Think of this: You are coffee in hand, badge swinging, at a conference. You are handed a plastic pen by someone. Drops of marketing money lost as fast as the ink in the pen. Imagine now, instead, that you are handed a slick Italian leather notebook or fashionable engraved tech item. You now are experiencing a brand, not only a promotional good. One can clearly see the difference. A high end promotional items have that kind of impact.

Think about Rolex, Apple, or Tesla. These companies leave strong impressions, tell stories, and arouse emotions rather than merely sell goods. Their swag goes along with this. Numbers support this: Recent ASI research indicates that those who receive premium promotional apparel are 61% more likely to view the brand favorably and 83% more likely to remember it. A basic luxury water bottle or Bluetooth speaker, done brilliantly, transforms your firm from “that business over there” to “the one who gave me that killer gadget.”

People more often discuss quality than volume. But let us turn that up a level. A luxury promotional item tells, “We respect your time and attention,” not only makes sense. Present a pair of handcrafted headphones or a magnificent cashmere shawl, and you entwine trust into every note or thread.

Some may worry that entering the higher end market would simply be burning money. The real truth? Go premium, then unforgettable. Look for branded Montblanc pens or Tumi travel accessories. Years of clients clinging to them help your brand break through the clutter. Standing out counts in a world of never-ending branded stress balls.

Let’s deconstruct this. Luxury is not about pin-pointing the most expensive item you come across with your brand. It has to do with meaning. Emphasize objects that strike the ideal mix between form, utility, and prestige. Status symbols abound from wireless chargers, hand-blown drinkware, to real leather totes.

Giving gifts is old—think of kings awarding tokens or neighbors bringing bread. Social currency is a present today that combines prestige and utility. Nobody ever forgets the company that provided the warmest throw blanket for winter or the noise-canceling headphones that made flying comfortable. Still, tread carefully. Giving tablet styluses to persons allergic to technology or crystal wine goblets to non-drinkers has no benefit.

In the eye of a turbulent corporate environment, luxury goods are a lighthouse. They help to anchor your brand in the brains of consumers. PPAI reports that around 89% of top-tier corporate gift receivers still remember the brand even two years later. That contrasts with emails, which are sometimes filed and overlooked.