Every now and then when I want to measure a kid’s height or retrieve change that somehow found its way under my clothes dryer, I reach for a yardstick emblazoned with the name of a hardware store that closed more than 20 years ago. The yardstick itself is probably more than 30 years old.This handy-dandy measuring and reaching tool is a testament to the long shelf life of promotional advertising items, sometimes called premiums, specialty items, or in modern slang, swag. When I look at my Thrifty Mac Hardware yardstick I can’t help but wonder if giving away branded items
