These days, “brand placement" is huge business. Companies like Coca Cola and McDonald’s pay millions to Hollywood producers to have their products get face time on screen in their movies. Any time you see a recognizable product on a television show or on the big screen, you can bet that someone paid a pretty penny to get it in there. Name and brand recognition are among the most sought goals in business. You may not have the budget to get your name mentioned on a major television show, but you can increase your name recognition with carefully chosen business gifts.

The right business gifts can put your name on everybody’s lips – quite literally in some cases. Lip balms in custom printed tubes and tins are one of the more popular business gifts on the market. You can also put your name on everyone’s chest – with t-shirts and other apparel, in their pockets with promotional key rings, and on their desks with a wide variety of business gifts that are designed for office use. In fact, one of the main reasons that companies choose business gifts customized with their names is to increase the name recognition of their products.

Increasing name recognition should be a major part of any marketing campaign. Essentially, you want to be the name that springs to mind whenever someone thinks of your product categories, in the same way that “Kleenex" is indelibly connected with pocket tissues. While worldwide recognition for your company’s name may be a tall order, there are many ways that you can use promotional items and business gifts to increase the number of people who recognize your company’s name and logo immediately.

Choose a distinctive logo and look for all of your

promotional items and business gifts.

Consistency is the basis of recognition. If you change the appearance of your logo or of your company name on various business gifts, you’re making it harder for your market to recognize it wherever they see it. Choose a specific font or style for your name to appear, and stick with it.

Put your name everywhere that it can be printed

Promotional items are more than giveaways and gifts. Your marketing and promotional efforts should include putting your name on anything that leaves your office or store that can be printed. If you own a retail store or restaurant, for instance, never send a product out the door naked or in plain brown wrap. Put your name on your carrier bags and takeout boxes. It will make a huge difference in name visibility.

Choose high visibility business gifts

When you’re making a choice between two or more business gifts as giveaways or for loyalty schemes, go for the one that will be more visible where you want it to be seen. For a retail store, for example, you want your name seen anywhere there are people – choose umbrellas, travel mugs or t-shirts that people will carry and wear, and show off your brand name. If your business deals with office supplies, choose desk supplies and equipment that will be in front of your target market every day, all day.