For anyone who has traveled around the United States, it should come as no surprise that the local culture can vary dramatically across state lines. From political preferences to favorite foods to sports team loyalties, no two states share exactly the same customs and lifestyles.

As it turns out, these distinct differences apply to marketing and promotional products as well. This can make it tricky for advertisers attempting to reach potential customers across a wider region, but as always, it simply comes down to knowing your audience.

Whether you’re a small business trying to appeal to your local clientele or a bigger business eager to venture across state lines, the key to success is knowing which marketing strategies will offer the biggest bang for your buck.

Below, we’ll break down the promotional products that deliver the biggest impact in all 50 states.

Outerwear

Sporting the highest mass appeal of all promotional products, outerwear is the most popular item in 12 U.S. states: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming.

It may come as a surprise that local climate doesn’t seem to play a role, but keep in mind that outerwear doesn’t have to mean fleece or hoodies; it can also come in the form of rain jackets, windbreakers, varsity jackets, vests, and more.

T-Shirts

Comfortable, casual and cool, t-shirts are the go-to promotional item for marketers in Florida, Rhode Island, and South Dakota. It’s also worth noting that t-shirts are equally popular across all age groups.

Polo Shirts

Alaska, Maryland, and South Carolina keep it classy and stylish with polo shirts as their favorite promotional product.

Umbrellas

Did you know that Louisiana is the second rainiest state, second only to Hawaii? It’s no wonder then that umbrellas are the promotional product that deliver the biggest impact in the Bayou State.

USB Drives

Hardworking and tech-savvy California, Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Washington DC all say that USB drives are their most influential promotional product.

Desk Accessories

Turns out that Texas is a big fan of branded desk accessories, which are kept at the workplace more than 60% of the time.

Drinkware

Whether they’re keeping warm in the winter or staying hydrated through the summer, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, and Ohio agree that drinkware is the best type of promotional product.

Writing Instruments

Grab a pen and take note: Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, and Wisconsin all love their branded writing instruments. Women are also slightly more likely to hang on to this type of promo item than men.

Health & Safety

Nevada and West Virginia seem to have a particular passion for health and safety; both states say that these promotional products are the most influential.

Bags

Nebraska sure loves its bags! This is good news for marketers based in this state, since bags are thought to generate more impressions than any other promotional item.

Performance Wear

These 8 states stay sporty, and say that performance wear is their top category of promotional products: Alabama, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Power Banks

Colorado and Illinois are clearly fans of taking their gadgets on the go. These two states say that mobile power banks deliver the biggest impact.

Calendars

You can always count on people from Montana to keep an appointment! Calendars are the most influential promotional product in the Big Sky Country.

The Markey Group has access to more than 700,000 high-quality promotional items – more than enough to appeal to consumers in every state! Learn more about how branded products can benefit your business.