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Per publicly available ASI summaries from the ASI 2026 and 2023 Ad Impressions Studies, branded power banks went from 870 average impressions per item in 2023 to 1,800 in 2026 — a 107% increase in three years. This post covers the data behind the doubling, the behavioral drivers, and why power banks are the strongest-performing tech promotional category in the 2026 data set.
Branded power banks averaged 870 impressions per item in 2023. By 2026, the same category had reached 1,800 — a 107% increase in three years, per publicly available ASI summaries from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) 2026 and 2023 Ad Impressions Studies. Among all tech-category promotional products tracked in the longitudinal data set, power banks show the strongest impression growth of any segment in that period.
The 107% gain is consistent with both ASI's longitudinal methodology and the broader behavioral trend of increasing mobile device dependence among recipients in all major demographic groups. ASI tracks impression-per-item averages using consistent recipient survey inputs across both study years, so the 870 → 1,800 movement represents a measurable change in how often recipients use branded power banks and expose the brand to observers.
Per publicly available ASI summaries from the ASI 2026 and 2023 Ad Impressions Studies:
How power banks stack up against other tech and high-traffic categories over the same period:
| Category | 2023 avg impressions | 2026 avg impressions | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health / wellness | 640 | 4,000 | +525% |
| Bags / totes | 1,940 | 4,900 | +153% |
| Power banks | 870 | 1,800 | +107% |
| USB drives | 851 | 400 | -53% |
| Drinkware | 3,162 | 1,300 | -59% |
Per publicly available ASI summaries from the ASI 2026 and 2023 Ad Impressions Studies.
Mobile device use has increased across nearly every recipient demographic since 2023, and battery capacity hasn't kept pace with screen-on time or processor demands. Recipients who carry a power bank now carry it habitually — at the office, in transit, at airports, at events, and at home when working away from a fixed outlet. That multi-context usage profile is what drives impression count above single-context items.
A branded power bank sitting on a conference table, charging cables attached, visible to meeting participants for 60 minutes, generates a different impression volume than a branded pen sitting on the same table. The power bank is actively in use, which creates conversational moments — "where'd you get that?" — that secondary-impression data captures. It also signals something about the brand: a company that gives a recipient a useful, well-made power bank communicates technical competence and practical generosity in a way that passive items don't.
The 107% increase also reflects increasing quality expectations in the category. As recipients have received more power banks over time, they've become more discriminating — lower-quality units that fail after two charges or don't hold their rated capacity get discarded, while quality units stay in rotation for two or three years. Longer retention duration multiplies impression yield, and the market has responded by raising the quality floor.
At 1,800 average impressions and a typical unit cost of $20–$35, branded power banks produce a cost-per-impression between $0.011 and $0.019. That range is competitive with mid-to-top-tier promotional product categories across the full mix and significantly better than most tech items currently in decline.
For buyers whose tech-category budgets are still weighted toward USB drives, the data argues for a direct reallocation. Power banks now generate more than 4× the impressions of USB drives at comparable price points. The category also carries a higher perceived-value signal to recipients than most promotional tech items — a quality power bank feels like a real product rather than a freebie, which sustains use and extends retention.
One practical note: power bank programs require attention to specification. Capacity (mAh), pass-through charging capability, USB-C compatibility, and airline compliance (most commercial airlines allow power banks under 100Wh / 27,000mAh as carry-on) affect whether the item integrates into the recipient's daily routine or sits unused. Undersized or non-compliant units underperform on impression yield regardless of brand quality.
Power banks' strong growth is part of a broader category-level rebalancing documented in the ASI longitudinal data. The promotional products category trends for 2026 post maps which categories are gaining and losing ground in the current promotional mix — including how tech subcategories are diverging.
For the full longitudinal data set and cross-category context, the industry research pillar indexes all promotional products research.
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Tech & Promotional Electronics Specialist · 10+ years experience
David covers tech promo and broader consumer-behavior trends in branded merchandise for Promolistic. He started in tech accessories — power banks, wireless chargers, branded electronics — and now tracks cross-category consumer-preference data from PPAI and ASI annual studies. He vets supplier claims, tests new gadgets, and writes on what makes a promo product feel useful enough to keep.
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