Branding and logo presentation is top of mind for most marketers. Recognition of logo and corporate ID is something to which every company aspires and is a proven way to leverage higher margins and increased market share in competitive industries. While these concerns are of genuine importance when looking over the general media advertising of an organisation when it comes to promotional products obsession with exact reproduction of the complicated details of a logo can result in a negative outcome.

Consider for instance the idea of a company procuring promotional mugs. You can see from the huge range on offer that a mug has a limited branding area and the more details which are added the less room there is for other details to be added and indeed the more complicated details shown in the logo itself the less visible it is at a glance from passers-by. The objective of promotional marketing is like all other marketing efforts to enhance the sales and profitability of the organisation in question. Getting to this point in any promotional marketing activity requires a value judgement based on juggling a number of elements so that the final result achieves the stated aim above.

Reproducing client logos is one of the major issues for organisations which service marketing orientated companies. Traditionally in other media employments marketers are right to be concerned about the accurate printing of their corporate IDs, however when it comes to promotional products consideration needs to be given to the ultimate utility of the products and the visibility of the object and the branding which has been printed on it. It can often be the case that adding additional details to the object and therefore making it harder to understand and read can counteract the intended objectives of promotional marketing.

Consider for instance the regular request received by promotional production departments of a client who wants a full colour reproduction of their logo applied to a small product like a pen or keyring. While it makes some sense to want to present a logo in the same manner at every appearance when it comes to promotional marketing one must be aware of the final appearance of the product and ensure that the addition of the logo adds to it rather than diminishes the apparent value of the final products. For this reason it's often suggested that a single colour print is the best option and this is certainly the case where the client has a complicated logo or is after additional information like phone numbers and a web address to be added to the branding.

Ultimately a promotional product with branding is a sales tool, but it must also stand alone as a valid item and have an aesthetic which is pleasing to both giver and receiver. By simplifying the branding and print on a product it's more likely that the important parts of the message will be emphasised and therefore the product will do the job for which it was intended. More importantly, however, is the requirement that the final product is something people receiving them are happy to own and will not be ashamed to be seen with. At the end of the day a promotional item which is thrown out or ends up in a cupboard is a waste of time and money so it makes sense to look first to what it is that will make your branded gift item something people will be happy to use daily.