In today's world, there are many different methods of advertising and raising awareness. There’s the internet, billboard ads, TV ads, word-of-mouth promoting, handing out flyers, holding events, etc. A new and interesting method of raising awareness is emerging with the use of wristbands as a popular way to reach a wide and diverse market. Most of this is due to its convenient nature and extreme visibility. If someone’s got a colorful wristband on their hand, people are likely to see and notice it. The message to be advertised is printed on it, and almost everyone whom the person wearing it meets will see it; this is very different from adverts that have to be placed at strategic places to catch the eyes of the target market.

A wristband is usually made of rubber and (as the name suggests) is generally worn on the wrist. This makes it a very viable way to convey messages, as hands are so frequently used and looked at. Wristbands are widely used to raise awareness, in that motivational messages can be printed or embossed on it. What that message is naturally depends on the specific needs of the person or company using them. The companies that supply wristbands also frequently have services that make it easy for their buyers to customize them to their own liking. Customizing is the adding of text or images to the plain wristbands that are sold, though wristbands with messages already on them are also frequently bought. 

The purpose of raising awareness is most commonly found in community institutions such as churches, schools, and charity organizations. These groups usually have the need to pass on a special message to the person wearing the wristband, or they want the person wearing the wristband to pass the message on to others. Children in schools may be given wristbands with messages about sports day, graduations, or special school events, in the hopes that the message will be remembered as long as they have the bands on them. Many churches use wristbands for their fundraising projects, with them mostly having messages quoted from the Bible printed on them. Companies may have their brands and/or signs printed on wristbands as a way to gain loyalty with those wearing them and to get their name and image out there to more of the general public. Charity organizations also use wristbands for a similar purpose, as can be seen by the popular and prevalent use of cancer awareness wristbands. 

Wristbands are easy to use, easy to customize, and come in a wide range of colors to choose from; these factors make them a favorite for many people, companies, and organizations who wish to raise awareness.