Glitter dumplings? Butter squishies? NeeDohs?
To anyone without younger children (or who isn’t chronically online), those words might sound like gibberish. But these fidget toys are actually the latest social media product trend to infiltrate promo in a big way.
According to the latest data from ASI Research, Q3 saw a massive spike in ESP searches for terms like “NeeDoh,” “squishy” and “dumpling” in response to the huge demand from a variety of market verticals.
NeeDoh toys – colorful, squishy stress relievers shaped like balls, cubes and gumdrops – became a viral sensation earlier this year, following in the footsteps of last year’s Labubu craze. Made by classic toy company Schylling, the squishy toys can be squeezed and stretched for a satisfying sensory experience. Popular designs sold out in stores, sending resale prices soaring. CEO Paul Weingard told Business Insider that NeeDoh, introduced in 2017, has become the company’s bestselling toy of all time.
Similarly, “glitter dumplings” also have gone viral, fueled by their blind box appeal. Eager consumers could find them for just a few dollars at retailers like Five Below and open the plastic packaging to reveal the color of their mystery dumpling – or, if they were lucky, score a coveted glitter variety.
Granted, it’s not all good press for the toys – several brands of squishy toys have faced recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission for hazards related to their internal water beads, and a social media trend involving microwaving the toys resulted in severe burns for several children.
But there’s no denying the demand is there. NeeDoh isn’t officially available in the promo industry, but ESP features dozens of suppliers offering similar styles and products. Even searches for the broader term “fidget” were up 26% compared to the same three-month period last year.
Other top growing Q3 ESP searches include “hacky sack” (+1,271%), which experienced a resurgence in popularity in the spring among middle and high schoolers, as well as “hand warmer” (+40%) as people plan for the colder months. “Tech organizer” (+28%) was another growing search term.
Meanwhile, the popularity of the Stanley brand tumbler, which is now offered in promo exclusively through Counselor Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/66887) and its subsidiary ETS Express (asi/51197), has continued to decline, with searches falling 40% from the previous year’s Q3. Searches for “Halloween” also declined significantly compared to last year, despite recent reports from the National Retail Federation that consumer spending on Halloween is expected to beat last year’s figure.
For the top 10 promo product searches for the quarter, perennial staples like “pens,” “tote bags,” “water bottles” and “tumblers” dominated the first few spots, with “backpacks” and “mugs” making a return to the top 10 as buyers prepared for back-to-school season and cooler weather.
Promo pros are likely already seeing demand for cold-weather and holiday essentials as the busy Q4 gifting season ramps up. Searches for terms like “beanie,” “ornament” and “scarf” more than doubled in Q3 compared with Q2. Last year’s search trends suggest those seasonal staples will draw even more interest in the final three months of 2026.
