A Comforting Thought

MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY had a favorite stuffed animal or security blanket as kids—something soft and cuddly they clutched while sleeping, or maybe even dragged everywhere like Linus from Peanuts. Growing up causes the childhood bears and blankets to be abandoned, but the emotional hook that made them so important never really leaves. Instead, those feelings mature to include the related longings for luxury and relaxation that accompany adulthood.

Given the mental focus paid to such desires, an item that could become an omnipresent piece of comfort in someone’s life would certainly be of great value as a promotional product. Even though, too, there are many items that serve well in the comfort and luxury category, it is hard to pick against one of the best: the bathrobe.

THE PERKS OF LUXURY

Bathrobes are long-lasting, comfortable items that accompany some of life’s most relaxed moments: before bed, during breakfast or even after every shower. Offering more than mere comfort however, robes appeal to an intangible, almost
subconscius desire for pampering. Laura Lewis, promotional products, sales and marketing director for Deerfield Beach, Florida-based Boca Terry, elaborated on this selling point.

“What a luxury robe does for [end-users] is make them feel like they’re at the spa, make them feel like they’re having something luxurious,” she said. “It’s a great present because it really brings those feelings home.”

The more someone associates positive emotions with an item, the greater mindshare branding can maintain. However, though this type of response is tantamount to a marketing program, no robe will get past the starting gate without a solid, wearable design.

OPTION PARALYSIS

There are probably a few dozen permutations available when deciding on just what kind of robe to get, and so many choices may seem superfluous—waffle texture versus velour, Egyptian versus Turkish cotton, etc.—or simply a matter of taste. Yet, there are a few purchasing decisions to which some extra thought can be devoted.