• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, November 12, 2008

Some T-shirts I cannot live without. Now I'm told General Motors, AT&T, Geico Insurance, and the Perfect Push-up should contribute to my wardrobe -- especially if they want to sell me some real product down the road.
 
Faded to a perfect dusty black, my "Without Limits" T-shirt from the 1998 Warner Bros. movie, starring Billy Crudup as the mystical runner, Steve Prefontaine, is in my top weekly rotation of garments.

After that comes my beer-dyed, "Haul 'n Ass Bike Tours" shirt from Haleakala Crater, Maui, with my NBC Sports gym-grey tee in third place.

According to a new study by the Advertising Specialty Institute (a swag marketing group that has a little bias in pushing the value of promotional products), consumers remember more about advertising based on swag than on TV, print or radio. This also includes free coffee mugs, pencils, and, I'm guessing, bobble-head Bill Gates dolls. Just when you thought digital media platforms such as Internet, VOD, or mobile, or even traditional TV, were the coolest areas to run your media and marketing communications, now all you really need is a logo on your wine-bottle opener or your refrigerator magnet.

The study says the majority of respondents -- 62% --have done business with an advertiser after receiving a promotional product, with one quarter -- 24% -- saying they are more likely to do business with an advertiser based on items they receive.

Why? It must be the free factor. Perhaps there is a little guilt that goes along as well.  All of which should go a long way for business-to-business TV transactions. Maybe NBC or CBS should just give away some 30-second advertising inventory. I'm guessing TV marketers - even in a recessionary economy - would then eel guilty, regretful, or even philanthropic for their TV seller colleagues, buying even bigger TV schedules once their businesses turn around.

For me, I'm just waiting for my next Discovery Channel Shark Week beach towel. I'll remember those guys; I may even tune in.
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