Promotional marketing can be complicated and frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be! Creative branding strategies are emerging all the time, and businesses have been turning to unorthodox solutions to find higher engagement during promotions. Enter the branded umbrella! You can significantly enhance your marketing strategies using custom printed umbrellas, offering a functional and unique product to your customers. In this article, we’ll explain the business benefits of using branded umbrellas as well as ways for you to implement them in promotional campaigns.

The Versatility of Branded Umbrellas

Branded umbrellas come in many shapes and sizes, offering a range of functions depending on your needs. Ranging from standard personal umbrellas to commercial-grade parasols, branded umbrellas can feature your logos while offering practical assistance. Here are some different styles:

Golf Umbrellas

Unlike compact umbrellas, branded golf umbrellas are typically larger and offer a higher level of durability. They are originally designed for golf courses and are intended to provide a good deal of shade for designated areas. Adding customised branding to these umbrellas can be particularly useful for outdoor events, thanks to the large surface area and high visibility.

Compact (Telescopic) Umbrellas

Compact umbrellas, otherwise known as telescopic umbrellas, are what you might think of when someone says “umbrella”. They have a distinct folding mechanism that “telescopes” out when opened. These umbrellas are ideal for anyone and can be easily left in a car or a bag in case of rain. By applying branded content to these umbrellas, you can effectively create walking billboards that increase brand visibility everywhere they go.

City Umbrellas

City umbrellas are similar to compact umbrellas, typically being carried by the user, however, they are specifically designed for urban environments. They commonly include metal, foldable components, and come in a variety of styles and designs. City umbrellas typically have the highest level of customisation, and you can take advantage of them to create stylish branding that works perfectly for giveaway promotions.

Restaurant Parasols

These are generally large, commercial umbrellas that can frequently be found in front of businesses and restaurants. These parasols offer extensive shade to customers, making outdoor seating more accessible and comfortable. By adding promotional parasols to an outdoor setup, you can bring a ton of attention to your brand. Commercial parasols are durable, being made of heavy-duty acrylic or polyester fabric, and have long lifespans.

Benefits of Using Branded Umbrellas in Promotions

Brand Visibility and Awareness

Branded umbrellas add a unique approach that rivals traditional marketing. By attaching your brand to umbrellas, you essentially create mobile marketing, as people will walk around with your umbrella, unwittingly advertising on your behalf! When in public, people on the street can see your promotional umbrellas and be exposed to your branded content.

Long-lasting Marketing Impact

When designing your promotional umbrellas, most companies manufacture their umbrellas with durable materials, making umbrellas a long-lasting promotional tool. Well-made promotional umbrellas can last for years, and they get thrown out far less often than promotional pens or keychains. Promotional giveaways are a great way to distribute your umbrellas, as receivers will be grateful and likely use your umbrellas for months or years!

Style and Reusability

If you design an attractive, high-quality promotional umbrella, people will proudly use them often. In addition to being useful, a good umbrella contributes to the overall style of the person using it. For the fashion-conscious, umbrellas can be used as accessories, which means that a stylish umbrella design can extend your promotional umbrella’s lifespan.

Creative Ways to Use Branded Umbrellas in Promotions

1. Umbrella Giveaways at Events

Once you create your branded umbrellas, you have to devise a plan to distribute them to an effective audience. One of the best distribution solutions is to organize or attend events and give them away! Consider who your target audience is, find or plan an event that appeals to them, and give them out to attendees. The offer will likely be appreciated in most cases and you’ll succeed in widening the scope of your brand visibility.

2. Employee Appreciation Gifts

Umbrellas can be thoughtful and convenient gifts for employees. Giving them as employee appreciation gifts shows that you care for your employees’ well-being and comfort, all while improving your marketing at the same time.

3. Partner with Local Businesses for Co-Branding

Consider reaching out to other businesses in your area to help with your promotional strategy. Umbrellas are a highly useful item to offer to customers, and many businesses would be glad to give customers additional value. You can team up with coffee shops, restaurants, libraries, and hotels to co-brand umbrellas, including both logos and leaving them in visible places for customers to take. This can expose your brand to an entirely different audience while strengthening your business relationships.

4. Umbrella-Themed Social Media Contests

Things change over time, but one thing remains true in marketing: people love winning free stuff. You can create promotions or contests on social media and offer your umbrellas as prizes. By offering free entry in exchange for likes, shares, or comments, you can generate buzz while improving social media analytics. Social media influencers can also be used to promote interest in your contest and widen your audience.

5. Use in Charity or Fundraising Events

When creating a promotional umbrella campaign, making a direct profit from the umbrellas isn’t necessarily the goal. Getting them into the hands of people who will use them benefits you in many ways, which is why charities and fundraising events can be an awesome way to get your umbrellas out there while giving back to your community. Individuals who attend fundraising events and receive your umbrella will likely use them long after the event and associate your brand with community involvement. 

6. Seasonal Promotions and Special Offers

Umbrellas are perfect for unexpected weather, which typically occurs during certain seasons, depending on where you live. Take advantage of this by offering seasonal offers that put your branded umbrellas in the limelight. You can create a sense of need for your branded umbrellas by timing giveaways or promotions during the rainy season, thereby increasing interest in your brand as well as customer engagement.

Targeting Specific Audiences with Branded Umbrellas

Promotional umbrellas are useful in a wide range of settings, so you can target any number of demographics in your umbrella campaigns. Here are a few examples of audiences that might be the perfect target for branded umbrellas.

Corporate Clients

If you regularly attend corporate events or work with individuals in business-formal settings, umbrellas make for a perfect gift. They can be sleek, stylish, and professional, and can be easily given out during conventions, meetings, or during employee appreciation events.

Outdoor Enthusiasts

Needless to say, outdoor enthusiasts often find themselves in rainy weather. You can faithfully target this demographic for your branded umbrella campaign, knowing that the umbrellas are likely to be put to good use. Quality branded umbrellas are durable and can work well against wind and rain, allowing your brand to be visible along hiking trails alongside the lake.

University and School Events

Universities and schools are amazing places to distribute your umbrellas. Larger universities typically have plazas and long stretches of sidewalks that are unprotected from rain. Try distributing your branded umbrellas at job fairs, club meetings, or anywhere on campuses that work best to get your company’s name out there. 

Charity Organizations

Through a bit of research, you can find local charities and fundraising events in your area. As previously mentioned, charitable organizations are wonderful entities to collaborate with for your promotional campaign, as you can give back to the community while fostering a stronger connection between your brand and charitable work.

Customisation Options for Branded Umbrellas

Logo Placement and Design

The placement of your logo and branded content is the most important step when designing your custom umbrellas. Make sure your logo is as clear and large as possible to get the most visibility for your brand. Unless you deliberately want to do so, avoid placing your brand content on the edges or sides of the umbrellas in case it gets cut off during the production stage.

Colour Options and Patterns

Many websites allow you to get creative with colour options and pattern design, and you should feel free to experiment! Just make sure that the aesthetic design of the umbrellas matches your brand and doesn’t conflict with your logo or text.

Additional Features (e.g., UV Protection, Wind Resistance)

Consider other add-on features that might complement your umbrella design. Options like higher-duty materials will add value and strength to your umbrellas but often cost more to manufacture. Weigh out the pros and cons of adding additional features to the model, and think of your target audience’s lifestyle to determine the best approach.

How to Maximise ROI with Branded Umbrellas

Selecting Quality Umbrellas

Don’t skimp when it comes to the quality of your promotional umbrellas! The temptation to get a large batch of cheap umbrellas can be alluring, but people don’t want cheap, plastic devices and will often discard them after a few uses. Quality material and build go a long way, so make sure to partner with a promotional company that puts effort into the manufacturing of their umbrellas.

Aligning Branding with Your Audience

One quick way to tank your branded umbrella campaign is to offer your umbrellas to the wrong audience. Think about how your branding appears to your target audience. If your audience is bold and fun-loving, try to add flair and nuance to the design. Similarly, if your target audience is purely corporate, consider a more subtle, minimalistic approach. It’s a good idea to imagine what your target audience might look like if they were given umbrellas made just for them.

Distribution Strategies

Spend time crafting comprehensive distribution strategies. Think about where and when your umbrellas should be given out. If it’s timed right, your branded umbrellas could be a hit, becoming the subject of conversations and praise. Otherwise, they may end up in a closet for years. Collaborate with other businesses that would benefit from an umbrella partnership, and set clear expectations for what you want out of your campaign.