Gen Z value writing instruments
• 32 percent of Millennials value writing instruments

Pens remain one of the most cost-effective promotional products. They are used daily and easily shared.

Best uses for custom pens

• Healthcare offices
• Banks and financial institutions
• Trade shows and events
• Everyday customer interactions

The key is choosing a pen that writes well. If it works, it stays. Think about the combination of promotional pens with NFC tap technology.

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Technology Is a Growing Category

The study also highlights growing interest in tech-related promotional products.
Gen X prefers tech products at 49 percent, while Gen Z and Millennials both show strong interest at 42 percent.
Tech items like charging cables, power banks, and NFC-enabled products offer both utility and modern appeal.

How to use tech products

• Employee onboarding kits
• Sales tools and lead generation
• Trade show giveaways
• Customer retention programs

Tech products often feel more premium, which can elevate how your brand is perceived.

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What This Means for Your Promotional Strategy

The biggest takeaway from this research is that there is no one-size-fits-all promotional product.
Different generations value different things. But there is one common thread across all of them. Usefulness wins.
If the item fits into someone’s daily life, it gets used. If it gets used, your brand gets seen.

Smart strategies moving forward

• Match products to your audience’s lifestyle
• Focus on quality over quantity
• Choose items that are used repeatedly
• Think about when and where the item will be used
• Make sure your branding complements the product

When promotional products feel relevant and useful, they stop being giveaways and start becoming part of someone’s routine.

Final Thoughts

Promotional products are still one of the most effective ways to stay top of mind, but only if they are chosen strategically.
The PPAI 2025 research makes it clear. Consumers know what they want, and they expect promotional products to meet the same standards as items they would choose for themselves.
When you align your promotional products with real consumer preferences, you create more than impressions. You create value.
And that is where promotional products truly work.
References:

1. “Top Promo Categories By Generation: Infographic.” Promotional Products Association International.

See the PDF infographic here.