Attendees love free things. From t-shirts to food, pens to pashminas, swag is a great way to improve the attendee experience while promoting your brand.
What is a Swag Bag?
A swag bag or an event goodie Bag is essentially a bag filled with free promotional items or samples given to event attendees, usually by sponsors or event organizers before, during, or after an event.
The purpose of a promotional goodie bag is not just to get maximum attendee eyeballs on your brand, but also to make a lasting impression on the audience. In essence, corporate goodie bags are your brand’s golden opportunity to enrich the audience experience throughout the course of the event.
Corporate swag bags, if well-curated, can be a tasteful way of marketing your brand to your desired audience. Since a swag bag is a reflection of your company’s brand, you should take extra measures to ensure quality. If you don’t, it could portray your brand negatively.
What to Bear in Mind While Putting Together a Corporate Swag Bag
Audience
You must understand your target audience for the event and keep in mind their likes and dislikes. But in order to set yourself apart, try and go a step further and put yourself in the shoes of your audience. This will help you decide what will have a lasting impact and what might end up getting thrown in the trash.
Your Message and Brand
The only thing worse than your swag ending up in the trash is your swag hurting your brand image. For instance, if your brand is known for being environmentally conscious, then distributing leather-bound notepads as swag will end up tarnishing your brand’s reputation rather than elevating it.
Type of Event
The contents of your swag bag will change depending on the type of corporate event. For instance, if you’re putting together a goodie bag for an indoor educational conference, then your swag will vastly differ from the swag in a goodie bag for an outdoor corporate cookout.
Recall and the Utilitarian Value Of Swag
This is where “out of sight, out of mind” holds true. For a swag bag to be a success, it must have a purpose.
Swag Bag Ideas
Here are some fun swag bag ideas for your next event that will set your brand apart and leave an impact on your attendees.
Stress Relievers
Corporate professionals are entrusted with a lot of responsibility. With great responsibility comes a great deal of stress. Give your attendees gifts that help decrease that stress.
- Adult Coloring Books — a branded adult coloring book with your logo isn’t just a great stress buster. Color coding also improves memory.
- Aroma Stress Ball — these are high-quality stress balls that double as a scent diffuser when squeezed, thus offering refreshing stress relief.
Accessories for Your Attendees’ Gadgets
In today’s digital age, the market is filled with a plethora of accessories to choose from for all kinds of gadgets, some of which are a need and others that are a want.
- Webcam cover — the importance of privacy protection has been stressed enough times, making webcam covers a necessity in today’s world. Give attendees branded web cam covers.
- Magnetic Cable Control System — this will help organize cables, headphones and cords, making your attendees’ desks look less cluttered.
Apart from these, external memory cards for phones and customized portable power banks and portable speakers imprinted with your company logo are also great additions to your corporate swag bag.
Munchies and Snacks
Corporate events tend to last hours and can leave event attendees with hunger pangs. Add the following goodies to your swag bag to show your attendees some love and care.
- Trail mix — a filling, healthy and delicious option for a snack that will hold your attendees over until their next meal.
- Nutribars/protein bars — another snack that your attendees will thank you for!
Immersive Brand Experience
This kind of swag offers your attendees a chance to interact with your brand.
- DIY pen stands with your branded logo — this is a great gift that your attendees can keep on their office desk.
- Rubik’s cube with different logos on each side portraying your different ventures or key partnerships.
Environmentally Friendly
This is particularly important if your company claims to be conscious of its carbon footprint and can help elevate your brand.
- Bamboo products — you can gift your attendees a self-care kit consisting of a bamboo toothbrush and a bamboo comb, branded with your company’s logo. If your budget permits, you can also get hard-drive and/or keyboard covers or sound amplifiers made of bamboo for your attendees.
- Glass or copper bottles and reusable straws — this will not only reduce your on-site waste but will have a great recall value for your brand.
E-swag
Relatively new to the world of swag bags, e-swag bags consist of vouchers and/or promo codes for music/movies/clothes, etc. They can be used before, during or after an event and are another environmentally friendly swag option.
Swag You Can’t Go Wrong With
If you have budget constraints or would like to opt for more generic goodies with a universal appeal, you can always bank on branded t-shirts, caps, socks, and tote bags. These are among the most common corporate swag items and owe their immense popularity to their high utility value. Even with these, you have the chance to set yourself apart by partnering with brands that use recycled materials to acquire your customized event apparel. It is important to remember that the best promotional goodies are those that become conversation starters or impress your audience enough to post on social media.
Swag is an Extension of Your Brand
Swag bags are an extension of your brand and must be curated with care, after substantial research. Handpicking the right goodies for your corporate swag bag will not only distinguish you from your competitors but will go a long way with your desired customers. One of the key things to remember while handpicking your promotional goodie bag is that utility drives how well the items are received and should be a crucial factor when choosing swag.
