can. The survey found that 56 per cent of respondents felt more favourable towards a brand after receiving a promotional item, while 79 per cent said it would make them more likely to do business with the brand in future. High Profile managing director Richard Wood says promotional merchandise delivers benefits by keeping a brand front of mind. "Well thought out merchandise hits where it matters," he says. "It will sit on a client's desk, in their pocket, car or bag and be in constant view, acting as a daily reminder of the brand." Wood says that current trends are for giving away sports bottles, low-cost household and kitchen products -- such as bag clips, measuring scoops and spaghetti measures -- and road safety items. "There will always be seasonal trends, too -- with products such as frisbees, bats and balls and other summer items, and then ice scrapers, Slap Wraps and tyre-tread checkers in the winter," he adds. With thousands of products available, at a broad range of prices, choices can often feel as if made at random. What to choose Haygarth head of promotional and trade Steven Gray says choosing a product that customers will find useful is crucial to the success of this type of giveaway. "Something that lots of businesses do really well in Japan is handing out branded paper fans in summer," he says. "Anything where you have given away something of benefit to the customer, which they will keep with them and use again,