Corporate Gifts vs. Promotional Merchandise

If you have bought products from one of the many suppliers of promotional products before, or done any research into the promotional gifts industry, you have probably come across both the terms "corporate gifts" and "promotional merchandise" in various articles and blogs.

As the terms are used almost interchangeably by promotional gifts experts, you may have found this confusing and wondered if there was a difference between them. So, to help avoid any more confusion, I have written this article to explain the distinction that exists between corporate gifts and promotional merchandise, and also to clarify what we mean by our company name, UK Corporate Gifts.

"Corporate Gifts"

Corporate Gifts are often viewed as exclusive and expensive items unique to businesses

In the industry, when corporate gifts are being discussed, what is being referred to are the high-end, more expensive products that businesses and companies give to their staff and clients.

For example, a glass coaster engraved with an individual's name given away by a car manufacturer would be considered a corporate gift. So would a personalised pen in a presentation box being given by a bank to one of its employees.

This is because these items are viewed as substantial and personal, and are being used in the corporate world, (the word corporate meaning of or related to large businesses).

"Promotional Merchandise"

Promotional Merchandise is thought of as cheap giveaways that raise awareness

Promotional merchandise, on the other hand, is a term widely used to refer to cheaper items and wearable products such as t-shirts, keyrings and lanyards.

Promotional merchandise is also used to refer to branded items that are given away by all types of organisations and enterprises, not just businesses. That is, a charity, social enterprise or governmental organisation might give out promotional merchandise. Similarly, a prospective customer, supporter or follower could receive promotional merchandise.

A sweatshirt printed with the logo of a charity and worn by volunteers at a fundraising event would come under the heading "promotional merchandise", as would a printed carrier bag used to hold a customer's recently purchased items from a retailer.

So what about "UK Corporate Gifts"?

At UK Corporate Gifts, we, like many others in the industry, use the two terms interchangeably to refer to all kinds of promotional gifts. So, our company name does not mean that we only provide expensive items that are intended for business use only.

Browse Corporate Gifts >>

We supply both corporate gifts and promotional merchandise for a range of uses. Whether you want to spread the word about your business, instil a friendly brand image, raise funds or supporters, or reward customers and employees, we have a range of items to suit you. To get an idea of the huge variety we offer, have a read of our previous blog post on our top 5 weird and wonderful promotional gifts. It will give you a sense of the diversity of promotional gifts on our website, and maybe inspire you to choose a corporate gift for your business!