If I just say the word Nike, your brain will most likely immediately think of these two things: The Nike swoosh logo and their brand tagline, Just Do It. Nike’s branding is tied into every aspect of their marketing but more importantly, it’s tied into their products as well.
If you go to a sports store to buy Nike apparel, there is no way to buy any shirt, short, sock or shoe without it either having the swoosh or Just Do It printed on it. Why? Because this allows the company to turn it’s very own customers into brand ambassadors, or more plainly, walking billboards of free advertising.
Nike has positioned itself as a luxury sports brand. Its customer base doesn’t even think twice about wearing their tagline, because it reflects positively on the customer to rep Nike. It’s synonymous with being a top-level athlete, living an elevated lifestyle.
On a more micro and subtle scale, supermarkets like Hannaford and Price Chopper incorporate wearables into their customer base by selling branded shopping bags. Since the plastic bag ban of 2020 in New York, these stores have increased their promotion and extended the product line of their sustainable shopping bags. Branding shining through every time a consumer slings one over their shoulder.
So yes, branded wearables boost your brand awareness in a way that is done subtly and organically by the very customers that purchase from you. However, there is one mistake that we see businesses make again, and again when it comes to selecting the brand wearables they are going to offer their customer base and that is quality.
Nike isn’t just another t-shirt company. They sell sweat-wicking, microfiber, heat and cold gear.
Hannaford doesn’t just offer a plain canvas bag. They sell a square, reinforced on all sides and the bottom carrying case to help shoppers get their groceries from the checkout counter to the car without incident.
Consumers are not going to rep your branded wearables if they are of low-quality materials. Itchy doesn’t make a consumer want to wear your shirt. Thin doesn’t make a buyer want to use your bag. Flimsy doesn’t make a shopper want to wear your hat.
You have great pride in your brand, it’s your business after all. Show that same pride to your customer base by selecting quality materials over lowest-cost materials. You are an upscale product or service. Your brand deserves high recognition and a cheer squad of loyal customers willing to walk around town in your gear. When you put quality first, your customer base associates high quality not only in the products you sell or the services you provide but associates it with every aspect of your business.
Every touchpoint a customer has with your business is anticipated to be superior and exceptional because you offer exceptional brand wearables.
There have even been instances where consumers don’t feel a strong connection with a brand, but the quality of the wearable they were given was so high that they wore the product regardless. That’s the power of quality.
The same goes for branded wearables for your employees. Show them their worth to the company on top of the company’s high value. Employees feel valued when they are provided with quality uniforms or other branded wearables.
It reflects well on the company that it is willing to spend a little extra on the very employees that keep it operating smoothly and it transfers from the employee to the customer when the customer sees the high-quality jacket, polo, or cap that the employees worn.
The best part of all of this? It’s evergreen marketing, a repetitive subtle message from your brand incorporated into the daily lives of consumers to remind them that you are always here to help solve their problem.
Think of the impact that has on the consumer who is repping your branded wearable and then multiply that impact by the number of other consumers who see him/her with the wearable.
Velocity has upscale product offerings to elevate your brand wearables. We carry brands like Nike, Eddie Bauer, Carhart, and Puma just to list a few. Quality is found here. Show off the pride you have for your own business and get more brand awareness out of it by contacting us at 888.372.3487 or infoNY@velocityprint.com.