Reusable drinks bottles are a slam dunk in terms of promotions. Everyone wants to get their hands on them because they are so genuinely useful. They also last a long time and could help the individual to save a lot of money on bottled water.
While a person could buy their own water bottle, it’s far more fun when they can grab a freebie bottle from their favourite brand. This allows them to own something unique that is not available to purchase.
The scarcity of promotional water bottles means that brands can ask for something in return. This could include feedback, contact details, time, or exposure on social media. And once the bottle is in the hands of the customer, they will be offering free advertising everywhere they go.
With this in mind, we’re looking at some of the factors you might consider when designing your promotional water bottle. This will help you to make a bigger impact with the design and ensure that it remains desirable.
| Design Choice | Visual Impact | Brand Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome Finish | Subtle | Moderate |
| Full Colour Body | High | High |
| Patterned Design | Eye-catching | Variable |
| Logo + Slogan | Distinctive | Strong |
Reusable metal water bottles can either be designed as a plain chrome bottle with your logo, or they can have a full colour design. The chrome option is typically cheaper as there is less printing. However, you could miss out on branding opportunities by not using your brand colours for the main body of the bottle.
If you decide to go with full-bottle printing, you’ll then have to decide between a patterned bottle or a plain colour with a printed logo. Choosing a pattern can help to make your water bottle more eye-catching and memorable. However, it could also mean that your logo is lost in the design. While the design might be eye-catching, it might not be the best for delivering your brand message.
Next, you’ll need to decide if you want a single logo or a repeating logo. Some logos lend themselves better to a repeating design, so you’ll need to consult with a graphic designer to determine what will work best for your water bottle.
Another key decision to make will be between a double logo print or a logo and a slogan. Choosing a fun or quirky slogan for your bottle could help to make it a more desirable promotional item. However, it could also date the bottle, particularly if you choose something that is trending. Instead, you should think about what timeless slogans and phrases are associated with your brand and choose something that makes sense within the context of your existing marketing plans.
Some people have multiple water bottles that they have gathered from various sources, including brands, bands and their favourite stores. If you want to secure the spot of the “favourite” water bottle that gets taken everywhere, then you need to make sure your bottle design stands out.
Picture it on the shelf with a selection of other water bottles that are available to buy and ask yourself if you would pick that design in that situation. If the answer is no, then it’s time to rethink the design.
While it might be tempting to link your water bottle design to a specific event, this could backfire. If you end up with excess stock, then you might struggle to get rid of the leftovers after the event. Instead, you can choose an evergreen design and then change the colour every year to signify the change of event.
For those people who attend every year, the bottles will quickly become a collectible item that will allow them to show off their dedication to the event series by collecting all of them.
Ask whether your bottle would still feel relevant a year from now — timeless designs are more likely to stay in circulation.
The design not only needs to pop in real life, but it also needs to look good on social media. If you want individuals to shout about their freebie online, a simple way to achieve this is to create a design that is perfectly aligned with the aesthetic of your customers.
Look at trending items in your sector for inspiration about what is likely to resonate. Make sure you align your branding with the type of customers you are trying to attract. Look at trending aesthetics to see how you can better align your brand with these popular looks.
If you are hoping your bottles will be popular with young children, consider leaving a space for them to add their name. If you have a lot of young people all with the same bottle, they could wind up switching their bottles around and this could get frustrating for parents.
By leaving a blank space on the bottle design, you can allow people to mark the bottle as their own, ensuring they don’t mix it up with another person if they happen to have the same design. This will be particularly popular with parents who don’t want their children sharing germs!
When designing your bottle, think carefully about how the design will repeat. If you design it flat, there will be a seam which might not look as stylish. To avoid this, choose a repeating design or a solid colour.
It’s also important to make sure the final design is in-keeping with your company brand and not something that is just following the trends. At the end of the day, the bottle design should be promoting your company, and this will be difficult to achieve if it has nothing to do with your brand identity.
Design influences whether a promotional bottle becomes a daily essential or sits unused. When a bottle looks good, feels personal and aligns with brand values, it earns repeat use and long-term visibility.
There are so many opportunities to be creative and fun with your bottle design. Rather than playing it safe with a simple logo, you can push the boundaries and include an engaging slogan that will make your bottle even more desirable.
A reusable water bottle will always be a tempting offer, but when you can also make it a stylish or unique design, you stand a chance of securing the spot of “favourite” water bottle for your ideal target customer.
Explore promotional drink bottles designed for impact, longevity and everyday use.
Should promotional bottles follow design trends?
Trends can inspire ideas, but designs should always reflect your brand identity.
Is personalisation important?
Yes — small personal touches can increase attachment and reduce mix-ups.
