Promotional Matches: Small Items, Big Impact
Promotional matches pack a powerful punch in the world of marketing. These tiny items have the potential to ignite brand recognition and customer loyalty.
At Get Matches, we’ve seen firsthand how custom matchbooks can transform ordinary moments into memorable brand experiences. In this post, we’ll explore the creative ways businesses can leverage these small but mighty marketing tools.
Why Custom Matchbooks Ignite Brand Recognition
Striking a Chord with Customers
Custom matchbooks create a unique connection between a brand and its audience. An impressive 88% of recipients recall the specific advertiser from an item they’ve seen, and nearly half, at 47%, retain these items for a year or more. This remarkable retention rate showcases the lasting impact of tangible marketing materials like matchbooks.
Cost-Effective Marketing That Lights Up ROI
Custom matchbooks offer unbeatable value for your marketing budget. The Promotional Products Association reports that the average cost per impression for promotional matches is around $0.003. This makes them one of the most cost-effective advertising solutions available. Small businesses can maximize their marketing budget and increase brand visibility with these affordable promotional items.
Tangible Experiences in a Digital World
Physical promotional items like matchbooks provide a refreshing tangible experience in an era dominated by digital advertising. They engage multiple senses, which creates a more memorable interaction with your brand. The Promotional Products Association found that 65% of consumers develop a favorable impression of a brand after receiving a promotional product like matches.
Versatility Across Industries
Custom matchbooks aren’t limited to bars and restaurants. Hotels, retail stores, and even wedding planners successfully use them. Their versatility makes them an excellent choice for businesses across various sectors (hospitality, entertainment, retail) looking to leave a lasting impression on their customers.
Eco-Friendly Options for Conscious Brands
Eco-friendly match options are gaining popularity with the rising demand for sustainable marketing materials. Nielsen reports that 66% of consumers prefer brands that are environmentally responsible. Businesses can enhance their brand image while meeting customer expectations for sustainability by offering green alternatives.

The Match Group, with over 35 years of expertise, offers high-performance custom printed matchbooks and matchboxes that serve as both practical items and effective marketing tools. Their products (including the customizable Retro Feature Matchbook™) are designed to enhance brand visibility and create a distinctive promotional experience. As we explore creative ways to use promotional matches in the next section, you’ll discover how these small items can make a big impact across various industries.
Creative Ways to Ignite Your Brand with Promotional Matches
Setting the Mood in Restaurants and Bars
Restaurants and bars can use custom matchbooks to enhance their ambiance and reinforce their brand. A high-end steakhouse might offer elegant, black matchboxes with gold foil stamping, while a trendy cocktail bar could opt for colorful, retro-style matchbooks that complement their aesthetic. These matches serve a practical purpose and act as mini-billboards that customers take home. The 2020 ASI Ad Impressions study provides powerful data proving that promotional products are the most high-impact, cost-effective advertising, making matchbooks an excellent long-term marketing investment for hospitality businesses.
Elevating Guest Experiences in Hotels
Hotels can use promotional matches to add a touch of luxury and personalization to their guest experience. Placing custom matchboxes in rooms (especially those with fireplaces or candles) shows attention to detail and enhances the overall ambiance. Some hotels create limited edition matchbooks for special events or seasons, which encourages guests to collect them as souvenirs. This strategy improves guest satisfaction and extends brand visibility beyond the hotel stay.
Creating Lasting Memories at Events and Weddings
Event planners and couples increasingly turn to custom matchbooks as unique favors for weddings and special occasions. These personalized keepsakes can feature the event date, couple’s names, or a special message, which makes them cherished mementos for attendees. Research on the effectiveness of promotional products in marketing has found that promotional products improve brand recognition and recall.
Complementing Product Lines in Retail Stores
Retail stores, particularly those selling candles, cigars, or other smoking accessories, can use promotional matches to complement their product lines and enhance the customer experience. For instance, a candle shop could offer branded matches with every purchase, which encourages repeat business and increases brand recall.

The creative applications of promotional matches can significantly boost brand visibility and customer engagement across various industries. The next chapter will explore how to design effective custom matchbooks that maximize their impact and align with your brand identity.
How to Design Matchbooks That Stand Out
Selecting the Perfect Match Style
The first step in creating impactful promotional matches involves a choice between matchbooks and matchboxes. Matchboxes offer several benefits over lighters. They are cost-effective, easily accessible, and require no maintenance or refueling. Matchboxes provide a more premium feel and additional space for branding, making them suitable for upscale establishments or luxury hotel experiences.
The Psychology of Color in Match Design
Color significantly influences brand recognition and emotional response. A quote often used in the printing industry states that “Color increases brand recognition by 80%”, although the actual study behind this claim is often misinterpreted. When designing your matchbooks, consider your brand’s color palette and the emotions you want to evoke. Red can stimulate appetite (ideal for restaurants), while blue evokes trust and professionalism (suitable for corporate events). Green works well for eco-friendly brands or outdoor-themed businesses.
Incorporating Your Brand Effectively
Your matchbook design should extend your brand identity. Include your logo, but don’t stop there. Add a tagline, website URL, or even a QR code for digital engagement. Try to create a clean, memorable look that aligns with your overall brand aesthetic. A cluttered design can detract from your message, so prioritize simplicity and clarity.
Balancing Form and Function
While aesthetics matter, don’t overlook the primary function of matches. Ensure easy access to an effective striking surface. High-quality match sticks should provide a reliable light every time. This balance of form and function (when executed well) enhances the user experience and creates a positive association with the brand.
Customization Options
Consider unique customization options to make your matchbooks stand out. Embossing, foil stamping, or special coatings can add a tactile element to your design. Some businesses opt for unconventional shapes or sizes (within practical limits) to create a memorable promotional item. The Match Group, for instance, offers a variety of customizable options (including their Retro Feature Matchbook™) to help brands create distinctive promotional experiences.

Final Thoughts from Get Matches
Promotional matches have proven their worth as powerful marketing tools that create lasting brand impressions and foster customer loyalty. These small items offer businesses an unparalleled opportunity to engage customers across various industries, from restaurants and bars to hotels and retail stores. Their cost-effectiveness, high retention rates, and ability to engage multiple senses make promotional matches an exceptional value for marketing budgets of all sizes.

Thoughtful design and strategic implementation maximize the potential of promotional matches. Businesses can create custom matches that truly stand out by considering color psychology, incorporating brand elements effectively, and balancing aesthetics with functionality. These small promotional items deliver a tangible brand experience that digital advertising cannot replicate.
We encourage you to explore the world of custom match options to ignite your brand recognition and customer engagement. Get Matches offers a wide range of high-performance, custom-printed matchbooks and matchboxes designed to elevate your brand (and create distinctive promotional experiences). Don’t underestimate the power of these small but mighty marketing tools – they might just be the spark your brand needs to truly shine.