As the winter cold and flu season arrives, more and more businesses are including antibacterial hand sanitizers in their promotional programs. It makes good sense. Sales of these products in the retail environment are exploding, and savvy marketers try to stay up with the latest trends.

Marketing is all about keeping the brand name in front of the consumer, so promotional products that get repeated usage are winners due to the constant exposure they bring. When people are in close contact at shopping malls and holiday parties, and hand-washing is often inconvenient, a small bottle of sanitizer can save the day. A recent NY Times article tells us the popularity of the stuff during the just-ended campaign season. The article mentions familiar names George Bush, Dick Cheney, Barack Obama, and Al Gore as regular users, especially following marathon hand-shaking sessions at political appearances.

You may be surprised to see the many new formats available for sanitizers. The 3 oz. bottle shaped like a hand certainly caught our eye. There are also small bottles attached to a key chain or caribiners, pocket sprayers, and executive pens which are actually sprayers in disguise. Antibacterial products come in liquid, foam, or gel form. They can be seen clipped to badge holders at trade shows, another place where there's an abundance of hand shaking. And every time someone uses a promotional sanitizer, somebody else's brand name gets another exposure.