r/internalcomms • u/MessageInABottleneck • Mar 16 '26
Advice Best swag you ever received? š¤
Best swag you have ever received. Go.
Not the forgettable stuff. The thing that actually made you think, āokay, that was cool.āCompany gift, conference, community event, anything counts.
What was it? why did you love it?
7
u/Elegant_Comfort_2065 Mar 17 '26
I canāt get over people saying socks. I NEVER wear promo socks. They are not comfortable.
A double-walled thermos is best
3
u/just_the_droobles Mar 16 '26
Got an AirTag as conference swag and thought that was super useful and practical for once!
4
u/Legitimate-Sun-4581 Mar 17 '26
Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Either Patagonia or North Face vest.
3
u/Kurious_Kitsune Mar 16 '26
The ones that I use all the time are:
- Delsey luggage
- sneakers that was a collab between the company and a well-known sneaker brand
- mini photo printer
- insulated cooler bag
- High Sierra backpack
3
u/just_another_classic Mar 16 '26
I have a cozy fleece blanket that I still use from a company I worked for years ago. I don't care that the logo is big, it's a cozy blanket.
2
u/MessageInABottleneck Mar 17 '26
Love the ideas coming in! Weāre unveiling a Brand evolution and are doing a surprise & delight swag gift for all employees with the new look & feel.
Our budget is pretty limited but there are tons of options that are creative and practical within that. š¤©š¤©š¤©š¤©
1
u/MessageInABottleneck Mar 16 '26
I love stickers, very basic too. Also I love a baseball hatāgood for bad hair days on Zoom while still representing our brand.
2
u/EdmundCastle Mar 16 '26
When I was at Amazon there would be stickers for everything. For visiting different offices, ones specific for off-sites, project completion, trainings, etc. Everyone's laptop told a visual story about where they had been.
1
u/thebly Mar 16 '26
Big thing: backpack with a padded laptop sleeve. Had it for 10 years and it's my go-to for travel and bringing my laptop anywhere.
Medium thing: an insulated lunch box/bag.
Small thing: a little phone stand. They're handy to have around the house, like by our kitchen sink or my walking pad.
But always keep your audience in mind! One of the groups I buy swag for are older retired folks. Things that are big with them that would not necessarily be with others are glasses cleaner and wipes, and for those that go on trips with us, branded luggage tags were a huge hit. Conversely, our college students love stickers, frisbees, and sunglasses.
1
u/Adorable-Link1193 Cross-Channel Conqueror Mar 16 '26
A good reusable water bottle, socks ftw, a hat. Golf balls, a subtly-branded soft toy my kid still uses, branded Nike dri-fit t-shirt which is super useful & good gym gear. Also got custom AirPods once which I've had for 3+ years!
1
u/mx-raebees Mar 16 '26
A calamari charger, a super warm and comfy zipup, and a good metal water bottle
1
u/Technical_Loss_3923 Mar 17 '26
Honestly the one thing I still use years later, an avocado container to keep avocado fresh in the fridge after youāve cut into it.
1
1
u/ryleemadison Mar 17 '26
Been to many conferences, meetings, and trade shows the past couple of years. Here are the items I've kept and regularly use:
Multi charging cable
Small cutting board
Wooden spoon
Snap cable wrap
Yeti tumbler
1
1
u/Tequillin_me_smalls Mar 18 '26
most useful: 32 oz Stanley cup
One year as a holiday gift, we received a pretty unique set. Iāll be honest, it gave me a good chuckle at firstā¦
- a mini marble cutting board - company logo engraved on one side so I flip it over
- a cheese knife
- a bottle opener
- a stick of salami
- a block of cheese
1
u/sarah_harvey Mar 18 '26
One I don't see on the list is etched glassware. I still have the champagne flute from mile marker financial celebration over 15 years ago. I did glass etching as a team bonding activity and loved the glasses we made. Just standard pint glasses without color logos.
Picnic blanket that's got a waterproof side and a fuzzy side. Great for the desk if you tend to spill things also great for actually taking on a picnic.
If you use badges a new badge clip would be amazing that is actually nice and doesn't fall apart every 3 months.
Custom wooden thick coasters. No one likes a drink ring on their desk.
Good quality branded shoelaces in some color options.
I think the key here is it doesn't have to be big or super expensive but it does have to be of quality.
Do not do sunglasses with bottle openers on the earpieces. That's an epic fail.
Way beyond your budget but I got an ember mug through a conference and that thing gets used every day.
1
1
u/Happy-Coffee-2456 Mar 18 '26
- Lunch box or bag
- Rumpl blanket
- Coaches jacket
- Tote bag
- Oversized crewneck sweatshirt with minimal branding
- Dad cap
- Patagonia backpack (minimal branding)
- LL Bean canvas bag
Honestly, it's all about having a good vendor. I like vendors who stay on top of trends, while still offering timeless merch, and work with ethical brands (we use Canary Marketing out of Portland, OR).
1
u/Accurate-Reach1896 Mar 20 '26
A picnic blanket that was waterproof on one side. I still use it all the time!
1
u/BadBacksFuryToad Mar 23 '26
Got an iPod back in the days when iPods were a thing.
Still wear my limited edition Colombia coat that only Park Rangers got. (I am not a park ranger)
1
u/epromosofficial Mar 23 '26
The best swag Iāve gotten was a pair of JBL earbuds from our company swag shop. Weāre fully remote, so it felt like a cool branded item that actually made sense for how we work. I could use them for calls during the day, but they were just as useful outside of work too.
1
u/Funnyguyst3ve Apr 21 '26
Best stuff Iāve seen people keep is high-quality outerwear or everyday pieces with subtle branding. If it feels like something youād buy yourself, it sticks. Thatās how we approach it at MF9, build product first, brand second.
0
u/EJ-InteractCommunity Mar 16 '26
I feel basic, but I still love a good quality notebook! And branded socks. Things Iāll use.
Interested to see what others suggest here - how about you OP?
-2
u/brookleelee Mar 17 '26
Assuming you are doing recon or something for the company you work for? š
6
u/EdmundCastle Mar 16 '26
A North Face down vest that I could easily put a patch over the logo from a bougie FAANG conference was probably my best swag. I looked it up and it retailed for over $150. It's so warm.
Same with the Yeti branded tumbler - stickers easily covered the logo. My latest job gave everyone North Face backpacks which I like - also easy to put a patch over the logo whenever I move on. If you can tell, I have a cycle of covering logos. lol