Overview
Branded umbrellas are one of the most cost-effective promotional products available. Unlike digital ads or billboards, they deliver years of visibility at a fraction of the cost. Using a simple CPM (cost per thousand impressions) calculation, branded umbrellas can achieve costs as low as £0.66 per 1,000 views, far below most online or offline advertising channels. This makes them a practical, long-lasting marketing tool that combines everyday usefulness with strong brand exposure.
Table of Contents
The cost of advertising with branded umbrellas compared to digital ads, billboards, and other promotional products.
Why Branded Umbrellas Are a Cost-Effective Advertising Tool
With any advertising investment, businesses want to know what their Return on Investment (ROI) will likely be before committing. For branded umbrellas, we calculate this using Cost Per Mille (CPM), which is the cost per thousand impressions.
How to Calculate CPM for Branded Umbrellas
Calculating an exact CPM for branded umbrellas is tricky due to many factors, such as weather conditions, crowd density whilst the umbrella is open, distribution, the lifespan of an umbrella and the umbrella’s effectiveness in promoting the brand or organisation. These factors mean we cannot measure the CPM of branded umbrellas as accurately as a social media advertising campaign or a Pay-per-click (PPC) campaign, for example.
Want to see how different print methods can affect your CPM? Explore our design a promotional umbrella guide
Example CPM Calculation for Promotional Umbrellas
Let’s look at an example CPM for a branded umbrella campaign using some intelligent estimates:
| Number of umbrellas | 1,000 |
| Number of views per day, per umbrella | 50 |
| Number of days the umbrellas are used per year | 100 |
| Number of views after 3 years | 15,000,000 |
So, if the cost of producing and distributing the branded umbrellas is £10,000, the CPM would be 15 million divided by 1,000, which is £0.66 CPM.
The CPM of branded umbrellas generated from this example is very low and offers fantastic value compared with more traditional forms of advertising.
Comparing Branded Umbrellas with Other Advertising Channels
In 2023, the mean CPM of an active ad with Meta, the company that owns Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, was around £1.39 [source Statista], the CPM for streaming services like ITV Hub and All 4 is around £30 and for Amazon Prime is around £20 [source: Campaign Live – Netflix ad prices]. It is predicted that these numbers will become less favourable as more and more streaming services and platforms hit the market and user numbers change accordingly.
Social Media and Streaming Ads vs Promotional Umbrellas
For billboard advertising in the UK, the CPM rate can vary from around £5 up to £20 per 1000 impressions [source: Amplify Outdoor – billboard advertising costs]. Direct mail can be between £400 and £800 [source: Topdraw – online ad costs].
Branded umbrellas are a superior choice over more traditional advertising methods. Unlike billboards, which rely on static visibility and TV ads susceptible to channel switching, branded umbrellas offer great exposure when users carry them around, turning them into moving billboards during rainy weather.
If you’re planning a festival, wedding, or corporate gathering, see our guide on how personalised umbrellas enhance outdoor events.
Why Umbrellas Provide Long-Lasting ROI
Umbrellas also serve a practical purpose, ensuring repeated impressions with every use, which helps maximise brand visibility. This repeated usage contrasts with direct mail campaigns, which often end up straight in the bin unread.
Branded umbrellas provide a tangible, long-lasting promotional tool that recipients appreciate and use, extending the advertisement’s lifespan beyond a single interaction. Ultimately, branded umbrellas offer a cost-effective means to achieve sustained brand exposure, making it a more strategic investment than traditional advertising channels.
Our luxury branded umbrellas are designed to last for years, ensuring your brand stays visible long after the first impression
Enjoy a Low CPM with Branded Umbrellas for Your Business
If you’d like to take advantage of a fantastic ROI for your advertising cash, branded umbrellas are a great choice. Global brands trust The Umbrella Workshop to design and manufacture high-quality branded umbrellas that demand attention.
See how global brands have used our umbrellas to boost exposure in our case studies.
Our team of experts will work closely with you to design and create a personalised umbrella that will display your brand prominently for years. To learn more, speak to a team member by calling UK: 01225 667 979 or USA: 8666 158 187. Alternatively, you can email info@umbrellaworkshop.com.