Promotional Bags: Hershey’s Kisses Gift-with-Purchase Campaign

Promotional bags are more than practical shopping accessories. When designed with prominent branding and an appealing visual identity, they can become effective marketing tools that extend brand exposure beyond the point of purchase.

A good example comes from Hershey’s Kisses, which introduced a gift-with-purchase promotion at duty-free stores in Greece. Customers purchasing three large pouches of Hershey’s chocolate received a specially designed branded bag.

The promotion demonstrates how a relatively simple gift can add value to a purchase while turning an everyday accessory into a mobile advertising opportunity.

Hershey’s Kisses Promotional Bag: A Gift with Purchase

The Hershey’s Kisses promotion offered shoppers a branded bag when they purchased three large pouches of chocolate at participating duty-free stores in Greece.

The promotional bag featured several distinctive design elements:

• Prominent brand logo: The Hershey’s name was displayed clearly across the bag, making the brand easy to recognize.
• Memorable marketing message: The slogan “Say it with a KISS” connected the product with the gift’s visual identity.
• Chocolate-inspired design: A large Hershey’s Kisses graphic reinforced the connection with the confectionery brand.
• Branded shoulder strap: The KISSES message was printed across the strap, extending the branding beyond the main body of the bag.
• Contrasting colors: Brown and silver created a distinctive appearance that helped the bag stand out.

The combination of these elements turned a functional shopping accessory into a branded promotional gift.

Why Promotional Bags Work for Brand Marketing

Branded promotional bags offer an opportunity to connect practical product design with ongoing brand visibility.

Unlike promotional items that may only be used occasionally, a well-designed bag can become part of a consumer’s everyday routine.

Here are several reasons why brands consider promotional bags for their marketing campaigns.

1. Extends Brand Exposure Beyond the Store

One of the biggest advantages of promotional bags is their visibility.

When customers carry a branded bag through shopping centers, airports, offices, or public spaces, the logo and marketing message can be seen by other people.

In the Hershey’s example, the prominent logo and chocolate-inspired graphics helped transform the bag into a walking advertisement.

For brands, this creates opportunities for additional exposure after the original purchase.

2. Adds Practical Value to a Purchase

A promotional gift is more appealing when consumers can use it beyond the campaign itself.

Shopping bags, tote bags, and travel bags can serve practical purposes, making them useful alternatives to disposable promotional giveaways.

The Hershey’s Kisses bag was particularly relevant to the Duty Free retail environment, where travelers could use an additional bag to carry their purchases.

3. Encourages Higher-Value Purchases

Gift-with-purchase campaigns can encourage consumers to purchase more items to qualify for an additional gift.

In this case, customers needed to purchase three large Hershey’s pouches to receive the branded bag.

This structure gave shoppers an additional incentive to buy multiple products in one transaction.

For FMCG brands, similar promotions can be considered when planning campaigns around product bundles, seasonal offers, or retail activations.

4. Creates a Longer-Lasting Brand Impression

A practical promotional item can continue to communicate a brand message after the campaign has ended.

Unlike a short-term advertisement, a bag may be used repeatedly for shopping, commuting, or travel.

This gives brands an opportunity to maintain visibility through an item that consumers can incorporate into their daily activities.

Designing Promotional Bags That Stand Out

A successful promotional bag needs more than a logo printed on its surface. Its design should balance brand visibility, functionality, and visual appeal.

Here are some important considerations for brands developing custom promotional bags.

Choose the Right Bag Style

The intended audience and campaign objectives should influence the type of bag selected.

Some popular options include:

Cotton Tote Bags

A versatile option for retail promotions, events, and everyday shopping. They provide a large printable surface for brand logos and campaign messages.

Non-Woven Shopping Bags

Lightweight bags that can be developed in different sizes, shapes, and colors. They are commonly considered for retail giveaways and promotional campaigns.

Foldable Shopping Bags

Compact designs that can be folded and stored when not in use. Their portability makes them suitable for shoppers who want an additional bag when traveling.

Drawstring Bags

A casual promotional option suitable for events, lifestyle campaigns, and merchandise collections.

Travel and Shoulder Bags

Larger designs can be considered for travel-related promotions, premium gift-with-purchase campaigns, and retail collaborations.

Material selection should reflect the intended use, product specifications, and any environmental claims the brand intends to make.

Make Branding the Focal Point

The Hershey’s Kisses bag demonstrates how prominent branding can improve the visibility of a promotional item.

Brands should consider:

• Logo placement and visibility.
• Brand colors and contrasting backgrounds.
• Campaign slogans or marketing messages.
• Printed graphics and decorative elements.
• Branding across additional areas, such as handles and straps.

The goal is to create a design that remains recognizable while maintaining an attractive appearance.

Consider Functionality and Durability

A promotional bag should be designed for its intended use.

Important considerations include:

• Appropriate dimensions and carrying capacity.
• Comfortable handles or shoulder straps.
• Suitable material thickness.
• Reinforced stitching and attachment points.
• Easy storage and portability.

A well-considered design can help make the promotional item more useful and encourage consumers to use it beyond the initial campaign.

Other Ways to Use Promotional Bags in Marketing Campaigns

Promotional bags can be incorporated into different types of marketing activities, depending on the brand, audience, and campaign objectives.

Here are some examples.

Gift with Purchase Promotions

Offer a branded bag when customers purchase a qualifying product or reach a specified spending threshold.

Product Launch Campaigns

Include a custom bag in product launch gift sets to introduce new products and create a coordinated brand experience.

Seasonal Retail Promotions

Develop themed shopping bags for Christmas, summer promotions, Valentine’s Day and other seasonal campaigns.

Travel Retail Promotions

Consider branded bags as gifts for qualifying purchases at airports, Duty Free stores and travel retail outlets.

Corporate and Event Merchandise

Create branded bags for exhibitions, conferences, product launches and corporate events.

The design and specifications can be adapted to suit the campaign’s objectives, budget, and distribution requirements.

How ODM Group Supports Promotional Bag Development

Developing custom promotional bags involves several decisions, from selecting the right concept to defining materials, dimensions, branding, and production requirements.

• 

ODM Group is a product development and merchandise agency that helps brands explore creative promotional product concepts and coordinate their development with manufacturing partners.

Our approach can include:

• Concept development: Exploring promotional bag ideas that complement the brand and campaign objectives.
• Sketch design: Visualizing bag shapes, layouts, branding positions, and design details.
• Material selection: Considering suitable materials and specifications for the intended application.
• 3D CAD development: Developing product details and technical specifications where required
• Packaging development: Considering how promotional bags can be presented as part of a gift set or retail promotion.
• Factory Audit: Working with manufacturing partners on production requirements.
• Quality Control: Coordinating quality checks against agreed product specifications.

By considering the creative and practical aspects of product development, brands can explore promotional bags that support their marketing campaigns and deliver useful merchandise to consumers.

Final Thoughts

The Hershey’s Kisses promotional bag demonstrates how a simple gift-with-purchase concept can provide value beyond the original transaction.

By combining prominent branding, a memorable slogan, and a practical bag design, Hershey’s created a promotional item that could continue displaying the brand long after customers left the Duty Free store.

For brands planning similar campaigns, the opportunity is to develop promotional bags that consumers genuinely want to use while keeping the brand identity visible.

A well-designed promotional bag can serve two purposes: providing practical value to the recipient and creating additional brand exposure wherever it goes.

Planning a custom promotional bag or gift-with-purchase campaign?

ODM Group helps brands develop creative merchandise concepts, explore custom product designs, and coordinate with manufacturing partners. Contact our team to discuss your next promotional campaign.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best type of bag to use for promotional campaigns?

The best option depends on the campaign and target audience. Cotton tote bags are popular for everyday use, while foldable shopping bags are convenient for retail promotions. Drawstring bags and shoulder bags can work well for events, lifestyle campaigns and gift-with-purchase offers.

Can promotional bags be customized with a brand's logo and design?

Yes. Promotional bags can feature custom logos, printed graphics, brand colors, slogans and patterns. Brands can also customize the handles, straps, bag shapes and interior details to create a design that reflects their identity.

What printing methods are available for custom promotional bags?

Common options include screen printing, heat transfer printing, digital printing and embroidery. The most suitable method depends on the bag material, artwork complexity, number of colors and desired finish.

How can brands make promotional bags more attractive to customers?

Brands can go beyond basic logo printing by incorporating creative shapes, contrasting colors, distinctive handles, attractive patterns and practical features. A design that combines visual appeal with everyday functionality is more likely to be used regularly.

 

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