Promotional magnets are magnets that reference a specific company, product, or idea. They are produced and distributed specifically for that purpose, and are a type of advertisement. Promotional magnets were previously limited to magnets that were used to affix things to the sides of refrigerators; now, however, they include car magnets, business card magnets, and magnetic tape-based magnets.
A promotional magnet needs to provide information or an easily-understood reference in order to be effective. Most promotional magnets provide the name of the person or company that they are promoting, as well as a phone number. Many promotional magnets also provide a slogan, graphic, or other interest creating device that will draw the eye to the magnet.
Promotional magnets of the refrigerator magnet type are some of the oldest and most common. These magnets are usually relatively large, and can hold other items to a refrigerator with ease. Promotional magnets of this type may be in interesting shapes such as cars or telephones. Some of these magnets have additional objects on them – they may also be can openers, bag clips, calendars, sculpted decorations or other items of interest.
Business card magnets are a more recent type of promotional magnet. These promotional magnets appear to be traditional business cards, but contain magnetic material on their backs that allow them to be stuck to refrigerators and other ferrous objects. Business card magnets do not have a very strong magnetic field, but they are cheap to make and put a company’s phone number in an easy-to-find location – usually the customer’s refrigerator. Postcard magnets are similar to business card magnets, but are a larger size.
Car promotional magnets have gained popularity in recent years. Unlike traditional promotional magnets, car promotional magnets are usually affixed to property either owned by the company being promoted or when a direct benefit exists for the customer to do so. As their name implies, they are magnets that are affixed to an exterior part of an automobile. Car promotional magnets have the advantage that they are exposed to many more people than traditional promotional magnets; there is not, however, much incentive for customers to affix this style of magnet to their own vehicles. Clever companies have created contests around car promotional magnets or have made them interesting enough to look at that people would freely put them on their own cars, however.
Magnetic tape-based promotional magnets are sometimes used by smaller companies to promote their products or services. Instead of paying a printer or promotional items company to make promotional magnets, a company will instead print up their own flyers on traditional paper and affix strips of self-adhesive magnetic tape to the back of them. These types of promotional magnets can be made in small quantities, but do not look as professional as traditional promotional magnets.