gives you quite a low-cost communications channel." BPMA research into the length of time branded promotional merchandise is kept reveals that low-cost items, such as mugs and pens, can deliver a cost per impression of just 0.001 -- a tenth of a penny. This compares favourably with other forms of media such as television (0.008 per impression) and advertising hoardings (0.003 per impression), it says. But not any old product will do -- no matter how useful. Gray says there must be relevance to the brand. "You need to have permission to be in that space -- otherwise it feels like you're hijacking," he says. "That's always the case, whether you are advertising on Facebook or to B2B (business-to-business) clients on a mouse mat." Gray gives the example of a promotion for the Batchelors food brand that offered customers the opportunity to win free fuel for a year. "We did some experiential activity for the campaign, at which we gave away branded car fresheners," he says. "The nature of the promotion gave us a reason to be in that space, and the giveaway enabled us to communicate the brand proposition to people via something they would use time and again." The sustainability agenda should also influence product choice, says Everything Environmental managing director Evan Lewis. "Client opinion of a company giving away ethically produced or environmentally responsible gifts is without doubt enhanced," he says. Environmentally friendly products can also be a more cost-effective option, says Lewis. "A re-usable bag may