Promotional merchandise is used all across the world, throughout thousands of different businesses in numerous industries and areas of activity. Promotional merchandise products are also known as promotional items, promotional products, promotional gifts, or advertising gifts, and are used in marketing campaigns as a way to create brand awareness. While numerous items can be used in these kinds of promotional campaigns, normally it is inexpensive and small items that are gifted to the public. Businesses want to get their name out to the public in a way that is cheap and easy, while still giving people something that is valuable and likely to be used. Some of the most popular promotional items include t-shirts, coffee mugs, pens, key chains, and bumper stickers (Autoaufkleber) .

Bumper stickers are ideal for promotional purposes, due to their low cost of manufacture, their high visibility, their small size, and their potential for branding campaigns. Just like T-shirts, when bumper stickers are used they are highly visible and can create free mobile advertising opportunities for any business. Bumper stickers first appeared on the scene shortly after World War II, although they were not initially used for promotional purposes. Even today, the vast majority of bumper stickers are not promotional, and are instead used for humour, identity, artwork, and even as canvases for political statements.

The best kind of promotional merchandise is useful for both the customer and the business, by combining branding with something else that will be valued by the end user. Businesses can combine their logo or brand with artwork, slogans, or patterns to make something that is more likely to be used and create exposure. In some situations, car owners have even been payed a sum of money by businesses to display their advertising on bumper stickers, although this practice is not in wide use. Bumper stickers have a wide range of different uses around the world, one of which is the commercial advertising of goods and services. Their inexpensive manufacturing costs and potential for exposure makes them the ideal product for promotional gifting purposes.