Promotional marketing is a strategy used by businesses to drive engagement, increase sales, and boost brand awareness through incentives and special offers. Whether it’s a flash sale, a free giveaway, or a branded tote bag, the purpose is to attract attention and motivate customers to take action.
And it’s not just about handing out keychains at a trade show (although, who doesn’t love free swag?). It’s about smart, calculated promotions that align with your business goals, target audience, and marketing channels.
Let’s break it all down — from what this strategy aims to achieve, to some stellar promotional marketing examples, and how you can create your own winning strategy.
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What Is the Purpose of Promotional Marketing
At its core, promotional marketing is designed to give people a nudge. It offers a compelling reason to act, whether to make a purchase, follow a brand, or share an offer with friends. Promotions create urgency, boost sales in the short term, and build long-term customer relationships.
Promotional marketing is not just about slapping discounts on your product. It’s a way to build brand loyalty, gather customer data, and increase the visibility of your business. When done right, it adds value to both your company and your customers.
Advertising vs. Promotion: Aren’t They the Same?
Advertising and promotion often get confused, but they’re two sides of the same coin. Advertising is your slick, perfectly crafted TV commercial or social media ad. It’s long-term and is all about building brand awareness. Think of it as planting seeds that grow over time.
Promotion, on the other hand, is more like pouring fertilizer on those seeds when they need a quick boost. Promotions are short-term marketing campaigns focused on immediate results — like driving traffic to a specific sale or offering a time-limited discount to new customers.
So, while advertising sets the stage, promotional marketing brings the heat when you need to seal the deal fast. For example, stealth marketing is an interesting blend of both advertising and promotion, where companies subtly promote their products without the audience realizing they're being marketed to.
10 Promotional Marketing Examples
Let’s dive into some examples of promotional marketing strategies that have worked wonders for brands across different industries. Whether you’re a startup, a local business, or a corporate giant, these examples can serve as inspiration for your next campaign.
- Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly promotion
- Chipotle’s Burrito Builder on Roblox
- Sephora’s Beauty Insider Point Multiplier event
- LEGO’s VIP Days
- Netflix’s Stranger Things pop-up experience
- McDonald’s Grimace Birthday promotion
- Disney’s 100 Years of Wonder celebration
- Crocs’ Croc Day global event
- Nike’s Air Max Day
- Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series
1. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly Promotion
In 2023, Amazon expanded its Climate Pledge Friendly program, which promotes products that meet sustainability certifications. To support this initiative, Amazon offered and continues to offer limited-time discounts on these eco-friendly products to Prime members.
By tying promotions to a cause-driven initiative, Amazon not only pushed more sales but also boosted its corporate social responsibility image. The campaign was heavily promoted through Amazon’s app, website, and email marketing.
2. Chipotle’s Burrito Builder on Roblox
In September 2022, Chipotle took a gamified approach to promotion by launching Burrito Builder on Roblox — a game where players can build virtual burritos and earn rewards like real-life discounts and free food.
As a result, this promotional marketing effort tapped into Chipotle’s younger, tech-savvy audience, offering them a fun experience while driving both in-app engagement and foot traffic to physical stores. Chipotle further supported the campaign through social media promotions and their rewards program.
3. Sephora’s Beauty Insider Point Multiplier Event
Sephora’s ongoing Beauty Insider Point Multiplier Event, which started way back in 2007, incentivized members of its loyalty program to spend more in exchange for extra points, which could be redeemed for products and services.
The more customers spent, the more points they earned, creating a sense of urgency to make purchases during the event. This exclusive offer was pushed through personalized emails, mobile app marketing campaigns, and social media, resulting in a significant boost in sales.
4. LEGO’s VIP Days
In 2023, LEGO launched VIP Days, a promotional event aimed at their loyalty members. LEGO VIPs received early access to new products, double loyalty points, and exclusive sets during the promotional window.
By offering these perks to VIP members only, LEGO increased engagement with its loyalty program and encouraged more shoppers to join. Promotions were highlighted through email, the company’s website, and the LEGO app, creating excitement around the limited-time event.
5. Netflix’s Stranger Things Pop-up Experience
In 2023, to promote the release of the latest season of Stranger Things, Netflix launched immersive pop-up experiences in major cities around the world, including New York, London, and Tokyo. Fans could visit the interactive spaces that recreated iconic sets from the show, while also purchasing exclusive merchandise.
The promotion was amplified through influencer partnerships and social media challenges, making the experience a viral sensation. The campaign blended in-person and digital elements to create a buzz-worthy event that tied directly into the show’s release.
6. McDonald’s Grimace Birthday Promotion
In June 2023, McDonald’s brought back its fan-favorite character Grimace to celebrate the mascot’s birthday, creating a viral promotional campaign centered around a limited-edition shake. Fans were encouraged to purchase the shake and share their birthday wishes for Grimace on social media.
The campaign quickly turned into a viral success, with users sharing comical videos and Grimace Shake challenges, boosting McDonald’s visibility on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While the promotion’s initial goal was to celebrate Grimace, it evolved into one of McDonald’s most talked-about marketing moments.
7. Disney’s 100 Years of Wonder Celebration
As part of its 100th anniversary celebration in 2023, Disney launched the 100 Years of Wonder promotional campaign. It included limited-edition merchandise, special events at Disney theme parks, and promotional tie-ins with popular brands like LEGO and Pandora.
One of the highlights was the release of exclusive collectables, including Disney-themed jewelry, toys, and apparel, which were heavily promoted through influencer collaborations and social media. The campaign generated significant hype across generations of Disney fans, making it one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year.
8. Crocs’ Croc Day Global Event
Crocs celebrated Croc Day (now rebranded as Croctober) in 2023 with a global promotional campaign offering limited-edition Crocs and special Jibbitz charms. The brand also ran a giveaway campaign on social media, where users could win exclusive Crocs by sharing their favorite styles and tagging the company.
Influencers, fashion bloggers, and celebrities were tapped to amplify the promotion, leading to a surge in social media activity around the brand. Crocs’ ability to blend its quirky brand identity with a fun global celebration led to increased online sales and enhanced customer engagement.
9. Nike’s Air Max Day
In 2023, Nike once again celebrated Air Max Day, commemorating the launch of its Air Max shoes with exclusive drops, limited-edition merchandise, and events. Nike used sneakerhead influencers to promote the event across social media, with fans posting about their favorite Air Max designs and showing off their collections.
Nike also launched an Air Max NFT, integrating digital collectibles into the campaign. The annual event strengthens Nike’s brand loyalty while driving sales for its Air Max product line.
10. Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series
For years, Red Bull has been a sponsor of extreme sports, particularly through the Cliff Diving World Series. The brand uses the event to promote its energy drinks through live-streamed competitions, social media highlights, and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences for fans.
In 2023, Red Bull also integrated interactive content that allowed users to choose their favorite cliff divers and win branded merchandise. The campaign reinforced Red Bull’s image as the go-to brand for extreme sports while engaging fans with interactive and adrenaline-pumping content.
Create Your Own Promotional Marketing Strategy
Feeling inspired? Now that we’ve seen how big brands do it, it’s time to think about your own promotional marketing strategy. Here are some expert tips to help you get started:
- Set SMART goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your promotion, whether it’s brand awareness, sales growth, or lead generation. You need to think long-term and align your promotions with your broader brand marketing goals. Make sure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Target the right audience: Identify your target demographic. Understand what motivates them — are they driven by discounts, exclusivity, or sustainability? Tailor your promotional efforts to match their preferences.
- Choose your promo type: Whether it’s a flash sale, loyalty rewards, or social media contest, the promotion type should align with your business objectives and resonate with your audience.
- Create urgency: The key to most promotions is urgency. Use phrases like limited time offer or while supplies last to encourage customers to act quickly.
- Leverage multiple channels: Promote your campaign across all relevant platforms — social media, email, your website, and mobile apps. A multi-channel approach will help you reach a wider audience.
- Analyze results: Once your promotion is over, dive into the data. Did you meet your goals? What worked, and what didn’t? Use these insights to refine future promotional strategies.
5 Best Promotional Marketing Agencies To Hire in 2025
If you’re ready to take your promotional marketing game to the next level but don’t know where to start, hiring one of the best promotional marketing agencies could be the solution.
Each agency has been meticulously selected based on its exemplary services, client reviews, and ability to provide innovative and efficient solutions in various sectors.
1. KlientBoost
- Location: California, United States
- Average hourly rate: $100/hour
- Notable clients: Bloomberg, Stanford University, SAP, Lenovo, Airbnb
- Expertise: Advertising, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, PPC, SEO, Social Media
KlientBoost is a performance marketing agency helping companies scale their strategies across multiple channels to drive more revenue quickly, without cutting corners. With a team of over 80 experts, the agency specializes in boosting return on investment (ROI) for over 250 clients across the lead generation, SaaS, and eCommerce industries.
KlientBoost offers personalized marketing strategies designed to accelerate client growth and achieve measurable success.
2. Disruptive Advertising
- Location: Utah, United States
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Notable clients: Adobe, KPMG, Diesel Power Gear, PennyMac, WNDRD
- Expertise: Advertising, Creative, Digital Marketing, Market Research, PPC, Social Media, Video Production, Web Design
Disruptive Advertising is a performance marketing agency dedicated to helping authentic brands achieve breakthrough results. With over 10 years of success, Disruptive guarantees impactful marketing strategies with long-term contracts.
It aligns business goals with data-driven marketing strategies, using top talent, innovative tools, and technology to drive real impact. Clients also benefit from access to exclusive industry relationships, content, and a supportive community, ensuring long-term growth and success.
3. Digital Darts
- Location: South Toowoomba, Australia
- Average hourly rate: $200/hour
- Notable clients: Lack of Color, Blue Bungalow, ETRNL, Cali White, AtmosFX
- Expertise: Advertising, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Media Buying, PPC, SEO, Social Media
Digital Darts is a Shopify optimization agency that’s been driving profit growth for Shopify stores worldwide since 2015. It specializes in search and shopping advertising, paid social, and email marketing.
As a certified Shopify Partner and Shopify Expert Marketer, Digital Darts focuses solely on one goal: boosting profits for Shopify stores. Their expertise solves any challenges while uncovering hidden profit opportunities.
4. Funnel Boost Media
- Location: Texas, United States
- Average hourly rate: $100/hour
- Notable clients: Groomers Seafood, JV Law Group, Khalid Auto Group, Bugco Pest Control
- Expertise: SEO, Digital Marketing, Web Development, Web Design, PPC, Advertising, CRO, Mobile App Development, Branding
Funnel Boost Media is dedicated to bringing the traditional marketing funnel into the digital space. Specializing in local web presence, Funnel Boost Media helps businesses transform their websites into powerful lead generators.
The team has a genuine passion for helping local companies grow online. It offers comprehensive digital marketing services to help businesses dominate their local markets.
5. Intero Digital
- Location: Colorado, United States
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Notable clients: Jaguar, University of Colorado, Christy Sports, Learning RX, Land Rover
- Expertise: Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, PPC, SEO, Social Media, Web Design
Intero Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency with five offices across the US. It works collaboratively with its clients to create and execute an industry-leading marketing plan that drives measurable business results.
The Intero Digital team is composed of digital marketing experts with a proven track record of driving next-level results for businesses of all kinds.
Promotional Marketing Examples: Bottom Line
Promotional marketing is not just about discounts or sales — it’s about creating meaningful interactions that benefit both your brand and your customers. Whether you’re a startup or a well-established business, the right promotional strategy can skyrocket your visibility, engagement, and sales.
Get inspired by our examples, create your own winning plan, and, if you need help, hire one of the top agencies to guide you through 2025 and beyond.
Promotional Marketing Examples FAQs
1. What are the most effective types of promotional marketing?
Some effective types of promotional marketing include discounts, contests, giveaways, limited time offers, referral programs, loyalty programs, and experiential marketing events. The best type depends on the target audience and the specific goals of the campaign.
2. How do I measure the success of a promotional marketing campaign?
To measure the success of a promotional marketing campaign, track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales growth, customer engagement, website traffic, conversion rates, and ROI. Analyzing these metrics will help determine the campaign’s effectiveness.
3. How often should a business run promotional marketing campaigns?
The frequency of promotional marketing campaigns varies based on the business and industry. However, it’s essential to strike a balance: Too many promotions can devalue a brand, while too few may lead to missed sales opportunities. Campaigns aligned with key dates, like holidays, can be very effective.
