Branded Lolly Bags: A Sweet Way to Promote Your Business

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ens are useful. Tote bags get around. But sometimes, the best way to get someone’s attention is through their stomach.

Branded food has become a fun addition to the promotional product world, with everything from lolly bags and chocolates to biscuits, popcorn and mints available in customised packaging. They can be handed out at events, added to client gifts or simply left somewhere customers can help themselves.

Unlike many promotional products, food isn’t designed to stick around forever. But that doesn’t mean it can’t make an impression. Done well, a small treat can turn a simple interaction with your business into a positive little brand experience, and sometimes that’s exactly what you want people to remember.

Why use food to promote your business?

Promotional products work best when people actually want them. We’ve talked before about choosing useful and relevant items in our guide to promotional products and gifts, and food adds another possibility to the mix.

It’s easy to give away, suitable for many types of businesses and can work across different budgets and occasions.

There’s also something inherently friendly about offering someone a treat. A branded bag of jelly beans on a conference table feels very different from handing over another brochure. One asks to be read; the other might tempt someone to stop, smile and start a conversation.

Of course, there is one small disadvantage: your advertising might be eaten within minutes. Deliciously short-lived, perhaps, but memorable nonetheless.

Branded lolly bags

Lolly bags are one of the simplest ways to turn confectionery into a promotional product. The bag, label or sticker can carry your logo, colours, website, campaign message or event details, while the contents do the important job of attracting attention.

There’s plenty of choice too. Mixed lollies, jelly beans, gummy bears, chocolates, mints and rock candy can all be packaged and branded in different ways.

Best for: Trade shows, conferences, open days, launches, reception areas, giveaways and thank-you gifts.

Watch out for: Allergies and dietary requirements. Check ingredient and allergen information with your supplier and make sure this information is available to the people receiving your treats. Individually wrapped products may also be worth considering depending on where and how they’ll be handed out.

Branding idea: Don’t automatically stop at the logo. A clever message can make the packaging part of the fun. A dentist handing out lollies might raise a few eyebrows, but for the right brand, a good pun or playful message could make the idea much more memorable.

Chocolates, biscuits and other edible options

Lollies aren’t the only thing on the promotional menu.

Branded chocolates can feel a little more premium, making them well suited to client gifts, hampers and special events. Individually packaged biscuits can work nicely alongside coffee at meetings and conferences, while popcorn, pretzels, nuts and other snacks offer alternatives when you want to move away from confectionery.

The important part is choosing something that makes sense for the audience and occasion. A small mint might be perfect at a networking event, while a beautifully packaged box of chocolates could be better suited to thanking a long-term client.

And remember: the food may disappear, but the packaging is where your branding gets to shine.

Make the packaging part of the experience

Putting your logo on a sticker is one option. Creating packaging that actually feels like your brand is even better.

Colours, typography, illustrations, patterns and a well-written message can turn an ordinary snack into something recognisably yours. You could coordinate the food with your brand colours, create packaging around a campaign theme or add a QR code leading to an offer, competition or landing page.

This is where graphic design can transform a promotional item from “free food with our logo on it” into a small but considered piece of marketing.

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Sometimes, a thoughtful little treat is enough to give people a taste of your brand – quite literally.

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And it doesn’t have to be edible

If you’d prefer your promotional item to last longer than the afternoon sugar craving, think about the things people use around food and drinks.

Reusable coffee cups, drink bottles, mugs, lunch boxes, cooler bags, coasters and other food-related accessories can give your brand a much longer life. The trick, as with any promotional product, is usefulness. A beautiful reusable cup that becomes someone’s Monday-morning coffee companion can put your brand in front of them hundreds of times. These items also offer more room for creative artwork, so you don’t necessarily have to plaster an enormous logo across them. Sometimes a design people genuinely like using will promote your brand far better.

Choose something your audience will enjoy

Whether it’s a tiny bag of jelly beans or a reusable coffee cup, the same rule applies: think about the person receiving it.

What would they enjoy? Where will they receive it? Does the product suit your brand? And how can the design make it feel like more than another generic giveaway? A promotional product doesn’t have to be expensive or permanent to make an impact.

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Branded food can be a simple, fun way to make your business a little more memorable, especially when the packaging looks as good as the treat tastes. If you have a tasty promotional idea in mind, talk to Visual Targets, and we can help turn it into something your customers will want to get their hands on.