Mug, flask or notebook: which business gifts recipients actually use

The best promotional gift is the one that does not disappear into a drawer after Christmas. We have produced gifts for hundreds of companies and see what clients reorder – that is, what gets used. Here is a comparison without marketing slogans.

The mug: the most used

A ceramic mug is in someone's hands every day in the office, and colleagues and visitors see the logo too. The drawback – many people already have plenty of mugs. The fix: a mug with a lid (like the Carter 450 ml in our Small set) that also works on the road, or an unusual colour. Logo: 1 colour looks good on a matt surface.

Flask and thermo bottle: used outside the office

A flask goes to work, training and trips – the logo is seen outside the company. A steel flask with a strainer (Taylor 450 ml) is the gift people thank you for a month later, not only on receipt. Laser engraving on steel does not wear off. Pricier than a mug, but used for years.

The notebook: the desk gift

An A5 hard-cover notebook with the logo on the cover sits on the desk in meetings all year – one of the few gifts that lands directly in the working environment. With a metal pen in a box (the Tactical or Carmen sets) it becomes the "serious" gift for partners. Tip: deboss or a single colour on the cover, not a full-colour sticker.

The tote bag: the biggest logo

A cotton bag is the only gift where the logo can be 20 cm tall and gets carried around town. Cheap, light, and doubles as wrapping for the other gifts. On a small budget, a bag plus one item is a better pair than two trinkets.

Pen and keyring: the extra, not the main gift

Both get used, but on their own they look like trade-fair giveaways. In a set they are the ideal "third item" – a keyring with a trolley coin is practical daily, a pen belongs with a notebook.

What to put together

• Everyday set: mug + keyring (Small, €17.99).
• Mobile set: flask + tote + keyring (Medium, €23.99).
• Desk set: notebook + pen in a box (Premium, €38.99; Premium #2, €69).

Or compose your own – in the set builder you can change colours and items and see the item price straight away.

Three mistakes we see every year

1. A logo that is too big. On a gift the logo is a detail, not a billboard. Small, high-contrast, one colour.
2. An item without a function. If the object has no daily use, it does not stay.
3. Ordering in mid-December. Popular colours run out and printing becomes a rush job. Order by 5 December.

Questions about a specific item or colour? Write to the request assistant – we answer within 1 working day.