Promo product trends are now keeping pace with the quick-moving consumer market, and that means distributors can meet end-buyer and recipient demand faster than ever before.

“Everyone wants that retail look,” says Lisa Fronek, CEO and creative director at Generate Sales & Marketing (asi/444517), an affiliate of Counselor Top 40 distributor iPROMOTEu (asi/232119). “We want to represent ourselves and our companies with the things that we love, that we want to use, that we want to carry.”

Fortunately, distributors have a number of resources and popular media platforms for tracking trends and offering customers creative ideas for their upcoming campaigns.

In a Quick Hit video on the ASI Learning Network, Fronek offers her top tips for doing just that. Here are four of them.

1. Take advantage of suppliers’ resources.

Suppliers often provide lifestyle imagery, videos and sample boxes to help distributors effectively market trendy items. These tools allow distributors to create engaging content like unboxing videos and capitalize on of-the-moment products.

2. Browse social media with caution.

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are great for spotting trends, but distributors have to know what will or won’t align with a given brand and their needs. Leveraging team input, client demographics and personal networks helps filter relevant ideas.

3. Get creative with price points.

While name brands are still popular, the promo industry offers affordable alternatives that mimic a retail aesthetic. Distributors can present tiered options to clients – premium for high-value targets and budget-friendly for broader outreach.

4. Remember the packaging.

Creative ideas don’t end with the product itself: Consider how it’s branded, packaged and delivered. Suggest full-color imprints, paired with subtle branding and boxes with a retail aesthetic, making the merch ideal for unboxing videos and other social media-ready moments.